Volume Converter
Convert between metric and imperial volume units, including both UK and US measurements.
Reviewed by Richard Ross · Last updated April 2026
How Volume Converter works
UK vs US measurements
UK and US imperial volumes differ significantly. 1 UK pint = 568 ml; 1 US pint = 473 ml. 1 UK gallon = 4.546 litres; 1 US gallon = 3.785 litres. Always clarify which system is meant when working with recipes or fuel data.
Metric volume
1 litre = 1,000 ml. 1 cubic metre = 1,000 litres. The litre is not an SI unit but is accepted for use with SI. The SI unit is the cubic metre (m³).
UK-specific use cases
In the UK, milk and fuel are sold in litres; beer and cider are sold in pints at the pub (a legal requirement under the Weights and Measures Act). Recipes from older British cookbooks often use fluid ounces and pints, while modern recipes use millilitres. When cooking from a US source, remember that a US cup = 240 ml and a US pint = 473 ml — both smaller than their UK equivalents.
Cooking and recipe conversions
The most frequent cooking conversions involve tablespoons (15 ml), teaspoons (5 ml), and cups (US: 240 ml, UK: 284 ml). A US recipe calling for 1 cup of milk needs 240 ml; the same instruction in a British cookbook traditionally meant 284 ml (half a UK pint). For precise baking, weighing ingredients in grams is more reliable than volume measurements, as ingredient density varies.
Precision and rounding
For everyday purposes, approximating 1 UK pint as 570 ml and 1 litre as 1.75 UK pints is accurate enough. For fuel economy calculations, use the full conversion factor (1 UK gallon = 4.54609 litres) to avoid errors that compound over many calculations. Note that cubic metres are used in gas billing in the UK — your gas meter records in m³, which is then converted to kWh on your energy bill.
Frequently asked questions
How many ml in a pint?
A UK pint = 568.261 ml. A US pint = 473.176 ml. The UK and US pint are different sizes.
How many litres in a gallon?
A UK gallon = 4.54609 litres. A US gallon = 3.78541 litres.
How many pints in a litre?
1 litre = 1.75975 UK pints, or 2.11338 US pints.
How many fluid ounces in a litre?
1 litre = 33.814 US fluid ounces, or 35.195 UK fluid ounces.
How many ml in a tablespoon?
1 tablespoon = 15 ml in both UK and US usage. 1 teaspoon = 5 ml. These standard measurements are consistent, unlike pints and gallons which differ between UK and US.
Why is a UK pint larger than a US pint?
The US customary system and the British Imperial system diverged after American independence. The US retained older, smaller measures while Britain standardised on larger Imperial units in 1824. Today the UK pint is 568 ml (20 fl oz) while the US pint is 473 ml (16 fl oz) — a 20% difference.
Related calculators