From all of thiskitchen helper, Measuring cups are a staple for home cooks. Regardless of the recipe, accurate measurements are critical to preparing quality meals.
Although you can technically use the same measuring cups for both liquid and dry ingredients, it's a good idea to get ones that are specifically designed for each type. Liquid measuring cups prevent spills and their spouts make it a breeze to pour liquids into mixing bowls, while dry measuring cups are great for packing ingredients and leveling the top for optimal accuracy. To help you choose the right options, we've used our own market research, along with the practical insights of our Allrecipes product tester from a battery of tests, to determine our preferred measuring cups. Read on to find out which ones were chosen and whyOXO Good Grips stainless steel measuring cupis our winner.
Our favourites
- Overall best: OXO Good Grips 4-piece stainless steel measuring cups
- Best value: OXO Good Grips 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Cups
- Best for liquids: Pyrex glass measuring cup set
- Best with spoons: Loxinis World measuring cup and measuring spoon made of stainless steel
- Best Plastic: KitchenAid Classic Messbecher
- Best Copper: Juvale 4-piece measuring cup set made of copper-plated stainless steel
- Bester Store: OXO Good Grips 3 Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set
- Most adjustable: KitchenArt Professional Series 2 Cup Adjust-A-Cup
- Best collapsible: Squish collapsible measuring cup
- Bestes High-End: Le Creuset measuring cup made of stainless steel
Best Overall: OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
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Also available at bed bath beyondandbox & barrel.
Why It's Great
- Durable stainless steel
- Leveling made easy
- Dishwasher safe
grain of salt
- Only four in a set
These measuring cups from OXO are versatile, durable and comfortable to hold. They are equipped with rubber handles for easy gripping and magnets for neatly stacking slices in a cupboard or drawer.
Our product tester easily packaged brown sugar, leveled flour, and measured other dry ingredients like walnuts and chocolate chips with the 1, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 cups and loved how they're etched with the measurements. Nothing is rubbed off here!
The only downside is that you have to grab extra measuring cups for ingredient amounts less than 1/4 cup and use the same cup twice for amounts greater than 1 cup. But overall they are a perfect addition to any kitchen and are worth their price as they are dishwasher safe, have non-slip handles and allow for easy leveling.
Die Details:Stainless steel; includes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup sizes
Best value for money: OXO Good Grips 6-piece plastic measuring cup
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Also available atbed bath beyond.
Why It's Great
- Affordable
- Comes with five cups
- Can be put together
grain of salt
- The measurements could fail
When using measuring cups, you usually don't need one with a lot of bells and whistles. These OXO Good Grips 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Cups get the job done and won't break the bank either. For just $10, you get five cups in a set, including the typical 1, 2/3, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 cups, plus a scraper that doubles as a leveler and storage hook. Additionally, each cup size is half a cup size, so you don't have to guess when you've hit the middle.
We love these for the price, but also because they snap together so they don't get lost and are dishwasher safe. Like many other OXO products, these measuring cups are made with soft, non-slip handles for people who need a little extra help with mobility around the kitchen, and with the additional two pieces in this set it really is a great value for a great 6 - part set of measuring cups.
Die Details:Plastic; includes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup, and 1 cup sizes
BEST FOR LIQUIDS: Pyrex glass measuring cup set
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Why It's Great
- Non-porous glass
- Microwave and freezer safe
- Curved spout for easy pouring
grain of salt
- Measurements can be difficult to read
Pyrex is a well known and trusted brand in the world of cooking and baking. That's why you've probably seen, bought, or used these glass measuring cups before. They are made of thick, non-porous glass that is microwave, oven, refrigeration and freezer safe and have measurements printed in red on the sides in cup amounts, ounce equivalents and metric milliliters. These liquid measuring cups are perfect for melting butter directly in the measuring cup or for quickly boiling water in the microwave.
While you'll need to read these cups at eye level to get an accurate measurement, they have a spout that allows every bit of the ingredients to make their way into the mixing bowl. All in all, these measuring cups deliver on size, volume, and their ability to withstand high temperatures.
Die Details:Glass; includes 1 cup, 2 cup and 4 cup sizes
Best with spoons: Loxinis World measuring cups and measuring spoons made of stainless steel
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Why It's Great
- Large selection of spoon and cup sizes
- Rust-resistant brushed stainless steel
- Stackable Design
grain of salt
- Measured values are difficult to read
It's not just larger amounts of ingredients that need to be measured: the right amount of salt in a baking recipe or sugarTomato sauceis extremely important. Luckily, this set includes both measuring cups and spoons, and it's still under $20.
The set is made from thick stainless steel that won't rust after being thrown in the dishwasher. They can also be put together or taken apart by a key ring. The only downside to this set is that the engraved measurements are a little hard to see.
Die Details:Stainless steel; contains 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, 1/8 cup, 1 tablespoon, 1/2 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon
Best plastic: KitchenAid Classic measuring cup
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Also available at Goal.
Why It's Great
- Simply stack and clean
- Come in different colors
- Affordable
grain of salt
- Unstable
KitchenAid does a lot of things well, no matter if ithand blenderor stand mixer, and these measuring cups are no different, being high-quality, affordable, and made from smooth, rounded, BPA-free plastic. They're also available in a variety of colors, including the signature KitchenAid red and sky blue.
During product testing, Rachel found that the brand's measuring cups stack well, but some ingredients, like flour and sugar, don't slide out easily. She also noted that these measuring cups are a bit unstable when placed on the counter. However, these small drawbacks are overlooked by the fact that they are dishwasher safe, have non-slip handles and are made from BPA-free plastic.
Die Details:Plastic; includes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup sizes
Related:The 10 best baking sheets, tested and rated by Allrecipes
Best copper: Juvale 4-piece measuring cup set made of copper-plated stainless steel
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Also available at Goalandbed bath beyond.
Why It's Great
- Copper-plated stainless steel
- nesting design
- Engraved measurements
grain of salt
- Handwash only
Copper kitchen tools aren't just pretty, they're historically very useful. So if you want to add flair and functionality to your cooking and baking, this set is a great option.
Although it's on the cheaper side, this measuring cup set is durable and has a key ring that can hold them together. They have engraved amounts of measurements in both metric and imperial slides. Please note, however, that these are not suitable for the dishwasher. Thorough hand washing and air drying will help them stay in good shape for years.
Die Details:copper-coated stainless steel; includes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup sizes
Best Angled: OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set
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Also available atMacys, andbox & barrel.
Why It's Great
- Angled measuring surface
- Can measure up to 4 cups
- Non-slip handles
grain of salt
- Ingredients can get stuck
Another OXO measuring cup set makes our list, occupying the top angled spot. These angled measuring cups allow you to read amounts in two ways: from the side or from above. That means you don't even have to bend down to get an accurate reading. However, according to our product tester, the design makes it easy for ingredients to get caught in the short angled corners of the cups. However, this can be remedied with a spatula.
Despite that one setback, they have a wide, non-slip handle that allows them to be stacked, are dishwasher and microwave safe, feature cup, milliliter, and ounce measurements, and stack on top of each other. The unique vertical measuring ability of this set makes it worth the price for us.
Die Details:Plastic; includes 1 cup, 2 cup and 4 cup sizes
Best Adjustable: KitchenArt Professional Series 2-Cup Adjust-A-Cup
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Also available at Heimdepot.
Why It's Great
- Five types of measurements
- Ideal for sticky ingredients
- Easy to set
grain of salt
- Handwash only
Multiple sets of measuring cups are not very practical for small kitchens. If you're short on space, this adjustable measuring cup from KitchenAid is a great choice, as it takes measurements from 1/8 to 2 cups. It can be used for liquid, dry, sticky, or even solid ingredients and has measurements in teaspoons, tablespoons, ounces, milliliters, and cups. Not all of your standard measuring cups can do it all!
All you need to get this measuring cup the right amount is to push or pull the plunger base, fill, and then push up to add ingredients to a mixing bowl or skillet. All you have to do now is scrape off the tip of the base, which speeds up prep time.
This is another measuring cup that you have to hand wash, but it makes up for that little performance with its small size.
Die Details:Plastic; includes measurements from 1/8 of a cup up to 2 cups
Best Collapsible: Squish collapsible measuring cups
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Why It's Great
- Flattens out for easy storage
- Each mug is a different color
- Dishwasher safe
grain of salt
- Not as reliable as other options
Squish is known for its collapsible kitchen products that keep your kitchen organized and your closets spacious. These measuring cups are made from brightly colored, BPA-free plastic and flip out to create the full expanded cup volume. Each mug's measurements are engraved on the handle (including metric equivalents), making them easy to read and durable. The plastic material can attract dust and kitchen grime over time and will need an occasional rinse before use.
The big advantage of these measuring cups is their ability to fold up and lay flat. However, Rachel found that they don't stack as well as other measuring cups, making them more difficult to organize.
Overall, these mugs are a solid and extremely affordable option for those looking to save some space. However, they are not the most reliable in terms of function, but will fit well in the entry-level kitchen in a college dorm or small apartment.
Die Details:Plastic; includes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup sizes
Best high-end: Le Creuset stainless steel measuring cup
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Also available at box & barrel and Bloomingdales.
Why It's Great
- Have a nice weight
- Sturdy handles
- Slim design
grain of salt
- Expensive
For kitchen appliances that you use frequently, it can be more cost-effective to invest in a quality option rather than going for a budget option. As far as measuring cups go, the best high-end set in our opinion is this one from Le Creuset. The four cups are made from durable, heavy-duty stainless steel, which means they're built to last. Its flat base won't tip over when ingredients are poured into the cup, and the handles feel sturdy enough to hold recipes for years to come.
The only downside to this set is that it's more expensive, but you're paying for quality mugs that won't break or show signs of wear. Finally, they are elegant, shiny and smooth, so they look and feel high quality.
Die Details:Stainless steel; includes 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 cup sizes
Our snack
For many measuring cups, as long as they contain the ingredients you need to measure, they will get the job done. But since these are often used in cooking and baking, we think soOXO Good Grips 4-piece stainless steel measuring cupsare the best out there. They can be easily stacked thanks to the small magnets in the handles, are dishwasher safe and are easy to hold.
How to choose the right measuring cup
Art
Before deciding on a set of measuring cups, consider what you will be cooking up the most, which will require accurate measurements. When dozens of cookies are coming out of your kitchen, a glass set might be more functional as you can use it to melt butter and measure out flour. For those whobake a lot of bread, you need measuring cups that can accurately measure dry, wet, and sticky ingredients like honey easily and without much cleaning. We recommend our best adjustable pick, theKitchenArt Professional Serie Adjust-A-Cup, for bread makers because our testers found it worked well with sticky ingredients and offered several different measurements.
Material
Glass, plastic, copper, and stainless steel are common materials for measuring cups, but they have different uses. Stainless steel is known for being extremely durable, while plastic has a reputation for being easy to clean. And copper is aesthetically pleasing, while glass is the most versatile. You should consider which benefit is most important to you when it comes to choosing the right material for your measuring cups.
Additional functions
While all measuring cups are designed to measure ingredients accurately, there are so many styles that have additional features. These can range from collapsible to easy-to-read dimensions to a comfortable grip.
About our tests
We asked veteran Allrecipes product tester Rachel Johnson to test the best dry and liquid measuring cups on the market. We started by collecting 12 premium measuring cups from popular brands like OXO and KitchenAid. Then we consulted with Allrecipes editors and community members to separate the great mugs from the bad.
For her tests, Rachel prepared two different recipes. To test the dry measuring cups, Rachel did thisChewy oatmeal cookies with chocolate chipsRecipe to measure their shoveling, leveling and packing skills. For the liquid measuring cups, Rachel made thisLarge MargaritaRecipe.
For each test, she considered the following metrics:
- overall feeling:What are the measuring cups made of? How functional is the design?
- Durability:Are the measuring cups made to last? Will they wear out over time?
- Cleaning/Storage:How should the cups be stored and cared for?
- Efficiency:How accurately can you measure ingredients with the cups?
- Total value:Is the investment worth it? Does the quality match the price?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between dry and liquid measuring cups?
The reason we have dry and liquid measuring cups is that different ingredients require different techniques to measure them accurately. Dry ingredients require the ability to scoop the ingredients into the cup until it overflows and then level it for an accurate measurement. This cannot be done in a liquid measuring cup. Conversely, liquid ingredients are inherently messy, and filling a dry measuring cup with liquid to the brim is likely to result in a good portion of that liquid ending up on your countertop or floor. Not only would your kitchen be a mess, but your measurements wouldn't be accurate either.
Are measuring cups dishwasher safe?
Depending on the material and design, some measuring cups are dishwasher safe. Check the packaging or details online to find out what kind of care is required.
Why take our word for it?
Allrecipes is a community-based brand for home cooks to find kitchen products, popular recipes, and cooking tips. Contributor Amanda McDonald has over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing food-related foods — from the ones that are best for your heart to the ones that are in short supply at your local grocery store. Combined with official product testing by Allrecipes experts, their expertise in kitchenware, ingredients and measurements went into the careful selection of each set of measuring cups that we recommend above.