Tablespoon to Milliliters (mL) Converter
1 US tablespoon is 14.79 mL; 1 Australian tablespoon is 20 mL.
Interactive Tablespoon to Milliliters (mL) Converter
1 US tablespoon = 14.79 mL (conventionally rounded to 15 mL). Australian tablespoons = 20 mL.
Understanding Tablespoon to Milliliters (mL) Conversion
In liquid measurements, 1 US tablespoon is defined as 14.7868 mL, which is widely rounded to 15 mL for home cooking and baking. In contrast, British and Commonwealth metric tablespoons are defined as exactly 15.0 mL, while the Australian tablespoon is defined as 20.0 mL.
Key tablespoon volume benchmarks:
- 1 teaspoon = 4.93 mL (~5 mL)
- 1 tablespoon (US) = 14.79 mL (~15 mL) = 3 teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons = 29.57 mL (~30 mL / 1 fluid ounce)
- 4 tablespoons = 59.15 mL (~60 mL / 1/4 US cup)
- 8 tablespoons = 118.29 mL (~120 mL / 1/2 US cup)
- 16 tablespoons = 236.59 mL (~240 mL / 1 US cup)
How to Convert Tablespoons to mL: Formula & Calculation
Milliliters (mL) = Tablespoons × 14.7868 (or × 15 for quick estimation) - Multiply by 14.79: For exact scientific or liquid baking accuracy, multiply the number of tablespoons by 14.7868.
- Kitchen shortcut: Multiply by 15. For everyday culinary purposes (vanilla, lemon juice, milk), 15 mL per tablespoon is universally accepted.
- For Australian recipes: Multiply by 20 mL, because Australian measuring spoon sets provide 20 mL tablespoons.
Worked Culinary Examples
Example 1: Vanilla Extract for Cake Batter
A European cake recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract, but your measuring cylinder is in mL.
- Formula: 2 tablespoons × 14.79 mL/tablespoon.
- Calculation: 2 × 14.7868 = 29.57 mL (~30 mL).
Example 2: Soy Sauce in Marinade
An Asian stir-fry marinade recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of dark soy sauce.
- Formula: 3 tablespoons × 14.79 mL/tablespoon.
- Calculation: 3 × 14.7868 = 44.36 mL (~45 mL).
Quick Reference Conversion Table: Tablespoons to mL
| Tablespoons (tbsp) | US Exact (mL) | Kitchen Rounded (mL) | Fluid Ounces (fl oz) | Equivalent Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 tbsp | 3.7 mL | 4 mL | 0.13 fl oz | 0.02 cup |
| 0.5 tbsp | 7.4 mL | 8 mL | 0.25 fl oz | 0.03 cup |
| 1 tbsp | 14.8 mL | 15 mL | 0.50 fl oz | 0.06 cup |
| 1.5 tbsp | 22.2 mL | 23 mL | 0.75 fl oz | 0.09 cup |
| 2 tbsp | 29.6 mL | 30 mL | 1 fl oz | 0.13 cup |
| 3 tbsp | 44.4 mL | 45 mL | 1.50 fl oz | 0.19 cup |
| 4 tbsp | 59.1 mL | 60 mL | 2 fl oz | 0.25 cup |
| 5 tbsp | 73.9 mL | 75 mL | 2.50 fl oz | 0.31 cup |
| 6 tbsp | 88.7 mL | 90 mL | 3 fl oz | 0.38 cup |
| 8 tbsp | 118.3 mL | 120 mL | 4 fl oz | 0.50 cup |
| 10 tbsp | 147.9 mL | 150 mL | 5 fl oz | 0.63 cup |
| 12 tbsp | 177.4 mL | 180 mL | 6 fl oz | 0.75 cup |
| 16 tbsp | 236.6 mL | 240 mL | 8 fl oz | 1 cup |
Common Measuring Mistakes & International Differences
The Australian 20 mL Tablespoon
Australia is the only country with an official 20 mL tablespoon (4 teaspoons). All other English-speaking nations (US, UK, Canada, NZ) use a 15 mL tablespoon (3 teaspoons).
Using Dinner Table Spoons
Never use flatware soup spoons or cutlery tablespoons from your dining drawer for baking. Dining spoons can hold anywhere between 7 mL and 22 mL, leading to severe measurement error.
Meniscus on Liquid Ingredients
When measuring liquid medicines or concentrated extracts in a graduated syringe or mini beaker, always read the liquid level at the bottom of the meniscus curve at eye level.
Density vs Volume (Grams vs mL)
1 mL = 1 gram only for pure water. For heavy liquids like honey (1 tbsp = 21g) or light liquids like oil (1 tbsp = 13.5g), volume in mL does not equal weight in grams.