Difference Between a Teaspoon and a Tablespoon

The difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon is quite simple and clear. One of the major differences in size; a teaspoon is smaller than a tablespoon.

In a standard cutlery set, you will find knives, forks, a small spoon, and a bigger spoon. The small spoon is the teaspoon, while the bigger spoon is the tablespoon.

Another major difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon is their use. A teaspoon is used to stir, sip, or add sugar to coffee or tea. On the other hand, a tablespoon is used in serving food.

They are also used for measuring volume for cooking.

Before we fully look at the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon, let’s take a closer look at each.

Difference Between a Teaspoon and a Tablespoon

What is a Teaspoon?

A teaspoon is used to measure the volume of some ingredients like salt, sugar, spice, etc., while cooking

They can also be used in measuring volume for medicine prescriptions.  

It is denoted as “tsp.” A regular teaspoon has a volume of 5 ml. A teaspoon is approximately 1/3 of the tablespoon, half an ounce. It has a smaller bowl when compared with a tablespoon.

Most Teaspoons are made of metal. 3.5 inches to 4.5 inches is the standard length of most regular teaspoons.

Types of Teaspoons

Here are the different types of teaspoons:

• Coffee spoons.
• Dessert spoons.
• Bar spoons.
• Iced teaspoons.
• Orange spoon or grapefruit spoon.

What is a Tablespoon?

Just like the teaspoon, a tablespoon is part of a cutlery set. It Is Used in the preparation and serving of food. It is usually abbreviated as “Tbsp” or “T.”

Tablespoons are also used for eating or measuring volume for cooking recipes. For instance, a tablespoon is equal to 1/2 ounce.

In Australia, a tablespoon is equal to 4 teaspoons or 20 millilitres.

While in the UK, the tablespoons used in the Victorian and Edwardian eras were 25 millilitres or larger.

Dry measurements used in cooking are heaped or levelled tablespoons.

The bowl in a tablespoon is larger than a teaspoon. 

A Tablespoon is usually made of metals, plastic, or wood.

The Difference Between Teaspoon and Tablespoon

Let’s dive into the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon.

Size

A teaspoon appears smaller in size than a tablespoon. This is a major difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon.

Use

A teaspoon is an item in a cutlery set used in stirring, sipping, or adding sugar to hot coffee or tea. Meanwhile, a tablespoon is an item in a cutlery set used to prepare, serve, or eat food.

Abbreviations

A teaspoon is abbreviated as “tsp”, and a tablespoon is denoted as “Tbsp.”

Capacity

Another difference between teaspoons and tablespoons is their capacity. An average teaspoon has a total capacity of 5mL; however, the capacity of an average tablespoon is 15mL.

Measurement

A teaspoon can only be used in measuring a small number of things. Meanwhile, a tablespoon can measure up to three times as much as a teaspoon. A standard teaspoon is approximately 1/3 of the tablespoon.

Length

The length of a regular teaspoon is between 3.5 inches to 4.5 inches, while a regular tablespoon is between 5-6 inches.

Other Items Found in a Full Cutlery Set

Aside from teaspoons and tablespoons, a complete cutlery set usually consists of the following pieces:

Dinner Fork

Dinner forks are usually used to eat the main course of a meal. They appear longer than the salad forks. Dinner forks mostly have four tines that have equal lengths.

This is the fork that you can also use to eat the main course meat dishes

Dinner Knife

This is also an item in the cutlery set. Dinner knives are served with the main course of a meal. They are mostly used for cutting soft foods such as vegetables, fish, and soft chicken.

Salad Fork

Salad forks are small forks used for eating salad. Unlike the dinner fork used to eat the main course, the salad fork is used in appetizer courses other than seafood.

Napkin

A napkin is a cloth usually rectangular in shape. It is used at the table to clean one’s mouth and hands. It could also be used to hold the cutlery.

Conclusion 

Throughout this article, we’ve outlined the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon, and we believe this article would be useful to individuals across different works of life.

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