diff --git a/util/metric/metric.go b/util/metric/metric.go
index 33d5f538c8ac..0e7e92b384d2 100644
--- a/util/metric/metric.go
+++ b/util/metric/metric.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package metric
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -77,6 +78,20 @@ type Histogram struct {
 	nextT    time.Time
 }
 
+// NewHistogram creates a new windowed HDRHistogram with the given parameters.
+// Data is kept in the active window for approximately the given duration.
+// See the the documentation for hdrhistogram.WindowedHistogram for details.
+func NewHistogram(duration time.Duration, maxVal int64, sigFigs int) *Histogram {
+	const n = 4
+	h := &Histogram{}
+	h.maxVal = int64(maxVal)
+	h.interval = duration / n
+	h.nextT = time.Now()
+
+	h.windowed = hdrhistogram.NewWindowed(n, 0, h.maxVal, sigFigs)
+	return h
+}
+
 func (h *Histogram) tick() {
 	h.nextT = h.nextT.Add(h.interval)
 	h.windowed.Rotate()
@@ -127,6 +142,11 @@ type Counter struct {
 	metrics.Counter
 }
 
+// NewCounter creates a counter.
+func NewCounter() *Counter {
+	return &Counter{metrics.NewCounter()}
+}
+
 // Each calls the given closure with the empty string and itself.
 func (c *Counter) Each(f func(string, interface{})) { f("", c) }
 
@@ -140,6 +160,12 @@ type Gauge struct {
 	metrics.Gauge
 }
 
+// NewGauge creates a Gauge.
+func NewGauge() *Gauge {
+	g := &Gauge{metrics.NewGauge()}
+	return g
+}
+
 // Each calls the given closure with the empty string and itself.
 func (g *Gauge) Each(f func(string, interface{})) { f("", g) }
 
@@ -157,6 +183,22 @@ type Rate struct {
 	nextT    time.Time
 }
 
+// NewRate creates an EWMA rate on the given timescale. Timescales at
+// or below 2s are illegal and will cause a panic.
+func NewRate(timescale time.Duration) *Rate {
+	const tickInterval = time.Second
+	if timescale <= 2*time.Second {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("EWMA with per-second ticks makes no sense on timescale %s", timescale))
+	}
+	avgAge := float64(timescale) / float64(2*tickInterval)
+
+	return &Rate{
+		interval: tickInterval,
+		nextT:    time.Now(),
+		wrapped:  ewma.NewMovingAverage(avgAge),
+	}
+}
+
 func (e *Rate) nextTick() time.Time {
 	return e.nextT
 }
diff --git a/util/metric/registry.go b/util/metric/registry.go
index 60108da2d379..afaf0f765735 100644
--- a/util/metric/registry.go
+++ b/util/metric/registry.go
@@ -22,10 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
-
-	"github.com/VividCortex/ewma"
-	"github.com/codahale/hdrhistogram"
-	"github.com/rcrowley/go-metrics"
 )
 
 // A Registry bundles up various iterables (i.e. typically metrics or other
@@ -46,6 +42,9 @@ func NewRegistry() *Registry {
 // string. The individual items in the registry will be formatted via
 // fmt.Sprintf(format, <name>). As a special case, *Registry implements
 // Iterable and can thus be added.
+// Metric types in this package have helpers that allow them to be created
+// and registered in a single step. Add is called manually only when adding
+// a registry to another, or when integrating metrics defined elsewhere.
 func (r *Registry) Add(format string, item Iterable) error {
 	r.Lock()
 	defer r.Unlock()
@@ -87,17 +86,11 @@ func (r *Registry) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 	return json.Marshal(m)
 }
 
-// Histogram registers a new windowed HDRHistogram with the given
-// parameters. Data is kept in the active window for approximately the given
-// duration.
-func (r *Registry) Histogram(name string, duration time.Duration, maxVal int64, sigFigs int) *Histogram {
-	const n = 4
-	h := &Histogram{}
-	h.maxVal = int64(maxVal)
-	h.interval = duration / n
-	h.nextT = time.Now()
-
-	h.windowed = hdrhistogram.NewWindowed(n, 0, h.maxVal, sigFigs)
+// Histogram registers a new windowed HDRHistogram with the given parameters.
+// Data is kept in the active window for approximately the given duration.
+func (r *Registry) Histogram(name string, duration time.Duration, maxVal int64,
+	sigFigs int) *Histogram {
+	h := NewHistogram(duration, maxVal, sigFigs)
 	r.MustAdd(name, h)
 	return h
 }
@@ -117,34 +110,24 @@ func (r *Registry) Latency(prefix string) Histograms {
 	return hs
 }
 
-// Counter registers a new counter under the given name.
+// Counter registers new counter to the registry.
 func (r *Registry) Counter(name string) *Counter {
-	c := &Counter{metrics.NewCounter()}
+	c := NewCounter()
 	r.MustAdd(name, c)
 	return c
 }
 
 // Gauge registers a new Gauge with the given name.
 func (r *Registry) Gauge(name string) *Gauge {
-	g := &Gauge{metrics.NewGauge()}
+	g := NewGauge()
 	r.MustAdd(name, g)
 	return g
 }
 
-// Rate registers an EWMA rate over the given timescale. Timescales at
-// or below 2s are illegal and will cause a panic.
+// Rate creates an EWMA rate over the given timescale. The comments on NewRate
+// apply.
 func (r *Registry) Rate(name string, timescale time.Duration) *Rate {
-	const tickInterval = time.Second
-	if timescale <= 2*time.Second {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("EWMA with per-second ticks makes no sense on timescale %s", timescale))
-	}
-	avgAge := float64(timescale) / float64(2*tickInterval)
-
-	e := &Rate{
-		interval: tickInterval,
-		nextT:    time.Now(),
-		wrapped:  ewma.NewMovingAverage(avgAge),
-	}
+	e := NewRate(timescale)
 	r.MustAdd(name, e)
 	return e
 }