Are you interested in understanding how heavy twenty pounds is?
Knowing the weight of 20 pounds is a practical skill you can apply in various aspects of daily life and specific fields of interest.
It can help you in practical situations like cooking, where recipes may specify ingredients in pounds or for determining luggage weight when traveling.
If you’re into weightlifting, it can help you choose appropriate weights for strength training.
It can also allow you to compare the weight with other objects or weights, helping you visualize and relate to different quantities.
And no matter your motivations, I’ll show you 14 ways to help you visualize or measure 20 pounds using everyday items as references.
Read: 9 Things That Weigh About 50 Pounds (+Pics)
Let’s get into it.
14 Familiar References For 20 Pounds
Equivalent to about nine kilograms, 20 pounds is considered considered relatively heavy.
It’s heavier than most common household items, like a bag of groceries or a laptop, but lighter than objects such as a tire or a large suitcase.
To understand its heaviness, you can compare it to the following items.
1. An Average-sized Watermelon
Watermelons are a popular summer treat and are often enjoyed in slices or used to make refreshing beverages, thanks to their sweet, juicy, and hydrating qualities.
But did you know how heavy the largest watermelon in the world weighed? An astonishing 350.5 pounds and was grown by a farmer in Tennessee in 2013.
However, that’s a rare thing, and although their sizes may vary, an average-sized watermelon weighs roughly 20 pounds, according to the Watermelon Board.
2. 10 Average-sized Pineapples
Although pineapples are not everyday staples in American households, they are still widely available in grocery stores year-round. They are commonly used in fruit salads, smoothies, desserts, pizzas, and burgers.
Similarly to watermelons, pineapples vary in size and weight. They can be as heavy as 10 pounds, but the most popular in the markets usually weigh about two pounds.
Thus, a bag of ten pineapples can help understand the scale of twenty pounds.
3. 2.5 Gallons of Water
Water is a perfect reference point for lightweight measurements since it’s accessible almost everywhere, and you can divide it into different units, i.e., teaspoons, cups, or gallons.
So, since a gallon weighs 8.34 pounds, you can compare twenty pounds to two and a half gallons of water to understand how it feels.
4. 10 Quarts of Milk
Milk provides calcium and vitamin D for stronger bones and teeth, as it’s one of the few natural sources of vitamin D.
It can help you determine various lightweight measurements, as it is available in different units, i.e., cups, quarts, and gallons.
Quartz is one of the most popular measurements, equal to 32 fluid ounces or approximately 946 milliliters, and weighing 2.15 pounds.
So, ten quartz can give you a close enough practical understanding of twenty pounds.
5. 4 Standard Bricks
Bricks are an excellent way to understand different relatively lightweight measurements starting with two kilograms since they weigh just as much (about 4.5 pounds) in the United States.
So if you can find several around, you can get about four, as they can give you a weight close to twenty pounds.
6. 2 Domestic Cats
Cats are one of the most common pets in the United States, with more than 67 percent of Americans owning at least one as a pet, according to a survey by the American Pet Products Association (APPA).
Depending on the breed and frame, these cats can be as light as five pounds or as heavy as 25 pounds.
However, the ideal weight of a domestic cat is approximately ten pounds.
As such, two can give you an idea of something 20 pounds heavy.
7. 2 Gallons of Paint
A gallon of paint is ideal for various painting projects, such as interior walls, exterior surfaces, or furniture.
It typically contains around 128 fluid ounces (3.785 liters) of paint and varies slightly, with the average weight being about 11 pounds.
So, with two gallons of paint, you can gauge the heaviness of twenty pounds.
8. 4 Reams of Letter-sized Papers
Letter-sized papers are a versatile and common choice due to their compatibility with most printers and office equipment. They are the standard paper size widely used for various documents, printing, and writing tasks.
A ream of these papers contains 500 sheets and weighs five pounds.
Therefore, with as many as four reams, you can practically understand how heavy twenty pounds is.
9. 5 15-inch Laptops
15-inch laptops offer a comfortable display size for work and entertainment while remaining relatively portable compared to larger laptops.
Although they can vary in weight depending on the model and specific features, most, including HP Spectre x360, HP Victus 15, and Dell XPS 15, weigh approximately four pounds.
So, you can compare twenty pounds to the weight of five 15-inch laptops, and you can’t go wrong.
10. 20 American Footballs
American footballs are a critical part of American football, and the NFL closely monitors their specifications to maintain a level playing field for all teams.
They usually weigh about one pound, making them perfect for determining lightweight measurements starting with one pound.
But if you’re familiar with them, you imagine something as heavy as twenty American footballs to understand the magnitude of twenty pounds.
11. 20 Size 5 Soccer Balls
Are you a soccer fan or a player?
Whether you’re playing a casual soccer game in the park or watching professionals on the field, the Size 5 soccer ball is the standard choice for its consistency and suitability for competitive play.
It weighs as much as an American football, meaning twenty are a reliable benchmark for twenty pounds.
12. 5 2-liter Soda Bottles
2-liter soda bottles are suitable for gatherings and parties, and their affordability compared to smaller individual servings makes them a convenient option for families.
Regardless of the brand, they weigh approximately 4.4 pounds at capacity.
Hence, five exceeds the 20 pounds mark by only two pounds, but still a reliable reference point.
13. 5 Steel-toe Boots
Steel-toe boots feature a reinforced steel cap in the toe area, as they are designed for use in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and agriculture, where there is a risk of heavy objects falling on the feet.
And because of that feature, they are way heavier than regular shoes, with a pair weighing approximately four pounds.
Hence, twenty pounds is comparable to as many as five such heavy shoes.
Read: 15 Common Things That Weigh About 30 Pounds (+Pics)
14. A small Car Tire
Small car tires can vary in weight based on the size, construction, and materials used.
That said, the difference is usually minimal, with most ranging from 20 to 22 pounds.
So, if you have one, it could be just what you need to understand the heaviness of twenty pounds.
