The three Greatest Martini Glasses of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

There’s nothing like a just-poured martini in a frosty glass. “That snap of chilly in opposition to the sharpness of the spirit—it’s magic,” says Tiffanie Barriere, a cocktail educator and guide. “Once you pour that chilled martini right into a frosted glass, it’s the right connection of clear perfection.”

If the expertise of a martini comes right down to the wedding of the liquid and a pleasant, chilly glass, then the glass itself is as vital because the cocktail you pour into it. Usually, martini glasses are available three shapes: the basic V, the coupe, and the Nick and Nora. Since we’ve already reviewed the shallow, spherical coupes, we concentrated this testing on V-shaped glasses and Nick and Noras. To seek out one of the best ones, we examined 10 glasses by conducting 4 checks: mixing and serving each martinis and daiquiris, measuring chilly retention, and testing sturdiness. The perfect martini glasses mix class, robustness, and correct proportions.

The Winners, at a Look

“Nick and Nora glasses are just like the unsung heroes of cocktail glassware—they’re smaller, extra intimate, and have a nostalgic really feel,” Barriere says. At solely 4.75 ounces in capability, with excessive, curved partitions, this glass is ideal for conserving a martini icy chilly. It has a good bowl that’s well-balanced with its base and its stem is lengthy sufficient to grip comfortably, however brief and thick sufficient to not really feel flimsy. These glasses are each engaging and durable.

This basic glass performs higher than different V-shaped martini glasses. It’s made from thin-walled glass, which feels mild and comfy. Extra importantly, this building does precisely what a martini glass ought to do: The liquid flows easily with out the interference of a thick wall of glass. Its deep, comparatively slender bowl additionally helps maintain the drink chilly.

Brief and bottom-heavy, this little glass sits regular, lowering the potential for spills. And since its base is giant sufficient which you can grip it on the backside, you don’t threat warming the drink with the warmth of your hand across the bowl. At a rock-bottom value for a dozen nearly unbreakable glasses, it is an incredible selection for large events.

The Assessments

• Martini Take a look at: We stirred a martini over ice and strained it into the glass to look at its look. We tasted it to see if the glass enhanced or inhibited the drink’s aroma and taste.
• Temperature Take a look at: We took the martini’s temperature when poured and once more quarter-hour later to look at how effectively it retained its chill.
• Daiquiri Take a look at: We shook a daiquiri over ice and strained it into the glass to look at its look. We added a lime wheel to the rim of the glass to see if the garnish stayed put. We tasted it to see if the glass enhanced or inhibited the drink’s aroma and taste.
• Cleansing Take a look at: After every check, we hand-washed the glass to look at how simple it was to scrub. We additionally dropped glasses one inch above the sink floor to check their sturdiness.

What We Discovered

What Are the Completely different Types of Martini Glasses? 

There are a selection of martini glasses that every present a special expertise of the drink.

• V-Formed Glass: Popularized by the James Bond films within the Nineteen Sixties and ’70s—and originating even earlier, within the early 1900s— the funnel-shaped V-glass is probably the most recognizable martini vessel in the present day. Barriere likes it for daring flavors, the place the presentation issues simply as a lot because the style. 
• Nick and Nora Martini Glass: Named for Nick and Nora Charles, the martini-loving detectives within the The Skinny Man films, the Nick and Nora contains a tall, curved bowl, which is commonly smaller in dimension than most of the V’s. It offers a nostalgic, class-cocktail really feel, and it’s nice for shorter, icy pours that may be completed earlier than the drink has time to heat up. 
• Couple glasses: With their shallow, spherical bowl, coupe glasses are as elegant for martinis as they’re for champagne. We’ve reviewed them earlier than and didn’t embrace them on this check for that motive.

Nick and Nora Martini  Glasses Felt Higher to Drink From

The basic V-shaped glass, with its cone-shaped bowl, felt okay to drink out of, however the huge bowl and fluted partitions have been extra prone to end in spillage as we sipped. Conversely,  the Bormioli Rocco Nick and Nora Glasses’s curved partitions, which finish in a straight lip, felt extra gratifying to drink from. Every sip was concentrated and completely directed into our mouth. Plus, the standard four- or five-ounce dimension glass’s excessive partitions stored a martini completely chilly.  

How Tall Ought to a Martini Glass Be?

The taller the glass, the extra potential it has to interrupt on the stem and the tougher it’s to retailer. And a really tall glass often contains a bowl that’s so giant, that the martini will heat sooner than you would possibly want. Our favourite glass from Bormioli Rocco had a stem that wasn’t for much longer than the diameter of the stem and opening, and that felt good. Shoot for a few four-inch stem.

Stemless Martini Glasses Had been Sturdy 

Glasses with stems are elegant, however the stems might be fragile. After we washed the glasses, we took additional care as a result of we have been frightened that the stems would possibly snap. Stemless martini glasses, like our winner from Libby, is perhaps utilitarian, however boy, will they maintain up. It felt like we couldn’t break them even when we tried, making them nice for a giant social gathering. And as soon as the music is cranked up, and the social gathering is in full swing, who’s taking note of the class of the glass, anyway? Stemless glasses additionally match effectively in a freezer, so you’ll be able to serve martinis really ice chilly. 

The draw back to stemless choices is your hand will seemingly heat up your drink sooner than with a stemmed glass. “As soon as poured and served, a martini will solely get hotter, and there’s a level because the liquid opens that’s good, after which it will get too heat,” says Julia Momose, accomplice and inventive director at Chicago’s Kumiko.

Thinner, Lighter Glasses Felt Extra Nice

There have been fancy numbers amongst these we examined, just like the etched Crafthouse By Fortessa Professional Charles Joly glasses or the hand-cut Dorset Martini Glasses. However though they regarded good, they didn’t really feel nearly as good once we have been sipping from them as a result of the glass tended to be somewhat thick. As an alternative, the sip that felt one of the best was from the thinnest glass. That’s why we preferred the Williams Sonoma Reserve Martini Glasses—their low weight and skinny partitions made consuming from them easy and seamless.

The Base and Bowl Ought to Be Nicely-Balanced

Some glasses, just like the Zwiesel Glas Martini Cocktail Glass, have a bowl that’s far better in diameter than the bottom. We discovered that such glasses felt top-heavy and unstable. The glasses that felt probably the most safe have been extra balanced; the bowl and the bottom of those glasses have been comparatively equal in diameter. The bowl of the Bormioli Rocco Nick and Nora Glasses, for instance, was solely a quarter-inch bigger than the bottom, so the glass felt much less prone to tip over. 

The Standards: What to Search for in a Martini Glass 

Whereas we most well-liked the Nick and Nora glass form, which funneled the drink neatly into our mouths, we additionally included two good-quality V-shaped glasses for that basic martini look. Whichever type you select, a martini glass’ bowl shouldn’t be too large, or the drink will seem like it’s not a full pour—until you fill it with an even bigger drink, and you then threat it warming up an excessive amount of earlier than you end. The candy spot, we discovered, was round 5 ounces, which gave us sufficient room for a four-ounce martini. The partitions additionally shouldn’t be too thick, or will probably be too unwieldy and really feel clunky to sip from. Lastly, it shouldn’t be high or bottom-heavy; the bottom ought to be about the identical diameter because the bowl. 

Our Favourite Martini Glasses

What we preferred: What a chic glass! Its ribbed, small bowl was completely balanced with its base. The stem was nonetheless sturdy sufficient that we didn’t must concern breakage. Better of all, with its excessive partitions and tight bowl, it stored drinks completely chilly and made sipping them a pleasing, easy expertise.

What we didn’t like: A daiquiri stayed supremely chilled on this glass, however the lime wheel regarded ridiculous on its rim. It’s simply an excessive amount of of a basic martini glass for that wheel on the facet. So if you wish to make a daiquiri in it, float the wheel somewhat than propping it on the lip.

Key Specs

• Value per glass: $8.75
• Weight of every glass: 6.68 ounces
• Diameter of opening: 3 inches
• Diameter of base: 2.75 inches
• Size of stem: 3.5 inches
• Complete top: 6.25 inches
• Supplies: Glass 
• Quantity in set: 4 
• Capability: 4.75 fluid ounces
• Fashion: Nick and Nora
• Cleansing directions: Dishwasher-safe 

What we preferred: This isn’t probably the most highfalutin glass; it’s not etched or hand-cut. Nevertheless it’s elegantly balanced and light-weight. Better of all, the glass is skinny sufficient that it doesn’t get in the way in which of the expertise of the cocktail. It feels useful and timeless, with a large base that retains it firmly planted. And it’s sufficiently small that it really works for individuals with petite palms. We additionally like that its bowl is deep and comparatively slender, which helped maintain the drink chilly.

What we didn’t like: This glass is simple, so in the event you’re going for pizzazz, it may not be glitzy sufficient for you. 

Key Specs

• Value per glass: $25
• Weight of every glass: 4.5 ounces
• Diameter of opening: 4 inches 
• Diameter of base: 3.25 inches
• Size of stem: 3.5 inches
• Complete top: 6.75 inches
• Supplies: Glass
• Cleansing directions: Dishwasher-safe 
• Quantity in set: 4 
• Capability: 6 fluid ounces
• Fashion: V-Formed

What we preferred: Having a bunch of individuals over? Frightened about elbows crowded round your desk, and plenty of frivolity that may result in gleeful chaos (learn: damaged glasses)? Then you’ll be able to’t beat this squat glass for sturdiness. And with its deep, V-shaped bowl and hefty base, you don’t have to fret an excessive amount of about your hand warming up the glass since you’ll be able to grasp it low sufficient. Plus, for daiquiris, it simply seems to be proper. 

What we didn’t like: Certain, it’s nice for a giant social gathering, however in the event you’re serving martinis and going for class, it’s far too utilitarian for a glamorous sip. 

Key Specs

• Value per glass: $2.10
• Weight of every glass: 8.25 ounces
• Diameter of opening: 4 inches 
• Diameter of base: 2.25 inches
• Complete top: 3.86 inches
• Supplies: Glass
• Cleansing directions: Dishwasher-safe 
• Quantity in set: 12 
• Capability: 8.25 fluid ounces
• Fashion: Stemless

The Competitors

• Riedel Drink Specific Glassware Nick & Nora Cocktail Glass: This tall-stemmed glass with its shallow bowl was good-looking to have a look at, and its upright partitions felt good to sip from. However the bowl was so large and huge that the daiquiri began to separate in it. We feared breakage if it slipped from our palms within the sink.
• Zwiesel Glas Pure German Crystal Glassware Collection, Martini Cocktail Glass: This Nick and Nora glass is even greater than the Riedel, and that’s not a superb factor. Martini pours both regarded small or if we crammed the glass, they warmed up too shortly. And the daiquiri separated quick. They’re additionally fairly costly. 
• Dorset Martini Glasses: Though this glass felt sturdy sufficient for laundry, it was very top-heavy and we feared it will tip over. It’s cumbersome and over-designed for our tastes, with a thick lip. The worth is kind of excessive, too. 
• Luigi Bormioli Crescendo 10 Ounce Martini Glasses: Ten ounces is simply too large for a martini glass. Our pours regarded Lilliputian and consuming from it didn’t really feel elegant.
• Schott Zwiesel Universal Classico Martini Glasses: The huge bowl regarded like it will chip and it’s far too large for a drink. The daiquiri began to separate shortly. Plus, we might really feel the seam on the stem, which wasn’t nice. 
• Crafthouse By Fortessa Professional Charles Joly: This one had the identical drawback because the Dorset: It was far too heavy and unwieldy.
• Fortessa Jupiter Beaded Hobnail Glass: This thick, bumpy, squat glass didn’t look or really feel like a martini glass. It was extra like a margarita glass, so the lime wheel for daiquiri regarded proper at dwelling. However a martini regarded and felt incorrect.

FAQs

What dimension martini glasses ought to I purchase? 

You need a glass that’s not too large, so drinks keep chilly. The best glass has a five-ounce capability, which holds a drink of round three to 4 ounces. 

What can you employ a martini glass for apart from martinis? 

Martini glasses ought to be crystal clear as a result of a part of the pleasure of consuming from one is viewing the libation inside. Mainly, any cocktail you’ll be able to serve straight up is an efficient selection for a martini glass. These embrace martini variations that we regularly don’t consider martinis, such because the Negroni. With its bitter Campari and candy vermouth lending it a brilliant, pink hue, it’s a conventional favourite for a martini glass. So, too, are drinks just like the Manhattan. Different, much less typical selections additionally look elegant in a martini glass, amongst them a basic daiquiri. With its few, selection components, the drink is beloved for its purity. A martini glass helps it shine. 

What’s the greatest temperature for serving martinis?

A martini is greatest served fairly chilly, round  35 to 40°F—it is because the chilly temperature dulls the ethanol taste, permitting different extra nuanced expressions to shine by. 

Must you retailer your martini glasses within the freezer?

The specialists we interviewed have been unanimous on this level. As Fords Gin founder Simon Ford says, “One of many keys to a superb martini is ensuring all the pieces you do results in probably the most chilled drink you can also make, and that features the vessel you serve it in. The extra chilled the vessel, the longer it’s going to maintain your martini chilly, since martinis are hardly ever served on the rocks. Ideally they’re stored within the freezer earlier than use.” If you happen to don’t have room within the freezer? “On the very least you need to place ice into your cocktail glass to relax it down when you combine your martini,” he says. 

Are you able to clear a martini glass within the dishwasher?

Many producers will say that their martini glasses are dishwasher protected. However handwashing—in heat water with a gentle cleaning soap— decreases the potential for breakage.

Why We’re the Specialists

• Betsy Andrews is a James Beard and IACP award-winning author who has coated drinks for 1 / 4 century. She has written about martinis for a lot of publications. 
• Her favourite pour is a barely moist, barely soiled Gibson.
• For this assessment, she examined 10 martini glasses by utilizing them to serve martinis and daiquiris. She additionally examined their sturdiness. 
• She interviewed Tiffanie Barriere, the cocktail educator and guide behind The Drinking Coach; Simon Ford of Fords Gin; and Julia Momose, accomplice and inventive director at Chicago’s Kumiko Bar.