Convert tablespoons to mL and back. Supports US, UK/metric, and Australian tablespoons with quick reference table and regional differences.
The tablespoon is one of the most frequently used cooking measurements, but its exact volume varies by country — 14.79 mL in the US, 15 mL in the UK and most of the world, and 20 mL in Australia. When following recipes from different countries or converting between metric and US customary measurements, these differences can cause measurable changes in seasoning, baking chemistry, and medication dosing.
This converter handles all three tablespoon standards (US, UK/metric, and Australian) alongside ten volume units including teaspoons, fluid ounces, cups, centiliters, and liters. It provides a quick-reference table for common tablespoon-to-mL conversions, a visual volume bar for intuitive scale, and a regional comparison table that explains why "1 tablespoon" means different things in different countries.
Whether you're scaling a recipe, measuring supplements, or converting between a US cookbook and metric kitchen equipment, this tool gives you precise conversions with the regional nuance that generic converters miss.
The tablespoon varies by country (14.79, 15, or 20 mL), which generic converters ignore. This tool handles all three standards, shows cup/tsp equivalences, and includes a regional comparison table — essential for accurate international recipe conversion. Keep these notes focused on your operational context. Tie the context to the calculator’s intended domain. Use this clarification to avoid ambiguous interpretation.
1 US tablespoon = 14.7868 mL = 3 US teaspoons = ½ US fluid ounce 1 UK/metric tablespoon = 15 mL = 3 metric teaspoons 1 Australian tablespoon = 20 mL = 4 metric teaspoons 16 US tablespoons = 1 US cup (236.588 mL)
Result: 29.57 mL ≈ 1 fl oz
2 US tablespoons × 14.7868 mL = 29.57 mL, which is 1 US fluid ounce. In a metric recipe, you could use 30 mL.
| Measure | US (mL) | Metric (mL) | Australian (mL) | |---|---|---|---| | ⅛ teaspoon | 0.62 | 0.63 | 0.63 | | ¼ teaspoon | 1.23 | 1.25 | 1.25 | | 1 teaspoon | 4.93 | 5 | 5 | | 1 tablespoon | 14.79 | 15 | 20 | | ¼ cup | 59.15 | 62.5 | 62.5 | | 1 cup | 236.59 | 250 | 250 |
For most savory cooking, ±1 mL per tablespoon makes no difference. But for baking, where chemical leavening (baking soda, baking powder) is measured in teaspoons and tablespoons, a 35% error (using a 20 mL Australian spoon when a recipe assumes 14.79 mL US) can ruin texture and rise. Always check the recipe's country of origin.
Many liquid medications are dosed in teaspoons (5 mL) or tablespoons (15 mL). Using household silverware instead of measuring spoons leads to dosing errors of ±30%. The FDA recommends using a calibrated measuring device, not a kitchen spoon, for medication.
US tablespoon = 14.79 mL, UK/metric = 15 mL, Australian = 20 mL. Most international recipes use 15 mL.
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon in both US and metric systems. However, in Australia, 1 tablespoon = 4 teaspoons (because Australian tsp = 5 mL but tbsp = 20 mL).
No — household spoons vary widely (10–20 mL). For accurate cooking and especially baking or medication, use measuring spoons.
16 US tablespoons = 1 US cup (236.6 mL). A metric cup is 250 mL ≈ 16.67 metric tablespoons.
Australia adopted 20 mL as their standard tablespoon in the 1970s metrication, likely because 20 mL is a rounder number. Australian recipes account for this — do not substitute a 15 mL spoon.
No. A dessert spoon is approximately 10 mL — two-thirds of a metric tablespoon. It is used in UK and Australian recipes.