CIA Masters Collection 6 Piece Measuring Spoon Set

A few weeks ago,after not doing any serious cooking for a couple of months, I discovered that my Oxo set of measuring spoons had gone missing, and the tablespoon sized of my second set had escaped as well. So, I decided to take this opportunity to try two different stainless steel sets. I might add that I would not consider anything other than stainless steel. The only alternative, plastic, can be scratched, and create tiny grooves in which nasty microscopic things can breed. They can also break rather easily, and melt if dropped onto a hot range burner. Steel is the way to go.I chose two which were quite similar, but were different only by shape. Neither had toe OXO rubber covering on the handle.The first was the less expensive, from Cuisipro, with oval measuring spoons. It was about half as expensive as the second, labelled with the Culinary Institute of America brand. Cuisipro had the five sizes, adding a 1/8 teaspoon to the four traditional sizes. It's device for making the spoons easier to hold was a slight curl at the end. The CIA device for aiding your grip was an indentation along the back half of the handle. The CIA set had two extra sizes, the 1/8 teaspoon and the 1/2 tablespoon. I have never seen a recipe which calls for 1/8 teaspoon of anything. Below 1/4 teaspoon, it usually says "pinch". If you are compulsive about always using the same amount everytime you make a recipe, the 1/8 teaspoon could be used for a "pinch". The one feature of the CIA set which might justify the higher price is that the handles are about 1 1/2 times longer than the Cuisipro. This is exactly what you would expect from a set made for professionals, who commonly work with larger container sizes of spices than we do at home. This also explains the round instead of oval spoon shape, about which I have mixed feelings. For the tablespoon size, the oval (Cuisipro) has a better chance of fitting into the typical glass spice container. But for the smaller sizes, I really prefer the round shape, as I suspect they are a tad more accurate, with less chance of spilling the goods.I am delighted that both sets have the metric equivalent printed on the handle. I memorized them long ago, but if you were not once a chemist, having them printed there is a big help. In that department, the CIA is preferable, because the metric capacity is only expressed to one decimal place. The .6 millileters is far easier to deal with, albeit less accurate than the .625 on the Cuisipro. Both sets are connected at the end with a metal circle. This is a feature I could never understand. I generally remove the spoons from the connector immediately. Who wants to drag around a soiled teaspoon while you are measuring out salt or corn starch with the tablespoon size. On that count, it is far easier to separate the CIA spoons from its ring.In the end, I'm glad I got both. Cuisipro better for the larger sizes, CIA better for the smaller sizes and larger goods containers.

What a nice set of measuring spoons! They are excellent quality and a pleasure to use. Never again will I buy plastic spoons. Easy to read print and nice long handles. So easy to clean and so nice looking!

Made with no seams or joining - so no crevices for residue to be trapped in over time. And excellent craftsmanship.

Definitely THE best spoon set.It is not easy to find true 18/10 stainless steel measuring set. Either it claims 18/10 but there is no stamp/mark on the product (like Miu France measuring spoon set) or it WAS made of 18/10 and marked at the back of the spoon couple years ago but now the quality is significantly down with thinner stainless steel and poorly finished edge, moreover, no 18/10 sign any more(e.g. Cuisipro measuring oval shape spoon set)!I bought a spoon and cup set by CIA in 2014 and like both very much. With daily use it is still shining like now. Now I do a lot of baking at home during this tough period, so I decided to buy one more different set. So I bought one by Cuisipro and one by Miu France first. As I said above, I will definitely return the one by Cuisipro and may keep the one by Miu France which is a nice set but I still like the CIA set more.Now I just find that this CIA set is on sale! The price is now less than $10. So I bought one more without hesitance. Got it yesterday and CIA still has the same best quality. Love it so much!

I purchased this steel measuring spoon set to replace two ceramic sets I previously owned. I had bought the ceramic spoons because they were themed and I thought they were "cute". When one spoon in my second set broke just by washing it by hand and pressing too hard on the handle (when did I become "The Incredible Hulk"?), I figured it was time for me to get practical and get some stainless steel spoons.I spent a little more money and bought this set because it had six measuring spoons instead of four. I do like to bake and precision is key, and I liked the inclusion of the 1/8 TSP and 1½ TBSP spoons. Sure, I could figure it out by using division, but I'm not big on math or fractions and anything that helps me avoid it is appreciated. Another plus to this set is the sturdy metal ring that holds them all together. It makes hanging them from my wall-mounted magnetic knife rack with hooks that much easier.So if you are looking for a high quality, sturdy set that should last you a good long time, look no further than these beautiful spoons from CIA. And that's the cooking school version, not the government intelligence agency, in case you are wondering.

I've had these for about a month now, and I have nothing but rave reviews. I used them to replace my plastic set that I got when I moved out on my own- very well loved but I wanted something a little nicer as I spend a lot of time in the kitchen so they went to a new home via Goodwill and I got these. I love the heft of these spoons, they're very solid. When I was reading reviews before I ordered I was confused because some reviews said the labels were etched and some said they weren't... unfortunately having them and examining them closely has not really shed any light on this- I cannot tell. They kind of look printed on but when I run my fingernail over them there is some texture there like they're etched. I guess time will tell.The ring is really annoying- I'm going to get one of those magnetic strips people use to hang knives and place it in my drawer for these spoons to keep them together but make them easier to use individually.Update: it's now 2023 and I've carried these measuring spoons with me for 12 years! They're still in seemingly like new condition except for one that I dropped down the garbage disposal that has some marks. I even bought a second set when my tablespoon measure went missing and then I found it months later in the bag of flour. Still no idea whether the labels are etched or printed but they have held up.