RCR Caffè

For espresso, 8 centilitres is the standard: a double shot of around six centilitres fills the cup to just below the rim, so the crema stays intact instead of spreading out. The 35 centilitre cup is a generous size, meant for coffee with plenty of milk. If cappuccino is your main drink, that cup is on the large side and you are better off looking at the cappuccino glasses. The saucers can be ordered separately and fit under both sizes, so you do not have to choose one per cup. More models can be found among the coffee glasses.

Rinse the cup with hot water first. Glass draws heat out of the coffee for as long as it is cold itself, and with a six-centilitre espresso you notice that in the temperature straight away. For coffee with alcohol the large cup works better than a plain glass, because the handle keeps the heat away from your hand: think of an Irish Coffee with a layer of cream that keeps floating, or a Carajillo in which the espresso and the liqueur stay visibly layered.

Luxion handles the jump from cold to hot better than ordinary glass, but never pour boiling water into a cup that has just come off a cold windowsill. Coffee oil clings to glass and eventually forms a brown film. A dishwasher cycle usually takes care of it; if not, a soak in warm water with soda will. Only stack the cups once they are completely dry.

For tea and herbal infusions the tea glasses are a better fit, because they are taller and give loose leaves more room to open up. If your main concern is cupboard space and coffee matters less, all the stackable models are gathered under stackable glasses. The brand's full range, from wine goblets to cut decanters, is listed under RCR.