Here are some key ingredient measuring tools used when making bread machine recipes, banana bread recipes, etc. This page looks at tools such as measuring cups, kitchen scales, sourdough measuring jars, etc.
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. At no extra cost to you, Bread Dad makes a small commission if you buy products via the links below.
Ingredient Measuring Tools
- Measuring Cups – You don’t want to use a random-sized drinking cup/mug to measure your ingredients when making a recipe. Many American recipes are based on using leveled ingredients within a standardized measuring cup (e.g. a leveled cup of flour).
- FYI – A leveled cup just means that the top of the ingredients is flat with the top of the measuring cup. Many people use the flat edge of a butter knife to scrape off any excess ingredients in the cup (in order to make a flat leveled cup of ingredients).
- You might also want to consider getting measuring cups that come in a variety of sizes (such as 1 cup, 3/4 cup, 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup). These different sized cups allow you to make more accurate measurements versus trying to eyeball the ingredient amount in a single sized measuring cup. “Hmm… sweetie, does this look like half of a cup? Or a third of a cup?”
- Liquid Measuring Cups – Many people like to use a “see thru” measuring cup when trying to measure liquids and more viscous ingredients (such as Greek yogurt or mashed bananas). In America, the Pyrex brand is often synonymous with this type of liquid measuring cup.
- Measuring Spoons – In America, many people use tablespoon and teaspoon measurements in their recipes. Again, you should use standardized measuring spoons to make a recipe and not random sized soup spoons, etc.
- If you get measuring spoons, you should get a spoon set that covers a variety of of sizes (such as 1 teaspoon, 3/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon, etc.). I own some Zulay measuring spoons.
- However, for a more comprehensive set of measuring spoons, you should look at brands such as the U-Taste measuring spoons. It includes a wider array of spoons (such as a 1/16 teaspoon and 1/3 teaspoon) that are not typically found in many measuring spoon sets. This helps if you find a recipe using less common spoon sizes (e.g. small amounts of various spices).
- Kitchen Scales – Many European like to use a kitchen scale in order to weigh their ingredients. They prefer recipes based on weight measurements because these recipes often have less problems than volume-based recipes (e.g. recipes using measuring cups). Volume-based recipes have to deal with issues such as using a cup of compacted flour versus a cup of fluffed flour. Similar volumes but a cup of compacted flour holds typically more flour than a cup of fluffed flour (and this can throw off a recipe).
- Some people like to get smaller kitchen scales in order to better weigh small items such as yeast or a cup of flour. These scales also tend to be lighter in weight and take up less space on the kitchen counter.
- Others like to get larger commercial kitchen scales so they can use them to measure things other than bread ingredients… like a giant turkey!
- However, be aware that you can still have measuring problems with kitchen scales. For example, if you weigh “wet” flour (flour that has absorbed moisture from the air while sitting in an open bag), it will weigh more more than drier flour (the same flour if stored in an airtight container). Wet flour is heavier than dry flour because of this absorbed moisture. Obviously, this extra & unplanned moisture can throw off recipes (because it disrupts the liquid-to-dry ingredients ratio of a recipe). Therefore, I always store my ingredients in airtight containers in order to avoid this measuring problem.
- Sourdough Measuring Jar – These measuring jars are used to track how much your sourdough starter has grown after feeding. It also helps to measure starter fermentation and peak activity.
Related Tools
- Digital Bread Thermometer – This is the tool that I use to measure the internal temperature of my breads and bake goods to see if they have been fully baked. I know it is a digital meat thermometer… but this thermometer is also used for testing freshly baked sandwich breads, banana breads, etc.
- Hanging Oven Thermometer – I use this inexpensive tool because it lets me know if my oven has been preheated to the correct temperature required by a recipe.
- Airtight Flour Container – Here are some large & popular Rubbermaid airtight food containers designed for ingredients such as flour and sugar.
Related Bread Dad Recipes