mL to Tablespoon Converter — Millilitres to Tablespoons
Convert between millilitres (mL) and tablespoons for US, metric, Australian and UK recipes. The tablespoon size varies by country — this converter handles all four standards and shows how many complete tablespoons plus remainder you get.
Tablespoon type
mL
tbsp
Based on selected tablespoon type
- 1
mL per tablespoon
14.7868Conversion factor for the selected tablespoon standard. - 2
Tablespoons
250 ÷ 14.7868 = 16.9070
How does this calculator work?
Divide mL by the mL-per-tablespoon for your region: US ÷ 14.787, metric ÷ 15, Australian ÷ 20, UK ÷ 17.758. Reverse the operation to go from tablespoons to mL. The converter handles all four standards and shows a cross-reference so international recipe conversions are unambiguous.
Formula
How this is calculated
The tablespoon is not a standardised SI unit and its volume differs significantly by country. The US customary tablespoon is exactly 3 US teaspoons or ½ US fluid ounce, equal to approximately 14.787 mL. The metric tablespoon (used in most countries following the international metric system) is exactly 15 mL — a rounder and more practical value. The Australian tablespoon is 20 mL (4 metric teaspoons) because Australia follows a different culinary convention. The UK tablespoon is sometimes quoted as 17.758 mL, though modern UK recipes increasingly use 15 mL metric tablespoons.
Converting millilitres to tablespoons is straightforward: divide the volume in mL by the mL-per-tablespoon value for your chosen standard. The reverse (tablespoons to mL) multiplies by the same factor. For recipe scaling, knowing the number of complete tablespoons plus the fractional remainder helps you use standard measuring spoons without a scale.
When following an international recipe, always check which tablespoon standard the author used. A US recipe calling for 4 tablespoons (≈ 59 mL) will be under-seasoned if you use Australian tablespoons (4 × 20 mL = 80 mL). This converter shows all four standards side-by-side so you can adjust accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
A US tablespoon is exactly 14.7868 mL (often rounded to 14.79 mL or approximately 15 mL for practical cooking). It equals 3 US teaspoons or ½ US fluid ounce.
Australia adopted 20 mL as the standard tablespoon (equal to 4 metric teaspoons of 5 mL) when it metricated in the 1970s. Most other metric countries chose 15 mL. Always check the country of origin of a recipe before measuring.
With a US tablespoon: 100 ÷ 14.787 ≈ 6.76 tbsp. With a metric tablespoon: 100 ÷ 15 ≈ 6.67 tbsp. With an Australian tablespoon: 100 ÷ 20 = 5.00 tbsp.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). mL to Tablespoon Converter — Millilitres to Tablespoons [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/ml-tbsp-converter
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "mL to Tablespoon Converter — Millilitres to Tablespoons." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/ml-tbsp-converter.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "mL to Tablespoon Converter — Millilitres to Tablespoons," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/ml-tbsp-converter
@misc{wecalculate_ml_tbsp_converter, title = {mL to Tablespoon Converter — Millilitres to Tablespoons}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/ml-tbsp-converter}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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