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Conversions

Teaspoon, Tablespoon and Millilitre Converter

Convert spoon measures to millilitres and back.

tbsp

UK/metric tablespoon = 15 ml.

Answer

250 tbsp = 3,750 ml

Common tablespoons conversions

1 tbsp15 ml
2 tbsp30 ml
5 tbsp75 ml
10 tbsp150 ml
25 tbsp375 ml
50 tbsp750 ml
100 tbsp1,500 ml
250 tbsp3,750 ml
500 tbsp7,500 ml

Reference and detail

Quick reference

Level UK spoon measures in millilitres.
SpoonMillilitres
¼ tsp1.25 ml
½ tsp2.5 ml
1 tsp5 ml
1 tbsp15 ml
2 tbsp30 ml
4 tbsp60 ml

A teaspoon is 5 ml and a tablespoon 15 ml, so three level teaspoons fill a tablespoon.

Spoon sizes around the world

A teaspoon is 5 ml and a tablespoon 15 ml in the UK, the US and most of Europe. Australian tablespoons are 20 ml, so an Australian recipe using tablespoons will need a little more than a UK one.

Level or heaped?

Unless a recipe says heaped, a spoon measure means level. A heaped tablespoon can hold twice as much, which matters a great deal for baking powder and salt.

Questions and answers

Questions about converting spoon measures

Is a tablespoon the same size everywhere?

No, a UK, US and most European tablespoon are all the same size, but an Australian tablespoon is larger.

If an Australian recipe gives spoon measures, it will need more liquid or powder per spoon than a UK one calls for.

What's the difference between a level and a heaped spoonful?

A level spoonful is struck flat across the top with a knife; a heaped spoonful piles ingredient above the rim and can hold roughly twice as much. Recipes mean level unless they say otherwise, and getting this wrong matters most for baking powder, salt and spices.

Can I use an ordinary teaspoon from the cutlery drawer instead of a measuring spoon?

Cutlery teaspoons vary in size and rarely match a proper 5 ml measuring spoon, so results will be inconsistent. Use a set of measuring spoons for anything where the amount actually matters, such as raising agents or spices.