Tablespoon Sizes by Country: US 14.79ml, UK 15ml & Australia 20ml

Tablespoon volumes vary globally: The US Customary Tablespoon is 14.79 mL (0.5 fl oz); the UK and International Metric Tablespoon is 15.00 mL; and the Australian Tablespoon is 20.00 mL (holding 4 teaspoons instead of 3).

Explore our authoritative reference tables, deep-dive technical explanations, practical troubleshooting tips, and FAQs below.

International Tablespoon & Teaspoon Volume Comparison Matrix

Verified Reference Data

Country & Regional Standard	Tablespoon Vol. (mL)	Teaspoon Equivalence	Fl Oz Equivalence	Impact on 4 Tbsp Recipe Ingredient
United States (US Customary)	14.79 mL	3 US Teaspoons	0.50 US fl oz	59.15 mL total volume
United Kingdom & Metric Standard	15.00 mL	3 Metric Teaspoons	0.51 US fl oz	60.00 mL total volume
Canada & New Zealand	15.00 mL	3 Metric Teaspoons	0.51 US fl oz	60.00 mL total volume
Australia (AU Standard)	20.00 mL	4 Metric Teaspoons	0.68 US fl oz	80.00 mL (35% MORE liquid!)
Japan (Metric Spoons)	15.00 mL	3 Japanese Teaspoons	0.51 US fl oz	60.00 mL total volume

The Australian 20 mL Tablespoon Anomaly

While most home cooks know that cups can vary, few realize that tablespoon sizes also differ internationally. The most dramatic discrepancy occurs in Australian recipes.

In Australia, legal measurement standards define 1 Tablespoon as exactly 20.0 milliliters, containing 4 teaspoons of 5 mL each. In contrast, the United States tablespoon is 14.79 mL (3 teaspoons), and the UK/Metric tablespoon is 15.0 mL (3 teaspoons).

This means an Australian tablespoon is 35.2 percent larger than a US tablespoon! If an American or British baker uses their native 15 mL tablespoon for an Australian recipe calling for 4 tablespoons of baking powder, butter, or spices, they will under-measure the ingredient by over one-third.

US Customary (14.79 mL) vs Metric (15.0 mL) Variations

In the United States, 1 customary tablespoon is defined as 1/16th of a US customary cup, or 0.5 US fluid ounces (14.7868 milliliters). Teaspoons are defined as 1/3rd of a tablespoon (4.9289 milliliters).

In the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa, modern metric measuring spoon sets round the tablespoon to exactly 15.0 milliliters and the teaspoon to exactly 5.0 milliliters.

The 1.4 percent difference between a 14.79 mL US tablespoon and a 15.0 mL Metric tablespoon is negligible for everyday cooking and general baking. However, when scaled up in commercial production (e.g. 100 tablespoons of vanilla extract), it accounts for a 21 mL volume difference.

How to Prevent Australian & International Recipe Failures

When executing recipes from popular Australian food authors or publications (such as Donna Hay, Taste.com.au, or Women's Weekly), always check if the recipe uses the Australian 20 mL tablespoon standard.

If baking an Australian recipe using US or UK 15 mL spoons, multiply all tablespoon amounts by 1.33 (or add 1 extra teaspoon for every tablespoon specified). For example, 3 Australian tablespoons (60 mL) equal 4 US tablespoons (60 mL).

Alternatively, eliminate spoon volume confusion completely by measuring ingredients by weight in grams on a digital kitchen scale.

Ingredient Mass Equivalent Across International Tablespoons (Butter & Sugar)

Tablespoon Standard	Volume (mL)	Unsalted Butter (g)	Granulated Sugar (g)	Table Salt (g)	Pure Water (g)
US Customary Tablespoon	14.79 mL	14.2g	12.5g	18.2g	14.8g
UK / Metric Tablespoon	15.00 mL	14.4g	12.7g	18.5g	15.0g
Australian Tablespoon	20.00 mL	19.2g	16.9g	24.7g	20.0g

Practical Consequences: What Happens If You Get It Wrong

Avoid these common pitfalls to protect your baking results and food safety.

Using US/UK 15 mL Spoons for Australian 20 mL Recipes

Using 15 mL spoons for Australian recipes under-measures ingredients by 35%. 4 tbsp of butter will yield 60g instead of the required 80g, making cakes dry and brittle.

Using Australian 20 mL Spoons for US 15 mL Recipes

Using an Australian spoon for US recipes over-measures ingredients by 35%. 2 tbsp of baking powder adds 40 mL (38g) instead of 30 mL (28g), causing bitter metallic taste.

Heaping Dry Powder Spoons Instead of Leveling Flat

Heaping dry powders above the spoon rim adds 50% to 100% extra volume, destroying leavening and salt ratios in doughs.

Confusing Dessertspoons (10 mL) with Tablespoons (15 mL)

Vintage British recipes specifying dessertspoons (dsp = 10 mL) are smaller than tablespoons (15 mL). Using a tablespoon adds 50% excess ingredient.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many mL is an Australian tablespoon?

An Australian tablespoon is exactly 20.0 mL (holding 4 teaspoons of 5 mL each), which is 35% larger than US and UK tablespoons.

How many mL is a US tablespoon?

A US customary tablespoon is 14.79 mL (0.5 US fluid ounces, holding 3 teaspoons of 4.93 mL each).

How many teaspoons are in an Australian tablespoon vs a US tablespoon?

An Australian tablespoon contains 4 teaspoons (20 mL). A US tablespoon contains 3 teaspoons (14.79 mL).

How do I convert Australian tablespoons to US tablespoons?

Multiply Australian tablespoon amounts by 1.33 (e.g. 3 Australian tablespoons equal 4 US tablespoons).

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