Coffee Ratio Lab

Coffee brewing guides

Every guide starts with a quick answer, then shows you exactly how — ratios, temperatures, timings and fixes.

Brew Guides Buying Guides Equipment How-To Troubleshooting Drinks Explained

All 35 guides

Best Moka Pot for Your Kitchen: How to Choose Size, Material and Stove Type illustration
No. 01 · Buying Guides

Best Moka Pot for Your Kitchen: How to Choose Size, Material and Stove Type

Find the best moka pot for you. Compare aluminum vs stainless steel, induction compatibility, cup sizes in ml, pressure-valve models and what to avoid.

10 min read
Coffee Grind Size Chart: Every Brew Method Compared to Kitchen Ingredients illustration
No. 02 · Brew Guides

Coffee Grind Size Chart: Every Brew Method Compared to Kitchen Ingredients

A visual coffee grind size chart for espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour over, drip, French press and cold brew, with micron ranges and kitchen comparisons.

8 min read
Electric Moka Pot: Is a Plug-In Moka Machine Worth It? illustration
No. 03 · Buying Guides

Electric Moka Pot: Is a Plug-In Moka Machine Worth It?

Electric moka pots explained: how they work, how the coffee compares to stovetop, who they suit, what to check before buying and how to care for one.

9 min read
How Much Coffee for a 3, 6 and 9-Cup Moka Pot (Grams Table + Calibration Trick) illustration
No. 04 · Brew Guides

How Much Coffee for a 3, 6 and 9-Cup Moka Pot (Grams Table + Calibration Trick)

Exactly how many grams of coffee and how much water to use in 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9 and 12-cup moka pots, plus a 3-minute method to calibrate your own pot.

8 min read
Drip Coffee Maker Ratio: How Much Coffee for 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 Cups illustration
No. 05 · Brew Guides

Drip Coffee Maker Ratio: How Much Coffee for 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 Cups

How much coffee to use in a drip coffee maker for every cup count, in grams and tablespoons — plus why "12 cups" isn't 12 mugs and how to adjust strength.

8 min read
How to Make Iced Coffee That Isn't Watery (The Ice-Math Method) illustration
No. 06 · Brew Guides

How to Make Iced Coffee That Isn't Watery (The Ice-Math Method)

Stop watery iced coffee. Learn the ice-math method for brewing hot onto ice, coffee ice cubes, cold brew and instant options, with exact recipes and ratios.

8 min read
AeroPress vs French Press: Which Is Better for Beginners? illustration
No. 07 · Buying Guides

AeroPress vs French Press: Which Is Better for Beginners?

AeroPress or French press? Compare taste, body, batch size, cleanup, durability and ease of use to pick the right first brewer for how you drink coffee.

8 min read
Moka Pot vs Espresso Machine: What Actually Comes Out of Each illustration
No. 08 · Buying Guides

Moka Pot vs Espresso Machine: What Actually Comes Out of Each

Is moka pot coffee espresso? Compare pressure, strength, crema, taste, cost and effort between a moka pot and an espresso machine to decide which you need.

8 min read
Latte vs Cappuccino vs Flat White: Milk Ratios and Sizes Compared illustration
No. 09 · Drinks Explained

Latte vs Cappuccino vs Flat White: Milk Ratios and Sizes Compared

The real differences between a latte, cappuccino and flat white: espresso-to-milk ratios, foam thickness, cup sizes, strength and how to make each at home.

7 min read
Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee: Taste, Acidity, Caffeine and Which to Make illustration
No. 10 · Drinks Explained

Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee: Taste, Acidity, Caffeine and Which to Make

Cold brew and iced coffee compared: how each is made, taste, acidity, caffeine, time, cost per glass and which beans suit each — with a quick decision guide.

7 min read
Why Is My Moka Pot Leaking? 6 Causes and Simple Fixes illustration
No. 11 · Troubleshooting

Why Is My Moka Pot Leaking? 6 Causes and Simple Fixes

Find out why your moka pot leaks from the middle, the valve or the base, with a quick diagnosis chart and step-by-step fixes for gaskets, threads and grounds.

8 min read
French Press Ratio for 1, 2 and 4 Cups (Grams, Tablespoons and ml) illustration
No. 12 · Brew Guides

French Press Ratio for 1, 2 and 4 Cups (Grams, Tablespoons and ml)

The French press coffee-to-water ratio for every press size, with grams, tablespoons and ml tables, strength options and how much coffee you actually get back.

7 min read
How to Make Coffee Without a Coffee Maker: 5 Kitchen Methods That Actually Work illustration
No. 13 · Brew Guides

How to Make Coffee Without a Coffee Maker: 5 Kitchen Methods That Actually Work

No coffee maker? Brew good coffee with a saucepan, jar and sieve, DIY paper filter, coffee bag or cowboy method — with ratios and simple steps.

8 min read
Best Water for Coffee: Tap, Filtered or Bottled? (And What to Avoid) illustration
No. 14 · Brew Guides

Best Water for Coffee: Tap, Filtered or Bottled? (And What to Avoid)

Coffee is about 98% water. Which water makes the best coffee, what hardness and minerals do, why distilled water fails and easy fixes for tap water.

8 min read
Arabica vs Robusta: Taste, Caffeine and What's Really in Your Coffee Bag illustration
No. 15 · Drinks Explained

Arabica vs Robusta: Taste, Caffeine and What's Really in Your Coffee Bag

Arabica vs Robusta compared: flavor, caffeine, price, crema and where they grow, plus how to read a coffee bag label so you know what you buy.

7 min read
How Is Coffee Decaffeinated? The 4 Main Methods Explained Simply illustration
No. 16 · Drinks Explained

How Is Coffee Decaffeinated? The 4 Main Methods Explained Simply

How decaf coffee is made: Swiss Water, CO2, ethyl acetate ("sugarcane") and methylene chloride methods explained, how much caffeine is left and how to choose.

7 min read
How to Use a Moka Pot on an Induction Cooktop (Without Bitter Coffee) illustration
No. 17 · Brew Guides

How to Use a Moka Pot on an Induction Cooktop (Without Bitter Coffee)

Will your moka pot work on induction? Learn which pots are compatible, how adapter plates work, and the exact heat settings that avoid burnt, bitter coffee.

7 min read
Cold Brew Ratio Guide: Concentrate vs Ready-to-Drink (With Dilution Table) illustration
No. 18 · Brew Guides

Cold Brew Ratio Guide: Concentrate vs Ready-to-Drink (With Dilution Table)

The right cold brew coffee-to-water ratio for concentrate and ready-to-drink, steep times, grind size, dilution table and how long it keeps.

7 min read
Why Does My Coffee Taste Bitter? A Fix-It Chart for Every Brew Method illustration
No. 19 · Troubleshooting

Why Does My Coffee Taste Bitter? A Fix-It Chart for Every Brew Method

Find out why your coffee tastes bitter and how to fix it, with causes and quick fixes for drip, pour over, French press, moka pot, AeroPress and espresso.

8 min read
How Many Grams of Coffee in a Tablespoon? (Ground vs Whole Bean, Light vs Dark) illustration
No. 20 · Brew Guides

How Many Grams of Coffee in a Tablespoon? (Ground vs Whole Bean, Light vs Dark)

A level tablespoon of ground coffee weighs about 5–6 g, but grind, roast and heaping change it a lot. See conversion tables and how to calibrate your own scoop.

7 min read
What Water Temperature for Coffee? A Chart by Brew Method and Roast illustration
No. 21 · Brew Guides

What Water Temperature for Coffee? A Chart by Brew Method and Roast

The ideal water temperature for coffee by brew method and roast in °C and °F, how to hit it without a thermometer and how altitude changes it.

7 min read
Light vs Medium vs Dark Roast: Taste, Caffeine and the Best Way to Brew Each illustration
No. 22 · Drinks Explained

Light vs Medium vs Dark Roast: Taste, Caffeine and the Best Way to Brew Each

How light, medium and dark roast coffee differ in taste, acidity, body and caffeine — and the best brew method, grind and water temperature for each roast.

8 min read
Coffee Bloom Explained: Why Fresh Coffee Bubbles (and How Long to Bloom) illustration
No. 23 · Brew Guides

Coffee Bloom Explained: Why Fresh Coffee Bubbles (and How Long to Bloom)

What the coffee bloom is, why fresh coffee bubbles, how much water and time to bloom with, and what a weak bloom says about your beans.

6 min read
Ristretto vs Lungo vs Espresso: Shot Sizes, Ratios and Taste Explained illustration
No. 24 · Drinks Explained

Ristretto vs Lungo vs Espresso: Shot Sizes, Ratios and Taste Explained

Ristretto, espresso and lungo use the same coffee but different amounts of water. Compare ratios, volumes, taste, caffeine and when to choose each shot.

6 min read
How to Make Turkish-Style Coffee Without a Cezve (Small Saucepan Method) illustration
No. 25 · Brew Guides

How to Make Turkish-Style Coffee Without a Cezve (Small Saucepan Method)

Make Turkish-style coffee at home with a small saucepan: the right grind, coffee and sugar amounts per cup, how to get the foam, and mistakes to avoid.

6 min read
How to Clean a Moka Pot and Remove White Spots Safely illustration
No. 26 · Equipment How-To

How to Clean a Moka Pot and Remove White Spots Safely

Daily, weekly and deep-clean routines for aluminum and stainless steel moka pots, what white spots really are, and the cleaning mistakes that ruin pots.

8 min read
9 French Press Mistakes That Make Your Coffee Muddy (and How to Fix Them) illustration
No. 27 · Troubleshooting

9 French Press Mistakes That Make Your Coffee Muddy (and How to Fix Them)

Gritty, bitter or weak French press coffee? These nine common mistakes explain why, with simple fixes for grind, ratio, timing and cleaning.

8 min read
Inverted AeroPress Method: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners illustration
No. 28 · Brew Guides

Inverted AeroPress Method: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Learn the inverted (upside-down) AeroPress method safely, why people use it, a beginner recipe with ratios, and how it compares to the standard way.

7 min read
How to Make Pour Over Coffee Without a Gooseneck Kettle illustration
No. 29 · Brew Guides

How to Make Pour Over Coffee Without a Gooseneck Kettle

No gooseneck kettle? You can still brew excellent pour over coffee. Learn pouring tricks, a simple recipe and how to control flow with any kettle.

6 min read
Manual vs Electric Burr Grinder: Which Makes Sense for 1–2 Cups a Day? illustration
No. 30 · Buying Guides

Manual vs Electric Burr Grinder: Which Makes Sense for 1–2 Cups a Day?

Should you buy a hand grinder or an electric burr grinder? Compare grind quality, speed, noise, cost and which brew methods each suits best.

8 min read
How to Store Coffee Beans So They Stay Fresh: Jar, Freezer or Original Bag? illustration
No. 31 · Equipment How-To

How to Store Coffee Beans So They Stay Fresh: Jar, Freezer or Original Bag?

The best way to store coffee beans at home. Compare airtight jars, freezer storage and valve bags, plus how long beans and ground coffee stay fresh.

7 min read
How to Froth Milk Without a Steam Wand: 5 Easy Methods at Home illustration
No. 32 · Equipment How-To

How to Froth Milk Without a Steam Wand: 5 Easy Methods at Home

Make café-style milk foam at home without an espresso machine. Five methods compared, the best milk temperature and which milks froth best.

7 min read
Cortado vs Gibraltar vs Piccolo Latte: What's the Actual Difference? illustration
No. 33 · Drinks Explained

Cortado vs Gibraltar vs Piccolo Latte: What's the Actual Difference?

Cortado, Gibraltar and piccolo latte look alike but differ in size, milk texture and origin. Compare ratios, cup sizes and how to make each at home.

6 min read
How to Clean a Burr Grinder (and Why You Shouldn't Use Rice) illustration
No. 34 · Equipment How-To

How to Clean a Burr Grinder (and Why You Shouldn't Use Rice)

A safe, step-by-step routine to clean manual and electric burr grinders, how often to do it, and why grinding rice can damage your burrs.

7 min read
How to Descale a Drip Coffee Maker With Citric Acid (Ratio + Steps) illustration
No. 35 · Equipment How-To

How to Descale a Drip Coffee Maker With Citric Acid (Ratio + Steps)

Remove limescale from a drip coffee machine with citric acid. Includes a safe mixing ratio, step-by-step routine, how often to descale and vinegar comparison.

6 min read
The Weekly Brew Note

Get one better cup a week

Subscribe and get our free printable Brew Cheat Sheet — every ratio, grind and temperature on one page. Then one practical brewing tip a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.