Best Measuring Cups 2020: Buying Guide & Review

Welcome to our best measuring cup guide for 2020. Here we present you all of the measuring cups we have tested. We have put together detailed background information for you and also added a summary of customer reviews on the web.

We want to make the purchase decision easier for you and help you find the best measuring cup for you.

You can also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. If available, we also offer you interesting test videos. You will also find some important information on this page that you should definitely pay attention to if you want to buy a measuring cup.

Best Measuring Cup Essentials

• Measuring cups are ideal for mixing food in because they have graduations on the side that tell you exactly how much liquid you have in the cup. This makes them the perfect accessory, especially for those interested in baking.
• The main characteristic of a measuring cup is its material. There are stainless steel, plastic and glass measuring cups as well as ceramic and silicone measuring cups, which are somewhat rarer and are not presented here.
• The material significantly influences the weight, the heat resistance and the general processing. In addition, the scaling should be taken into account and selected as required.

Best Measuring Cups – Editor’s Favorites

Tescoma Measuring Jar – Best glass measuring cup

The Tescoma Delicia measuring cup is made of glass and is, therefore, a very high-quality product that, due to its processing, has some advantages such as heat resistance.

Because of the material, this measuring cup is very robust. Just like with plastic, the measuring cup is, of course, transparent through the glass and allows you to measure your ingredients very well with the scale.

The measuring cup is not only perfect for the dishwasher but is also very heat-resistant. 

Thanks to the borosilicate glass, which is usually used for laboratory glassware, you can use the measuring cup on gas and electric stoves, as well as in the microwave and also in the refrigerator.

Westmark Multipurpose Measuring Cup with a spray guard and sieve spout

With the Westmark measuring cup, you get a special cup for a low price, which has intelligent features such as a splash guard, a sieve spout and a non-slip base, making it perfect for baking and stirring.

Like most other plastic measuring cups, this product is also transparent, but only where the scales can be seen. The material is only semi-transparent on the non-printed surfaces, almost like frosted glass. Of course, the material used makes it light.

The measuring cup is basically suitable for being cleaned in the dishwasher. The lid can also be cleaned in the dishwasher and there is no print on it.

Westmark Germany ‘Gerda’ Measuring Cup – Best plastic measuring cup

With this product, you get a really good plastic measuring cup with useful features such as the non-slip stand that can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher. 

The measuring cup is a standard plastic measuring cup with a plastic handle, which impresses with its simplicity and weight.

The plastic enables the product to be transparent and thus, in combination with the scale, makes it much easier to measure ingredients. This also makes the weight very light.

Küchenprofi Measuring Jug – Best Luxurious Measuring Cup

With the Küchenprofi measuring cup, the manufacturer delivers a luxury measuring cup with a relatively high price for a litre. In return, however, it delivers very good quality, comfortable handling and capacity of 1L.

The measuring cup from the company Küchenprofi is made of stainless steel. The stainless steel gives the litre measure its silver colour and thus has an elegant look.

The stainless steel enables easy cleaning in the dishwasher and, according to customer statements, the container has no cavities in which ingredients can get stuck. This guarantees easy cleaning.

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Measuring Cup Buying Guide

Where can I buy a measuring cup?

Measuring cups are available in a variety of stores. Since so-called mixing cups are usually supplied with a hand blender, it can be expected that there will also be measuring cups almost everywhere where hand blenders are also available.

Of course, you have a huge selection online and you can filter what you want based on your search criteria. You can also compare prices and get opinions from other customers. In retail, on the other hand, you have the advantage of trying out the product personally and asking the retailer for their assessment.

The following shops are currently selling measuring cups on the Internet:

• Amazon
• eBay

All measuring cups that we present to you on this page are provided with a link to at least one of these shops, so that you can strike right away when you have found a measuring cup that suits you and meets your requirements.

What material is a measuring cup made of?

Although a plastic measuring cup is probably the most common nowadays, there are also other options for the material of a measuring cup.

Basically there are measuring cups made of the following materials:

• Plastic
• Glass
• Stainless steel
• Ceramics
• Silicone

As I said, measuring cups made of plastic are probably the most common variant today due to the low cost and the possible transparency of the material. 

In the past, these were more likely made of metal or even ceramic, as the plastic was not such a ubiquitous material. 

Glass and stainless steel make a slightly higher quality impression and stainless steel, in particular, is particularly heat-resistant. 

Silicone measuring cups are rather rare but are still manufactured and offer completely different options due to their material.

What do measuring cups cost?

Since measuring cups are only accessories, which are relatively simple in design, you generally don’t have to dig too deep into your pocket.

But since they should be able to withstand a bit and be of good quality, you don’t get them for free. As a rule, the material of the litre measure makes the difference in price.

Material	Price
Plastic measuring cup	5-10 euros
Glass measuring cup	about 10 euros
Measuring cup made of silicone	about 15 euros
Stainless steel measuring cup	about 20 euros
Ceramic measuring cup	15-25 euros

The plastic measuring cups are the most popular type of measuring cups because they are cheap and also very light due to the material. 

As a result, they are not quite as stable as measuring cups made of glass or stainless steel, which are very robust. Stainless steel also has the advantage of being good at handling the heat.

How much does a measuring cup weigh?

Like the price, the weight is also influenced by the material used. Of course, it also depends on the capacity and thus on the size of the cup. 

For this overview, we use measuring cups with a capacity of one litre as a guide.

Material	Weight
Plastic	approx. 200 g
Stainless Steel	approx. 280 g
Glass	approx. 350 g

Logically, glass measuring cups are the heaviest in our overview. This also makes them particularly robust. However, you can see that the differences between the different measuring cups are not very big.

Which units are on the measuring cup?

The unit most frequently used globally for a measuring cup is probably litre or millilitre. This is used for liquids. You will also find a scale in kilograms or grams on a measuring cup, which you can use for ingredients such as flour or sugar.

However, most manufacturers in the USA, so-called cups or ounces (oz.) Are used a lot. For Great Britain, manufacturers often still print prints on the measuring cup.

The advantage of a measuring cup is that you can use it indirectly as a scale for baking. 

All you have to do is know which weight of the most important ingredients makes up which volume (i.e. how many millilitres).

We have put together the most common sizes for you:

Ingredient	Gram	Milliliters
Flour	100 g	140ml
Sugar	100 g	100ml
Powdered Sugar	100 g	150ml
Cornstarch	100 g	170ml
Cocoa	100 g	170ml
Crushed nuts	100 g	210ml

What types of measuring cups are there and which one is best?

In general, one can distinguish between three types of measuring cups:

• Glass measuring cup
• Stainless steel measuring cup
• Plastic measuring cup

Depending on which properties are important when using a measuring cup, the materials offer various advantages. 

However, it makes a difference whether you use the measuring cup exclusively for measuring different ingredients or, for example, for whipping cream.

In the following sections, the advantages and disadvantages of the various materials are clearly presented in order to provide an overview.

The materials glass, stainless steel and plastic are evaluated according to various criteria. Factors such as cleaning and kitchen suitability are examined more closely.

Pros and Cons of a measuring cup made of Glass

Glass measuring beakers offer several advantages. If the quality is good, the material is robust you can use the measuring cup to measure food. 

You can also whip cream in it and heat products such as milk. Use in the microwave is therefore not a problem.

Glass products also impress with their easy cleaning. Dishwashers cannot harm the measuring cups. High-quality products also impress with their beautiful appearance.

The biggest disadvantage is certainly lack of strength. If you do a lot of work and drop the measuring cup on the floor, the glass is very likely to break. 

Furthermore, one should note the qualitative differences. 

Thin glass is not as robust as thick material. Working with the mixer or even gentle stirring can add to the material.

Pros and Cons of a measuring cup made of stainless steel

Stainless steel measuring beakers offer similar advantages as products made of glass. On the one hand, these are robust and can be used for various purposes as mentioned above. On the other hand, stainless steel is break-proof – a fall on the floor cannot harm the material.

Food such as milk can be heated without any problems. Heating on an induction stove is possible. 

High-quality measuring cups shine with a beautiful look. The cleaning is also unproblematic. Stainless steel is suitable for the dishwasher.

Measuring cups made from this material have hardly any disadvantages. It should be mentioned, however, that stainless steel is not microwave-safe.

Pros and Cons of a Plastic Measuring Cup

With plastic measuring cups, the advantages are obvious. 

On the one hand, the material is cheap to produce and therefore various models can be purchased cheaply. 

Depending on the quality, plastic measuring cups can be used in many ways. Cleaning is also unproblematic – they are mostly dishwasher and microwave safe. Plastic is also a break-proof material.

However, there are some disadvantages with plastic. 

The manufacturer’s instructions should be strictly observed when heating. When heated, it can happen that harmful substances such as plasticizers are released. Because of the material, such measuring cups should not be used on the stove.

You should also be careful in the qualitative area. Inferior products are often not very appealing and quickly show signs of wear and tear.

Purchase Criteria: Factors to compare and rate measuring cups

In the following we would like to show you which factors you can use to compare and evaluate measuring cups. This will make it easier for you to decide whether a particular product is right for you or not.

In summary, these are:

• Material
• Capacity
• Weight
• Scaling
• Spout
• Non-slip floor
• Dishwasher safe
• Heat resistance

In the following paragraphs you can read about what the individual purchase criteria are and how you can classify them.

In the comparison table at the top of this page, you can find the purchase criteria quickly and clearly arranged.

Material

The consideration of which material you need for your litre measure is probably one of the most important before buying because that is the property in which the cups differ significantly.

The most common materials are plastic, stainless steel and glass, but there are also some made of silicone and ceramic. 

Each of these materials has different properties. Plastic is transparent and therefore very practical with the scale to be able to fill in the quantities exactly. In addition, it is cheap and very light.

Stainless steel is of higher quality and therefore more robust. 

However, a scale is required inside the measuring cup. It’s also a little heavier, but heat-resistant and definitely dishwasher-safe. 

Glass is a little heavier but just as transparent as plastic. It is of course also of high quality and dishwasher-safe, but how heat-resistant they vary from model to model.

Capacity

Measuring cups come in a few different sizes. There are small measuring cups with a capacity of 250 millilitres, but there are also larger measuring cups. In our comparison, we have limited ourselves to assessing measuring beakers that have a capacity of one litre or more.

We assume that a litre is a good average size and is absolutely sufficient for at least 90 percent of all uses.

As a rule, you have to keep in mind that the larger your capacity, the coarser the scale will be. The capacity also refers to the printed scale. The actual filling quantity can actually be a little larger.

Weight

In our guide you can read how the weight depends on the material of the measuring cup. Basically, plastic is the lightest material. 

Glass measuring beakers can be twice as heavy as plastic ones. However, we are moving within a range of at most approx. 500 g and thus the measuring cup should be light enough for most users.

Remember that the measuring cup is filled when you use it. This naturally increases the total weight.

Scaling

Before buying, you have to be clear about how flexible you want to be with the scaling. 

If you know that you often cook with recipes that are, for example, from an English cookbook or from American websites, it is useful if you have the appropriate units printed on your measuring cup so that you do not have to convert them separately. Many manufacturers offer multiple units.

There are always litres or millilitres and grams. In addition, fl. Oz., cups or cubic centimeters can be specified.

Spout

The spout is the curvature in the upper edge of the mixing cup, which enables the liquid to flow out of the measuring cup better.

So if you want to pour your mixture straight into another container, it is convenient to have a spout at your liter measure.

Non-slip flooring

Especially if you work with a hand blender or a hand mixer in the measuring cup, it is very advantageous if it does not slip.

That is why some manufacturers use a rubber ring or rubber feet on the bottom of the measuring cup to prevent it from slipping.

Dishwasher safe

Although it is not so tedious to clean a measuring cup by hand, you certainly know the moments when you simply do not have the desire or time to do it. Fortunately, all stainless steel and glass measuring cups are actually dishwasher safe, but plastic ones are usually too. You should pay attention to the manufacturer’s information.

Here you actually have to pay more attention to how the scaling is applied. On some products, this can come off after a few runs in the dishwasher. In the case of stainless steel measuring cups, the scaling is usually stamped in so that the scaling is permanent.

Heat resistance

Like most properties, this also depends on the material chosen. While plastic is not heat-resistant, a stainless steel measuring cup can also be used on the stove.

In the case of glass measuring cups, this depends on the model and especially on the thickness of the glass. You should pay attention to the manufacturer’s information

What can I do if I don’t have a measuring cup in hand?

If you don’t have a measuring cup on hand, you can still bake or cook successfully if you make use of what you have available.

It is worth taking a look in the cupboard, as some glasses, mostly beer glasses or small shot glasses, have an indication printed on them. 

For beer glasses, it is usually 0.3 l or 0.5 l and for shot glasses, it is 2 cl or 4 cl. In this case, 1 cl stands for 10 millilitres. So here you can remedy yourself with the glasses that you have there.

If you don’t have such glasses, but you do have a scale, you can measure liquids too. 

For example, if you need 180 ml of water for a recipe, you can also fill a glass with water after you have entered the weight of the glass by pressing the “Tare” button on the scales, and then weigh the water. Because 180 ml of water is just as much as 180 g of water.