How Many Amps Does A Coffee Maker Use? (Real FACTS)

Do you know how many Amps a coffee maker uses? this is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

Whether you are living the RV lifestyle and are curious as to how much power your various appliances use, or just plain curious, whatever your reasons, you might have considered how many amps a coffee maker draws while it is in operation. 

So, how many Amps does a coffee maker use? On average, a standard coffee maker will use around 5.4 amps while making you a pot of coffee and an espresso machine can use up to 13 amps. A coffee maker that brews around 10-12 cups will be more along the lines of 8.5 amps. However, the number of amps a coffee maker pulls largely depends on the coffee maker.

There’s a pretty significant difference between coffee makers that produce a few cups of coffee and coffee makers that produce many more.

How to Determine the Amps Your Coffee Maker Uses

If you want to determine the number of amps that your coffee maker uses, you need to know the watts and the voltage because amps are determined by dividing the number of watts by the number of volts.

For instance, the Elite Gourmet Coffee Maker is a 5-cup coffee maker that runs on 120V and is rated at 600W. If you divide 120V into 600W, you get exactly 5A. Double that number up for a much larger coffee maker and you get 10A from 1200W. 

There are some energy-saving options as well. If you look at the 12-cup Mr. Coffee Maker that brews 12-cups, you would think that the wattage would be pretty high, however, it only requires between 400 and 600 watts, so you’re only looking at 3.3A and 5A respectively.

Not bad for one of the larger coffee machines out there. 

Different Amps for Different Types of Coffee Makers

Not every coffee maker is created equal. For those out there who live alone and only need a small coffee maker, a drip-type coffee maker is more than adequate and it can be pretty small, with a low level of power required to run it. 

Then there are the giant coffee machines that conduct multiple tasks, such as making espressos or even grinding up your coffee. 

• Drip Coffee Maker: 5A to 10A
• Single Serve: Around 7.5A
• French Press Coffee Maker: 7.5A
• Espresso Machines: 7.5A to 12.5A

That’s just a few, select choices out of over 15 types of coffee makers. Also, that doesn’t even touch on the variations between different brands, especially as more and more companies seek to introduce products that are more energy efficient. 

So, as you can see, there is a pretty wide gap between the amps that different coffee makers can pull. You wouldn’t think that a single serve coffee maker would use 7.5A and that’s not all there is to it either. 

Not only does a single serve use 7.5A, it can surge up to 12.5A throughout the brewing process, with the lower amperage applied only when it is keeping the hot plate warm or when heating up the water.

So, there are variable levels of amperage while the coffee pots work as well.

Read also: Who Makes Great Value Coffee For Walmart (Dark Roast, Reviews)

Can You Run a Coffee Maker on a 1500 Watt Inverter?

Yes you can, so long as you know the watts that the coffee maker uses. It would be a rare thing to find a coffee maker that uses more than 1500W, however, stranger things have happened. 

If you happen to have a coffee pot that is 1500W and a 1500 inverter, you can probably get away with it, however, it would be advisable to use a coffee maker that uses a little less, which would give the inverter a little bit of breathing room.

It probably wouldn’t hurt anything so long as the coffee pot was the only thing running on it but its always better to be safe than sorry. You drip coffee makers will generally run on the lowest amount of power.

In other words, if you’re using an inverter in an RV, stick with the drip coffee makers. Sure, you may have to wait a little longer on your coffee in the mornings, but it just makes more sense. 

If you happen to be using a 1000 inverter, its always important to check the specs on your coffee maker. Unless it is an antique coffee maker, you should be able to see the watts and the voltage on the back or bottom of the coffee maker.

This way, you will always know what kind of strain you can put on your inverter without over doing it. 

What Size Generator Will Power a Coffee Maker?

Not many people are going to purchase a generator solely based on its coffee-making potential, however, all you need to know is the watts that the coffee maker uses.

Also, of you’re purchasing a generator solely to run appliances, you want to add up all of the running watts from all of your appliances.

Read also: How to Use a Generator with a Travel Trailer: Complete Guide

This will give you the perfect starting point when you are selecting your generator.

For instance, a fridge has a surge wattage of 950 and runs on 700, the microwave uses 600, the coffee maker is 1000, and you have 5 lightbulbs at 70 apiece. 

Be sure to add in the surge wattage on the refrigerator, just in case you have all of the appliances running on a single generator.

If you go off the refrigerator’s surge instead of running watts, you come up with a grand total of 2900W or 120A.

Now, you’re best bet would a 5000W generator and you could run all of those appliances at the same time, with a little breathing room for an additional appliance, such as adding an espresso machine to accommodate your drip coffee maker. 

All Things Considered

Since coffee makers run the gamut of different amps, largely depending on what it does, you will have to be pretty selective if you are basing your purchase completely on energy usage.

Your average coffee maker is going to use anywhere between 5A and 12A, so be sure to check the packaging and do the math. 

References

https://www.greengearglobal.com/generator-sizing/