How Many Tablespoons Are There in a Coffee Scoop?

In coffee shops, you’ll notice how coffee beans are scooped and dumped into a coffee maker. You might have wondered about the number of tablespoons in a coffee scoop. To impress your friends with this trivial knowledge, you must comprehend these two measuring tools.

How Many Tablespoons Are in a Coffee Scoop?

A standard full coffee scoop holds two tablespoons of coffee grounds, equal to 0.36 ounces of ground coffee. It is common for most brewing methods to specify the amount of water per cup, and then you just have to measure the amount by the scoop.

A wooden scoop filled with coffee beans placed on a wooden table

The golden ratio for brewing coffee is to use two tablespoons or one scoop per six ounces of water, compared to 1.48 ounces of water in an espresso shot. If you’re looking for an accurate measurement every time for teaspoons in a scoop, choose a scoop that accurately measures 2 tablespoons per usage.

What Is the Difference Between a Tablespoon and a Coffee Scoop?

With so many espresso tools and accessories on the market, it can be difficult to know which tool you need. The difference between a tablespoon and a scoop is hard to see, as the two kitchen utensils look almost identical, though they are used in very different ways.

Features

Tablespoons are usually small enough to fit into your hand comfortably. Scoops are larger than tablespoons and often have handles or rings that make them easier to grasp firmly while pouring out the contents.

Scoops are typically made of stainless steel, wood, or plastic, while tablespoons are mostly stainless steel.

Usage

The main difference between these two tools is that they are used for different purposes. A tablespoon is used to measure liquids  (like milk or water)  and dry ingredients, while a scoop is used to measure ground coffee.

Size

The measurements on both measuring tools can vary depending on where you purchase them from. Most standard tablespoons hold about 0.5 ounces of liquid or 1/16 of a cup, while a standard scoop holds about 1 fluid ounce or 1/8 of a cup.

Benefits of Using Coffee Scoop Over Tablespoon 

If you’ve only started to learn to like coffee, you’ve probably been using a tablespoon to measure out your coffee. But when it comes to getting the most out of your beans, there’s a better way: the scoop.

Easier to Measure

A tablespoon is a small unit of measurement that is hard to get a level scoop with. A scoop has a flat top that lets you level off the coffee and get an even amount in your cup. The measurements on most scoops are also easy to read and understand, making them easy to use.

Hand holding a scoop full of coffee beans placed on a white cloth bag

If you use tablespoons to measure your ground coffee after brewing a cup of your breakfast blend coffee, you might accidentally spill some grounds and you would be left to figure out how to effectively dissolve these coffee grounds to avoid clogging your sink with leftover coffee grounds.

Accuracy

A scoop is a more accurate tool for measuring coffee than a tablespoon. The reason for this is that the scoops are designed in such a way that they can measure exactly one tablespoon of coffee grounds. 

A tablespoon is not an accurate measurement tool for ground coffee because the size can vary greatly from brand to brand. A tablespoon can also hold anywhere from 0.3 ounces to 0.6 ounces, which means that if you use too much or too little ground coffee in your mug, your coffee will be weak or too strong.

Ergonomic Design

Another benefit of the scoop is that it has an ergonomic design. The design helps ensure that you can hold the scoop properly, so there are no chances of spilling any liquid from it while pouring it out into your spill-proof mug or double-walled coffee cup

Tips for Measuring Coffee Using a Scoop or Tablespoon

  • You can measure by weight instead of volume if you want more precise measurements.
  • Make sure your grounds are loosely packed into the scoop or tablespoon.
  • Use a scoop marked with both ounces and grams so you can easily measure both types of scales.

Related Questions

How Can You Measure Coffee Without a Coffee Scoop or Tablespoon?

The most exact way to measure coffee without a coffee scoop or tablespoon is to weigh a 1:16 ratio of coffee to water on a food scale, which equals 0.8 ounces of coffee to 11.9 fluid ounces of water.

Is a Big Tablespoon Equal to a Coffee Scoop?

A big tablespoon is not a scoop. It’s a big spoon. The difference is that a big spoon is used for stirring and serving, while a scoop is specifically designed to hold exactly one serving of coffee grounds.

Conclusion

A standard full coffee scoop holds twice the amount of ground coffee as a tablespoon or 0.36 ounces. A tablespoon is used to measure liquids and dry ingredients, while a scoop is used to measure ground coffee.