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The 10 Best Cocktail Glasses: Types, Reviews and Buying Guide!
Last updated 20th March, 2021

There are few things more satisfying than a delicious cocktail that soothes your thirst on the way down and delivers flavours aplenty to liven up your social gathering. But a lot of us don’t realise how much difference a really good set of cocktail glasses make to the whole experience. It’s an underrated part of the process and when taken seriously, it can greatly enhance your favourite drink.

What we thought we’d do then, is go out and scour the market to find the very best cocktail glasses we could find, across a range of categories, so that you can take your cocktails to the next level. Our category choices cover the most common and most versatile options so that they can handle a wide variety of drinks.

What glasses are used for cocktails?

Cocktails vary widely and so do the glasses, with each type being designed specifically to improve the taste and aesthetic of the drinking experience. The most common are coupe cocktail glasses which are commonly used for cocktails that are shaken or stirred, Highball & Collins cocktail glasses which are used for mixes like gin-and-tonics, single rocks glasses which are used for drinks on the rocks (e.g., whiskey), martini glasses, and copper mugs which are used for Moscow mules.

Why Buy a Cocktail Glass or Set?

Cocktails Taste Better

The way that a cocktail glass is designed really does amplify the flavours of whatever drink you’re enjoying – making it a really unique experience. In addition, the specific shape and size melds together to help you hold it correctly without fuss. For example, drinks served in coupe glasses typically don’t use ice, and so they are stemmed so that your hands don’t warm the glass. Cocktail glasses are just fit for purpose.

Impress Your Guests

There’s something about cocktail glasses that just adds a level of sophistication and class to your dinner parties. When you’re entertaining guests and you can bring out a set of stylish, vintage, cocktail glasses, they know you mean business. It makes the cocktails the highlight of the evening.

Add Style to a Kitchen or Dining Area

Even when you’re not using your cocktail glasses, their distinctive design acts as an art piece all on their own. The stylish shapes and patterns are wonderful kitchen or dining room décor pieces that ooze class and transform an ordinary space into one that’s full of possibility.

Top 10 Cocktail Glasses and Types

Best Coupe Cocktail Glasses

Coupe cocktail glasses tend to be broad and shallow at the top, with a long stem underneath. They are designed to be used with cocktails that are shaken or stirred and served without ice – so the stem keeps your hand from warming up the drink by mistake. These are the glasses of fancy dinner parties, James Bond movies, and nightlife specials – but now they can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

1. Luminarc Assorted Craft Coupe Cocktail Glass

These glasses from Luminarc are stainless steel and manage to thread the needle between feeling too thin and flimsy, and too bulky. They clearly have thought a lot about getting the spacing and the feel right, and they deliver on this promise – making it one of the best cocktail glass choices you can make.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: Coupe
  • Number of Glasses: 4
  • Price: £
  • Retailer: Amazon

2. Dartington Crystal Limelight Cut Glass Champagne Saucers

These vintage cocktail glasses are beautiful, there’s no other way to say it. The crystal glass is elegant and charming, and the pattern on the glass catches the light in a way that makes your drink sparkle. The design itself originates from Slovakia and it doubles as an art piece on your mantlepiece when you aren’t sipping from the nectar of the gods.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: Coupe
  • Number of Glasses: 2
  • Price: ££££
  • Retailer: John Lewis & Partners

Best Highball and Collins Cocktail Glasses

Highball and Collins cocktail glasses are both tall, thin glasses that are good for mixes like gin-and-tonics, vodka-sodas, and the like. Their height allows for your cocktails to mingle comfortably, using the depth to pack all the flavour possible into each sip. Collins glasses tend to be a bit taller than Highball glasses; you can think of them as the older brother of the family.

1. Riedel Highball Cocktail Glasses

These glasses were designed in collaboration with spirits specialist Zane Harris and you can only really experience his touches when you try a range of different drinks in the glass. What makes it special is how it was created with ice cubes in mind, and its shape, size and volume can fit all sorts of ice cubes comfortably to make for the most refreshing cocktail you can imagine. It’s a seamless combination of thirst-quenching delight and an eye-catching display.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: Highball
  • Number of Glasses: 2
  • Price: ££
  • Retailer: Amazon

2. Luxury Embossed Dibor Cocktail Glasses

Made in the heart of West Yorkshire, these cocktail glasses have more character than you could ever imagine. With their hand-pressed designs and subtle colour choices, it makes the cocktail experience so much more than just the drink itself. They have a weight to them that makes them feel sturdy in your hand and make for a fantastic gift because of their sheer versatility. Whether it’s a fancy dinner party, or just some afternoon sundowners – these glasses bring a lot to the table.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: Collins
  • Number of Glasses: 4
  • Price: ££
  • Retailer: Not on the High Street

Best Single Rocks Glasses

A single rocks glass is quite self-explanatory – it’s a simple receptacle for anything that you’re drinking neat or on the rocks. But don’t mistake that for a lack of sophistication. These glasses need to be designed so as to champion the flavours of the spirits inside them, and so there is a lot of thought that goes into making them fit for purpose. These are the glasses who probably hold a drink for the longest, because you’ll be sipping slowly from these ones.

1. Whiskey Stones and Glasses Gift Set

This set is a really elegant gift for someone who enjoys their whiskey. It comes with two glasses with a design that harks back to the good old days with the perfect shape and size to do your whiskey justice. They feel solid in your hand and that’s what you’re looking for in something you’re going to be holding the whole night. Along with the glasses comes 8 whiskey stones which means that you cool your drink without diluting it in the way that ice cubes do. All of this is delivering in a beautiful, hand-crafted wooden box that is the cherry on top of a wonderful cocktail glass set.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: On the Rocks
  • Number of Glasses: 2
  • Price: ££
  • Retailer: Amazon

2. Dartington Crystal Dimple Double Old Fashioned Whiskey Glasses

These Dartington cocktail glasses look like they belong in a museum. The crystal glass shimmers in the light, the simple design remains dignified, and it makes you like a hundred times cooler than you really are when you drink from them. They are truly a work of art, so make sure that you’re drinking the good stuff from these ones.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: On the Rocks
  • Number of Glasses: 2
  • Price: £££
  • Retailer: John Lewis & Partners

Best Martini Cocktail Glasses

You can spot a martini cocktail glass from a mile away because of its distinctive V-shape and stem. They have been a staple of cocktail drinks for a long time now and their continued relevance shows how popular they are in party situations. Their shape constrains the volume while still providing enough to hang onto as you’re milling about enjoying your cocktail. They’re certainly here to stay.

1. Dartington Crystal Martini Glasses

You can never go wrong with Dartington. They are a premium brand with a sterling reputation and when it comes to making hand-crafted crystal products, you won’t find any better. These martini glasses are no exception. They are wonderfully made and serve their purpose fantastically well, serving as the vehicle of choice for many martini drinkers.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: Martini
  • Number of Glasses: 2
  • Price: £
  • Retailer: Amazon

2. Mila Cocktail Glass in Dark Emerald

These martini glasses are really special because of their warm tones that makes the glass feel like it’s come from another world. The elegance just radiates from the glass and makes any drink inside look like a million bucks. This is also an eco-friendly choice because they use recycled glass that is washed to remove impurities and then melted down to be hand blown again. It also comes in a wonderful burnt amber colour which is just as magnificent.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: Martini
  • Number of Glasses: 4
  • Price: £££
  • Retailer: Nkuku

Best Copper Mugs for Moscow Mules

These ones certainly have the most colourful name and it’s not just an old tradition to drink Moscow mules out of copper mugs. The real reason it works is because the cold metal mug keeps the ginger beer chilled by insulating it from the outside world – so your cocktail is always cool and refreshing as it passes your lips. Taking things even further, it also purports to enhance the flavours of things like ginger beer, vodka, and lime because the copper begins to oxidise – adding its own unique touch to your cocktail of choice.

1. Widousy Moscow Mule Copper Mug

These mugs are spacious and ready to party. The copper is sturdy and robust so it can handle anything you throw at it, while its design remains whimsical and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s the perfect mix of fun and function – keeping your drinks cold and keeping you honest.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: Moscow Mule Copper Mug
  • Number of Glasses: 4
  • Price: ££
  • Retailer: Amazon

2. Riches & Lee Rooseveldt Style Moscow Mule Copper Mugs

These hand-crafted copper mugs are beautifully made and represent the purest way to enjoy a Moscow mule. They are made from very high-quality material and are designed to outlast your cocktail drinking days if at all possible. This set also comes with copper straws, coasters, and a shot glass so you’ll be prepared for absolutely everything.

  • Cocktail Glass Type: Moscow Mule Copper Mug
  • Number of Glasses: 2
  • Price: ££
  • Retailer: Amazon

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Buying Guide

What Cocktails You Drink

Of course, the most important consideration when looking for cocktail glasses is to reflect on what types of cocktails you drink most often. Every type of glass is designed for a different purpose and so you want to go with glasses that suit your own drinking habits.

The world really has moved on since cocktails were only available at that hidden, fancy cocktail bar that was reserved for a special occasion. Not only are cocktails widely accessible out of the home, but you can even get them delivered straight to your door too! When you come to decision what drinks to go in your new glasses take a look at our article on the best ready made cocktail delivery services, with everything from Espresso Martinis, Mai Thai, your regular Collins varieties and so much more.

When and Where You Drink Cocktails

The different glasses also tend to suit different occasions. You’re going to want something very different for the afternoon sundowners than you are for the late-night dinner parties. Also, do you host people often? Or is it more common to enjoy a cocktail yourself or with a partner? Think about when and where are the majority of your cocktail experiences occurring and look to buy according to those patterns.

Where You Will Put Them

As mentioned, cocktail glasses are art pieces in themselves, so it’s worth thinking about where you’re going to house them when you’re not using them. You’ll want to keep them far away from children or dogs, and so thinking about their home base will also influence how fancy you want to go with them.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. The world of cocktail glasses is vast and varied, so its most important to identify how you’re going to use them and then buy according to your needs. What suits you best might not be a great option for someone else, and vice versa.

If you had to force us to jump off the fence, and pick favourites of our own, then we’d go with these two:

Best Vintage Cocktail Glass: Dartington Crystal Limelight Cut Glass Champagne Saucers.

Best All Rounder Cocktail Glass: Riedel Highball Cocktail Glasses.

But honestly, any of the options listed in the article above would be a great choice. We’ve done a lot of research, combing through the reviews, the brand reliability, and the quality of the products and we stand behind these recommendations.

All that remains for you is to pick your favourite, fill it with your cocktail of choice, and toast to the beauty, elegance, and sophistication that you now possess. Just save one for us, ok?

Affiliate disclaimer: on some or all of the products above, we receive a small commission if you make a purchase via our site. This does not impact the price you pay, but it allows us to keep helping people by writing these reviews, so thank you!


Tom
Co-founder at Mancaves HQ

A true man cave enthusiast. When he isn't trawling through Instagram looking for new ideas, you can find him navigating through the streets of London.