Cooking Weight Converter
Convert cooking weights between grams, kilograms, ounces, pounds, teaspoons, and tablespoons (water approximation).
How to use this tool
- Enter weight and from unit in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type — or click Calculate.
- Read your ounces and the full breakdown beneath it.
Formula
Convert to grams first, then divide to reach each target unit:
grams = input × factorfrom
Factors: 1 kg = 1000 g, 1 oz = 28.349523 g, 1 lb = 453.59237 g, 1 tsp (water) ≈ 4.2 g, 1 tbsp (water) ≈ 12.6 g.
How it works
The converter uses grams as the hub unit, multiplying the input by a conversion factor to reach grams, then dividing by each other unit's factor to fill all outputs. The teaspoon and tablespoon factors (4.2 g and 12.6 g) are water-density approximations — one metric teaspoon of water weighs approximately 4.2 grams — so these readings are accurate for water but will differ for denser or lighter ingredients such as oil, flour, or sugar.
Common mistake: Volume spoon measures (tsp, tbsp) are not universal weight equivalents — 1 teaspoon of table salt weighs about 6 g, nearly 50 % more than water. Using the water approximation for anything other than water will introduce meaningful recipe errors.
Worked example
Convert 500 g to kg, oz, lb, teaspoons, and tablespoons (water)
- Input: 500 g.
- Base in grams: 500 × 1 = 500 g.
- kg = 500 / 1000 = 0.5; oz = 500 / 28.349523 ≈ 17.637; lb = 500 / 453.59237 ≈ 1.1023.
- tsp = 500 / 4.2 ≈ 119.048; tbsp = 500 / 12.6 ≈ 39.683.
500 g = 0.5 kg, 17.637 oz, 1.1023 lb, 119.048 tsp, 39.683 tbsp (all water approximation).
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the water approximation (1 tsp water = 4.929 g) for dense or airy ingredients -- 1 tsp of salt weighs about 6 g while 1 tsp of flour weighs about 2.6 g; substituting water density introduces large errors.
- Confusing avoirdupois ounces (weight, used here) with troy ounces (used for precious metals) -- 1 troy oz = 31.103 g vs 1 avoirdupois oz = 28.35 g.
- Converting flour by volume and weight interchangeably without noting that sifted versus packed flour can vary in weight by 20-30% per cup.
Key terms
- Gram (g)
- The base mass unit in the metric system widely used in cooking; equal to one thousandth of a kilogram.
- Ounce (oz) — weight
- The avoirdupois ounce used in cooking, equal to 28.349523 grams. Distinct from the fluid ounce, which measures volume.
- Teaspoon (tsp)
- A volume measure of approximately 4.93 mL (US) or 5 mL (metric). The converter uses 4.2 g as the mass equivalent, which is accurate only for water.
- Tablespoon (tbsp)
- A volume measure equal to 3 teaspoons, approximately 15 mL. The converter uses 12.6 g as the mass equivalent based on the density of water.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do baking recipes increasingly use grams instead of cups?
- Grams measure mass precisely, while cups measure volume which varies with how tightly an ingredient is packed. A cup of flour can range from 120 g (sifted) to 165 g (scooped and packed), a 37% variation that affects the texture of baked goods.
- How many grams is one tablespoon of butter?
- One US tablespoon of butter is approximately 14.2 g. Butter has a density close to 0.96 g/mL, so the water approximation (14.787 mL per tbsp) is nearly correct for butter.
- Is the teaspoon-to-gram conversion the same for all ingredients?
- No. The conversion from volume (teaspoons) to weight (grams) depends on the density of the ingredient. This tool uses the water approximation (1 tsp = 4.929 g), which is only accurate for water and water-like liquids.