We Tested 12 Measuring Spoon Sets to Find the Most Accurate Ones

In 2017, we reviewed measuring spoon sets. Tragically, the winner of that test, from OXO, was discontinued. We thought this was the proper occasion for a re-test. And while there were two other top performers from that review (one that did well in this new test—and one that didn’t), a different model entirely rose to the top and claimed the win.

Just as in the last test, we stuck to narrow criteria for the measuring spoon candidates. We excluded any sets made from heat-sensitive materials like plastic, spoons that use magnets to nest together, dual-ended measuring spoons, any unusual shapes or superfluous colors, as well as sets that have unregulated measurements like a "pinch," "dash," or "smidgen." After all, accuracy is the name of the game.

The Tests

• Accuracy Test: We placed the tablespoon, teaspoon, half-teaspoon, and quarter-teaspoon from each set on a jeweler’s scale (for accuracy down to one-tenth of a gram) and zeroed out the scale. Since 15 milliliters of water should always weigh 15 grams, we used an eyedropper to fill them with enough water so that the convex meniscus was aligned with the bowl's rim and recorded the change in weight. We did this four times with each spoon, averaging out the four numbers, and compared that number to the correct amount: 1 tablespoon: 15 grams; 1 teaspoon: 5 grams; 1/2 teaspoon: 2.5 grams; 1/4 teaspoon: 1.25 grams. We disqualified any set where the tablespoon’s average was off by more than 1 gram.
• Spice Jar Access Test: We attempted to fit the four main spoons from each set through the opening of a few spice jars. Some jars had a 1.25-inch opening, one had a smaller 1-inch opening, and one had a narrower bottleneck. We then attempted to scoop up the corresponding amount of spice with each spoon, recording if the spoon fit in the jar, how much room it had to move around, and how easily it picked up spices.
• Dip-and-Sweep Test: We dipped the four main spoons from each set into a bowl of all-purpose flour, then used a straight edge to level them off. Any dips, divots, or striations in the remaining flour in the spoons were noted, and we also evaluated how easy or difficult the handle and bowl of each spoon made it to level off in one clean swipe.   
• Sticky and Wet Liquids Test: We weighed each tablespoon, then filled them with 15 grams of water and weighed them again, then emptied them and returned them to the scale to weigh how much water clung onto the spoon, if any. We repeated this test with 15 grams of honey, noting how easily it poured off of each spoon, and using a small rubber spatula to empty them. We evaluated how easy each was to scrape out and how much honey remained stuck on the spoon.  
• Durability Test: We bent the tablespoon and teaspoon of each set (as though we were trying to snap a carrot) recording how easy it was to bend—or if it bent at all. 
• Cleanup and Usability Tests: Throughout the course of testing, we noted how easy each set was to wash by hand, how easy they were to hook and unhook from their chains or clasps, and any marks or scratches that had developed.

What We Learned

Why It’s Worth Seeking Out Accurate Measuring Spoons

Just like standard US measuring cups, which are not nearly as accurate at measuring ingredients as a digital scale, the measuring spoons (tablespoons, teaspoons, and so on) in your kitchen drawers are probably incorrect—by at least a little.

But who decides what's a tablespoon or teaspoon? Turns out, chefs and food writers haven’t just been making these values up like a pinch or a handful, or using the ones lying in their silverware drawer. In the US, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (yes, it’s a real government organization) publishes the metric equivalents for standard household weights and measures like cups, quarts, and ounces, as well as tablespoons and teaspoons. NIST says one tablespoon is equal to 15 milliliters and one teaspoon is one-third of that at five milligrams. And for some ingredients like cinnamon, one gram here or there won’t make a huge difference when the recipe calls for a full tablespoon (most of our tablespoon models weren’t off by more than a gram, but some were!). But for more precise tasks like baking, for instance, where even the slightest difference in leaveners like baking soda or baking powder can take cakes from tall and fluffy to sunken and flat, accuracy is important. 

Many spoon sets may have milliliter amounts stamped onto them, but what we found in these tests is that for some brands, those values are more like suggestions. And for any brand, it’s actually tough to get the exact right capacity. And yet—some of these models managed to get very, very, very close, down to the decigram. 

Overall, We Preferred Rectangular-Shaped Spoons

Although we found no difference in accuracy between round, rectangle, and oblong-shaped spoons, we found that the convenience of being able to slide almost any rectangular tablespoon into a grocery store spice jar outweighed the benefits of round spoons. No round tablespoon fit into any of the jars we tested with, and some of the teaspoons from those sets *also* couldn’t fit into a standard 1.25-inch jar opening. And if the jar had a bottleneck, like McCormick spices often do, this made it even more difficult to maneuver with a wider, rounded spoon.  

Circular-Shaped Spoons Were, However, Easier to Empty and Clean

Rounded spoons (and the one oblong model from Cuisipro) did have a few advantages, though. When retrieving spices from their jars, these spoons gathered a more even distribution of the ingredients in their bowls and shook off excess easily. The rectangular-shaped bowls, which were longer, picked up an uneven level of spice, often overloading in the front with not enough towards the handle. Of course, this could be fixed by shaking off the excess in the jar or leveling the spoon off with a knife, but if that’s a step too far for your purposes in the kitchen, it’s something to think about. 

Rounded models like Le Creuset, Cuisipro, or Amco Advanced Performance also left measurably less honey in their bowls when emptied out and scraped with a small rubber spatula. This was because, without corners like the rectangular-shaped spoons, there wasn’t anywhere for the honey to hide from the clean swoop of the rubber spatula. This also made them easier to clean on the whole because a quick wipe with a sponge could easily clear the whole bowl, whereas we had to be slightly more diligent with the rectangular-shaped spoons. 

Polished Vs. Brushed Stainless Steel

In general, we found that spoons made of polished stainless steel (the kind you can check your teeth in) released ingredients like water and sticky honey better than those whose finish was a brushed stainless steel. Not by more than a couple of decigrams, but still. However, polished stainless steel tended to smudge and was more prone to showing signs of wear-and-tear like scratches and marks. Pros and cons!

Attachment Style: Rings vs. Chains

By far, rings were the better mechanism to loop together the spoons in a set. Sets that were held together by chains were sometimes way too difficult to open, and once they were opened, they kept unclasping, allowing the spoons to fall off. If you can, check to see if the ring on the measuring spoons you're considering has a secure clasp, but is still easy to open.   

For More Durable Spoons, Opt for Thicker, Stainless Steel Handles

If you’re digging at a rock-solid hunk of dried-out brown sugar, you want a spoon that’s not going to give out. Perhaps unsurprisingly, handles with thicker gauges of stainless steel, even by a millimeter or two, were much harder to bend. The Sur La Table spoons, which are thicker than most of the competitors, stayed straight when we tried to bend them with medium pressure, but bent slightly when we applied a lot of force. The Amco Advanced Performance spoons had the thickest stainless steel handles and thus were nearly impossible to bend. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Set of Measuring Spoons

Our favorite measuring spoons were, first and foremost, accurate, never straying more than .2 decigrams off of their target value. We preferred sets that featured rectangular-shaped bowls since these fit into almost every spice jar. We preferred spoons with long handles so that they could easily slide all the way into and navigate around spice jars. Also, spoons with thicker gauges of stainless steel (like AMCO Advance Performance, RSVP Endurance, or Williams Sonoma) held up better during the durability test, proving very hard to bend. We also recommend finding a set that is held together with a binder ring. These were much easier to open and close, if you needed just one spoon for instance, than the other models that hung on chains or wires. 

Our Favorite Measuring Spoons

The Best Measuring Spoon Set

Sur La Table Spice Measuring Spoons

$22 $18 at Amazon $22 $18 at Sur La Table

What we liked: Right off the bat, these spoons are very accurate. The tablespoon was only off by .35 grams on average. The teaspoon came within .025 grams on average, the same with the half-teaspoon and quarter-teaspoon. The longer, rectangle-shaped bowls fit through most standard grocery store spice jars with a 1.25-inch opening (even the tablespoon!), and the long, thin handles helped to navigate around at the bottom of a jar for the dregs of spices. These are the only spoons in the bunch that have a slight curve running down the middle which not only helps with comfort and control while holding the spoons but makes them very difficult to bend. 

When we dipped the spoons into a bowl of flour, we could easily brush off the excess in one clean swipe, and the surface of the remaining flour was level and mostly free of divots and striations. We also loved that the brushed stainless steel finish makes them smudge-proof and resistant to visible signs of wear and tear, unlike polished stainless steel. 

Plus, you not only get the main four spoons in a normal set (tablespoon, teaspoon, half-teaspoon, and quarter-teaspoon) but also a bonus eighth-teaspoon and three-fourths teaspoon. They come on a sturdy (but easily opened and closed) binder ring that makes it easy to take just one or two off of. 

What we didn’t like: When it came to how well each set released ingredients like water or honey, the tablespoon from Sur La Table performed pretty middle-of-the-road, holding onto just .2 grams of honey and .2 grams of water. Comparatively, the Williams Sonoma Measuring Spoons, a polished model, held onto .5 grams of honey. But the Amco Advanced Performance and Cuisipro spoons—also both polished models—didn’t retain any water at all (or at least none that the scale could detect.)

The labels that denote the US standard and metric values (in milliliters) are pretty small, so they’re slightly hard to read. It would also be nice if, like the AMCO Advance Performance spoons, they had a bend at the end of the handle as a sort of stand so the bowl could sit flush against the work surface instead of tilting up.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Bowl shape: Rectangle
• Set includes: 6 pieces (1/8 tsp, 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 3/4 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp)
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe
• Features: Easily removable ring, US and metric measurements stamped into the metal, nesting bowls

The Best Rounded Measuring Spoon Set

Le Creuset Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons

$24 at Amazon $42 at Williams Sonoma View on Lecreuset.com

What we liked: This set aced our accuracy test receiving a four out of four for its main spoons. The handle is on the same level as the bowl so it’s easy to level off in one clean sweep, leaving a smooth surface of spices or flour. Thanks to its polished stainless steel finish, it was one of the two top spoons in our sticky and wet liquids test, holding onto the least amount of water and honey when emptied out. 

What we didn’t like: While their rounded bowls made them good at leveling off spices while they were *in* a spice jar, the tablespoon measure didn’t fit through a normal spice jar opening (1.25 inches). Also, the handles bent more easily than some of the other models when subjected to medium force in the durability test. But thanks to their rounded bowls, they’re a breeze to hand-wash. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Bowl shape: Circle
• Set includes: 5 pieces (1/8 tsp, 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp)
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe
• Features: Easily removable ring, US and metric measurements stamped into the metal, nesting bowls
  

Another Great Measuring Spoon Set

RSVP International 6-Piece Rectangular Measuring Spoon Set

$16 at Amazon $16 at Walmart $18 at Wayfair

What we liked: This set was one of the winners from our initial measuring spoons test. These are durable and very difficult to bend, and we loved how the rectangular shape of the spoons fit into every spice jar (even the tablespoon!). We also appreciated how their extra-long handles and slim profiles made digging around in spice jars easy. 

Thanks to their polished stainless steel finish, they let go of liquids like water or sticky substances like honey better than brushed stainless steel spoons, tying for first with three other models in that test. 

What we didn’t like: They are, for the most part, accurate, but the teaspoon measurement average was around .275 grams too high for the perfect score. As was the case with all of our rectangular models, their longer, squared-off bowls make it so that the end closest to you doesn't get an even distribution of spice when stuck into a jar, instead front-loading a heap, but that can always be taken care of by leveling off with a straight edge. 

The chain that holds the spoons together is hard to open at first but then won’t stay clasped, leading to the spoons falling off constantly. Also, the polished stainless steel finish smudges easily and shows wear and tear faster. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel 
• Bowl shape: Rectangle
• Set includes: 6 pieces (1/8 tsp, 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 3/4 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp)
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe
• Features: Chain loop, US and metric measurements stamped into the metal, nesting bowls

Editor's Pick Best Measuring Spoon Set

Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Spoon Set

$12 at Amazon $19 at Walmart $19 at Target

What we liked: They are the only oblong measuring spoons in this review, which didn’t seem to give them much more advantage over other rounded spoons, but they could get into the corners of spice jars thanks to their more pointed ends. The handle is on the same level as the bowl, so swiping off excess flour evenly was easy. Riddley stands by them as her top pick, noting, "I've owned the Cuisipro measuring spoons for more than six years. They show no signs of rusting or warping even after many, many runs through the dishwasher."

What we didn’t like: They received a 3.5/4 in the accuracy test, with the tablespoon being just 1 decigram above the acceptable range of accuracy. (That’s still pretty good overall!) The tablespoon also does not fit into normal 1.25-inch spice jar openings, which its rectangular competitors did. We also noted that the handles bend pretty easily on this model, and they are a bit too stubby to comfortably work around in spice jars. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel 
• Bowl shape: Oblong
• Set includes: 5 pieces (1/8 tsp, 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp)
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe
• Features: Easily removable ring, Imperial and metric measurements stamped into the metal, nesting bowls

The Competition 

• Williams Sonoma Spice Jar Measuring Spoons: While these spoons were nearly accurate, we didn’t like the flat, wide handles that made them clumsy to hold, and they held onto the most honey (.5 grams) when we tried to scrape out the tablespoon. Their shape and design also made them tedious to hand-wash. 
• All-Clad Stainless Steel Measuring Spoon Set: Only three out of four of these spoons were acceptable in terms of accuracy, and they were so wide that not even the teaspoon fit into normal spice jars. 
• Spring Chef Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Metal Measuring Spoons: Only three out of four of these spoons were accurate enough to their corresponding values. This was the only set to come with its own straight-edge leveler.
• Amco Advanced Performance Measuring Spoons: This model was our favorite rounded measuring spoon from the last review, but something might have changed since then because the tablespoon from this set was one gram off from its target of 15, and the quarter-teaspoon measured about 30% too much water. We will say they are by far the most sturdy of the bunch and are nearly impossible to bend.
• U-Taste Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons: This was the biggest set with nine different spoons. Only two of the main spoons (which were circular-shaped) passed the accuracy test, however. 
• Zulay Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons: A rectangular spoon set where only two of the spoons got acceptably close to their target accuracy. 
• Amco Professional Performance Measuring Spoons: Only the teaspoon from this set came close to being accurate. The tablespoon was off by a whopping two grams!
• Hudson Essentials Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons Set: This set utterly failed the accuracy test, with the tablespoon off by 1.6 grams, the teaspoon off by 20%, the half-teaspoon off by 14%, and the quarter-teaspoon off by 12%. 
  

FAQs

Can I use silverware as a measuring spoon?

Not really—for baking, avoid this kind of guesswork altogether, and for cooking, proceed with caution. Some manufacturers might make flatware called tablespoons, and they might actually be accurate! But unless you have actually measured how much water they carry (it should be 15 milliliters for tablespoons and five milliliters for teaspoons) avoid this. 

Should I keep my measuring spoons on a ring? 

This is somewhat up to personal preference. While it’s nice to not have five or six disparate spoons floating around your kitchen utensil drawer, it’s also freeing to be able to only have to wash one measuring spoon—the one you actually used—especially if you need to use it again right away. Also, it can be pretty cumbersome to try and measure out ingredients with one spoon while five more are hanging off it and clanging around. That being said, if you find yourself only regularly using one or two of the spoons, take them off the ring. 

How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon? How many tablespoons are in 1/4 cup?

There are three teaspoons in a tablespoon and four tablespoons in 1/4 cup. Write this down and stick it to your fridge!

Why We're the Experts

• Eric King is a recipe developer, photographer, food stylist, and content creator.
• He has a B.S. in magazine journalism from Syracuse University.
• He runs a baking blog called easygayoven and has developed, styled, and photographed recipes for Netflix Family.
• He has reviewed many items for Serious Eats, including bench scrapers and wine tumblers.