The tablespoon (US) is a unit of volume used in the US customary system. It's commonly abbreviated as tbsp, T, or tbs, and it plays a central role in measuring both liquid and dry ingredients in American recipes. By definition, one US tablespoon equals 14.7868 milliliters, making it exactly three times the size of a US teaspoon.
This unit is a standard part of measuring spoon sets found in nearly every American kitchen. It's used for ingredients that require more than a teaspoon but less than a full cup—like oil, syrup, peanut butter, or baking powder. Whether you're preparing a sauce, salad dressing, or baked goods, the tablespoon offers an ideal balance between precision and practicality.
Uses: The tablespoon is one of the most commonly used measurements in American kitchens. You’ll find it in countless recipes—from marinades and sauces to pancake batter and salad dressings. In baking, it plays a critical role, where just a small difference in the amount of butter, oil, or leavening agent can change the texture or taste of the final dish. The tablespoon is also used in meal prep, portion control, and nutritional labeling, helping consumers track ingredients like sugar, oils, or dressings in a standardized way.
Beyond the kitchen, the U.S. tablespoon occasionally appears in medical or pharmaceutical contexts to measure over-the-counter liquid medications, though healthcare professionals typically recommend using milliliters for precision. Still, the tablespoon remains a familiar and convenient reference point for many households.
The imperial tablespoon is a unit of volume once commonly used in the United Kingdom and countries that followed the imperial measurement system. One imperial tablespoon equals 17.7582 milliliters, making it noticeably larger than its US counterpart, which holds about 14.79 milliliters. It's abbreviated as tbsp and has long been a standard measure in British cooking and recipe instructions.
Although the UK now officially uses the metric system, the imperial tablespoon is still found in many traditional cookbooks and recipes. It belongs to the broader imperial set of volume measurements, including teaspoons, fluid ounces, and pints, and is often used in contexts where imperial units are still familiar and widely recognized.
Uses: The imperial tablespoon was once a staple in British kitchens, commonly used to measure liquids and dry ingredients such as flour, sugar, and syrups. It remains present in older recipes, especially those passed down through generations or found in vintage cookbooks that use imperial measures as the standard.
While modern kitchen tools in the UK tend to favor metric measurements, the imperial tablespoon is still referenced in some food packaging, serving sizes, and even pharmaceutical instructions. Understanding the imperial tablespoon is key to maintaining original proportions and flavor for cooks revisiting traditional British dishes or converting recipes accurately.
1 tbsp = 0.832674 tbsp (imp)
Let’s say you want to convert 100 tbsp to tbsp (imp).
Using the formula:
100 × 0.832674 = 83.267 tbsp (imp)
So, 100 tbsp is approximately 83.267 tbsp (imp).
| Tablespoon (US) (tbsp) | Tablespoon (Imperial) (tbsp (imp)) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 0.833 tbsp (imp) |
| 2 tbsp | 1.665 tbsp (imp) |
| 3 tbsp | 2.498 tbsp (imp) |
| 4 tbsp | 3.331 tbsp (imp) |
| 5 tbsp | 4.163 tbsp (imp) |
| 6 tbsp | 4.996 tbsp (imp) |
| 7 tbsp | 5.829 tbsp (imp) |
| 8 tbsp | 6.661 tbsp (imp) |
| 9 tbsp | 7.494 tbsp (imp) |
| 10 tbsp | 8.327 tbsp (imp) |
| 11 tbsp | 9.159 tbsp (imp) |
| 12 tbsp | 9.992 tbsp (imp) |
| 13 tbsp | 10.825 tbsp (imp) |
| 14 tbsp | 11.657 tbsp (imp) |
| 15 tbsp | 12.49 tbsp (imp) |