Written by Sara Ibrahim. Sara researches home and kitchen products for Cupindy.
Published November 2026 · Last reviewed November 6, 2026 · Cupindy is not affiliated with any brand on this page.
Yes. Flour and sugar go in steel cups that you fill and level off flat. Milk, water and oil go in a clear glass cup that you read at eye level. Bakers feel the difference most, and one set of each covers every recipe.
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Our quick pick
Spring Chef 14-Piece Stainless Measuring Cups and Spoons
Seven cups from 1/8 to 1 cup, including the 2/3 and 3/4 that cheaper sets skip. The sizes are engraved in US and metric units, so they don't wash off.
See the Spring Chef set on AmazonThe drawback: Spring Chef doesn't name the steel grade, and there's no 1/2 tablespoon.
For liquids, add the Pyrex 3-piece glass measuring cups.
Most kitchens end up with a drawer of mismatched cups: a plastic set from the supermarket, one glass jug, a tablespoon that is really a soup spoon. It works until a recipe asks for 2/3 cup of something, or the numbers on the plastic cup rub off in the dishwasher.
We read the Amazon listings for the best-selling measuring cups and spoons on November 6, 2026 and kept the ones that state their material, how the sizes are marked and whether they can go in the dishwasher. Care rules for glass come from Pyrex's own safety page. We haven't tested these sets ourselves, so every product claim below is the maker's or the listing's, and no brand saw this page before it went up.
Best measuring cups and spoons at a glance
| Pick | Material | Markings | Sizes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Chef 14-piece. Best full set. | Stainless steel, one piece | Engraved, US and metric | 7 cups (1/8 to 1 cup), 6 spoons | See it |
| TILUCK 10-piece. Best budget set. | 18/8 stainless cups | Engraved | 4 cups (1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 1), 6 spoons | See it |
| Pyrex 3-piece. Best for liquids. | Tempered glass | Red, ounces and ml | 1, 2 and 4 cup | See it |
| Pyrex 2-piece. For a small kitchen. | Tempered glass | Red, ounces and ml | 1 and 2 cup | See it |
| Spring Chef magnetic spoons. Best spoons. | Stainless steel, black finish | Maker says they won't fade | 7 spoons, 1/8 tsp to 1 tbsp | See it |
| Hudson Essentials 6-piece. Cups only. | Stainless steel, pour spout | Method not stated | 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 1 cup | See it |
| Simply Gourmet 12-piece. US and metric engraved. | 18/8 stainless | Engraved, US and metric | 12 pieces; split not listed | See it |
Dry vs liquid measuring cups: what is the difference?
Dry and liquid measuring cups hold the same volume but are built for different jobs. A dry cup is filled to the brim and leveled flat, so the rim is the line. A liquid cup has room above its top marking, so you can fill to a line without spilling.
Fill a steel cup with milk right to the rim and some of it ends up on the counter on the way to the bowl. Stop short to be safe and you're under. Flour in a glass jug has the opposite problem: you can't level it, it settles unevenly, and the line you read isn't the amount you have.
In a soup nobody notices. In cookie dough, a little extra flour in every cup is a common reason the cookies come out dry and cakey instead of chewy.
Read a liquid cup on the counter at eye level, not held up in the air.
Best measuring cups and spoons set
A good steel set has every cup size, with the numbers cut into the metal. Both sets below are one-piece stainless steel, so there's no rivet or seam where batter can sit.
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Our quick pick: the full set
Spring Chef 14-piece measuring cups and spoons
Good for: bakers, and anyone tired of filling the 1/3 cup twice to get 2/3.
Why it is here: it's the only set on this page with all seven cup sizes, from 1/8 up to 1 cup, including 2/3 and 3/4. The listing says the US and metric markings are engraved, each piece is single-piece stainless steel, and the whole set is dishwasher safe. The spoons are narrow rectangles made to fit into most spice jars, and the cups have a small pour spout.
The drawback: Spring Chef doesn't say which grade of stainless steel it uses. And it's cups and spoons only, so you still need a glass cup for liquids. The Pyrex 3-piece set is the one we'd pair with it. There's also no 1/2 tablespoon; use 1 1/2 teaspoons.
See the Spring Chef 14-piece set on Amazon
Best budget set
TILUCK 10-piece stainless measuring cups and spoons
Good for: a first kitchen, or a cook who rarely bakes.
Why it is here: it covers the four basic cups and six spoons for less than the Spring Chef set when we checked. The listing says the cups are 18/8 stainless steel and the sizes are engraved. Two D-rings keep the cups and spoons together, and everything is dishwasher safe.
What to know: the spoons are described only as food-grade stainless steel, with no grade given. For what 18/8 means, see our guide to stainless steel grades.
The drawback: only four cups: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1. No 3/4, no 2/3, no 1/8. Pair it with a glass liquid cup.
See the TILUCK set on AmazonBest glass liquid measuring cup
You can see the line through the side of a glass cup, it doesn't hold on to the smell of last week's curry, and you can melt butter right in it. Pyrex says its glass has been trusted for over 100 years.
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Best for liquids
Pyrex 3-piece glass measuring cup set
Good for: milk, stock, oil, melted butter, and pancake batter you pour straight into the pan.
Why it is here: you get 1, 2 and 4-cup jugs (about 240 ml, 475 ml and 950 ml), each with a spout and an open handle. Pyrex's listing says the glass is tempered and safe in the microwave, preheated oven, freezer and dishwasher, and the markings are red, in ounces and milliliters.
What to know: the listing says tempered glass, not borosilicate. Pyrex's safety page warns against sudden temperature changes: don't set a hot cup on a wet, cool or metal surface, and don't add liquid to glass that's already hot.
The drawback: the red markings can fade. Some long-time owners say theirs wore after years of dishwasher cycles, so hand washing is the better habit. The set is also heavy and takes shelf space. For a small kitchen, the Pyrex 2-piece set (1 and 2 cup) is enough.
See the Pyrex 3-piece set on AmazonIf you want something lighter or smaller:
- Ackers 1-cup borosilicate glass cup. A handle-free beaker made of borosilicate glass. It's small, and the listing is honest that the red scale is printed, not etched, so keep scouring pads away from it.
- OXO Good Grips 2-cup angled measuring cup. Plastic, not glass. Its trick is a sloped scale inside that you read from above, so there's no crouching. OXO says it's BPA-free Tritan, top-rack dishwasher safe, and gives no microwave guidance, so keep hot liquids in glass.
Best measuring spoons
Round spoons are too wide for most spice jars, so you shake cumin over the spoon and the counter. Spoons on a ring have to be unhooked, washed around and hooked back. Narrow magnetic spoons fix both.
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Best measuring spoons
Spring Chef magnetic measuring spoons
Good for: spices, baking powder and vanilla, and anyone who already owns cups they like.
Why it is here: each spoon has two ends: a narrow oval that fits into most spice jars and a round bowl for liquids. They snap together with magnets instead of a ring. You get seven sizes, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 teaspoon, 1/2 and 1 tablespoon, plus a leveler. The listing says they're stainless steel and dishwasher safe, and that the US and metric markings won't fade or rub off.
What to know: the version we link is black. Spring Chef lists the material as stainless steel but doesn't say what gives it the black color.
The drawback: it's spoons only. If you're starting from nothing, the Spring Chef 14-piece set above already comes with narrow spoons.
See the magnetic spoons on Amazon
A narrow spoon goes into the jar, so you don't shake spice over the counter.
Steel, glass or plastic: which measuring cups last longest?
For dry cups and spoons, plain stainless steel is the easy choice: no stains, no coating, no cracks if you drop it. Glass is best for liquids. Plastic scratches, and its printed numbers go first.
| Stainless steel cups | Glass (Pyrex) | Plastic (OXO angled) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry ingredients, leveled | Yes | No | No |
| Liquids read at eye level | No | Yes | Yes, also from above |
| Microwave | Never put metal in | Yes, per Pyrex | Not stated by OXO |
| Dishwasher | Yes, per these listings | Yes, per Pyrex | Top rack, per OXO |
| Markings | Engraved on most of our picks | Red; can fade over years | Printed, per Amazon's description |
| If you drop it | Dents at worst | Can break; Pyrex warns against knocks | Won't shatter |
Printed numbers are ink on the surface, and detergent wears them off until you're guessing whether that's the 1/3 or the 1/4. Engraved numbers are cut into the metal. They can get harder to read when grime settles in them, but they don't disappear.
Another engraved option is the Simply Gourmet 12-piece set, 18/8 stainless with US and metric numbers on every piece. The listing doesn't break down which sizes make up the twelve pieces, so check the photos before you buy.
Steel cups and spoons next to an old plastic cup that has gone cloudy and scratched.
What sizes should a full set of measuring cups have?
A standard US set has four cups: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1. That covers most cooking. Baking recipes ask for 2/3 and 3/4 cup all the time, though, and 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) shows up for oil and honey. For spoons, having 1/8 and 3/4 teaspoon saves guesswork with salt and yeast.
| Cup size | Metric (about) | Spring Chef 14 | TILUCK 10 | Hudson 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 30 ml | Yes | No | No |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1/3 cup | 80 ml | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2/3 cup | 160 ml | Yes | No | Yes |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | Yes | No | Yes |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spoons | 6: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1 tsp; 1 tbsp | 6: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1 tsp; 1/2, 1 tbsp | None |
Metric figures are rounded. A US cup is 236.6 ml.
Already own good spoons? The Hudson Essentials 6-piece cups cover every size from 1/4 to 1 cup, 2/3 and 3/4 included, in stainless steel with a pour spout. There's no 1/8 cup, and Hudson doesn't say how the sizes are marked.
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Build the full kit in two buys
Baker's kit: every cup size in steel, plus glass for liquids.
Spring Chef 14-piecePyrex 3-piece glass
Everyday kit: the four basic cups and six spoons, plus glass.
How to measure flour, sugar and liquids correctly
- Flour: spoon it in, don't scoop. Stir the flour in the bag to loosen it, spoon it into the dry cup until it heaps up, then sweep a flat edge across the rim. Dipping the cup into the bag packs the flour down, so you get more than the recipe meant.
- Brown sugar: pack it. Press it into the cup with the back of a spoon until it keeps the cup's shape when you turn it out. A recipe that wants it loose will say so.
- White sugar, rice and other grains: scoop and level. They don't compress the way flour does.
- Liquids: cup on the counter, eyes at the line. Pour, then bend down until the marking is level with your eye. Read the bottom of the curve the liquid makes against the glass. Holding the cup up in the air tilts it, and the reading tilts with it.
- Honey, molasses and peanut butter: oil first. Wipe the cup or spoon with a little oil and the whole amount slides out.
- Spoons: level them too. Fill, then scrape across with a flat edge, the same as the cups. A heaped teaspoon of baking soda is a lot more than a teaspoon.
Left: scooped from the bag and packed. Right: spooned in and leveled.
For the most consistent baking, weigh instead. King Arthur Baking puts a cup of all-purpose flour at 120 grams. A kitchen scale takes the spoon-and-level question away entirely, and our guide to choosing a kitchen scale covers what to look for.
Questions people ask
Is 1/4 cup liquid the same as 1/4 cup dry?
Yes. It's the same volume: 2 fluid ounces, about 60 ml. What differs is the tool. You fill a dry cup to the rim and level it, and you fill a liquid cup to the line and read it at eye level.
What can I use instead of a liquid measuring cup?
A dry cup works if you fill it right to the rim over the bowl, so any spill lands where it should. For small amounts, spoons are accurate: 4 tablespoons is 1/4 cup. A kitchen scale works too. For water, 1 ml weighs 1 gram, and milk is close.
How do I measure 3/4 cup without a 3/4 cup?
Use a 1/2 cup and a 1/4 cup. No 1/4 cup either? 12 tablespoons is 3/4 cup.
How do I measure 2/3 cup without a 2/3 cup?
Fill a 1/3 cup twice. With spoons, 2/3 cup is 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons.
What kind of measuring cups do chefs use?
Pastry chefs mostly weigh ingredients in grams, because weight doesn't change with how you fill a cup. For volume, many professional kitchens use stainless steel cups and spoons and clear liquid measures marked in both cups and milliliters.
Can a glass measuring cup go in the microwave or take boiling water?
Pyrex says its glass measuring cups are microwave and preheated-oven safe. Its safety page warns against sudden temperature changes. Don't add liquid to glass that's already hot, and don't set hot glass straight on a countertop, a metal surface or anything wet or cool. The page doesn't mention boiling water (212°F / 100°C) directly, so start with a cup at room temperature, not one from the fridge. Never put a steel cup in the microwave.
Do measuring cup markings wash off in the dishwasher?
Printed ones can. Ink markings on plastic and on some glass fade with repeated washing, and some Pyrex owners report this after years of use. Engraved markings on steel last as long as the cup. If yours are printed, hand washing slows the fading.
What is the difference between a liquid measuring cup and a regular one?
A regular measuring cup usually means a dry cup: a scoop with a handle that holds exactly the amount marked on it when leveled. A liquid measuring cup is a jug with a spout and markings below the rim.
More for the baking drawer: the best whisks and how to choose bakeware.
Sources (opened November 6, 2026). Product facts come from each Amazon listing on the same date.
