Converter

Volume Converter

Convert between metric and US volume units instantly. Perfect for cooking, baking, and recipe conversions with cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, and more.

Quick Answer

1 cup = 236.6 mL = 16 tbsp = 8 fl oz. 1 tbsp = 3 tsp = 14.8 mL. 1 gallon = 3.785 L = 16 cups. Select units below to convert between 10 volume measurements in real time.

Convert Volume

Enter a value and select units to convert.

1 Cups (US)
236.5882 mL

All Equivalents

UnitValue
Milliliters (mL)236.5882
Liters (L)0.23658824
Cups (US) (cup)cooking1
Tablespoons (tbsp)cooking16
Teaspoons (tsp)cooking48
Fluid Ounces (US) (fl oz)cooking8
Pints (US) (pt)0.5
Quarts (US) (qt)0.25
Gallons (US) (gal)0.0625
Cubic Meters ()0.00023659

Cooking Measurement Quick Reference

Common kitchen measurement equivalents for quick reference while cooking.

MeasureEquivalents
1 cup16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 8 fl oz = 236.6 mL
1 tablespoon3 tsp = 0.5 fl oz = 14.8 mL
1 teaspoon1/3 tbsp = 4.9 mL
1 fluid ounce2 tbsp = 6 tsp = 29.6 mL
1 pint2 cups = 16 fl oz = 473.2 mL
1 quart4 cups = 2 pints = 946.4 mL
1 gallon4 quarts = 16 cups = 3,785.4 mL

About This Tool

The Volume Converter provides instant, accurate conversions between 10 commonly used volume units, with a special focus on cooking and kitchen measurements. Whether you are following an international recipe that uses milliliters, scaling a family recipe from cups to a larger batch, or converting between metric and US customary units, this tool delivers real-time results as you type.

Cooking Measurements Made Simple

The most common challenge in the kitchen is converting between US customary measurements (cups, tablespoons, teaspoons) and metric units (milliliters, liters). US recipes predominantly use cups and spoon measures, while recipes from Europe, Australia, and most of the rest of the world use metric. The key relationships to remember: 1 cup is about 237 mL, 1 tablespoon is about 15 mL, and 1 teaspoon is about 5 mL.

US vs Imperial vs Metric

This converter uses US customary units, which differ from British imperial units. A US cup is 236.6 mL while there is no standard British cup (though 10 imperial fluid ounces, or 284 mL, is sometimes used). A US fluid ounce is 29.57 mL while an imperial fluid ounce is 28.41 mL. A US gallon is 3.785 L while an imperial gallon is 4.546 L. These differences matter when following recipes from different countries.

Beyond the Kitchen

Volume conversion is also essential for automotive (engine displacement in liters vs cubic inches), swimming pools and water tanks (gallons vs liters), scientific measurements (milliliters and liters), and industrial applications (cubic meters). The cubic meter is the SI unit of volume and equals 1,000 liters, making it useful for large-scale measurements like room volumes and water reservoirs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many milliliters are in a cup?
One US cup equals approximately 236.588 milliliters. This is the standard cup measure used in American recipes. Note that other countries define a cup differently: an Australian cup is 250 mL, a Japanese cup is 200 mL, and a UK cup is 284 mL (10 imperial fluid ounces). When following international recipes, check which cup measurement is being used.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
One US cup contains exactly 16 US tablespoons. Each tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons or approximately 14.79 milliliters. This means a cup also equals 48 teaspoons. These relationships are essential for scaling recipes up or down. When halving a recipe that calls for 1 cup, you can measure 8 tablespoons instead.
How do I convert between metric and US cooking measurements?
The key conversions for cooking are: 1 cup = 236.6 mL, 1 tablespoon = 14.8 mL, 1 teaspoon = 4.9 mL, and 1 fluid ounce = 29.6 mL. For practical purposes, many cooks round to: 1 cup = 240 mL, 1 tablespoon = 15 mL, and 1 teaspoon = 5 mL. These rounded values are close enough for most recipes and match the metric measuring spoons sold in many countries.
How many liters are in a gallon?
One US gallon equals approximately 3.785 liters. A US gallon is made up of 4 quarts, 8 pints, or 16 cups. Note that an imperial gallon (used in the UK and some Commonwealth countries) is larger at approximately 4.546 liters. This converter uses US gallons, the standard in the United States.
What is the difference between fluid ounces and weight ounces?
Fluid ounces measure volume, while weight ounces (avoirdupois ounces) measure mass. One US fluid ounce is approximately 29.57 mL of volume. One weight ounce equals approximately 28.35 grams of mass. For water, the values are close (1 fluid ounce of water weighs almost exactly 1 ounce), but for denser or lighter substances, the relationship differs. For example, 1 fluid ounce of honey weighs about 1.5 weight ounces.

Was this tool helpful?