The 16.9 oz Water Bottle
A 16.9 oz water bottle is the 500 mL bottle. The label shows US fluid ounces, and 16.9 is just 500 mL written that way.
Key facts
- 16.9 US fl oz
- 499.79 mL
- Sold as
- 500 mL
- 500 mL in fluid ounces
- 16.91 US fl oz, 17.6 UK fl oz
- US cups
- 2.11 cups
- Weight of the water
- about 500 g, 17.6 oz on a kitchen scale
How many bottles
| Amount | 16.9 oz bottles |
|---|---|
| 1 US cup | 0.47 |
| 12 fl oz soda can | 0.71 |
| 1 liter | 2 |
| 2 liters | 4 |
| 1 US half gallon (64 fl oz) | 3.79 |
| 1 US gallon | 7.57 |
Bottle sizes next to it
| Size | mL | US cups |
|---|---|---|
| 8 US fl oz | 236.6 | 1 |
| 12 US fl oz | 354.9 | 1.5 |
| 16.9 US fl oz | 499.8 | 2.11 |
| 20 US fl oz | 591.5 | 2.5 |
| 24 US fl oz | 709.8 | 3 |
| 32 US fl oz | 946.4 | 4 |
| 33.8 US fl oz | 999.6 | 4.23 |
33.8 US fl oz is the 1 liter bottle, 999.59 mL by conversion.
Worth knowing
The odd number comes from the market. Bottled water is sold worldwide in 500 mL, and a US label has to show ounces as well. 500 mL is 16.907 US fl oz, so the label rounds to 16.9. The same rounding gives 33.8 on a 1 liter bottle, 50.7 on 1.5 liters and 67.6 on 2 liters.
Do not read the 16.9 as a weight. Fluid ounces are volume. The water in the bottle weighs about 500 g, which is 17.6 oz on a kitchen scale, so a 16.9 oz bottle weighs slightly more than 16.9 oz. If you pour it into a UK measure it is 17.6 UK fl oz, because the UK ounce is smaller than the US one.
Questions
Is a 16.9 oz bottle 500 mL?
Yes, to rounding. 16.9 US fl oz is 499.79 mL, and 500 mL is 16.907 US fl oz.
How many 16.9 oz bottles are in a gallon?
7.57, so a little over seven and a half. A US gallon is 128 fl oz and 128 / 16.9 is 7.57.
How many cups is a 16.9 oz bottle?
2.11 US cups. 16 fl oz is exactly 2 cups and the extra 0.9 oz is a little under 2 tablespoons.
Can I take a 16.9 oz bottle through airport security?
Not with water in it. The carry-on limit is 3.4 fl oz or 100 mL per container, and a 16.9 oz bottle is five times that. An empty bottle is fine, and you can fill it after the checkpoint.