This sturdy measuring cup is a staple of Ina Garten's countertops – it's an 'icon of cuisine' available for under $10

This highly resistant kitchen essential has made cooking easier since 1915 – today, it's loved by the Barefoot Contessa herself

Ina Garten
(Image credit: Talaya Centeno/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)

When thinking of Ina Garten's iconic East Hampton kitchen, a host of chef-approved appliances will also likely come to mind. The Barefoot Contessa has established herself as one of the most beloved cooks in America and, consequently, the owner of many professional appliances that come with sizeable price tags. However, not everything needs to be a big investment.

Take Garten's go-to measuring cup, for example. We recently spotted the Pyrex 4-Cup Glass Measuring Cup (available at Amazon) on the cook's countertops, and it currently retails for under $10. Professional chefs like Garten often count measuring cups among their lists of kitchen items you need to upgrade, but with this Pyrex cup, we dare say you're set for life.

This strong but humble cup dates back to 1915 when pioneering couple Bessie and Jessie Littleton (who often smashed their glass cups) decided to use a highly resistant material from industry, NONEX glass, to cook their dishes. According to Pyrex, this glass, developed by Corning, was so sturdy that it was initially used to protect the bulbs of railroad signal lanterns. Prior to this, the bad weather would leave them shattered. It's this same strength that Garten swears by this 'icon of cuisine' (as Pyrex describes) in her kitchen – and it'll be just as reliable in yours.

Alongside its industry-approved strength, this cup is designed to make measuring easier and clearer. It features bold and large measurements in both ounces and milliliters, meaning it's effortless to read, no matter which system you use to measure.

In both videos, Garten uses her Pyrex cup to measure cocktail ingredients perfectly, but it has uses beyond happy hour. If you need to melt a cup of butter for a batch of chocolate cookies or cake batter, you can pop the cup in the microwave. The tempered glass is dishwasher, freezer, microwave, and pre-heated oven-safe – there's no recipe where this won't come in handy at some point.

Plus, this measuring cup isn't the only ultra-accessible essential from Garten's kitchen. You can shop more of her favorites below, all of which are under $X.


Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.