Whether you use measuring spoons to measure spices, baking powder, or vanilla extract, using the wrong measurement can result in disastrous outcomes. I once mistakenly put a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper into a soup for Thanksgiving and my whole family coughed their way politely through dinner. When I asked Zack Wangeman, chef and owner of Sobre Masa, what measuring spoons he would recommend, he told me he prefers a scale: “I haven’t used a measuring spoon since culinary school.” I heard this sentiment from many of the professional chefs I interviewed. Scales offer accuracy and consistency in a home or professional kitchen, but that does not mean that there is no place for measuring spoons.
There are many things to consider when purchasing measuring spoons. Rounded spoons are easier to clean, but flat-bottomed spoons will not tip over on the counter. A magnetic set that sticks together is easier to organize, but a set on a ring is easier to hang. A single adjustable spoon can save space, but you may have to clean it multiple times as you follow a recipe. Dual sides are convenient if you need the same measurement for liquid and dry ingredients, since you can flip it around to use the other side without having to wash it in between.
I have seen measuring spoons come in sizes ranging from two tablespoons, which is generally sold as a coffee scoop, all the way down to a “pinch” or a “dash” — which are not standard measurements. Of the measuring spoons I tested, I found that a majority were more than a milliliter short of their indicated volume, while a few held more than the standard. Most of them also had slight variations in the dual-sided spoons, with the round and oval spoons holding different volumes.
To help you find the best measuring spoons, I spoke to four chefs and four bakers, and I also included a few of the most accurate options I tested. Whether you’re in the kitchen every day or you’re only an occasional cook, there are a slew of options out there to fit your budget and needs. And if you’re looking for other baking-tool recommendations, we have guides to all the gear you need for making pies, cakes, and cookies.
Shaza Bana, research chef at Compass Group, a global food-service company, swears by her CIA Masters set. “It actually is a well-made, high-quality set,” she says. As a fellow Culinary Institute of America graduate, I have to agree. I have had mine for over a decade, and they have very little wear. They have survived the dishwasher and years of regular use, and the numbers have yet to fade.
Chaya Rappoport, culinary manager of the Jewish Food Society, suggests this set from Sur La Table: “They stack easily, they’re able to fit into all kinds of narrow spice and jam jars, and they hold extremely accurate measurements.” Fran Costigan, director of vegan pastry at Rouxbe Online Cooking School, also keeps these in her pantry. “I prefer the Sur la Table set because I find their ring binder closures easier to use than others,” she says. They have clear size markings that are etched into the spoon so there is little risk of losing them over time and with dishwasher use.
Vollrath, a kitchen-equipment brand commonly purchased by restaurants, makes a heavy-duty set you can find on Amazon. Monica Glass, chef and owner of Verveine Cafe & Bakery, recommends them: “They are heavy duty, last through wear and tear for a lifetime, and are easy to use.” I have used these in restaurants and bakeries I’ve worked at and have seen them survive many kitchen catastrophes. They come in stainless steel, have etched measurements, and can withstand aggressive kitchen use and commercial-strength detergents. These are affordable spoons that can hold up to daily use. Note, however, that unlike the CIA and Sur La Table sets, this set comes with two fewer measurements.
Glass also suggested the All-Clad stainless-steel set for durability reasons, as did April Franqueza, the pastry chef at High Hampton Inn. Another stainless-steel set with etched measurements, the All-Clad spoons have a sleeker look than the Vollrath. While you likely won’t have to use it, All-Clad offers a limited lifetime warranty for its products if you buy through its authorized retailers. Plus, the company still manufactures its products in Pennsylvania, as it has since 1971. These also fit chef and food writer Shani Frymer’s preference for rounded stainless-steel spoons, which she finds durable and easy to clean. “I don’t like any funny shapes or plastic spoons,” she says. “Odd shapes can prevent proper measurement.”
The Spring Chef set comes in a variety of color combinations and is a solid set if you are on a budget. Jill Waldbieser, a recipe developer and editor who has worked for the Food Network and Campbell Soup Company, recommends it. “It’s just so functional to have spoons that stay together so you won’t lose them without a ring, which hampers their use,” she says. “They are double-headed, and one side is round and the other oval, which allows you to get into narrow neck bottles or spice jars.” This set feels hefty and was the most accurate magnetic set I tested. Waldbieser does have a caveat, based on experience: The spoon’s magnets are so strong that they can stick to a baking sheet without you realizing, and if the sheet has just come out of the oven, the plastic handles will melt. Waldbieser is already on her second set, but for the price, she says, “I’ve gotten my money’s worth and then some out of them.”
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