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I have a couple sets of matryoshkas, as Russian nesting dolls are known. They look pretty but aren't exactly useful for anything else. That's not the case with the M-Cups Measuring Cups, though. At first glance, these cups are just a set of three nesting dolls that fit together. A closer examination shows that they're fully functional measuring cups. Meant for dry measurements, the matryoshka is made is up of six cups measuring 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup, 3/4 cup, and 1 full cup. The top of the dolls are used for measuring, just like the bottoms, which surprised me a little bit: because of the differing shapes, it seemed like the upper halves would be harder to use, but they work just fine. They even balance perfectly--the tops of the dolls' heads are essentially flat. The M-Cups Measuring Cups are made from food-safe plastic.
The M-Cups Measuring Cups are surprisingly easy to store: because they all fit together and have such an adorable appearance, they can sit out on the counter without taking up much space. They'll also fit in a drawer just fine. While the M-Cups Measuring Cups aren't yet available, they should be on sale in the next month. They're priced at $11.99 for the set of six cups (three dolls).
Get a measuring cup and scale in one.
(Credit: Chef's Catalog)Bakers tend to favor precision when they measure ingredients, citing that baking is simply chemistry in action. (Baking soda volcano, anyone?) As such, it is often recommended by the pros to weigh dry ingredients; when you consider the volume differences between packed flour versus sifted flour it is easy to see that having a scale is important to achieve consistent results.
The Taylor Digital Measuring Cup Scale is a convenient measuring cup that doubles as a scale. The measuring cup has a volumetric capacity of four cups and is able to weigh up to 6.6-pounds. The volume markings along the side are clearly readable, while an integrated LCD shows the scale results. Complete with an auto-zero reset function; you are able to weigh ingredients as they are added to the cup. Just like your current measuring cup, volume measurements are given in cups, fluid ounces, and milliliters; however, this one adds pounds and grams into the mix.
The cup is also capable of converting common ingredients to volumetric measurements. It is preprogrammed with the capability to convert not only flour, but also water, milk, oil and sugar. One cup of flour can weigh surprisingly different amounts depending on how densely packed it is. With a measuring cup that also acts as a scale, you will be able to get the same consistent results as the pros do when baking.
Getting sticky ingredients like honey or peanut butter in and out of a measuring cup can be a hassle. When you're looking at particularly small amounts, like a tablespoon, it's tempting to just eyeball it and move on. The Mini Adjust-A-Cup makes it much easier to manage sticky measurements: it uses a plunger design to force all of your ingredient of choice out of the measuring cup and into a mixing bowl without a problem. The cup adjusts to measure different amounts ranging from 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, noting measurements in teaspoons, tablespoons, milliliters, and ounces. It works just as well with dry ingredients and liquids as with sticky ingredients. The cup even has measurements for both wet and dry ingredients to make sure you get the exact amount you need for your recipe.
The Mini Adjust-A-Cup is actually the smallest of an entire line of Adjust-A-Cup measuring cups, going up to 2 cups in size. These measuring cups have become increasingly popular, in part because they are constantly used by Alton Brown on his Food Network show, "Good Eats." It's made from durable plastic and is dishwasher-safe: you don't need to take it apart to clean it, either. The Mini Adjust-A-Cup is priced at $3.99.
(Credit:
Sky Mall)
When I was a kid, I used to read volume after volume of the Guinness Book of World Records. In my later years, this quest for knowledge of the world and the people in it developed into a love of science and experimentation, Trivial Pursuit, and Ripley's Believe It or Not. If, like me, you grew up loving random bits of trivial knowledge, you'd be just the type who'd love this Equal Measure measuring cup.
Not only does the cup provide you with the measuring accuracy needed for premium baking and cooking, it teaches you a few fun facts about the world and the human body, volumetrically speaking.
OK, so the prospect of finding out how many body cells die on an average day might not be the goal you had in mind when you began to bake chocolate chips cookies. But the cup also tells you how much water is in a cloud the size of a bus, how much corn oil you can use to run a biodiesel vehicle, and how much salt is in an average human body (you can even try to bake a human body if you can find the other ingredients).
Measuring cups can wind up in the middle of plenty of messes. From dripping liquids while pouring to getting used as temporary storage containers, it's easy to see how a lid on a measuring cup could avoid a lot of clean up. The Pyrex 8-Cup Measuring Cup with Cover includes a lid that can be turned to either protect the contents of the cup, to pour off liquids while keeping solids in the cup, to sift, to sprinkle, or to simply pour. The measuring cup is a typical Pyrex measuring cup--safe for use in the oven, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, and dishwasher--while the lid is plastic. Lidded versions of Pyrex's 4-cup and 2-cup measuring cups are also available.
The Pyrex 8-Cup Measuring Cup with a Cover makes food preparation a bit easier. The ability to store liquids in the measuring cup between meals can come in handy if you don't have the time or inclination to move leftovers to another container. If you're not particularly worried about serving dishes, the measuring cup can be an ideal way to get gravy and other liquids out to the table without having to worry about spills. The measuring cup is priced at $14.99.
The PrepTaxi Measuring Scoops are made from ABS plastic. They're durable and you can run them through the dishwasher safely, as long as you keep them on the top shelf. The scoops are available in both black and red, both of which include two clear plastic measuring cups with measurements marked on the side--the measuring cups are removable, making clean up even easier, and allowing you to swap them out between particularly messy ingredients. The scoops are 7 inches by 5.5 inches by 2 inches. Each PrepTaxi Measuring Scoop is priced at $10.
Precision pouring.
(Credit: Williams-Sonoma)I am a big fan of time-saving steps in the kitchen. I look for ways to avoid messing up yet another utensil, bowl, or what have you. Other times I simply combine steps into one: If a recipe calls for one cup of that, and half cup of another thing, I measure them at the same time. If I need a beaten egg, that gets thrown in on top. One measuring cup, one fork, and that's that.
I appreciate utensils and kitchen tools that can help me out. The Flex-It Measuring Cups certainly can. Created from silicon, the sturdy, yet flexible, measuring cups come in a set of three. When gripped, the rim pinches inward, creating a spout perfectly suited for precision pouring.
The immediately evident benefit is the ability to pour liquids into all manner of vessels. A small-mouthed bottle should pose no problem with no need to get out the funnel. While the Flex-It cups won't get you out of using a spoon (or your trusty BatterFinger) to dig out all the pancake batter, they will make it easier to pour. The set comes with three sizes up to a large 4-cup capacity, so you should be able to mix batter in just one container. The other two included cups have a one-cup and two-cup capacity, and the whole set is microwave and dishwasher safe.
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