Maxwell House brewed coffee vs Red Bull: which has more caffeine?

Maxwell House brewed coffee has more caffeine than Red Bull on both counts: 112mg per 8 oz cup against 80mg per 8.4 oz can, and about 14mg per fluid ounce against 10. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.

These are different categories of drink, which changes how the caffeine arrives. Energy drinks and sodas list an exact number because caffeine is a measured additive; brewed drinks vary with the beans and the brew, so their figures are compiled averages. The numbers here are the standard published values for each.

Maxwell House brewed coffee vs Red Bull: the numbers

Sources: Maxwell House brewed coffee's figure is verified in our Maxwell House brewed coffee caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); Red Bull's figure is verified in our Red Bull guide against Red Bull label / Caffeine Informer (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Red Bull when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Maxwell House brewed coffee when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.

For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.

Related reading

• Maxwell House brewed coffee: the full caffeine guide
• Red Bull: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index
• Compare any two of 120+ drinks

FAQ

Does Maxwell House brewed coffee or Red Bull have more caffeine? Maxwell House brewed coffee: 112mg per 8 oz cup versus 80mg per 8.4 oz can for Red Bull.

Which is stronger per ounce? Maxwell House brewed coffee, at about 14.0mg per fluid ounce versus 9.5mg for Red Bull.