Ever notice that sometimes the coffee you make at home tastes better on certain days than others? That's likely because the coffee-to-water ratio could be off. Although it's tempting to just add a few scoops of the grinds into the filter and then pour water until it seems like a good amount, paying close attention to the measurements is important for brewing the best-tasting coffee. The good news is there's an explicit formula that coffee experts tend to agree on, and it will eliminate any guessing games you have about the correct amount of coffee and water.
One to two tablespoons ground coffee for every six ounces of water.
That's the coffee-to-water ratio [1] that you should follow when you're making drip coffee in your coffee pot at home. Depending on how strong you like your coffee, you can choose one or two tablespoons based on your taste preference; bonus points if you grind your own coffee [2] (freshly ground always tastes better than packaged).
If you add too much water and not enough coffee, you'll end up with watered-down-tasting coffee that won't exactly satisfy your needs in the morning. Without enough water, the coffee could end up tasting too bitter and the flavor profile will be off. As long as you grab a measuring cup and a tablespoon, you'll be on your way to the best home-brewed coffee of your life.