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From the everyday to the party-ready, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to stylish drinkware. You may prefer design-led drinking glasses that are clean-cut with sharp silhouettes, or perhaps something a little more artisanal and rough around the edges. Either way, you’ll need a decent selection to accommodate every occasion, and there’s a wealth of designs to choose from, as diverse as their price tags.
And just like our dinnerware, our glassware collection can say a lot about us, whether it’s a chaotic mismatch of glasses procured over the years or a smart matching set taking pride of place in a display cabinet. If your cupboards are already full to bursting, consider smart multifunctional glasses, such as elegant tumblers that double as stemless wine glasses, or simple but stylish highballs that work just as well on the breakfast table as they do stacked with ice and a slice.
In terms of the latest drinkware trends, designers are going big on texture with tactile surfaces and layers of interest. Recycled glass is currently enjoying a moment, too. With its homely, artisanal aesthetic, it’s very much in keeping with our love of craft-driven homeware, not to mention sustainable design. And coloured glass is getting a fresh look-in, as we’re seeing rich nature-inspired hues across tumblers, highballs and even wine glasses, especially throughout the summer months ahead of us (talk about a garden party essential).
What are the best glasses to drink from?
For the best quality, look for drinking glasses that are made from either 100 per cent glass or from crystal, whether leaded or unleaded. Leaded crystal glasses achieve that wonderful high-quality weightiness, and are synonymous with whiskey drinkers. If you want a dazzling crystal glass but one that doesn’t trouble your biceps, though, plump for unleaded.
How do we choose glasses?
All of GQ’s interiors guides are written by our in-house team of contributing testers and experts, and are edited by Daphne Bugler, British GQ’s Senior Commerce Writer, who has been working at GQ for the past four years, and has written extensively about interiors since 2020. The team regularly talks to experts in a variety of interiors categories to better understand the products we write about and what we should be looking for.
We try to cater for all price points and styles; while some statement drinking glasses are sold individually, others typically come in pairs, or four or six-piece sets to match up to dinnerware. We also think about practicalities: as beautiful as they are, many artisanal glasses aren’t dishwasher safe and require a hand wash, so might not be the best for everyday use, losing their sparkle after just one cycle. We favour brands whose design we admire and those which we trust.
What are the best drinking glasses?
From the amber colour to the sunset gradient, these drinking glasses from Our Place are an aesthetic wonder for anything from an outdoor garden party or BBQ to a more refined indoor dinner.
With wine glasses, simple and elegant is often the best approach, especially when you have a contemporary design like these from LSA. Whatever the occasion, they can work wonders.
Two glasses to take you back to the 1920s, this pair of Eliská crystalware is imbued with an Art Deco sensitivity that will have you reaching for your tipple of choice, be it absinthe, gin or some other old-world gutrot.
- The best tumblers, Our Place Essentials Sunset Tumblers, £50
- The best high ball glasses, Soho Home Pembroke High Ball Set, £70
- The best wine glasses, LSA Wine Culture Grand Glass, £110
- The best cocktail glass set, Eliská Crystal Martini glasses, £190
- The best stackable glasses, John Lewis fish stacking tumblers, £30
- The best champagne flutes, Waterford Elegance classic champagne flute, £95 for two
What are the best tumblers?
Flat-bottomed and often simple in design, the tumbler might be the most humble of glassware pieces but it is also the most versatile. Ideal for table water, breakfast juice, or even red wine if you’re going casual, this short and stubby number sees a lot of action.
From our favourite aesthetic kitchenware brand, this stackable set of four coloured tumblers makes the perfect addition to casual outdoor dinners. In ‘sunset’ the amber-toned glasses offer a laid-back ’70s vibe (we love the way the glasses catch the evening sunlight), while their curvy form is both pleasing to the eye and the hand. The tumblers are handmade from recycled glass and sand and are coloured using only natural minerals. But unlike some artisanal glassware, these are dishwasher friendly. They also prove practical space-savers when it comes to cupboard storage. £50 £40. fromourplace.co.uk
Taking the sunset style and colour tone even further than Our Place is Soho Home and its set of Collier Ribbed Tumblers. The two-toned design here offsets the burnt orange/amber glass with clear glass for a warm-toned yet still contemporary feel and taking inspiration from the Soho House outpost in Barcelona, the glasses are best used for outdoor entertaining of any kind and really capture that Spanish, summer evening vibe. £63 £25. At sohohome.com
We’re really leaning into coloured glassware this winter to give us a taste of what’s to come when the weather is a bit warmer, so why not get involved and enjoy your water with a fresh dose of summery brightness. Sold in blue or green, the Lorenzo tumblers are an affordable, durable option that tap into a retro feel, suitable for the dishwasher to make matters even better. Pair them with the matching wine glasses (in the same colour, or a different one), and you’ve got a nice new coloured collection on your hands. £30 £19. At procook.co.uk
We love a very slightly gimmicky talking point on a table (cf: the gluggle jug), and John Lewis – usually a sensible, safe pair of hands – has obliged with these glasses, which stack in order to resemble a… what? A carp, probably? We’re not ichthyologists, but we can say with certainty that whatever species this is, the glassware that comprises it is a joyfully winking choice to drink from. £30. At johnlewis.com
If you're after drinking glasses or dinnerware that's actually unique and supports small businesses, Etsy is the place to find sellers that create really special pieces that you won't find in every house across the country. For us, that means a great opportunity to find some more colourful designs, such as this set of glass tumblers from Providence Art Glass, each of which is hand blown with a band of colour stretched around the glass while everything is still hot. Each piece is made freehand, so it also means that every glass, having slight differences between each, is essentially unique. £150.15. At etsy.com
We're particularly partial to a strong blue glass here at GQ, especially for summertime entertaining when you want to channel those sunny, Mediterranean vibes. Ichendorf's blue glass tumbler gives us that holiday feel instantly in an elegant indigo shade which stands out instantly, adding a pop of colour to your dinner table. We'd recommend adding at least four to your basket so you've got them primed and ready for your next dinner party. £26 £18.20. At scp.co.uk
Oliver Bonas says that this set of four glasses are intended for gin, and we’re not ones to impugn on a recommendation. For less boozy occasions, they work for everything else just as well, with ribbed spiral surfaces and gold trim around the rim. Stemless, in subtle purple with a bell-shaped silhouette, the glasses resemble nothing more than roses unfurling and waiting for a G&T to be mixed in them. £29.50. At oliverbonas.com
In deliciously tonal shades from aubergine to olive, this set of six tumblers is a guaranteed conversation starter, demanding centre stage at any dinner table. Recalling the kind of mid-century glassware your granny would keep for best, the multicoloured tumblers are delicately frosted with a zig-zag patterning that creates an eye-popping optical illusion. Where soft hues are met with sharp geometrics, the glasses are retro but at the same time, offer a smart, contemporary twist. £113. At frankbros.com
What are the best cocktail glasses?
Whether your favourite tipple’s a margarita, a mojito or a dirty martini, there’s a drinking glass to suit your style. Just like the creative beverages themselves, cocktail glasses can come in all shapes and sizes.
ProCook’s collections always tend to be super versatile, and this set of Highball glasses is exactly that. Designed to be simple and elegant, the set of six glasses has a subtle contemporary feel to it, with each being a good choice for anything from a highball cocktail to juices or even just for feeling a bit more fun when drinking a glass of water. Made from lead-free crystal glass, they have a great feel to them too, while also being decently durable. £42 £29. At procook.co.uk
Sold in a pair, these art deco inspired martini glasses are the height of chic. Crafted from crystal, the glasses are wonderfully weighty, while their long elegant stems ensure drinks are kept nice and chilled and away from sweaty palms. What we loved most about this set from designer Eliská Sapera is the vertical cut lines, which accentuate the sharp conical shaping of the glasses themselves, whilst catching the light beautifully. A simple but oh so effective design detail. £190. At wolfandbadger.com
Originally used as a Champagne glass, the coupe, with its broad, shallow saucer and elegant stem, is often teamed with a zesty cocktail. These heavy crystal glasses are sold in a pair and boast an arresting linear design inspired by the concentric bands on rum barrels. While purists will have you holding your coupe only by the stem, this tactile design positively encourages us to cradle it as we sip our gimlet, daiquiri or sidecar. £165. At selfridges.com
What are the best highball glasses?
Like the modest tumbler, this is a versatile all-rounder of a glass that’s as much at home on the breakfast table as it is being served at cocktail parties. This lofty drinkware piece is made for piling up the ice cubes, and for those who like to go heavy on a mixer.
Inspired by the glassware which was used in Soho House's first location at 40 Greek Street in London, these highball glasses are as classic as the Soho House brand itself. The scalloped detailing of the glasses gives an optically pleasing effect, with each holding up to 600ml, a good option for anything from water to beers, cocktails or your morning glass of orange juice. Mouth-blown, they're also made with the utmost care and attention to detail. £70. At sohohome.com
These ribbed glasses from Amazon are very much giving off those retro milkshake and iced coffee vibes, making them a chic addition to your glassware collection. Whether you actually use them for iced coffee is up to you, but given that they come with a set of glass straws, they make for a fun way to drink water, juices or even a cocktail. And the best part? At only £16, they’re a bit of steal. £16. At amazon.co.uk
Fun designs shouldn't just be reserved for your cocktail glasses. In fact, we'd say highball and large tumblers are where you can really have a bit of fun with colours and patterns to give your table setting a bit of life. Made by Soho Home and inspired by White City House's use of similar pops of colour, the glass is mouth blown in Thailand. Pair it with low ball glasses, or other patterns of the same style for a more eclectic feel. £140 £70. At sohohome.com
What are the best wine glasses?
There’s nothing that shouts grown-up dinner party like a matching set of smart wine glasses. Whether you’re serving red, white, rosé or sparkling, be sure to complement your bottle with the perfect drinkware.
Boasting a truly elegant silhouette is this red wine glass from LSA. Sold in a set of two, the glasses feature a wide, flat-based bowl and an almost gravity-defying slender stem. This is a satisfyingly large glass to sip from and its quality, both in terms of materials and craftsmanship, is palpable: the handiwork of master glassblowers, the glass has been mouth-blown before the dainty stem is attached, while the rim is finely polished to perfection. We’ll drink to that. £110. At lsa-international.com
Available in either a blue or green glass, these wine glasses have summer written all over them. Whether you sip on your favourite glass of white in them or just spice up your water by drinking it out of a blue wine glass, they’re one of our favourite sets, and for only £14 too. £30 £14. At procook.co.uk
Shades of the 1970s linger around LSA’s set of four wine glasses in pink-purple and violet – in a very good way. The London-based brand, which was founded in the Swinging Sixties by Janusz and Ewa Lubkowski, is masterful at creating elegant, slightly louche tableware which could be deployed just as easily at a family Sunday lunch as at an all-night cocktail party. £50. At selfridges.com
These wine glasses from Rira Objects are nothing if not unconventional. In an irregular shape which manages to somehow feel both contemporary and almost medieval at the same time, the glasses are hand-blown and completely unique. You can rest assured no one you know will have anything similar, and we're very here for it. £145 £87. At matchesfashion.com
One of the more left-field options out there, but nonetheless one that will still fit in with the rest of a table setting, Belgian brand Serax’s Eternal Snow wine glass sits atop a fat blown-glass stem. A subtle bottle-green glass cup adds an element of muted colour, in a more regular shape that counterbalances the organic forms of the bubbles strapped in the blown glass. £22. At selfridges.com
These Soho Home wine glasses are exactly what we'd imagine drinking out of in the English countryside. Made from recycled glass, the subtle green colour is what gives us that farmhouse meets country estate feel, which blends easily with the rustic and natural shape of the glasses. And if they're good enough to be used in the restaurants of Soho Farmhouse, well, that's saying something. £70. At sohohome.com
Going stemless offers an informal, and increasingly popular, way to drink wine. It perfectly lends itself to casual get-togethers and laid-back outdoor dining. With its graphic, stepped shaping, Aaron Probyn’s stemless wine glass (sold in a pair) is a design-led beauty. But hand-crafted from robust borosilicate glass, it is also durable and functional – the tiered form allows you to stack the glasses up, which is handy if you are bringing the party outdoors. We love this one for its subtle smoky grey base. £36. At shop.aaronprobyn.com
What are the best champagne flutes?
Unless you’re Drake, champagne flutes are among the rarer items of glassware to bust out of your cupboards; as such, they can be one of the more fun classes of item in which to invest proper care and thought. After all: if you’re celebrating, celebrate in style.
The key to good hospitality is to do the simple things well, and Waterford’s classic champagne flutes are both simple and utterly elegant (hence the name, we suppose). In fact, they’re so close to the platonic ideal of a champagne flute – the sort of ur-glass – that there’s not really much more we can add. Simple and light, like the stuff you should be drinking out of it. £95 for two. At waterford.com
If there’s one thing that we know about champagne glasses, it’s that they break. Hand those dainty, thin-stemmed vessels out at a wedding or a hen party where people are heavily boozing, and you’ll know that there will be at least one accident that requires a bit of sweeping up. So – just grab Dartington’s glasses, and at £11 a pop, you can rest assured that even if your guests celebrate a little too much, you won’t be horribly out of pocket. £22 for two. At dartington.co.uk
Something about the smoky grey glass of M&S’s Celine flutes is very appealing to us. It might be the ribbing, or the squared-off top of the glasses, or just the colour itself, but either way, these are eye-catching in a subtle way; fun enough, but not gimmicky. They’re also £20 for four, so fill your boots (and then your flutes). £20 for four. At marksandspencer.com
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