Not only did I not use a graduated cylinder, on the last two refills my car vented some gas from a safety overflow device, making the measurements approximate at best.
From the inrich.com
The liquid to be tested is poured into a tall container, often a graduated cylinder, and the hydrometer is gently lowered into the liquid until it floats freely.
From the en.wikipedia.org
You can make use of household materials and student grade products in many areas, thus saving money for that really good graduated cylinder that covers the size range you use a lot, for instance.
From the scienceblogs.com
Siffert graduated to Formula One as a privateer in 1962, with a four-cylinder Lotus-Climax.