Unbreakable glasses

The shape determines how you'll use the glass, so start there. Water glasses range from 25 to 47.3 cl, highball glasses come in 25 and 40 cl, and wine glasses range from 31 to 46.3 cl. There's also a 68 cl cocktail glass and a small 16 cl glass for shots and appetizers. The 31 cl wine glasses are handy for a buffet or reception. With a standard pour, they don't look half empty.

Then consider color and clarity. The transparent glasses from J-Line and Koziol look the most like real glass. At a large party, the colored versions in red, yellow, blue, green, and orange are especially practical. Guests can find their own glass, and at the end of the evening, you'll pour out fewer half-full glasses. Bar Professional also has black and white models that work well with a sleek bar. Also check how many pieces come in a set; that varies from two to eight. If you're using crates, see whether they're stackable.

Plastic conducts heat differently from glass. As a result, an unbreakable glass feels less cold and doesn’t fog up. So make sure the drink is cold, not the glass. Use plenty of ice and pour from a chilled bottle or pitcher. With a mojito , that works well because you make it with crushed ice anyway. You can muddle the mint in plastic without worry. An Aperol Spritz is made by filling the glass all the way with ice first, then pouring. Otherwise, it gets watered down too quickly.

It’s best to avoid hot drinks in acrylic. Polycarbonate and Tritan handle heat better, but for coffee and tea, real glass is still preferable.

Beer holds less foam in plastic than in tempered glass because the sides are smoother. So hold the glass at a slight angle and bring it upright later than you’re used to. Pour wine a little less full. That way, you can still swirl it, and nothing will spill over the rim if someone walks past you.

Almost everything on this page is dishwasher-safe. Plastic does scratch more easily than glass, though. So don't use a scouring pad, and place the glasses in the rack so they don't rub against cutlery. Wash at a lower temperature than you would for crystal. Water that's too hot will make thin acrylic cloudy over time.

If you notice a gray film after a few seasons, it's usually limescale, not wear. A splash of vinegar in the rinse water will remove it. For the narrow models, grab a brush from the glass brushes. Store the glasses dry when stacking them. Moisture between two glasses will leave a ring over time that you can't remove.

If you want the same thing in real glass, you can find the tempered versions under longdrink glasses and wine glasses. For cocktails, see the overview under cocktail glasses. There you can read which shape goes with each recipe, and there are plastic models there too. If you're serving outside, far from the bar, trays come in handy. Especially if you're carrying a lot of glasses across grass or gravel at once. Still unsure about the material or size? Check the questions below.