We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. What to Buy Bar & Drinks The 6 Best Martini Glasses, According to Our Tests We tested 11 popular options from Riedel, Schott Zwiesel, and Sophie Lou Jacobsen. By Dylan Ettinger Dylan Ettinger Dylan Ettinger is a Los Angeles-based writer specializing in spirits, cocktails, and coffee with hands-on experience visiting distilleries and bars across the US, Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 1, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Our Favorite Martini Glasses How We Tested Martini Glasses Factors to Consider FAQ Other Martini Glasses We Tested Our Expertise Photo: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger There is no glass more recognizable than the martini glass. This v-shaped, stemmed piece of glassware evokes the timeless sophistication of private cocktail clubs and old-school steakhouses. The martini glass is so iconic that drinks that share no ingredients with the classic drink, like the espresso martini, take on the martini name when served in this glass. While a certified classic, the martini is a personal and variable cocktail. Vodka or gin, how much vermouth, olive, or a twist — everyone who enjoys a martini has a specific way they prefer theirs to be made. That degree of specificity also extends to the glass the martini is served in. Although the traditional martini glass is as iconic as any, it’s controversial among serious bartenders. The wide, cone-like shape of the glass makes drinks served in the glass prone to spilling. Some martini glasses also hold much more liquid than the standard four ounces that a stirred classic cocktail, which means they’re not the ideal glass for serving the namesake cocktail. Based on my experience with martinis, I agree with the experts. That said, the vintage martini glass will forever be a part of the cocktail canon. To help you decide which martini glasses are actually worth your money and which to skip, I tested 11 of the best martini glasses. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Riedel Vinum Martini Glasses at Amazon Jump to Review Best Value: Schott Zwiesel Martini Glass at Amazon $108 Jump to Review Best Splurge: Richard Brendon Martini Glass at Food52 $90 Jump to Review Best Non-Traditional: SALE Riedel Nick and Nora Cocktail Glasses at Amazon $45 $35 Jump to Review Best Stemless: After Hours Martini Glasses, Set of 6 at Target $60 Jump to Review Best Design: Sophie Lou Jacobsen x Ghia Totem Glasses at Drinkghia.com Jump to Review Best Overall Riedel Vinum Martini Glasses PHOTO: Amazon View on Amazon $79 at Wayfair $55 at Walmart Pros The Riedel Vinium provides the classic martini glass with a capacity that works for martinis. Cons This set of glasses is pricier than many other options on the market. If you want to serve a classic martini in a traditional glass, look no further than this set from Riedel. This set delivers the super traditional martini glass style with a build quality that perfectly balances elegant crystal with some durability and a balanced weight distribution. The best thing about this glass is its size and capacity. Many martini glasses on the market are made for oversized cocktails, with a capacity pushing 10 or more ounces. The Riedel Vinium glasses clock in with a lean 5.7-ounce capacity — perfectly suited for the ideal old-school martini. Even the most discerning bartenders will find these glasses to their liking. Capacity: 5.7 ounces | Dimensions: 5.79 x 3.94 inches | Material: Crystal | Cleanup: Hand wash only | Price per glass: $40 PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger Best Value Schott Zwiesel Martini Glass PHOTO: Pottery Barn $108 $100 at Amazon $78 at Sur La Table $13 at Pottery Barn Pros Aside from being one of the most affordable options, this set of martini glasses has a solid build quality and good capacity. Cons It’s slightly top-heavy and the base could be wider. For an affordable, but quality set of classic martini glasses, the Schott Zwiesel Tritan glasses deliver. At $13 per glass, they were one of the cheaper options I tested, but held up very well in tests. They’re well-built, and at 8.9 ounces, I found their capacity far from oversized. The only major downside is you do sacrifice some of the elegance seen in more expensive glasses. The glasses feel solidly built but lack that delicate touch that takes a martini to the next level. I recommend this set for anyone planning to host cocktail parties at home. Capacity: 8.9 ounces | Dimensions: 7 x 4.75 inches | Material: Crystal | Cleanup: Dishwasher safe | Price per glass: $13 PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger Best Splurge Richard Brendon Martini Glass PHOTO: Saks Fifth Avenue $90 at Food52 $113 at Saks Fifth Avenue $45 at Bloomingdales Pros This is an all-around great set of glasses with a reasonable capacity and elegant, classic design. Cons The price — this set is pretty expensive, and the glass feels a bit brittle. If you’re looking to make a statement with your choice in cocktail glassware, you might consider splurging on these glasses from Richard Brendon. They have a delicate and refined build quality that matches the timeless design. Best of all, they hold a reasonable capacity so your cocktails aren’t dwarfed by the glass. I found these glasses to be great for classic martinis. Other than the high price, my biggest concern is durability — the glass feels a bit brittle. They look fantastic on a bar cart and feel amazing in the hand, but they’re clearly designed to be statement pieces that don’t get heavy use. Capacity: 6.7 ounces | Dimensions: 7.1 x 3.8 inches | Material: Crystal | Cleanup: Dishwasher safe | Price per glass: $57 PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger Best Non-Traditional Riedel Nick and Nora Cocktail Glasses PHOTO: Amazon $45 $35 at Amazon $45 at Wayfair $33 at Walmart Pros They’re the perfect size, versatile, and minimize spill risk. Cons Technically, they aren’t martini glasses. Full disclosure: I’ve never liked the traditional martini glass. I find that they’re awkward to sip from and spill too easily. When I make a martini at home, I reach for a Nick and Nora glass. They have a deeper, rounded shape that cuts down on spill risk. They also still present a timeless style. This set of Nick and Nora glasses from Riedel has been my go-to for years now. The build quality is great — over years of regular use I haven’t had any cracks or chips, but they still feel nice in the hand. Best of all, they’re extremely versatile and can be used to serve a Hemingway Daiquiri, Last Word, or any cocktail. Capacity: 4 ounces | Dimensions: 6.75 x 4 inches | Material: Crystal | Cleanup: Dishwasher safe | Price per glass: $15 PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger Best Stemless After Hours Martini Glasses, Set of 6 PHOTO: West Elm $60 at Target $54 at Zola Pros This set has a simple classy design that offers a different look for your martinis. Cons They’re a bit clunky and easily tipped over. Stemless martini glasses are a great way to present a new twist on one of the most old-school drinks in the cocktail pantheon. This set from After Hours still has the instantly recognizable v-shape, but instead of the long, thin stem, they have a sleek cone-shaped base. Out of the handful of stemless glasses I tested, these felt the most versatile. The design, though not traditional, is still simple and classy — perfect for a martini. They’re a bit wobbly and the capacity is larger than I usually prefer, but those were issues with all of the stemless glasses I tested. At about $9 per glass, these are some of the most affordable glasses I tested. Capacity: 10 ounces | Dimensions: 5.1 x 5.3 inches | Material: Glass | Cleanup: Dishwasher safe | Price per glass: $9 PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger Best Design Sophie Lou Jacobsen x Ghia Totem Glasses PHOTO: Ghia View on Drinkghia.com Pros These stemless glasses have a unique design with a pop of color. Cons They’re very expensive and the color and design limit the range of applications for these glasses. For a stylish and trendy martini, these colorful stemless glasses are the way to go. Conceived in a collaboration between non-alcoholic aperitivo brand Ghia and designer Sophie Lou Jacobsen, these glasses add a pop of color to your drink that evokes the vibrant hues of the Ligurian coast. Aside from being an attractive statement piece, these glasses are well-built and have a good capacity perfectly suited for a standard martini. They are available in different colorways, but most of the choices of colors limit the kind of drinks you can serve in these glasses. For example, a dark cocktail like a Manhattan would look awkward in these glasses. A crystal clear martini with a single olive, though? Perfect. Capacity: 6 ounces | Dimensions: 5 x 4 inches | Material: Glass | Cleanup: Dishwasher safe | Price per glass: $55 PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger PHOTO: Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger Our Favorite Martini Glasses Our favorite traditional martini glass was the Riedel Vinum Martini Glass. It hit the perfect medium of classic style, build quality, and ideal capacity that made it the perfect for martinis, Manhattans, or any other classic cocktail. For those of you ready to leave the classic v-shaped glass behind, we recommend the Riedel Drink Specific Glassware Nick & Nora Glass. Not only is it perfectly suited for a 4-ounce martini, but its shape makes it perfect for any cocktail served up, shaken, or stirred. How We Tested Martini Glasses Food & Wine/Dylan Ettinger To find the best martini glasses, we selected 11 top-rated models to test. I made and served a traditional martini in each one and used the below criteria in my tests: Classic Martini Test: I used my personal favorite classic martini recipe; two ounces of dry gin, one ounce of dry vermouth, and two dashes of orange bitters, stirred with ice, strained, and served up in a chilled glass. I alternated between garnishes, seeing how each glass worked with a lemon twist and a single olive.Weight and Quality: While making and serving the drinks, I took note of the build quality and weight distribution of each glass. I noted if any glasses felt wobbly, top-heavy, brittle, or clunky.Cleaning: I hand-washed and dried each glass after use to determine how easy each was to clean and to check durability more closely. Food & Wine/Dylan Ettinger Factors to Consider Capacity The biggest issue with martini glasses is their capacity. When properly stirred and diluted, a classic martini should be around four ounces of liquid. Most of the martini glasses tested for this roundup were between 9 and 12 ounces. In these glasses, the wash line for a martini would be well below where it should traditionally be (around a quarter inch below the rim of the glass) which makes the martini look too small and unimpressive. Certain cocktails served in a martini glass, like the Porn Star Martini, have a much higher volume and can fit perfectly into a larger glass. If you’re looking to make simple classic cocktails like martinis or manhattans, opt for a glass with a smaller capacity. Food & Wine/Dylan Ettinger Durability The perfect martini glass should balance elegance and durability. While thick-walled glasses with chunky stems feel cheap and plastic-like. Those with thinner walls are often too fragile and susceptible to cracking or chipping. A good glass should still feel delicate in the hand without feeling like the stem is going to snap. Design Design elements can affect a glass's functionality and a drink’s aesthetics. In the case of the martini glass, the classic v-shaped design is usually what bartenders and guests are looking for. Variations like the length of the stem and the width of the glass and the base can affect functionality. Weight Distribution With stemmed glassware, weight distribution is very important. Tall glasses that are top-heavy are more easily tipped over, leading to spills and broken glass. Glasses either top-heavy or bottom-heavy can also feel clumsy in the hand. For these reasons, I prioritized glasses with a balanced weight distribution but allowed for a heavier base that might help prevent the glass from tipping over. Cleanup and Care As with all categories of glassware, some sets are dishwasher-safe and some are not. For these tests, I hand-washed each glass after use. I carefully noted the ease of cleanup, how durable each glass was, and if any design nuances affected cleanup. Frequently Asked Questions What other types of glasses can I use for a martini? Many serious bartenders choose to serve martinis in other stemmed glassware like a Nick and Nora or coupe glass. Most bartenders tend to dislike serving drinks in a traditional martini glass because they’re often too big, and the wide rim allows drinks to spill easily. Nick and Nora glasses tend to be closer to the ideal capacity for serving a martini. Their deeper bowl shape makes the drink easier to sip without spilling. What is the most popular martini glass size? The size of a martini glass depends on the drink that’s intended to be served in it. For example, a properly stirred and diluted martini should be about 4 ounces. Serving that drink in a glass with a 10-ounce capacity leaves the wash line lower than the recommended quarter inch below the rim. This gives the appearance of being underserved. For higher volume cocktails often served in a martini glass like the Cosmopolitan, higher capacity glasses should work. What shape is a martini glass? A traditional martini glass is stemmed with a conical, v-shaped glass. It has a wide, circular rim and a similarly round base. How do you chill a martini glass? For drinks that are served “up,” or without ice, it’s important to serve the drink in a chilled glass. Chilling a glass helps keep the drink cold longer without ice. Although ice keeps a drink cooler for longer, it also dilutes the drink over time. You can chill a martini glass by placing it in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes before using it. Shaken or stirred? Traditionally, martinis are stirred and most bartenders will make stir them unless requested. There is a reasoning behind this other than “that’s the way it’s always been done.” Shaking cocktails is done to chill, dilute, and combine ingredients of different consistencies like liquor, fruit juice, egg whites, or dairy. This process also introduces air into the cocktail, which can mute certain flavors and dramatically change the consistency of the drink. A perfect martini is all about balancing the botanical flavors from the gin and vermouth with a controlled dilution, creating a velvety and rich cocktail. Shaking a martini risks watering down the drink and making it frothy. Other Martini Glasses We Tested Strong Contenders West Elm Fluted Martini Glasses ($48 at West Elm) Although these glasses from West Elm are affordable and sport a classy, minimalist design, I found their 12-ounce capacity far too large for even double martinis. If you’re looking for a unique wine glass or something for spritzes, these would be perfect for the job Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger Waterford Elegance Stemless Martini Glasses ($120 at Wayfair) This set of martini glasses from Waterford offers a unique design that bridges the gap between stemmed and stemless glassware. With a 10.5-ounce capacity, it’s on the bigger side, but the biggest downside is the price. At about $60 per glass, these were the most expensive glasses I tested. Food & Wine / Dylan Ettinger What Didn't Make the List A martini is an elegant drink and deserves to be served in a glass that complements that elegance. Glasses too thick and clunky like these stemless hobnail Jupiter martini glasses felt plasticy and didn’t do much to elevate the drink. Unless noteworthy for other reasons, glasses with a high capacity like the Nude Vintage Martini Glasses were also disqualified. While the Williams Sonoma Reserve Martini Glasses were perfectly fine and sized reasonably, we found them underwhelming and slightly overpriced. Our Expertise Dylan Ettinger is a drinks writer with a focus on spirits, cocktails, and coffee. He has visited dozens of distilleries across the United States, Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean where he has learned from some of the most renowned spirits makers in the world. Over the past few years, Dylan has tested and written extensively about bar tools and glassware. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit