Most people use about 15g of coffee a cup. That makes one cup a day roughly 450g a month, which is almost exactly two 227g bags, and two cups a day about 900g, which is close to a 1kg bag. Once you know your cups a day, everything else follows: what size bag to buy, and how often you need another one.
Here is the whole thing in one table, then the working behind it.
The quick answer
| Cups a day | Coffee a month | In bags | A rhythm that fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | about 450g | two 227g bags | 227g every 2 weeks |
| 2 | about 900g | about one 1kg bag | 227g every week, or 1kg every 4 weeks |
| 3 | about 1.35kg | a 1kg bag and a bit | 1kg every 3 weeks |
| 4 (two of you, two cups each) | about 1.8kg | just under two 1kg bags | 1kg every 2 weeks |
If you drink your coffee as espresso, milk drinks included, use 18g a double and read on.
How many cups are in a bag?
| Bag | Cups at 15g | Double espressos at 18g |
|---|---|---|
| 227g | about 15 | about 12 |
| 1kg | about 66 | about 55 |
Those are the two sizes we roast every coffee in, so the same sums work whichever one you pick.
Where 15g a cup comes from
It is the dose in our own brew guides. For filter style brewing, cafetiere and pour over included, the starting ratio is around 60g of coffee per litre of water, which works out at 15g for a 250ml mug. Our AeroPress method uses the same 15g. There is more on ratios in how to brew better coffee at home.
A double espresso is different: 18g of coffee in, about 36g of liquid out. A flat white, a latte and a cappuccino all sit on top of one of those, so count them as 18g each rather than 15g. If you pull two doubles a day, that is about 1.08kg a month.
These are starting points rather than rules. If you brew stronger or weaker than this, scale the whole table by the same amount: someone using 20g a cup needs a third more coffee than the table says.
Choosing how often it arrives
A subscription delivers every 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks, and the useful rule is simple: pick the gap closest to how long a bag lasts you, without going over it. Land slightly under and you build a small buffer. Land over and you run out before the next one.
One thing worth checking before you choose: the pay as you go plans let you set any of those four gaps, while the longer prepaid plans are fixed to a delivery every 4 weeks. Work out the gap you want first, then pick the plan that lets you set it.
Read it from this direction if you prefer:
| What arrives | Suits roughly |
|---|---|
| 227g every 2 weeks | 1 cup a day |
| 227g every week | 2 cups a day |
| 1kg every 4 weeks | a little over 2 cups a day |
| 1kg every 3 weeks | 3 cups a day |
| 1kg every 2 weeks | 4 to 5 cups a day |
One thing worth knowing: every 4 weeks is 28 days, not a calendar month, so it arrives 13 times a year rather than 12. Over a year that is slightly more coffee than a monthly delivery, not less.
Not every habit lands neatly on a plan. One double espresso a day is a good example: at 18g, a 227g bag is a little under two weeks of coffee, so a fortnightly delivery runs close to empty at the end of each cycle while the next size up gives you more than you need. Start with the smaller gap and let the surplus build.
227g or 1kg?
Both sizes hold exactly the same coffee, so this is a question about your kitchen rather than your cup.
- 1kg suits high volume. Fewer deliveries to think about, and the same coffee costs less per cup in a 1kg bag than in 227g bags.
- 227g suits lower volume and variety. You are always nearer the start of a bag than the end of one, and it is easy to switch coffee between deliveries.
The trap is buying big to save money and then taking months to get through it. At one cup a day, a 1kg bag is about 66 cups, so it would last you over two months. As our brewing guide puts it, coffee loses aroma over time, especially after grinding, so buy a bag size you can finish comfortably and keep it sealed in a cool, dark cupboard. If you grind your own, whole beans hold their character longest.
Some people split the day between regular coffee and decaf. If that is you, add both together for the monthly total, then decide whether to have them arrive as one delivery or two.
Two of you, or a whole team?
For a household, add everyone's cups together and use the same table. Two people drinking two cups each is four cups a day, about 1.8kg a month.
For an office, count cups per person per working day and multiply by about 22 working days. A team of ten drinking two cups each gets through roughly 6.6kg a month. Once you need more than about 3kg a month, our office coffee plans are a better fit than a personal subscription, and the enquiry form asks for that monthly figure, so it is worth working it out first.
Turning it into a subscription
Pick your coffee from the full range, choose 227g or 1kg, and set the rhythm to every 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks. You can see the current terms, including the longer prepaid plans, on our coffee subscription page.
You do not have to get it right first time. Our cancellation policy says you can pause, change or cancel your subscription at any time. Managing your subscription walks through the options in your account. Most people start one gap tighter than they think they need, then stretch it out once they see how fast a bag actually goes.
Our First-Bag Guarantee applies to your first order of any coffee, in 227g or 1kg, whether you order once or subscribe. If that first bag is not for you, tell us within 30 days of delivery and we will replace it.
If you are still weighing up whether a subscription is right for you at all, our guide to the best coffee subscription in the UK covers what to judge one on.
Frequently asked questions
How many cups are in a 227g bag of coffee?
About 15 cups, using 15g of coffee a cup. If you drink espresso, it is about 12 double shots at 18g each.
How long does a 1kg bag of coffee last?
A 1kg bag makes about 66 cups at 15g each. That is over two months at one cup a day, about a month at two cups a day, and around three weeks at three cups a day.
How much coffee should I use per cup?
Around 15g for a 250ml mug, which is the same as 60g of coffee per litre of water for filter style brewing. A double espresso uses 18g and yields about 36g of liquid. Adjust to taste and keep it consistent once you find what you like.
How often should my coffee subscription deliver?
Choose every 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks on a pay as you go plan, and pick the gap closest to how long a bag lasts you without going over it. As a starting point: 227g every 2 weeks for one cup a day, 227g every week or 1kg every 4 weeks for two, 1kg every 3 weeks for three. The longer prepaid plans deliver every 4 weeks, so if you want a tighter gap than that, choose the plan that lets you set it.
Can I change my subscription if I get the amount wrong?
Yes. Our cancellation policy says you can pause, change or cancel at any time, so if the first delivery gap is not right you can move it.
Is a 1kg bag or a 227g bag better for me?
It depends on how fast you drink it. Choose 1kg if you get through two or more cups a day: fewer deliveries, and a lower cost per cup. Choose 227g if you drink less than that, or if you like changing coffee often, so that you are always nearer the start of a bag.
