The 5 Best Nick and Nora Glasses, According to Our Tests

Our Favorite Nick and Nora Glasses

For a do-everything, high-quality Nick and Nora glass that doesn’t sacrifice aesthetics for function, the Riedel Drink Specific Glassware Nick and Nora Glass gets the highest recommendation. For a similar glass with a more modern, stylish take on the form, give the Amehla x The Educated Barfly Collection Nick and Nora set a look. You can’t go wrong with either choice.

How We Tested Nick and Nora Glasses

To test each Nick and Nora glass, we used each to make a few different styles of drinks and assessed the glass’s performance with each drink. 

• Daiquiri Test: For our first test, we made a classic shaken daiquiri garnished with a lime wheel.
• Martini Test: For contrast, we also stirred up a two-to-one martini garnished with a single castelvetrano olive and served it in each glass.
• Cleanup Test: Some of the Nick and Nora glasses we tested were technically dishwasher safe, we hand-washed each glass after each test to evaluate how easy it was to wash and polish.

Through each test, we assessed the capacity of each glass and wash line of each drink to determine if it could accommodate the volume of each drink. Throughout the process, we paid close attention to any design nuances that affected performance, any chips or cracks from regular use, and any major issues or annoyances from cleaning the Nick and Nora glasses.

Factors to Consider

Sturdiness and Weight Distribution

The ideal Nick and Nora glass should balance sturdiness and durability with style. Glasses with thin walls and stems may look elegant but might snap or crack easily when washing. If the glass is too thick, it can feel clunky and cheap in the hand. 

Weight distribution is a crucial factor to consider with any type of stemmed glassware. A top-heavy weight distribution can cause a glass to be easily tipped over. Glasses that are either top-heavy or bottom-heavy can also feel awkward in the hand. In evaluating these glasses, I prioritized glasses that were well-balanced or had a slightly bottom-heavy build.

Capacity 

Capacity is also an important factor to consider. The glass should be able to hold an adequately diluted stirred or shaken cocktail with a small amount of space between the rim of the glass and the fill level, commonly referred to as the wash line. If a standard cocktail is served in a glass that’s too big for it, it will look like the guest is being underserved. If the glass is too small, it might not fit the cocktail or it will spill easily. The ideal glasses 

Design

Design elements can affect a glass's functionality and a drink’s aesthetics. Nick and Nora glasses tend to have a deep bowl-shaped glass without much variation in shape. Nuances like the length of the stem and the width of the glass and the base can affect usability.

Cleanup and Care

Glassware maintenance varies, with some pieces safe for dishwashers and others requiring hand washing. For these tests, I hand-washed each glass after every use, noting how easy the cleaning was, the durability of each piece, and whether any glass-specific design elements had any impact on the cleaning process.

Other Nick and Nora Glasses We Tested

Strong Contenders

Viski Raye Angled Crystal Nick and Nora Glasses ($24 at Amazon)

These stylish, angular glasses offer a unique departure from the Nick and Nora glass’s classic form. The capacity happens to be a bit on the higher end and the more boxy shape might limit the glass’s range of applications.

GV Home The Nick and Nora ($41 at Glasvin)

These unique, bowl-shaped glasses offer another unique take on the classic Nick and Nora. This style works particularly well when serving a martini, but wasn’t always the best fit for more modern drinks. At almost 6 ounces, the capacity is a bit on the higher end, too.

What Didn't Make the List

Most of the glasses I tested would work perfectly fine in most settings. There were only a few major disqualifications. I found the height and capacity of Riedel’s large Nick and Nora glasses to be a bit too much for cocktails, it might work better as a wine glass. Certain design choices were also disqualifying. For instance, the floral etchings on these Vintage Etched Nick and Nora glasses from Williams Sonoma came off as a bit gaudy and overbearing to be a great fit for most drinks.

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.
• As part of the research for this story, Dylan interviewed bartender and content creator Saeed “Hawk” House for his expertise and opinions on Nick and Nora glasses.