Grind Tips: A medium grind, about the coarseness of sea salt, is generally optimal. If you're brewing multiple servings, a slightly coarser grind is recommended.

If convenience is your top priority and you prefer a no-fuss morning, a good drip coffeemaker is for you. To enhance your brew, we still recommend using a scale to weigh your fresh coffee and a quality grinder for the perfect grind size.

The Coffee Scoop Conundrum: More Than Meets the "Cup"

Ever wonder why your coffee maker's "12-cup" carafe yields fewer full mugs than you expect? It all comes down to a quirky measurement standard in the coffee world.

First, let's clarify the coffee scoop. While it might look like a tablespoon, it's typically designed to hold two level tablespoons of ground coffee. So, when a recipe suggests "one scoop per cup," that's your starting point.

Now, for the confusing part: what is a "cup" in coffee terms? Forget the standard 8-ounce US Imperial measuring cup. In coffee, a "cup" is generally considered 6 fluid ounces of brewed coffee. This odd convention, believed to stem from the historical tea industry, means coffee maker carafes (including popular brands like Mr. Coffee) often mark their "cups" as even smaller, typically around 5 ounces of liquid.

This discrepancy means your "12-cup" coffee maker isn't brewing 96 ounces (12 x 8 oz) of coffee. Instead, it's likely producing closer to 60 ounces of brewed coffee (12 x 5 oz), which equates to only 7.5 standard 8-ounce cups. If you're pouring into a larger 10 or 12-ounce mug, that "full pot" might only serve 5 or 6 beverages.

The key takeaway? Don't assume your coffee maker's cup markings align with standard US liquid measurements. Always check the measurement markings on your carafe; if no unit (like "oz" or "mL") is specified next to the number, each "cup" likely represents between 5 to 6 ounces of brewed coffee. Understanding this distinction will help you consistently brew your perfect cup.