All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Any one product that insists it'll take the place of two or more, especially in the kitchen, usually gets an eyebrow raise and a hard pass from me. So I wasn't prepared to fall so hard for one specific multipurpose mini measuring cup—a favorite in the Epicurious test kitchen and beloved by food editors. But after just one day with it in my collection, I was moving my measuring spoons, liquid measures, and cocktail jiggers to the back of the cabinet, and daintily setting the Oxo Good Grips mini angled cup front and center.
Was the phrase “good things come in small packages” first uttered about the tiny Oxo Good Grips measuring cup? I cannot be sure, but it certainly applies. This palm-size plastic vessel is essentially a tiny version of our favorite angled liquid measuring cup. It features a cleverly marked slanted ridge, so you can see how much liquid it's holding from the top, rather than having to crouch down to check the level from the side. When working through a recipe where precision matters, or one you've never tried before and want to follow to the letter, there's nothing worse than carefully holding a tablespoon over a mixing bowl with one hand and trying to steadily pour vinegar into it with the other. This cup's flat base means it can sit upright on the counter while you measure, and any overzealous filling is easily rectified thanks to the fine spout, which can transfer ingredients back to the container they came from. You can work quickly and efficiently, knowing that you're getting the most accurate amounts possible.
As for what unit you're measuring in exactly, the Oxo cup abounds with choices, easily taking the place of a few different tools. With it you can portion ingredients—dry or wet—in tablespoons (it displays from 1/2 to 4), ounces (from 1/4 to 2), milliliters (from 10 to 60), and cups (from 1/16 to 1/4). If multiple things are going to the same place, like vinegar and a sweetener in a salad dressing or a few spices in a blend, you can measure everything in one swoop, layering each measurement in one tiny cup. And for cocktails, the cup is the perfect bartender's assistant, seemingly built to handle the intricate ratios and recipes of your favorite mixed drinks. The precise measurements make it so much easier to use than a standard jigger or shot glass.
Best of all, the Oxo Good Grips angled measuring cup costs only $5, making it a no-brainer addition to every kitchen. Yours? Certainly. But don't forget the homes of friends and family, who could all benefit from a better measuring implement. The small vessel is endlessly giftable, easy to stuff into bags, boxes, stockings, and pockets. Give it to recent grads, mixologist moms, and avid baker friends. A tool this good deserves to be shared—and win over even the biggest do-it-all skeptics.
