Convert volume units — liters, gallons, cups, milliliters, cubic meters, pints, quarts.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| mL | Milliliter | 1000 |
| m³ | Cubic Meter | 0.001 |
| gal(US) | US Gallon | 0.26417218 |
| gal(UK) | UK Gallon | 0.21996925 |
| qt | US Quart | 1.0566881 |
| pt | US Pint | 2.1133785 |
| cup | US Cup | 4.2267571 |
| fl oz | Fluid Ounce | 33.814057 |
Common liter values converted to us cup — factor: 1 L = 4.227 cup
| Liter (L) | US Cup (cup) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0.01 L | 0.04227 cup | Tablespoon |
| 0.05 L | 0.2113 cup | Shot glass |
| 0.1 L | 0.4227 cup | One cup |
| 0.25 L | 1.057 cup | One cup |
| 0.5 L | 2.113 cup | Water bottle |
| 0.75 L | 3.17 cup | Wine bottle |
| 1 L | 4.227 cup | Liter bottle |
| 2 L | 8.454 cup | Soda bottle |
| 3.785 L | 16 cup | US gallon |
| 5 L | 21.13 cup | Small jerrycan |
| 10 L | 42.27 cup | Large container |
| 20 L | 84.54 cup | Jerrycan |
| 50 L | 211.3 cup | Keg |
| 100 L | 422.7 cup | Keg |
| 200 L | 845.4 cup | Oil drum |
Converting liter to us cup comes up frequently in cooking, chemistry, medicine, and engineering. A recipe written in metric units may need to be adapted for a kitchen using us cup, or a laboratory protocol may specify volumes in liter that need to be measured with equipment calibrated in us cup.
In everyday use, knowing that 5 L = 21.13 cup and 10 L = 42.27 cup covers most common situations. For bulk calculations, 100 L = 422.7 cup is a useful anchor. The reverse conversion — us cup back to liter — uses the factor 0.2366, so 1 cup = 0.2366 L.
All conversions use the internationally recognized factor of exactly 1 L = 4.227 cup. Calculations are performed in IEEE 754 double-precision floating point, giving accuracy to at least 8 significant figures — more than sufficient for any practical application.
Formula: US Cup = Liter × 4.2267571
Multiply any liter value by 4.2267571 to get us cup. One liter equals 4.2267571 cup.
Reverse: Liter = US Cup × 0.236588
Liters × 4.227 = US cups. Round to × 4 for quick estimates (6% low).
One liter is about 4¼ US cups — good baking anchor.
Cups × 0.237 = liters.
Measures fermentation batches, keg volumes (50 L), and canning runs in liters for recipe consistency.
Specifies fuel tank capacity (40-70 L) and engine coolant volumes in liters.
Calibrates volumetric flasks, graduated cylinders, and bulk reagent purchases in liters.
Estimates pool capacity in liters to calculate pump sizing and chemical dosing.
Designs drip and sprinkler systems with flow rates in liters per hour per emitter.
Prepares bulk IV solutions, disinfectants, and liquid medications in liter batches.
The liter was introduced by the French metric system in 1793, defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water at 4°C. The word derives from the older French unit litron, from Medieval Latin litra. It was redefined in 1964 as exactly 1 cubic decimeter.
France adopted the liter as part of revolutionary metric standardization, spreading across Europe with Napoleonic expansion. Today it is the standard unit for liquids in most of the world, from soda bottles to fuel pumps.
Interesting fact: A liter of water at 4°C weighs almost exactly 1 kilogram, which is why the kilogram was originally defined through it.
The US customary cup is defined as exactly 8 US fluid ounces, or 236.588 mL. It was standardized by Fannie Farmer in her 1896 cookbook The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.
The cup is the backbone of US baking: nearly every American recipe uses cup measurements for flour, sugar, butter, and liquids. Standard sets include 1 cup, ½ cup, ⅓ cup, and ¼ cup.
Interesting fact: Australia uses a metric cup of 250 mL, slightly larger than the US cup, which can cause recipe confusion in international cooking.