“How many amps does a coffee maker use?” Given caffeine’s proven wonders, it’s not unlikely that such a question will pop into a coffee lover’s mind from time to time.
The answer is between 5 to 8 amps, with 13 amps as the ceiling, but with a few deviations. True enough, if you look closely at the specs of some of the best brands like Breville, you’ll see that a few will have more power-hungry units that draw a little over 13 amps, all at 120V.
The amperage depends on the product’s brand and features and is not a fixed figure.
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The Average Amps Drawn by Coffee Makers
Now, you may be wondering where I’m getting these coffee maker amps figures and ranges. It’s simple — I either look at the product’s nameplate, specs sheet, and product documentation or calculate the amps by finding out how many volts and coffee maker watts a certain product has.
In the US, the plug is always rated for 120V. With that in mind, we follow the formula:
\begin{equation}
\text{A} = \frac{\text{W}}{\text{V}}
\end{equation}
- If, for example, you have a Mr Coffee maker with 900 watts, then it’s safe to say that it pulls 7.5A.
- A small coffee maker by Gevi with 600 watts will draw exactly 5A.
- A more efficient 400 watt coffee maker will pull 3.3A, which is obviously below the standard range.
- It may even go as low as 1.3A, especially if you have a 12 cup coffee maker by Keurig that uses only 200 watts.
- On the other hand, a single Nespresso machine may use a total of 1,500 watts. That leaves us with 12.5A.
Even so, does a single product ever really use a static amount of amps from start to finish? Not likely, since mechanical loads and thermal loads vary in almost any appliance.
The low wattage coffee maker I mentioned above may use twice that amount, resulting in a surge in wattage and amperage. 1.3A becomes 3.3A, and so on.
Not to mention the different unique features of each coffee maker, like smart technology, milk frother, and multi-cup setting, to cite a few examples. A couple of these features may require more power and, in turn, cause the coffee maker to draw more amps.
In short, much like any appliance, coffee maker wattage draw varies as well because of the surges during operation. Naturally, it’s important to account for them when figuring out accurate coffee pot amps and sizing the breakers for your coffee maker.
What’s certain is that brands of coffee makers are rarely alike when it comes to wattage and amperage, so I suggest you look at yours first to get the exact figures.
Doing this is way better than relying on an appliance amp draw chart, which will only give you a vague range at most or, worse, be completely inaccurate.
Different Types of Coffee Makers
We group coffee makers mainly into two categories: manual and automatic/electric. The main difference between the two is that you normally get more freedom in customizing your brew with a manual.
And, yes, that means you won’t have to account for espresso machine wattage if it’s manual, since it’s essentially not run by electricity.
If budget happens to be your concern, a manual coffee grinder paired with a manual espresso machine tends to fetch a much cheaper price, too. You had better be ready for the elbow grease, though.
Overall, you’ll be fascinated by how many types of coffee makers we now have available, which can be subdivided into either of the two primary categories. Here are the most notable varieties:
- Drip Coffee Machine (550 – 1200W or 4.5 – 10 amps)
If we’re talking about electric coffee makers, most of us will refer to a drip coffee machine, since most people talk about the two interchangeably.
They’re well-loved and ubiquitous in many households because of their ease of use and convenience. Who doesn’t want a cup of joe brewed fresh every morning with just a press of a button?
Don’t confuse it with “drip coffee” in general, though. After all, drip coffee can also be made entirely without the use of electricity, using special pots.
Just ask some older people you know who happen to be coffee junkies themselves, and they’ll likely be gracious enough to explain how they manually brew their drip coffee with filters.
- Phin (manual)
Much of the worldwide renown for condensed milk-sweetened Vietnamese iced coffee may be attributed to the Phin. It’s a manual coffee dripper that traces its roots back to French colonial times.
Most are designed to work well for mainly brewing iced coffee. The Phin is actually the filter, which doesn’t depart too much from how your standard pour-over coffee maker works, but it does come with its own gravity press.
- Thermal (750 – 1200W or 6.25 – 10 amps)
Thermal coffee makers are well worth their loftier price tags because of their ability to keep your cuppa hot.
Getting the hang of them to brew your day-to-day rocket fuel isn’t rocket science either. In most products, all you have to do is scoop in your favorite grounds after filling the reservoir with water. Afterward, you just need to start the device up and let it handle the rest.
- AeroPress (manual)
Another hit manual coffee maker at present, the AeroPress has been lauded for its compact, portable size, ease of cleaning, and uncomplicated functionality.
All the while, it’s also more economical than most coffee makers and machines out there and doesn’t fall short on flavor. Its syringe-like design works by compressing the air inside and exerting pressure on the brew, thereby creating richness and depth in your coffee.
- Espresso machine (1000-1500W or 8.3-12.5 amps)
If high-end coffee makers are the topic, espresso machines take center stage. Due to the technology and customization involved, many espresso lovers can’t get enough of these nifty contraptions.
These are the machines that typically have their own milk frothers, which means all the control you need for the kind of texture you want in your espresso.
The perfect espresso requires a delicate balance between sweetness, bitterness, and acidity. You’ll be able to get just that with the right technique and machine for relatively less time and money.
- French Press (manual)
Manual coffee-making owes a lot to the French Press. Not surprising, since it’s one of the earliest forms of coffee brewers.
It’s also apparent that the Phin slightly mirrors the French Press’s design and method of brewing, since they’re both pour-over brewers. French Press brews tend to be silkier.
Despite being manual, using the French Press is a breeze, as proven by this two-minute video:
How to make a French Press Coffee at Home
- Percolator (2oo-1250W for electric options, or 1.6-10.4 amps)
The percolator quickly stands out in that it resembles a pot, which is why some folks consider “coffee maker” and “coffee pot” synonymous with one another.
It happens to go way back, too, and is older than the French Press, since the percolator was invented in 1819.
While percolators may have been largely overshadowed by drip machines now, many still enjoy their reliability. A lot of people will argue that those who love stronger coffee will love percolators more than drip machines as well.
FAQs
Can you run the coffee maker on a 1500 watt inverter?
Yes. In fact, some espresso machines have that as a minimum size for their inverters. Likewise, coffee makers that need 750W to 1250W have an inverter size of 1500W as a recommendation.
What size generator will power a coffee maker?
This will always be dictated by the specific coffee maker or coffee pot wattage. A 2000W generator is a good pair for a 1000W coffee maker or a 1300W espresso machine.
Always account for the total load, including the starting load and running load, when sizing your generator. The generator’s capacity should at least be 10% larger than the total load.
Do coffee makers use a lot of electricity?
If you can’t make do without your favorite caffeine machine doing the brewing for you, be prepared to reconcile with the fact that most coffee makers are big energy eaters. Should this be your main concern, be on the lookout for more efficient units out there, particularly those that don’t exceed 600 watts.
Conclusion
How many amps does a coffee maker use? Understanding the answer is easy if you remember that a coffee maker may require more or less power to execute its features. It varies in the same way that some people need more or less caffeine to get that extra energy boost they need to function daily.
Use only the ranges I mentioned above as a general reference. Perform your own calculations or refer to the appliance nameplate for more accurate figures.
Before you go, Please take a look at some posts to learn more about the ideal amperage of circuit breaker amp for:
I am Edwin Jones, in charge of designing content for Galvinpower. I aspire to use my experiences in marketing to create reliable and necessary information to help our readers. It has been fun to work with Andrew and apply his incredible knowledge to our content.