US fluid ounce to US legal cup
us fl oz
cup
Conversion History
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Quick Reference Table (US fluid ounce to US legal cup)
| US fluid ounce (us fl oz) | US legal cup (cup) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.06161151992158895833 |
| 1 | 0.12322303984317791667 |
| 1.5 | 0.184834559764766875 |
| 8 | 0.98578431874542333333 |
| 12 | 1.478676478118135 |
| 16 | 1.97156863749084666667 |
| 32 | 3.94313727498169333333 |
About US fluid ounce (us fl oz)
The US fluid ounce (fl oz) is a unit of volume equal to approximately 29.574 milliliters, one sixteenth of a US liquid pint. It is the primary small-volume unit on US food labels, beverage cans, and pharmaceutical liquid measurements. A standard US soda can is 12 fl oz; a coffee shop "tall" is 12 fl oz; a standard shot is 1.5 fl oz. The US fluid ounce is distinct from the imperial fluid ounce (28.413 mL) and should not be confused with the ounce as a unit of mass.
A US soda can is 12 fl oz (355 mL). A US shot glass holds 1.5 fl oz (44 mL). A US water bottle is commonly 16.9 fl oz (500 mL).
About US legal cup (cup)
The US legal cup is a unit of volume defined as exactly 240 milliliters, used on US nutrition labels by FDA regulation. It differs slightly from the US customary cup (236.588 mL = 8 US fluid ounces). In everyday cooking, the 4 mL difference is negligible, and the two are used interchangeably. Australia uses a 250 mL metric cup, which is noticeably larger. The cup is the most common volume unit in US cooking recipes.
A standard measuring cup in a US kitchen set holds 240 mL. Cereal serving sizes on nutrition labels are typically 1 cup (240 mL).
US fluid ounce – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a fluid ounce and an ounce?
A fluid ounce (fl oz) is a unit of volume; an ounce (oz) is a unit of mass/weight. One US fluid ounce of water happens to weigh approximately 1.04 avoirdupois ounces — close but not equal. For other liquids, the mass per fl oz varies with density.
How many fluid ounces are in a US cup?
There are exactly 8 US fluid ounces in one US cup (240 mL). A pint is 16 fl oz, a quart is 32 fl oz, and a gallon is 128 fl oz.
What is the difference between US and imperial fluid ounces?
A US fluid ounce is approximately 29.574 mL; an imperial (UK) fluid ounce is approximately 28.413 mL — about 4% smaller. A US pint (16 fl oz) is 473 mL while a UK pint (20 fl oz) is 568 mL, a 20% difference that significantly affects beverage serving sizes.
How many fluid ounces are in a standard water bottle?
The most common US bottled water size is 16.9 fl oz (500 mL). Other sizes include 8 fl oz (237 mL), 20 fl oz (591 mL), and 33.8 fl oz (1 liter).
How many fl oz are in a standard US wine pour?
A standard US restaurant wine pour is 5 fl oz (148 mL). A 750 mL wine bottle yields approximately 5 pours of 5 fl oz each.
US legal cup – Frequently Asked Questions
How many milliliters is a US cup?
The US legal cup (nutrition labels) is exactly 240 mL. The US customary cup (8 US fl oz) is approximately 236.6 mL. In cooking, both are treated as 240 mL; the difference is negligible for most recipes.
How does the US cup differ from the Australian cup?
The US legal cup is 240 mL; the Australian metric cup is 250 mL — about 4% larger. Australian recipes calling for 4 cups use 1,000 mL vs 960 mL with US cups, which can matter in baking.
How many cups are in a liter?
Approximately 4.167 US legal cups fit in one liter (1,000 mL ÷ 240 mL). Practically, 4 cups ≈ 960 mL ≈ 1 liter — often used interchangeably in cooking.
How many cups of coffee does a standard machine make?
Most US drip coffee makers define a "cup" as 5 or 6 fl oz (148–177 mL) — smaller than the standard 8 fl oz measuring cup. A "12-cup" coffee maker typically makes 60–72 fl oz, or only about 7–9 standard 8-oz cups.
Why do baking recipes fail more often than cooking recipes when measurements are slightly off?
Baking is chemistry — flour, fat, liquid, and leavening interact in precise ratios. Too much flour (even 10–15% extra from packing a cup too tightly) produces dense, dry results. Too much liquid makes cake batter collapse. Cooking is more forgiving because sautéing, braising, and roasting rely on technique and taste adjustment, not exact chemical reactions. This is why professional bakers weigh ingredients in grams rather than using volume cups — a cup of flour can vary from 120 to 160 g depending on how it is scooped.