Cupboard and drawers are prime real estate in small kitchens. We’re always looking for ways to pare down and cut back, especially this week as we tackle cupboard clutter in Week 2 of the Kitchen Cure. If you need to clear some space, these measuring scoops and spoons might be exactly what you’re looking for.
• Collapsible Measuring Cups and Spoons, $19.95 from Williams-Sonoma - These cups promise to quickly pop into shape when we need them and then collapse flat again to save space in the drawer. The measuring spoons don’t seem to collapse, but they do seem like they’d stack more snugly than metal spoons. The colors are fun and also make it easy to identify the exact scoop we need at a quick glance.
• KitchenArt Cook’s Pro Adjustable Measuring Spoons, $19 from Amazon - We often get tired of dealing with a whole ring of measuring spoons, which often get tangled together and are awkward to use. These all-in-one adjustable scoops might be the perfect solution. A slide clicks back with each measuring increment. They come in 1/2 cup, tablespoon, and teaspoon sizes.
• Adjustable 2-Cup Measuring Cup, $12.95 from Sur la Table - This measuring cup has an outer sleeve that we can adjust to the measurement we want and then seals into place. The product description says it can be used for both dry and liquid ingredients, and we think it would be especially handy for those in-between ingredients that aren’t quite in either category like cream cheese and honey.
Has anyone tried any of these products? Do they work as well as promised?
Related: Quick Tip: Separate Your Measuring Spoons!
(Images: Williams-Sonoma, Amazon, Sur la Table)
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How about a scale? Then you can just pour and measure by weight, no measuring cups needed.
Right you are, lafemmesyd! It annoys me no end that recipes are still predominately written in volume measurements only. It is one of my biggest pet-peeves.
I have collapsible measuring cups from Williams Sonoma. It has been 3 years, and a few of them have large cracks in the side. I am replacing them with a metal set.. It's nice to save space... but it's even nicer to save money by buying something that will last!
I have collapsible measuring cups from Williams Sonoma, too. And the plastic ring with stacking measuring spoons, and my dad had one of the measuring things on the right. These are all SO hard to clean, especially if you don't have a dishwasher! I have to wash my measuring cups two or three times to get out dry ingredients (flour), wet ingredients (peanut butter, oil), simply everything!
Oh *deep sigh* Hrm, my American mother-in-law sent me a nice recipe for zucchini bread in August, only when I made my first attempt I did not one but basically all possible mistakes one could make. It became my worst kitchen flop ever and I was wounded for weeks (my pride, that is). She had written teaspoons as Tsp., cups as Cups, the latter of which I didn't even notice and hence threw in tablespoons (Tblsp. as I've researched somewhere online due to all this silliness of differing measuring units) - it was supposed to give two loaves after all... Groan. I mean *GROAN* :D I can't even begin to tell how nasty it was, as the only good thing about it was the smell, rather like it was meant to be actually.
I finally mustered all my courage yesterday evening and tried it again. This time I had found some insanely expensive vanilla aroma (instead of the called-for vanilla extract, which we don't have here, meaning I had used "vanilla sugar" the first time), and I decided to use butter instead of the called-for vegetable oil (first attempt was with rapeseed, normally used while frying in our household).
Table- and teaspoons I can live with (we have those in standard measuring-cup series too), but what on earth is a stick of butter? Even more idiotic is 1 cup of butter... Good grief. You can imagine I've used my search engine to its limits.
Now I'm stirring a vanilla extract twice weekly, because I got tired of being forced to use this "vanilla sugar" (confectioner's sugar with the black vanilla thingies mixed into it) and it should be done just before christmas. Recipe: three beans sliced open in a cup of good-quality vodka (or rum if you prefer); stir twice weekly and store in darkness, room temperature. Let sit for eight weeks before using.
And how did it go with the zucchini bread? Very well, husband was happy as he hasn't had it in years. Thank god for scales though.
I forgot to comment on the collapsible cups; I love the colours but imagine they aren't very easy to clean, especially if there, like alysaaria pointed out, isn't a dish washed in the household.
I have plastic ones currently, but am looking for a reason to get the boring, although easier-to-clean, stainless-steel ones (since America bakes with 1/8 teaspoons and the like...). As long as they nest into each other I don't think I'd ever be enough short on space to get the collapsible ones.
I was given a set of the collapsible measuring cups once, but stacked they stood as tall as my stainless steel set from the restaurant supply store, so I returned them as they weren't a space saver after all.
Measuring cups all fit into the largest cup and don't take up much space. I can't imagine the need for collapsible ones? Unless you're in a tent camping...
I have those adjustable measuring spoons and I find I constantly reach for them before my regular set. SO easy and convenient. Even if my husband has *no idea* where the tablespoon sized one vanished to!
Agreed though. The US must get made fun of by elementary school kids in all the rest of the world learning volumes and measurements with our bizarre cups, feet, and don't get me started on people who actually buy the measuring spoons for smidge, dab, bit, etc! More....ALL recipes should be metric and weighed. It guarantees consistancy, less mess.
I also have the collapsible measuring cups. They allow us to use our odd kitchen drawer that isn't deep enough for normal measuring cups. Problem? We've had them less than a year and 2 have cracked. On to plan B...