The Best Measuring Cups for Every Recipe

Best Overall: OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cups

Also available at Crate & Barrel.

Why It's Great

• Durable stainless steel
• Leveling made easy
• Dishwasher safe

Grain of Salt

• Only four in the set

These measuring cups from OXO are versatile, durable, and comfortable to hold. They are outfitted with rubber handles for easy gripping and magnets for neatly stacking the cuts in a cabinet or drawer.

Our product tester easily packed brown sugar, leveled flour, and measured other dry ingredients, such as walnuts and chocolate chips, using the 1, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 cups and loved how they are etched with the measurements. Nothing is getting rubbed off here!

The only downside to them is that you'll have to grab additional measuring cups for the ingredient amounts smaller than 1/4 cup, and use the same cup twice for amounts larger than 1 cup. But overall, they would make for a perfect addition to any kitchen and are worth the price because these are dishwasher safe, have nonslip gripping, and allow for easy leveling.

The Details: Stainless steel; includes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup sizes

Best Value: OXO Good Grips 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Cups

Why It's Great

• Affordable
• Comes with five cups
• Can be snapped together

Grain of Salt

• Measurements could ware off

When using measuring cups, usually you don't need ones with a ton of bells and whistles. These OXO Good Grips 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Cups do the job while also not breaking the bank. For just $10 you get five cups in the set, including the typical 1, 2/3, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 cups, plus a scraper that doubles as a leveler and a hook for storage. What's more, each cup has a half-cup measurement so you don't have to guess when you've reached the mid-point.

We love these because of the price, but also because they clip 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 grips for people who need a little extra help with mobility in the kitchen, and with the extra two pieces in this set, it's really a value price for a great 6-piece set of measuring cups.

The 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

Why It's Great

• Nonporous glass
• Microwave- and freezer-safe
• Curved spout for easy pouring

Grain of Salt

• Can be hard to read measurements

Pyrex is a well-known and trusted brand in the cooking and baking world. Because of this, you've probably seen, bought, or used these glass measuring cups before. They feature thick, nonporous glass that is microwave-, oven-, fridge-, and freezer-safe and have red measurements printed 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 quickly bringing water to a boil in the microwave.

While you do have to read these cups at eye level to get an accurate reading, they have a pour spout that enables every bit of the ingredients to make it into the mixing dish. All in all, these measuring cups deliver on size, volume, and their ability to withstand high temperatures.

The Details: Glass; includes 1 cup, 2 cup, and 4 cup sizes

Best with Spoons: Laxinis World Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons

Why It's Great

• Wide variety of spoon and cup sizes
• Rust-resistant brushed stainless steel
• Stackable design

Grain of Salt

• Measurements are hard to read

It's not just larger ingredient amounts that need measuring: Getting the right measurement of salt in a baking recipe or sugar in tomato sauce is extremely important. Luckily, this set comes with both measuring cups and spoons and is still under $20.

The set is made from thick stainless steel that won't rust after being thrown in the dishwasher. They also can be joined together by a key ring or taken apart. The only negative about this set is that the engraved measurements can be a little hard to see.

The Details: Stainless steel; includes 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 sizes

Best Plastic: KitchenAid Classic Measuring Cups

Also available at Target.

Why It's Great

• Stack and clean easily
• Come in different colors
• Affordable

Grain of Salt

• Unstable

KitchenAid does a lot of things well, whether it's immersion blenders or stand mixers, and these measuring cups are no different, as they're high-quality, affordable, and made out of smooth, rounded, BPA-free plastic. They also come in several different colors, including signature KitchenAid red and sky blue.

In product testing, Rachel found that the brand's measuring cups stack well, but some ingredients like flour and sugar don't slide out as easily. She also noticed that these measuring cups are a little unstable when placed on the counter. However, these small cons are overlooked by the fact that they are top-rack dishwasher safe, have nonslip handles, and are made from BPA-free plastic.

The Details: Plastic; includes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup sizes

Related: The 10 Best Baking Sheets, Tested and Reviewed by Allrecipes

Best Copper: Juvale 4-Piece Stainless Steel Copper Plated Measuring Cup Set

Also available at Target.

Why It's Great

• Stainless steel plated in copper
• Nesting design
• Engraved measurements

Grain of Salt

• Hand wash only

Copper kitchen tools aren't just pretty, they're historically very useful. So if you are looking to add flair and functionality to your cooking and baking, this set is a good option.

Although it's on the cheaper side, this set of measuring cups is durable and has a key ring that can keep them together. They have engraved measure amounts in both metric and imperial slides. Beware, though, that these are not safe for the dishwasher. Careful handwashing and air drying will help them stay in good shape for years to come.

The Details: Stainless steel coated in copper; 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

Also available at Macy's, and Crate & Barrel.

Why It's Great

• Angled measuring surface
• Can measure up to 4 cups
• Nonslip handles

Grain of Salt

• Ingredients can get stuck

Another OXO measuring cup set is on our list, taking the top angled spot. These angled measuring cups allow you to read the amounts two ways: on the side or from overhead. This means you don't even have to bend down to get an accurate measurement. However, the design does make it easy for ingredients to get trapped in the short angled corners of the cups, according to our product tester. This can be fixed, though, with a spatula.

Despite that one setback, they have a wideset, nonslip handle that allows them to be stacked, are top-rack dishwasher- and microwave-safe, feature cup, milliliter, and ounce measurements, and stack inside themselves. The unique vertical measurement capability of this set makes it well worth the cost for us.

The Details: Plastic; includes 1 cup, 2 cup, and 4 cup sizes

Best Adjustable: KitchenArt Professional Series 2-Cup Adjust-A-Cup

Also available at Home Depot.

Why It's Great

• Five types of measurements
• Great for sticky ingredients
• Easy to adjust

Grain of Salt

• Hand wash only

Multiple sets of measuring cups isn't very functional for small kitchens. If you have limited space, this KitchenAid adjustable measuring cup is a great choice, as it fits measurements spanning from 1/8 of a cup 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't do all that!

All that's needed to get this measuring cup to the right amount is to push or pull, fill, and then push the plunger base up to expel the ingredients into a mixing bowl or pan. You're only left to scrape away the very top of the base, which speeds up prep time.

This is another measuring cup you will need to wash by hand, but it makes up for that small feat with its small size.

The Details: Plastic; includes measurements ranging from 1/8 of a cup to 2 cups

Best Collapsible: Squish Collapsible Measuring Cups

Why It's Great

• Flattens for easy storage
• Each cup 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 cabinets spacious. These measuring cups are made from colorful BPA-free plastic and pop out to create the full extended cup volume. Each cup's measurement is engraved on the handle (including metric equivalents), making it easy to read and long-lasting. The plastic material may be susceptible to attracting dust and kitchen grime over time and will require the occasional rinse before use.

The big draw to these measuring cups is their ability to collapse and lay flat. However, Rachel found that they do not stack as well as other measuring cups, making it harder to keep them organized.

Overall, these cups are a solid and ultra-affordable option for anyone looking to save some space. However, they're not the most reliable in terms of function yet are a good fit for the beginner's kitchen in a dorm room or small apartment.

The Details: Plastic; includes 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup sizes

Best High-End: Le Creuset Stainless Steel Measuring Cups

Also available at Crate & Barrel and Bloomingdale's.

Why It's Great

• Have a nice weight
• Sturdy handles
• Sleek design

Grain of Salt

• Expensive

For kitchen tools you use often, it may be more cost-effective to invest in a top-quality option rather than go with a budget option. In the case of measuring cups, we think the best high-end set is this one from Le Creuset. The four cups are made with durable, heavy-gauge stainless steel, which means they are built to last. Its flat base doesn't tip over when pouring ingredients into the cup, and the handles feel sturdy enough to take on recipes for years to come.

The only con about this set is that it's on the pricier side, but you're paying for quality cups that won't break or show signs of wear and tear. And finally, they are elegant, shiny, and sleek, so they look and feel high-end.

The Details: Stainless steel; includes 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 cup sizes