US tablespoon to Imperial fluid ounce
tbsp
imp fl oz
Conversion History
| Conversion | Reuse | Delete |
|---|---|---|
1 tbsp (US tablespoon) → 0.5204213653928577969 imp fl oz (Imperial fluid ounce) Just now |
Quick Reference Table (US tablespoon to Imperial fluid ounce)
| US tablespoon (tbsp) | Imperial fluid ounce (imp fl oz) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.26021068269642889845 |
| 1 | 0.5204213653928577969 |
| 2 | 1.04084273078571559379 |
| 4 | 2.08168546157143118759 |
| 8 | 4.16337092314286237518 |
| 16 | 8.32674184628572475035 |
About US tablespoon (tbsp)
The US tablespoon (tbsp) is a unit of culinary volume equal to approximately 14.787 milliliters, defined as 3 US teaspoons or half a US fluid ounce. It is a fundamental cooking measurement in the United States for both liquid and dry ingredients. Butter is measured in tablespoons (1 stick = 8 tbsp), as are cooking oils, sauces, and spices. The US tablespoon differs from the Australian tablespoon (20 mL) and the imperial tablespoon (17.76 mL).
One tablespoon of olive oil is about 14 g. A standard butter portion is 1 tbsp (≈ 14 g).
About Imperial fluid ounce (imp fl oz)
The imperial fluid ounce (imp fl oz) is a unit of volume equal to one twentieth of an imperial pint, approximately 28.413 milliliters. It is used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, though metric units have replaced it in most commercial contexts. The imperial fluid ounce is slightly smaller than the US fluid ounce (29.574 mL). UK spirits measures are now defined by law in 25 mL and 35 mL metric measures, which do not align exactly with the imperial fluid ounce.
A single spirits measure in a UK bar is 25 mL or 35 mL — close to, but not exactly, one imperial fluid ounce (28.41 mL).
US tablespoon – Frequently Asked Questions
How many milliliters are in a US tablespoon?
One US tablespoon equals approximately 14.787 mL, typically rounded to 15 mL in culinary contexts. It equals 3 US teaspoons (3 × 4.929 mL = 14.787 mL).
How does the US tablespoon differ from the Australian tablespoon?
The Australian tablespoon is 20 mL — about 35% larger than the US tablespoon (14.79 mL). When using Australian recipes: 1 Australian tbsp ≈ 1.35 US tbsp. This is a significant difference in baking.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
There are 16 US tablespoons in one US cup (240 mL): 1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 8 fl oz.
How much butter is in a tablespoon?
One US tablespoon of butter weighs approximately 14.2 grams (½ oz). A standard 4-oz US butter stick = 8 tablespoons = ½ cup.
Is a tablespoon the same in US and UK recipes?
No. A US tablespoon is about 14.79 mL; a UK/imperial tablespoon is about 17.76 mL — approximately 20% larger. Most modern UK recipes now use 15 mL metric tablespoons.
Imperial fluid ounce – Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the UK abandon the fluid ounce for spirits but keep the pint for beer?
When the UK metricated in the 1990s, spirits measures were switched to 25 mL and 35 mL because publicans needed precise, legally enforceable pour sizes — and optic dispensers were easy to replace with metric ones. Beer, however, had enormous cultural resistance: the "pint" is deeply embedded in British pub identity, and the Campaign for Real Ale lobbied hard. Parliament granted an explicit exemption allowing draft beer and cider to be sold by the imperial pint. Milk got a similar exemption. The result is a hybrid system where your gin is metric but your beer is imperial.
How many imperial fluid ounces are in a UK pint?
There are exactly 20 imperial fluid ounces in one UK pint (568 mL). In the US system, 1 pint = 16 US fluid ounces (473 mL).
Is the imperial fluid ounce still used?
The imperial fluid ounce is rarely used for commercial transactions in the UK today, which metricated in the 1990s. UK spirits servings are now legally defined in metric (25 mL or 35 mL).
Why is a UK shot 25 mL not one fluid ounce?
When the UK metricated bar measures, the 25 mL "metric measure" replaced older imperial measures. One imperial fl oz (28.41 mL) was not adopted because the EU standardized on 25 mL. So UK shots are not exactly one fl oz.
How many milliliters are in an imperial fluid ounce?
One imperial fluid ounce equals approximately 28.413 mL. One US fluid ounce equals approximately 29.574 mL. Both round to roughly "30 mL" in casual usage, but the precise difference matters in pharmacology.