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Read the guideFree Coffee Tool
French Press Ratio Calculator
Pick your French press size and strength to get the exact coarse-ground coffee and water to use. Ratios from 1:12 to 1:15, every time.
FreeNo sign-upWorks on phone
Calculate your French press ratio
1:13.5 · Balanced
Strong (1:12)Light (1:15)
The math behind the calculator
The calculator solves coffee (g) = water (ml) ÷ ratio, using a stronger 1:12–1:15 range than drip coffee's 1:15–1:18. French press needs less water per gram of coffee because the grounds stay in full contact with the water for the entire steep — there's no filtering-as-you-go the way a drip machine or pour-over works.
The press size presets convert directly to water volume using each size's standard capacity, so picking a preset just plugs a known water amount into the same ratio formula rather than doing anything different mathematically.
Coarse-ground coffee
Balanced37.0g
Water just off boil
500ml
Water in oz
16.9oz
Steep time
4 min
Coffee to water by weight
1
13.5
Brew timeline
Pour + stir
0:00
Steep
4:00
Press + pour
right away
Strength
StrongLight
Next: Cup is off? Adjust steep time in 30-second steps before changing the ratio.
The math behind the calculator
The calculator solves coffee (g) = water (ml) ÷ ratio, using a stronger 1:12–1:15 range than drip coffee's 1:15–1:18. French press needs less water per gram of coffee because the grounds stay in full contact with the water for the entire steep — there's no filtering-as-you-go the way a drip machine or pour-over works.
The press size presets convert directly to water volume using each size's standard capacity, so picking a preset just plugs a known water amount into the same ratio formula rather than doing anything different mathematically.
How to use the result
- 1Pick your press size and strength.
- 2Add coarse grounds, pour water just off the boil, stir.
- 3Steep 4 minutes, press, and pour right away.
Common mistakes
- Grinding too fine: sediment and bitterness.
- Water straight off a rolling boil: let it rest about 30 seconds.
- Leaving coffee on the grounds after pressing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy.
Most French press recipes land between 1:12 and 1:15, noticeably stronger than the 1:16-1:18 used for drip coffee.
A balanced starting point is 1:13.5 — a full-bodied cup without going syrupy.
Go toward 1:12 for a bolder cup or 1:15 if 1:13.5 tastes too heavy.
Because the grounds sit fully immersed in water for the entire brew instead of having water pass through them once, and there's no paper filter removing oils and fine particles.
Both effects add body and strength, so a French press ratio that matched drip's 1:16 would taste thin by comparison.
4 minutes is the standard steep time at a ratio in the 1:12-1:15 range, with water just off the boil (around 200°F / 93°C).
If it tastes over-extracted or bitter at 4 minutes, shorten the steep in 30-second increments rather than changing the ratio first.
Yes — a coarse, uniform grind (similar to sea salt) is essential.
A finer grind slips through the mesh filter into your cup and over-extracts during the long steep, producing sediment and bitterness regardless of how carefully the ratio was measured.
A 34 oz press holds roughly 1,000 ml, so at 1:13.5 you need about 74 g of coffee.
Use the press size preset above to get the exact figure for your strength, since press capacities vary slightly by brand.
Fine particles pass through the mesh filter, mostly from a grind that's too fine or uneven.
Grind coarser with a burr grinder, pour gently, and leave the last sip in the cup.
See our guide to burr vs blade grinders for why uniformity matters.
By Michael Anderson · Updated October 7, 2026