Best Martini Glasses
Whether as an aperitif or a digestif, a martini is the perfect cocktail to enjoy before or after a meal. That’s because a martini will complement any meal and it is easy to adapt the ingredients to suit many tastes. And while there’s no arguing the importance of choosing a quality mix of ingredients for optimum flavor and pleasure, drinking from a premium martini glass can elevate the experience to a whole new level.
Not all glasses are created equal and when it comes to martini glasses, the weight, design, long-stemmed or stemless all factor into the equation. As well, the bowl of a martini glass should be a certain shape and size to retain the coolness that is important to enjoy the drink.
Martini glasses are available in many styles, designs and price points, so it’s worth your while to take your time when choosing a set. We’ve curated a list of beautiful and functional martini glasses you can buy online. Read on to discover the ones for you.
1. Editor’s Choice: JoyJolt 4-Piece Afina Martini Glasses
How do you like your martini? Dirty, shaken, stirred or all of these variations on a theme? Whether it’s something you have every day after work or only when entertaining friends, however and whenever you enjoy your drink, you want it to be in a good martini glass.
We chose these martini glasses as our top pick for a number of reasons, the first being the four-pack makes it a good starter set at a reasonable price. But we also love the modern, stemless look, a perfect choice for anyone who is tired of toppled-over cocktail glasses and wasted alcohol on the floor.
The set of martini glasses offers a cool, contemporary vibe with a casually elegant, cinched design. Each eight-ounce martini glass has a wide bowl at a good angle to keep your drink cold. Hand made with cutting-edge materials, the martini glasses are transportable, dishwasher safe and virtually indestructible, the perfect choice for a party. With a heavy base and the stemless construction, they are stable and won’t easily tip over.
The set comes in a lovely box and would make the perfect housewarming, wedding or anniversary gift for the martini lover in your life.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Sturdy, stemless design
- Dishwasher safe
- Hand made
Con:
- Only four to a set
- Some users said they were more fragile than expected
2. Runner Up: Beneti European Made 8-Ounces Martini Glasses
Remember the last time you hosted a party? The drinks were flowing but no one remembered which martini glass belonged to them as they socialized, put down their glass, and then couldn’t find it again. Instead of purchasing a set of cute tags to mark your martini glasses that can fall off or be switched around, why not offer your guests their own color-coded glass they can hold on to and identify all night?
This set of six, eight-ounce stemless martini glasses have a sleek, elegant design with a deep V shape to keep your drink cool. But what really sets them apart is that each martini glass has a unique color wave embedded in the base of the glass. With these vivid colors — red, green, orange, blue, yellow and purple — your guests will able able to easily pinpoint their drink and never get it mixed up with someone else’s.
Crafted from non-toxic and lead-free material, the glasses have a sturdy one-inch thick, level tip-resistant base, are easy to clean in the dishwasher and come in a lovely box to be given as a gift.
Pros:
- Each glass has a different color base
- Smooth, seamless lead-free glass
- Dishwasher safe
Cons:
- Glass holds less than eight ounces
- Fragile
3. Best Large Size: Mikasa Cheers Martini Glass
These martini glasses from Mikasa are a bit more expensive than some of the other choices on our list, but if you are looking for elegant yet whimsically designed, long-stem martini glasses that will hold a satisfyingly large drink, then you may want to consider this four-piece set.
The Mikasa brand has long been a leader in providing beautiful tabletop dinnerware and glassware, with unique and often eye-catching designs. These 10-ounce martini glasses are no different. Each lead crystal glass is adorned with etched detailing in one of the following patterns: pinstripes, horizontal lines, circles, or a swirl. Your guests will enjoy their own unique patterns and drinks will never get mixed up.
The glasses are 7.5 inches high with slender stems and thin rims and a large seven-ounce bowl for a classical martini shape — with plenty of room for olives. While there are only four in this set, you can add to your glassware with even more designs from the Cheers Too collection. And while the martini glasses are top-rack dishwasher safe, hand washing is recommended.
Pros:
- Lead crystal glass
- Unique etched designs
- Large seven-ounce bowl
Cons:
- Pricey
- Hand washing recommended
4. Best Temperature Control: HOST Freeze Insulated Martini Cooling Glasses
The best-tasting martinis are ones that are served cold — and stay cold. Between your martini sitting in room temperature and the heat of your hand warming up the glass, your drink is going to get warm before you finish enjoying it.
With these insulated martini glasses from Host, you’ll never have to worry about your drink being anything but ice cold delicious. The martini glasses are engineered to keep cocktails frosty and refreshing, whether shaken or stirred — no ice needed, and no dilution of taste.
The magic is in the insulated walls of the stemless glasses, which are filled with a proprietary cooling gel. Just freeze the glasses for two hours before using, and it will cool your drink to approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping your martini chilled for hours.
The base of each nine-ounce, BPA-free plastic martini glass has an insulated silicone band for a comfortable grip and to keep your hand from getting too cold. Hand wash only.
Pros:
- Insulated glasses
- Keeps drinks cold for hours
- BPA-free plastic
Cons:
- A bit pricey
- Made of plastic
5. Best Unique Design: Luna & Mantha Unique Art Deco Round Martini Glasses
There are ordinary martini glasses and then there are extraordinary martini glasses — which category do you want to be a part of? To add a special flair to your next party, consider serving your guests their favorite martini in these uniquely designed martini glasses from Luna & Mantha.
The set of four coupe glasses have a sophisticated design. Carefully blown through 26 processes, each piece is blown into shape in one piece, creating a beautiful silhouette and an elegant look for your table setting. Created from lead-free crystal that is lightweight with a seamless finish, the long-stemmed glasses keep your drink cool while you sip. The uniquely shaped round eight-ounce bowl sits atop an elongated stem, while the bowl itself offers up more swirling space to help aromatics release slower, to maximize your drinking enjoyment.
These martini glasses are a bit larger than most, so you can confidently pour all of the liquid from the shaker into the glass without leaving the last few drops in the shaker to dilute and melt. The durable martini glasses are also dishwasher friendly and come in a beautiful gift box.
Pros:
- Long stemmed
- Large bowl
- Lead-free crystal
Cons:
- Delicate
- A bit pricey
6. Best Durable: Yopay Set of 4 Unbreakable Martini Glasses
Cocktail parties with delicious martinis are great fun, but when everyone has had a few and hands are not so steady, what’s not so much fun is when drinks topple over and the glass breaks, causing a messy — and dangerous — situation. Don’t ruin your next party with breakable martini glasses. Instead, choose an attractive and durable alternative with these plastic martini glasses from Yopay.
Just because we said plastic, doesn’t mean you’re in for a set of cheap, flimsy martini glass. This collection of four long-stemmed glasses are made from break and shatter-resistant polycarbonate plastic with a crystal feel that elevates them to a quality you will be proud to serve your guests, with the kind of durability you can count on. No more dangerous broken glass on the floor, regardless of where you’re holding your party.
Each martini glass measures seven inches high with a 4.65-inch diameter bowl that can accommodate approximately 10 ounces of liquid. And when the night is over, just pop them in the dishwasher for an easy and quick cleaning.
Pros:
- Made of durable plastic
- Shatter and break-resistant
- Large capacity
Cons
- Not ideal if you want to reduce plastic use
- Very lightweight
7. Best Pair: YY Martini Glasses
Most martini glasses come in sets of four or six, but what if you’re just starting out and all you want or need are two? And, just because you are starting out, it doesn’t mean you have to accept below-par quality martini glasses.
This pair of martini glasses from YY are hand made by experienced craftsmen from high-quality crystal. They have a tall, elegant design with a 6.1-inch-long stem, a round, stable base and a large, 4.9-inch-wide angled bowl with an 8.5-ounce capacity to hold your favorite cocktail. The glass itself has a thin rim, smooth edges and measures a total of 9.5 inches in height, offering up a graceful look with a flawless, seamless aesthetic.
The set makes a wonderful gift for yourself or since it comes in gift packaging with pearl cotton protection, it would make a thoughtful anniversary or housewarming gift for the martini lover in your life. Oh, and did we mention that it also comes with 10 wooden wine needles? Bonus!
Pros:
- Tall, elegant glasses
- Made from high-quality crystal
- Hand made
- Comes with 20 wooden wine needles
Cons:
- Only two in the set
- Hand wash only
8. Best Small Capacity: Juvale Small Stem Martini Glasses
These days, so many things are super-sized — even martini glasses. And that’s okay if you enjoy a large 10-ounce drink of your favorite gin and vermouth with an olive or a twist of lemon. While there is no real “right” size for a martini glass — it can range from three to 12 ounces — the standard Nick and Nora type that made this classic drink popular, holds about four ounces of liquid.
If you’re looking for a smaller martini glass with a slim, sleek and clear design, consider this set of six from Juvale. Ideal for weddings, engagement parties, promotion parties, gatherings, formal dinners or for a drink at home after work to unwind in the comfort of your den, the small stem martini glasses measure six inches tall with a diameter of 3.81 inches to hold five ounces of your favorite drink.
The glasses are durable and can be cleaned by hand or safely put into the top rack of the dishwasher.
Pros:
- Small capacity
- Durable
- Top rack dishwasher safe
Cons:
- Small capacity may not appeal to some people
What to look for when choosing martini glasses:
There’s something very sophisticated about sipping on a martini. Perhaps it’s because it is the drink of choice of all the cool movie characters of the past like James Bond and the famous 1930s duo and characters in the Thin Man movies, Nick and Nora. While it is an acquired taste, there are many ways to make and enjoy a martini, from the traditional dry gin and dry vermouth combo stirred with ice and served straight up and garnished with an olive, or the dirty version by adding olive brine juice, to a vodka martini and more modern versions such as the appletini or Cosmopolitan.
Regardless of how you like to mix your drink, you’re going to want to enjoy sipping it from a good martini glass that will enhance the flavors and aromatics for a satisfying experience. To do so, there are some things you should consider before investing in a set of martini glasses.
Shape/Design: Traditional martini glasses have a V-shaped cup, long stem, and circular base. Although the shape of a martini glass is aesthetically pleasing, it was actually designed to be functional. For example, the long stem stops your hands from warming the dink — martinis are bested served cold — and the sloping sides prevent the ingredients separating while providing a support to olives on a toothpick or cocktail skewer.
If you are a traditionalist, then this is the shape you should choose but note that while beautiful and functional, this style of martini glass is also a bit unstable and prone to tipping, falling and breaking. For something more stable, you can choose a coupe style, which is a more rounded bowl.
What has recently become a very popular style are stemless martini glasses. These glasses have the traditional V-shape bowl, along with all of the advantages it affords, but do not have a long stem. Instead, the cup sits on a short, weighted base, making it more stable and less like to tip over and spill or break.
Material: Martini glasses are constructed from either crystal, glass, or unbreakable (or break-resistant) polycarbonate plastic. The ones you choose will depend upon your budget and your level of comfort with fragility and breakage either from the glass tipping over and falling to the floor or from breaking in the dishwasher.
Crystal martini glasses are often hand blown, clear and seamless with a smooth, thin rim for the greatest drinking pleasure and aesthetic appeal. And while these can be gorgeous, they can also be expensive and fragile, with hand washing only recommended.
For something that is still attractive but more affordable, you can choose martini glasses made from glass. While breakable, these are less fragile and often top-rack dishwasher compatible. However, the quality control is not consistent, and you may find some glass martini glasses have seams or thick rims.
Finally, if you are worried about your martini glasses breaking, it’s best to go with reusable plastic. Better quality plastic will still look nice, but you won’t have to worry about shards of broken glass on the ground if a plastic glass tips over.
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