Measuring cups are used in cooking to create accurate portion sizes of liquid and dry ingredients in recipes. Most measuring cups are made from metal, glass or plastic and use the standard 8 ounce 'cup' as the basic unit of measurement. It is important to use the proper measuring cups when dealing with both dry and liquid ingredient lists. A cup of flour is not the same as a cup of vegetable oil, so cooks usually keep two sets of measuring cups on hand. Dry measurements are usually made in plastic or metal containers, while liquids may be measured in transparent Pyrex-style glass measuring cups.

One important thing to keep in mind when using measuring cups is to use the size closest to the recipe's requirements. A typical set of measuring cups marks off many gradations, starting with a 1/8 cup measurement (similar to a tablespoon) and working through the common fractions found in recipes- 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and finally 1 full cup. Any other proportions can be made through a combination of these cup sizes. Liquid measuring cups may be much larger than dry measuring cups, starting with a one cup size and working up to nearly a gallon in some sets. Individual cup sizes may be marked through visible lines imprinted on the sides of a large capacity measuring cup.

Recipe measurements usually include important information about which measuring cups to use and how the ingredients should be packed in them. Unlike teaspoon measurements, which may include words like 'rounded' or 'heaping', dry ingredients are assumed to be level in cups. Some ingredients such as brown sugar may have to be packed tightly for accurate measure, while others such as flour may have to be sifted for a lighter volume. Liquid measuring cups assume the level of the liquid reaches the desired line at the cook's eye level. Measuring one cup of water in a 10 cup container can lead to inaccurate readings, so cooks should try to use the smallest measuring cups necessary.

One of the main drawbacks of measuring cups is the number necessary for a complete range of measurements. Cooks must keep at least one complete set of dry measuring cups and another set of liquid measuring cups. This can require significant storage space, and at least one or two vital cup sizes will eventually disappear. A modern solution to the storage and shrinkage problem is a universal measuring cup. This kitchen gadget is a two-piece cylinder which acts almost like an open-ended syringe. The outer cylinder contains all the possible gradations of both liquid and dry measurments. A tight-fitting inner cylinder is pulled down to the proper measuring line. The ingredient can then be placed in the universal measuring cup and leveled off. If another ingredient is required, the inner cylinder can be pulled down yet again to add the new measurement. Several dry or liquid ingredients can be added all at once and then dumped as a unit into the mixing bowl or food processor.