Measuring cups that won't fade?
August 19, 2022 6:07 PM Subscribe
We use liquid measuring cups all the time in this household. We have stacks of the traditional Pyrex ones, bought new, and the measuring lines are worn off on all of them. There must be something better!
They need to be glass, not plastic. Ideally they'd stack like the Pyrex ones, and come in 1-, 2-, and 4-cups. They will go in the bottom rack of the dishwasher and the microwave. I don't want to have to re-draw the measuring lines; I want them to be truly durable. I'm in the US.
They need to be glass, not plastic. Ideally they'd stack like the Pyrex ones, and come in 1-, 2-, and 4-cups. They will go in the bottom rack of the dishwasher and the microwave. I don't want to have to re-draw the measuring lines; I want them to be truly durable. I'm in the US.
Not the Anchor ones. They're worse than the modern Pyrex!
You might have better luck with vintage Pyrex if you can find it.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 6:24 PM on August 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
You might have better luck with vintage Pyrex if you can find it.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 6:24 PM on August 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The search term is pressed glass or embossed glass. The measurements are raised in the glass itself so can’t rub off. These are hard to find and coveted by collectors. I’m not sure who is currently making them but they do exist.
posted by Mizu at 6:29 PM on August 19, 2022 [13 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 6:29 PM on August 19, 2022 [13 favorites]
One "solution" I've found for this problem is just to be a little clumsy so you break your mixing glasses at roughly the same rate the markings wear off.
Honestly, short of hand washing or just factoring in the cost of replacement like they're nonstick skillets, the only possible mass market solution might be to try to find a "gentle" dishwasher detergent that's better about preserving the markings and decorations on these and other dishes. I've got two old, bare measuring glasses that have somehow survived my clumsiness and we use them for stuff we're measuring by weight (say, packaged pre-shredded hash browns) and for scrambling eggs, so at least the ones with the markings left aren't going to go through the dishwasher quite as many times.
posted by fedward at 6:32 PM on August 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Honestly, short of hand washing or just factoring in the cost of replacement like they're nonstick skillets, the only possible mass market solution might be to try to find a "gentle" dishwasher detergent that's better about preserving the markings and decorations on these and other dishes. I've got two old, bare measuring glasses that have somehow survived my clumsiness and we use them for stuff we're measuring by weight (say, packaged pre-shredded hash browns) and for scrambling eggs, so at least the ones with the markings left aren't going to go through the dishwasher quite as many times.
posted by fedward at 6:32 PM on August 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: That's a helpful term, mizu, thank you: it's leading me to some measuring cups that have ridges like Mason jars.
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:38 PM on August 19, 2022
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:38 PM on August 19, 2022
Not the Anchor ones. They're worse than the modern Pyrex!
FWIW "Baked by Fire-King" is an Anchor brand but the markings seem a little more robust in the dishwasher, although I can't be certain mine just haven't gone through the dishwasher as many times as my Anchor-branded ones have. (Did I mention I break a lot of these?) And Target's "Made By Design" measuring glasses are also actually made by Anchor, or at least they were the last time I had reason to know, but I don't know if the markings are any more or less permanent.
posted by fedward at 6:41 PM on August 19, 2022
FWIW "Baked by Fire-King" is an Anchor brand but the markings seem a little more robust in the dishwasher, although I can't be certain mine just haven't gone through the dishwasher as many times as my Anchor-branded ones have. (Did I mention I break a lot of these?) And Target's "Made By Design" measuring glasses are also actually made by Anchor, or at least they were the last time I had reason to know, but I don't know if the markings are any more or less permanent.
posted by fedward at 6:41 PM on August 19, 2022
I had the same problem, and coincidentally had a Lee Valley engraver thing from another project.
I engraved over the paint where it was still visible, and marked new based on measurements from other measuring cups.
If you, or your local tool library, have a dremel, that’d do the job too. I’d probably wear a mask and goggles with the rotary tool, I think.
posted by Kreiger at 8:38 PM on August 19, 2022 [4 favorites]
I engraved over the paint where it was still visible, and marked new based on measurements from other measuring cups.
If you, or your local tool library, have a dremel, that’d do the job too. I’d probably wear a mask and goggles with the rotary tool, I think.
posted by Kreiger at 8:38 PM on August 19, 2022 [4 favorites]
Stainless steel measuring cups are fine for this, but based on context I think you’re talking about the thing that is called a measuring cup but is really more of a measuring pitcher. For which stainless is still an option, but honestly just hand wash your Pyrex and it will last forever.
posted by aspersioncast at 9:27 PM on August 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by aspersioncast at 9:27 PM on August 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
We handwash, but have still found vintage pyrex much much better at keeping the lines on. You can find them pretty easily on eBay; look for the all caps logo.
posted by damayanti at 3:30 AM on August 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by damayanti at 3:30 AM on August 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Data point on vintage. My Pyrex measuring cups are 40 years old, washed exclusively in the dishwasher, and I don’t have this problem at all.
posted by FencingGal at 4:17 AM on August 20, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by FencingGal at 4:17 AM on August 20, 2022 [4 favorites]
FYI, "borosilicate" is the scientific name for the kind of heat-resistant glass used in Pyrex. It's very similar to quartz.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:28 AM on August 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by SemiSalt at 4:28 AM on August 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: ‘Batter bowl’ is another search term that will give you results with raised rather than printed lettering.
posted by scantee at 5:39 AM on August 20, 2022
posted by scantee at 5:39 AM on August 20, 2022
Ditto to FencingGal. Additional data point: my Pyrex measuring cups only go on the top rack in the dishwasher.
posted by cooker girl at 6:35 AM on August 20, 2022
posted by cooker girl at 6:35 AM on August 20, 2022
Response by poster: Just to head things off: we're not going to handwash, they are going to go in the dishwasher, and they're going to go in the bottom rack sometimes. I know this pains people, but this is the situation as it now stands.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:24 AM on August 20, 2022 [12 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:24 AM on August 20, 2022 [12 favorites]
I’m no help, but I’m enraged about this. Old measuring cups the markings last forever, new ones they seem to wash off in months. Does anyone know what changed? It seems like such a bizarre way for things to have gotten worse.
posted by LizardBreath at 9:12 AM on August 20, 2022
posted by LizardBreath at 9:12 AM on August 20, 2022
I’m no help, but I’m enraged about this. Old measuring cups the markings last forever, new ones they seem to wash off in months. Does anyone know what changed? It seems like such a bizarre way for things to have gotten worse.
I agree that this seems weird. I was going to replace one of mine that has a small chip, but after reading this Ask, I guess I'll leave them to my grandchildren.
posted by FencingGal at 9:23 AM on August 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I agree that this seems weird. I was going to replace one of mine that has a small chip, but after reading this Ask, I guess I'll leave them to my grandchildren.
posted by FencingGal at 9:23 AM on August 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Yes, keep them, FencingGal. It really takes months, if not weeks, for the lines to fade, not years. It isn't just because dishwashing powder has changed (which is why I don't put my Nambé bowls in the dishwasher but one used to be able to). My mom's ancient Pyrex, which also goes in the dishwasher with standard powder, is less faded than my new stuff.
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:46 AM on August 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:46 AM on August 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
Would something like this help? No handle, but raised lines.
https://www.anchorhockingfoodservice.com/product/triple-pour-measuring-glass-w-lid-8-oz/
posted by gingerbeer at 12:27 PM on August 20, 2022
https://www.anchorhockingfoodservice.com/product/triple-pour-measuring-glass-w-lid-8-oz/
posted by gingerbeer at 12:27 PM on August 20, 2022
Which also lead to this one: https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Measuring-Kitchen-Baking-Utensil/dp/B088M19RDY/ref=psdc_284507_t2_B003SX0S80?th=1
posted by gingerbeer at 12:29 PM on August 20, 2022
posted by gingerbeer at 12:29 PM on August 20, 2022
Here is a tutorial to permanently etch the lines in your existing Pyrex measuring cups. It won’t work on the old ones made of borosilicate, but that doesn’t matter because those don’t fade!
posted by rockindata at 6:07 PM on August 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by rockindata at 6:07 PM on August 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
We keep a 30 oz. mason jar on the counter to measure water for the coffee maker. It has embossed markings and I often use it when cooking.
posted by Lookinguppy at 1:44 PM on August 22, 2022
posted by Lookinguppy at 1:44 PM on August 22, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by A Blue Moon at 6:19 PM on August 19, 2022 [8 favorites]