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Which one should you buy?

Buy a sturdy stainless steel set with narrow bowls that level easily. Both of these will last you for years:

In cooking you can taste and adjust as you go. In baking you can't. Once the cake is in the oven, that's it. A heaped teaspoon of baking soda instead of a level one can leave a cake tasting soapy and metallic. The same goes for salt.

Measuring spoons look like the dullest thing in the drawer, but they look after the small amounts that make the biggest difference: raising agents, salt, spices and vanilla. Good ones are a small thing that saves a lot of disappointment.

Why small measures matter so much

Think about proportions. Two tablespoons too much flour in a cake is a few percent of the total and you'd hardly notice. Half a teaspoon too much baking soda can be half again what the recipe needs, and you'll taste it straight away.

That's why accuracy matters more in a teaspoon than in a big cup, and why not every set is as good as it looks. Spoons that are a fraction too big or too small, or bowls so shallow and wide that you can't level them properly, add up to real mistakes. A cheap, flimsy set can be surprisingly far out.

Shape matters too. A narrow oval or rectangular bowl dips into a spice jar and levels with one sweep. A wide, round one won't fit through the neck of the jar, so you end up shaking spice into it and hoping.

Cuisipro measuring spoons at a glance

One honest note: the tablespoon is a bit wide for some narrow spice jars. The smaller spoons fit fine. If you scoop from jars all day, the Spring Chef set is the better shape.

What to look for in measuring spoons

• Stainless steel. It won't bend, crack or hold on to smells, and nothing clings to it.

• Accuracy. Stick to a well-made metal set. Flimsy plastic ones are more likely to be out.

• Narrow bowls. They fit into spice jars and level with one sweep.

• An ⅛ teaspoon. Handy for salt, cayenne and strong spices.

• Markings that last. Engraved or stamped into the metal, not printed on.

• A ring that comes apart. So you can use one spoon without waving the whole set around.

The Cuisipro set scores on accuracy, strength and easy levelling. It only drops a point on the tablespoon fitting jars.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

Good for you if

• You bake, even now and then

• You want one set that will last for years

• You like a separate spoon off the ring when you need it

Skip it if

• You mostly scoop from narrow spice jars: the Spring Chef set fits better

• You weigh everything on a digital scale already, even the small stuff

How to get the best from them

Measure a level spoon

Scoop, then sweep the back of a knife across the top. That's a level spoonful, and it's what the recipe means unless it says heaped or rounded.

Measure over a separate bowl

Never measure baking soda or salt over your mixing bowl. If you over-pour, it's in the batter for good.

Keep them dry

A damp spoon dipped into baking powder or soda clumps the whole tub. Dry spoons before they go back into the jar.

Mind your salt

A teaspoon of fine table salt is far saltier than a teaspoon of flaky salt, because more of it packs into the spoon. Use the type of salt the recipe asks for.

Looking after them

• Wash and dry after each use, especially after honey, oil or vanilla.

• Keep the ring together so you don't end up with four spoons and a mystery gap.

• Don't use them as scoops for stirring hot pans; that's how spoons get bent out of shape.

Questions people ask

Are all measuring spoons the same size?

They should be, but they aren't always. Cheap sets can be noticeably out. A well-made stainless set is the safest bet.

What does a level teaspoon mean?

Fill the spoon, then sweep a straight edge across the top. Recipes mean level unless they say heaped or rounded.

Do I really need an ⅛ teaspoon?

It's handy for salt, cayenne and strong spices. The Cuisipro set includes one.

Stainless steel or plastic measuring spoons?

Stainless. It's stronger, doesn't hold on to smells, and levels more cleanly.

Why does my cake taste soapy?

Usually too much baking soda, or soda that wasn't mixed in evenly. Measure it level and whisk it through the flour first.

Learn with it

My Salt 101 lesson explains why the type of salt changes how much you need.

Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.