The main compartment operates like your standard liquid measuring cup, but it also has an interior smaller pocket for little measurements like tea and tablespoons. It sits on a corner so it has its own spout and won’t wind up in the main compartment without serious intervention on your part. While it probably won’t save you much (or any) money to by this measuring cup over multiple, it will save you room in the kitchen and the bother of using more tools than you need to get the job done in the kitchen.