Volume Converter
Convert between liters, gallons, milliliters, cups, tablespoons, and more. Fast, accurate, mobile-friendly volume conversions for cooking and recipes.
Universal Volume Converter
Metric system base unit
Common in US for large volumes
Quick Conversion Formulas
Common Volume Reference Points
Measuring Cup
240 mL / 1 cup / 8 fl oz
Water Bottle
500 mL / 16.9 fl oz
Gallon of Milk
3.78 L / 1 gal / 16 cups
Tablespoon
15 mL / 3 tsp / 0.5 fl oz
Conversion History
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⚠️ Important Disclaimer
Cooking conversions are general guidelines and may vary based on ingredients and methods. Results should not be relied upon for professional culinary work or situations where precise measurements are critical. When following recipes, always refer to the original measurements provided by the recipe author for best results.
Understanding Volume & Capacity
Liquid Measures
Liters (L) are metric standard, gallons (gal) are used in the US for fuel and beverages.
Fuel Economy
1 US gallon = 3.785 liters - Essential for comparing fuel consumption internationally.
Cooking & Recipes
US recipes use cups and ounces, while international recipes use milliliters.
Daily Hydration
The recommended 8 glasses of water equals about 2 liters or 0.5 gallons.
Popular Volume Conversions
Quick Volume Conversion Reference
| From | To | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liters | Gallons | gal = L × 0.264 | 4 L = 1.06 gal |
| Gallons | Liters | L = gal × 3.785 | 1 gal = 3.785 L |
| Milliliters | Cups | cup = mL ÷ 240 | 240 mL = 1 cup |
| Cups | Milliliters | mL = cup × 240 | 2 cups = 480 mL |
| Tablespoons | Teaspoons | tsp = tbsp × 3 | 2 tbsp = 6 tsp |
| Cups | Tablespoons | tbsp = cup × 16 | 1 cup = 16 tbsp |
Understanding Volume Units
Metric System
Used worldwide for volume measurements. Based on powers of 10 for easy conversion.
- Milliliter (mL): 1/1000 liter
- Liter (L): Base unit, 1,000 mL
- Common in: Most countries, science, medicine
Imperial System
Used primarily in the United States for cooking and liquid measurements.
- Teaspoon (tsp): Small cooking measurement
- Tablespoon (tbsp): 3 teaspoons
- Cup: 16 tablespoons, 240 mL
- Pint (pt): 2 cups
- Quart (qt): 2 pints
- Gallon (gal): 4 quarts
Common Volume Conversion Use Cases
🍳 Cooking & Baking
Converting recipe measurements between cups, milliliters, tablespoons, and teaspoons for international recipes.
🥤 Beverages
Understanding drink sizes, water bottles, and beverage packaging across different measurement systems.
⛽ Fuel & Liquids
Converting fuel measurements, tank capacities, and liquid volumes for vehicles and equipment.
🏥 Medicine
Accurate medication dosing, liquid medicine measurements, and medical fluid volumes.
🐠 Aquariums
Calculating aquarium sizes, water changes, and treatment dosages for fish tanks.
📊 Recipe Scaling
Doubling or halving recipes, converting between serving sizes, and adapting international recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the easiest way to convert volume units?
Use our universal volume converter above to instantly convert between any units. Enter a value, select your units, and get accurate results immediately.
How many cups are in a liter?
There are approximately 4.2 cups in 1 liter. More precisely, 1 liter = 4.167 US cups (since 1 cup = 240 mL).
What's the difference between US and UK cups?
A US cup is 240 mL, while a UK (metric) cup is 250 mL. This converter uses US cups, which are standard in American recipes.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup. This is a useful conversion when scaling recipes up or down.
How accurate are these conversions?
All conversions use official international conversion factors and are accurate to 4+ decimal places. Results are suitable for professional cooking, medical, and everyday use.