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In a new round of testing, we found that the KitchenMade measuring cup set, our previous first choice, was one of several identical sets sold under different names.
In a new round of testing, we found that the KitchenMade measuring cup set, our previous first choice, was one of several identical sets sold under different names.
They are all great, but we now recommend the Simple Gourmet set because it is more cost-effective. The Pyrex 2 cup measuring cup is still our favorite liquid measuring cup.
An accurate measuring cup can make you a better cook, whether you want to make a lot of pancakes or just to avoid mushy rice, you really need liquid and a toast. Since 2013, we have tested 46 models. We recommend that you buy a set like the Simple Gourmet 7-piece measuring cup set for measuring dry ingredients. The Simply Gourmet set is one of several almost identical sets we found, any of which beat all other cups we tested for accuracy and durability. For measuring liquids, we recommend the classic Pyrex Prepware 2 cup measuring cup.
This set of sturdy, accurate cups is not unique—you can find several equally good clones on Amazon—but it is the most cost-effective, offering seven cups instead of six.
*At the time of publication, the price was $22.
Our favorite dry measuring cup is the most durable and accurate measuring cup we have found in hours of testing since 2013. They are also replicas. In other words, you can find many almost identical sets on Amazon under different brand names. There is no "original" set; these cups are a white-labeled commodity, produced by one manufacturer for other companies to print their names. We recommend the Simple Gourmet 7-piece measuring cup set because at the time of writing, they are the most cost-effective set of all similar sets we have tried, offering 7 cups, while other brands charge for 6 cups. However, if you can find cheaper ChefsGrade, KitchenMade, Hudson Essentials or Lee Valley Lifetime measuring cups, please buy them. In our tests, we found that they are all equally accurate and impressive. They have short, durable handles that are easy to grasp and will not bend under pressure or cause the cup to tip over (like some longer handles do). We also appreciate how tightly these cups are nested together, and their sides are printed with secondary measurements (not all clones do this), allowing you to use one cup for multiple measurements.
This classic design is one of the most durable glasses we have found. The markings on Pyrex are clearer than the markings on other glasses that we have tested, and the cleaning effect is better than the plastic version.
*At the time of publication, the price was $6.
For measuring liquid ingredients, the Pyrex Prepware 2 cup measuring cup is our long-time favorite. Compared with other cups, the clearly printed measurement marks (in cups, ounces and milliliters) are easier to read. Non-porous tempered glass does not absorb stains or odors like plastic, and is durable enough that the cup will not break even if it is dropped. The spout dumps cleanly. If you want to stack multiple Pyrex cups of different sizes, the curved handle will not hinder you. Pyrex is also a design classic; its iterations have been around since 1925.
This set of sturdy, accurate cups is not unique—you can find several equally good clones on Amazon—but it is the most cost-effective, offering seven cups instead of six.
*At the time of publication, the price was $22.
This classic design is one of the most durable glasses we have found. The markings on Pyrex are clearer than the markings on other glasses that we have tested, and the cleaning effect is better than the plastic version.
*At the time of publication, the price was $6.
This guide is the result of more than 60 hours of research and testing since 2013. We interviewed several professional experts to listen to their opinions, including cookbook author and flour bakery chef Joanne Chang; Leah Koenig, author of "Hadassah Everyday Cookbook"; Better Homes & Gardens test kitchen director Lynn Blanchard; and " Tina Ujlaki, former executive food editor of "Food and Wine".
We also draw on our personal experience in baking, cooking and reporting. Sarah Zorn, responsible for the 2019 update, is a recipe tester for recipes, and Sarah reviews kitchen products for Food Network and USA Today. Wirecutter Special Project Editor Ganda Suthivarakom, who wrote the original guide, has published on Saveur and Every Day With Rachael Ray, and has reviewed many kitchen items for Wirecutter. Ray Aguilera, who wrote the 2015 update, worked as a restaurant critic in San Francisco, is an avid chef and home brewer, and has been writing and editing product reviews since 2006.
If you currently do not have a liquid measuring cup and a good set of toasts, you should invest at the same time. The liquid will level itself, so it is best to measure on the fixed line on the transparent container. Flour and other dry ingredients are piled together and are usually measured by the dip sweep method, so a cup with a flat rim is most suitable for scooping and smoothing.
Flour bakery owner Joanne Chang explained: “If you try to measure the liquid in the toast, if you fill it correctly, they will overflow the edges. Then you will lose the liquid. If you try to measure the dryness in the liquid cup Ingredients, it’s difficult to flatten the dry ingredients (unless it’s something like sugar, in which case you can tamp the measuring cup to flatten it). When you try to flatten and dry, you might load more You want more things, or get an uneven level that causes you to measure the wrong item."
In other words, even the best measuring cup used correctly is not as accurate as a scale. That's because the density of ingredients such as flour may vary. The weight of the same volume of flour may vary by a few ounces, depending on factors such as its age, the humidity of the room, and how hard you scoop it. However, when you measure by weight, you get the same amount every time. Therefore, for tasks that require precision, such as baking, we recommend using a kitchen scale (we also have relevant guidelines). But measuring cups can still be used in many other cooking tasks, especially since they are the standard indicator for most American recipes. You may find yourself using them for everything from preparing rice to measuring a cup of chopped herbs.
In order to get the best and most consistent results from each pastry recipe (and to be a cleaner and faster baker), please follow what a professional does: measure with a kitchen scale.
Although accuracy is the most important characteristic of a measuring cup and can only be truly determined in tests, we looked for many other characteristics when studying hundreds of measuring cups.
The dry measuring cups we are looking for are:
The liquid measuring cups we are looking for are:
To test the toast, we filled 1 cup measuring cup with water and weighed the result on a digital scale to check the accuracy. Although we usually do not use dry measuring cups to measure liquids, a glass of water has a clear weight, which allows us to easily determine the accuracy of each cup. We contacted the Office of Weights and Measures at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which told us: "1 ounce of water at 20°C (68°F) weighs approximately 0.065081506 pounds-8 ounces [or a cup] will be approximately 0.520652 Pounds." Rounded to the nearest gram (the resolution of our test scale), this means that 1 cup of water weighs 236 grams, which is the standard we use for all tests.
To compare the many cups with the same appearance that we tested in 2019, we also tested the accuracy of the other cups in each group using the same water weighing method. To resolve human error, we repeated each test three times and averaged the results.
In addition to accuracy, we also tested the ease of use of each group of cups. We checked whether the smallest cup in each group can be balanced on its own without tipping over due to the weight of the handle. We scooped oats from a large jar to see how easy each cup is to move in a narrow space. We also scooped and flattened a cup of flour to ensure that no dry ingredients were stuck in the gaps, so as not to affect the measurement. We measured the peanut butter and scraped it off to understand how each cup handles thick and sticky ingredients and how difficult it is to clean each cup. Finally, we tried to bend the handle of each cup onto the glass container with appropriate pressure.
To test the accuracy of the liquid measuring cup, we measured a glass of water again and weighed it. We try to pour wine from each glass to see if it drips. To solve our concerns about plastic and silicone cups, we pour hot tomato sauce into the cup and let it sit for 10 minutes to check for stains and odors. Then we heat a pot and place it on the edge of the measuring cup to make sure nothing melts. Finally, because the oil tends to stick to the plastic, we poured a tablespoon of oil into each cup, washed it, and then washed the cups by hand in the sink to see if they were easy to clean.
This set of sturdy, accurate cups is not unique—you can find several equally good clones on Amazon—but it is the most cost-effective, offering seven cups instead of six.
*At the time of publication, the price was $22.
We tested several sets of almost identical dry measuring cups, including ChefsGrade, Simply Gourmet, Hudson Essentials, Lee Valley and KitchenMade sets, and we will confidently recommend any of them instead of all the other sets we have tested. The Simply Gourmet 7-piece measuring cup set is our first choice because it is the most cost-effective at the time of writing. But other than that, all other suits are equally good. These are the most precise cups we have tried, and some of the strongest, with comfortable handles that will not bend under pressure. They are easy to clean and can be nested and stored well, and they will not fall on the counter like others. It is also useful to print a second measurement on the side of each cup.
All the sets mentioned above are reproductions-not imitations-which means that we have no recommended original manufacturer. They are a white label product manufactured by one manufacturer for use by other companies. They are great. There are some subtle appearance differences between one set and the next. For example, the position of the measurement value etched on the handle will be different. Some sets have pouring spouts on one side of each cup, while others have pouring spouts on both sides. But we think that these subtle differences are irrelevant-in any case, it is not necessary to cheers.
What matters is the accuracy of the cup. We tested each cup in each set of six or seven and found that almost all cups have perfect accuracy within 2 or 3 grams. The only exception is the ChefsGrade 1 cup measuring tool, which has an average weight of 242 grams, which is 6 grams lower than our standard of 236 grams. But this is still much more accurate than many other models we tested, such as the 1 cup measurement from Cuisipro (213 grams) or OXO (222 grams), and is within the margin of error, which may be due to slight differences between the various sets .
Although the other cups we tested bend easily at the handle, these cups will not bend at all even under slight pressure, no matter what spoon we use or how much pressure we apply. As our experts pointed out, a balanced handle is also very important. Many of the suits we tested contained unbalanced cups with heavy handles that caused the smallest measure to tilt back. All clone cups can stand independently, which comes in handy when you pour the ingredients into the cup instead of scooping it out of a larger container.
The one-piece construction of these cups means that there are no seams, corners or gaps where the handle meets the cup to hold flour or other ingredients. This makes cleaning up a breeze, and since stainless steel is non-porous, we have no lingering problems with stains or odors. All six almost identical sets we tested also have additional marked measurements on the side of the cup, which (although not the most accurate measurement method) allows you to make multiple measurements with a single cup. You can find many similar cloned suits, such as these from Bellemain, which have no dimensions marked on the sides. We suspect that these are as accurate as the sets we tested, but we chose not to test them because they lacked those extra measurements.
A small label on the outer edge of each cup opposite the handle allows all cloned cups to be neatly nested within one another, while the smaller size does not fall forward into the larger cup. Almost all the other cups we tested tilted up at the handle when stacked, and it was difficult to store them in shallow drawers due to the increased height. All the kits we tested also come with an easy-to-remove loop that can be easily put together or hung on a hook.
Whether you are buying a Simply Gourmet set or a copy, don't expect any reliable customer service. Simply Gourmet does not seem to have a website. We found that other companies with websites, such as KitchenMade, are difficult to contact through the online form they provide. In the past, we tried to contact KitchenMade to inquire about the lifetime warranty allegedly provided with its cups, but the company never responded. For different products, this may disrupt the transaction, but considering the simplicity of the measuring cups and especially the sturdiness of these products, we are not worried that they will fail. Since 2013, we have been recommending one of these clone sets (KitchenMade used to be our first choice, Lee Valley was our runner-up), and we have no problem using them in the test kitchen, just like long.
This classic design is one of the most durable glasses we have found. The markings on Pyrex are clearer than the markings on other glasses that we have tested, and the cleaning effect is better than the plastic version.
*At the time of publication, the price was $6.
The Pyrex Prepware 2 cup measuring cup is our long-time favorite liquid measuring cup. It is well-designed with easy-to-read markings, a good pouring spout to minimize dripping, an L-shaped handle that can be inserted into other cups, and a wide and short shape to provide you with space to mix ingredients. It is made of shatter-resistant tempered glass and is one of the more durable liquid cups we have found. It does not retain stains or odors like plastic cups. Pyrex's classic design has not changed much since 1941, and it has won a place for this cup in almost every kitchen we have been to. You can find Julia Child's Pyrex cup at the National Museum of American History.
Pyrex's eye-catching red marking makes reading and measurement easy. The U.S. cup and the ounce mark are displayed on one side, and there is a metric scale in milliliters on the reverse side. Many of the other cups we tested chose a shorter measurement line centered on the surface of the cup, but we found that the staggered arrangement on the Pyrex is easier to read without being too crowded. This is a small detail, but there is a huge difference.
Unlike plastic or silicone cups, heat-resistant glass cups will not stain or retain odor. We didn't have too much trouble cleaning any cups we tested, but the oil is more likely to adhere to the plastic rather than the glass, which makes Pyrex easier to wash by hand.
Compared to lighter plastic or glass models, its weight actually makes Pyrex easier to pour, especially in trickles. There is very little dripping, which is especially good when you are continuously measuring multiple ingredients while cooking.
We prefer Pyrex's L-shaped handle-rather than a cup with a circular handle-because it allows you to nest the cup in a bowl or another Pyrex cup. (In addition to the 2 cup size, you can also get Pyrex in 1, 4 and 8 cup sizes, all of which can be stacked nicely.) This helps it take up less space in the cabinet and make You can easily store tools such as measuring cups and mixing bowls together.
Pyrex's wider footprint makes this cup more versatile overall. Compared to taller and narrower cups (such as those from Cambro and Rubbermaid Commercial Products), the wider size allows us to beat and mix ingredients more easily.
Pyrex cups are made of tempered soda lime glass, which is more impact resistant than other types of glass. Although it is not completely shatterproof, if you drop it on the floor or hit the kitchen sink, Pyrex is likely to survive. Tempered glass is also more resistant to thermal shock than ordinary soda-lime glass (which can cause the glass to shatter during extreme temperature changes). Borosilicate glass (some other cups, such as the older Pyrex cups, are made of this glass) have better thermal shock resistance, but are less durable in other respects. For the daily use and abuse of liquid measuring cups, we prefer tempered glass.
Speaking of accuracy, the level of 1 cup in the Pyrex cup is 256 grams, which is 20 grams more than the test standard. But given the inherent inaccuracy of measuring cups, we are willing to ignore this.
Because they are painted, the measurement marks on the heat-resistant glass may fade over time. We have noticed that this is starting to happen with Pyrex cups that we have used in the test kitchen for many years. But we believe that the eye-catching red markings can maintain readability for a longer period of time compared to the fine markings on some other cups we have seen. You can also help prevent fading by hand washing the cup with a soft sponge. Unfortunately, there are not many good choices for liquid measuring cups with molded rather than printed markings. However, if you really want one, please consider using Rubbermaid Commercial Products or Cambro's polycarbonate plastic cups, which we will introduce in the competition section below. Both have molded markings that don't wear out (although once the paint on them wears out, they become harder to read).
The advantage of Prepworks Progressive Collapsible Measuring Cups is that they can be folded for easy storage. The flexible silicone material is also very comfortable to hold and can release viscous components cleanly. But these cups are easy to tip over, do not leave stains and odors, and cannot be placed in a microwave oven.
We like Oxo Good Grips stainless steel measuring cups with magnetic snaps, which are balanced and comfortable to hold, with short, non-slip handles and round, generous measuring cups. The fact that they are glued to each other with magnets-which means we don't have to worry about the ring-is another advantage. But when they are stacked together, they are very tall, and they have no milliliter mark. They are not as accurate as our favorite cups, and there are only four in the set-our top pick includes seven cups with similar prices.
The Xinxing Catering stainless steel measuring cup performs admirably in terms of accuracy, but the long-line handle is quite bulky, and the cup is easy to tip over when placed on the counter. The connecting ring is also difficult to disassemble and is easy to lose. The strangest problem is that the measurement marks are not conveniently printed on the bottom of the cup, rather than on the handle. They are easy to read at all times.
Although attractive, the Cuisipro stainless steel measuring cup feels heavy and unbalanced, with a long tapered handle and an oval cup. They don't just sit down without a tip, and they can easily become bored during a long day of baking.
The Bellemain stainless steel measuring cup set is another clone, similar to those we recommend from Simple Gourmet and other companies. However, these cups do not have auxiliary markings on the sides, which we believe makes them less useful overall.
The RSVP International Endurance 6-piece Measuring Cup Set is a replica of the Bellemain set and does not have a secondary mark.
The Culina stackable 6-piece stainless steel measuring cup set is sturdy and durable. We appreciate the deep and clear size markings engraved on the handle. But the smallest cup has poor balance and can hardly stand on its own, and there is no other size inside the cup. This is also the most inaccurate cheers we tested in 2015, more than 4% higher than our standard weight.
The accuracy of AMCO's advanced sexual measuring cup set still has many shortcomings (the weight of a measuring cup is reduced by about 5%), and the smallest cup is not standing upright on the table.
The fully-clad stainless steel measuring cup is beautiful and accurate, and it feels indestructible. But the high price feels too high, especially considering reports of stainless steel rust. The universal cups we recommend are at least as accurate and durable, and the price is less than half.
The bell mouth of the CIA Masters Collection stainless steel 4-piece measuring cup set may cause over-measurement-sweeping away small particles like flour will affect the measurement. The milliliter and ounce marks are also inconveniently hidden on the underside of the handle.
We like the sharp lips and long handle of the King Arthur flour measuring cup (also sold under the name RSVP International Endurance on Amazon). Unfortunately, the two smallest cups tipped over, and the welded handles could easily bend on the glass container.
We do not like AMCO stainless steel measuring cups very much. As many critics have testified, the fragile metal handle is easy to bend. These are also the least accurate of the cups we have tested. 1/4 cup is nearly 10% lighter.
The OXO Good Grips 2 cup squeeze and pour silicone measuring cup is one of the most accurate liquid cups we have tested. It is durable and heat resistant. But silica gel is easy to get dirty. We put the hot tomato sauce in the cup for 10 minutes, but after about 30 minutes the cup will turn yellow permanently. Those with smaller hands may also find it difficult to hold this handleless cup when it is full and heavy.
The durable Rubbermaid Commercial Products 1 Pint Bouncer measuring cup is easy to survive even if it is dropped, and after repeated strong scrubbing, the printed marks show no signs of fading. Nevertheless, it is not as easy to clean as glass, and the ring-shaped handle prevents nesting.
The lightweight plastic OXO Good Grips 2-cup oblique measuring cup is durable. The oblique angle and the internal markings read from above are very convenient-no need to bend over to read the quantity on the counter. But they are inconsistent with the markings on the side of the cup and are not very accurate. With all these extra edges and corners, cleaning becomes more cumbersome.
The beaker-style Catamount measuring cup is made of borosilicate glass, but when used in the kitchen, we prefer the thicker and stronger feel of Pyrex. This is one of our most inaccurate cups. The size of 1 cup is 5% lower than our standard weight. In addition, the loop handle makes nesting impossible.
Cambro Camwear 1 pint measuring cup is made of durable plastic and easy to clean-but we still prefer glass measuring cups. The molded markings will not wear out, but after only a few hand washes, the red and blue prints already show signs of wear. The loop handle prevents nesting.
The OXO Good Grips 2 cup adjustable measuring cup is a plunger type cup designed to cleanly push out viscous ingredients such as honey or peanut butter. It is a bit awkward to use and more difficult to clean than a standard measuring cup. When filled, it is tall, narrow, and top-heavy. When we push the plunger, both peanut butter and honey slip out easily. However, any time or effort saved by not having to scrape off the standard cup is obscured by the time it takes to clean the two-piece cup.
Interview with Joanne Chang, Chef of Flour Bakery, 2013
Leah Koenig, "Daily Hadassah Cookbook", interview, 2013
Lynn Blanchard, Test Kitchen Director, Better Homes & Gardens, 2013 interview
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Bee Wilson, consider the fork: a history of how we cook and eat
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