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. “Whenever you pour that chilled martini right into a frosted glass, it’s the proper 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 essential because the cocktail you pour into it. Usually, martini glasses are available in 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 search out one of the best ones, we examined 10 glasses by conducting 4 exams: mixing and serving each martinis and daiquiris, measuring chilly retention, and testing sturdiness. The very best martini glasses mix magnificence, 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 protecting 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 quick 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 product of thin-walled glass, which feels mild and cozy. 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 slim bowl additionally helps maintain the drink chilly.

Quick and bottom-heavy, this little glass sits regular, reducing the potential for spills. And since its base is giant sufficient 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 worth for a dozen nearly unbreakable glasses, it is an important alternative for giant events.

The Assessments

• Martini Take a look at: We stirred a martini over ice and strained it into the glass to watch 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 watch how effectively it retained its chill.
• Daiquiri Take a look at: We shook a daiquiri over ice and strained it into the glass to watch 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 take a look at, we hand-washed the glass to watch how straightforward it was to wash. We additionally dropped glasses one inch above the sink floor to check their sturdiness.

What We Discovered

What Are the Totally different Kinds of Martini Glasses? 

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

• V-Formed Glass: Popularized by the James Bond films within the Sixties and ’70s—and originating even earlier, within the early 1900s— the funnel-shaped V-glass is probably the most recognizable martini vessel as we speak. 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 encompasses a tall, curved bowl, which is usually smaller in dimension than lots of the V’s. It gives 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 embody them on this take a look at for that cause.

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 broad bowl and fluted partitions have been extra more likely to lead to 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 normal 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 normally encompasses a bowl that’s so giant, that the martini will heat sooner than you may favor. 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 couple of four-inch stem.

Stemless Martini Glasses Have been Sturdy 

Glasses with stems are elegant, however the stems will be fragile. Once we washed the glasses, we took further care as a result of we have been nervous that the stems may snap. Stemless martini glasses, like our winner from Libby, is likely to be 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 get together. And as soon as the music is cranked up, and the get together is in full swing, who’s being attentive to the magnificence of the glass, anyway? Stemless glasses additionally match effectively in a freezer, so you possibly can serve martinis actually ice chilly. 

The draw back to stemless choices is your hand will doubtless 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 excellent, after which it will get too heat,” says Julia Momose, associate and artistic 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 regardless that they seemed good, they didn’t really feel nearly as good after we have been sipping from them as a result of the glass tended to be moderately thick. As an alternative, the sip that felt one of the best was from the thinnest glass. That’s why we favored the Williams Sonoma Reserve Martini Glasses—their low weight and skinny partitions made ingesting from them clean 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 more likely 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 fashion you select, a martini glass’ bowl shouldn’t be too huge, or the drink will seem like it’s not a full pour—except 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 favored: 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 worry breakage. Better of all, with its excessive partitions and tight bowl, it stored drinks completely chilly and made sipping them a pleasing, clean expertise.

What we didn’t like: A daiquiri stayed supremely chilled on this glass, however the lime wheel seemed 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 moderately 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
• Type: Nick and Nora
• Cleansing directions: Dishwasher-safe 

What we favored: This isn’t probably the most highfalutin glass; it’s not etched or hand-cut. But it surely’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 fingers. We additionally like that its bowl is deep and comparatively slim, which helped maintain the drink chilly.

What we didn’t like: This glass is simple, so in case 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
• Type: V-Formed

What we favored: Having a bunch of individuals over? Anxious about elbows crowded round your desk, and plenty of frivolity that may result in gleeful chaos (learn: damaged glasses)? Then you possibly can’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 possibly can grasp it low sufficient. Plus, for daiquiris, it simply appears to be like proper. 

What we didn’t like: Positive, it’s nice for a giant get together, however in case you’re serving martinis and going for magnificence, 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
• Type: 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 huge and broad that the daiquiri began to separate in it. We feared breakage if it slipped from our fingers 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 great factor. Martini pours both seemed small or if we crammed the glass, they warmed up too rapidly. 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 could tip over. It’s cumbersome and over-designed for our tastes, with a thick lip. The value is sort of excessive, too. 
• Luigi Bormioli Crescendo 10 Ounce Martini Glasses: Ten ounces is simply too huge for a martini glass. Our pours seemed Lilliputian and ingesting from it didn’t really feel elegant.
• Schott Zwiesel Universal Classico Martini Glasses: The broad bowl seemed like it could chip and it’s far too huge for a drink. The daiquiri began to separate rapidly. Plus, we may 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 seemed proper at house. However a martini seemed and felt flawed.

FAQs

What dimension martini glasses ought to I purchase? 

You desire a glass that’s not too huge, 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 utilize a martini glass for in addition to martinis? 

Martini glasses ought to be crystal clear as a result of a part of the pleasure of ingesting from one is viewing the libation inside. Principally, any cocktail you possibly can serve straight up is an effective alternative for a martini glass. These embody martini variations that we regularly don’t consider martinis, such because the Negroni. With its bitter Campari and candy vermouth lending it a brilliant, purple 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, alternative substances, 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’s because the chilly temperature dulls the ethanol taste, permitting different extra nuanced expressions to shine by way of. 

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 great martini is ensuring the whole lot you do results in probably the most chilled drink you may make, and that features the vessel you serve it in. The extra chilled the vessel, the longer it would maintain your martini chilly, since martinis are hardly ever served on the rocks. Ideally they’re stored within the freezer earlier than use.” When you don’t have room within the freezer? “On the very least it’s best to place ice into your cocktail glass to sit back 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 secure. 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 lined 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 evaluate, 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, associate and artistic director at Chicago’s Kumiko Bar.