It’s wonderful to have fancy crystal glassware to bring out for special occasions, but if you entertain a lot, you often don’t want to bring out the nice stuff for two reasons: it’s annoying to hand-wash, and you don’t want to have to worry about a glass or two breaking – especially if it’s your mother’s crystal. That’s where awesome cheap glassware comes in. We’re talking about glassware that looks great, but it’s ok to throw them into the dishwasher at the end of the night and you don’t mind if a couple get smashed.
We’ve used a ton of affordable glasses in our journey through wine, but the following four are our favorites. They’re all durable, look great, and are a pleasure to hold, not to mention they’re cheap enough to not worry about breaking a few.
1. Libbey Vina Series Glassware
These are the glasses used by a ton of our favorite restaurants in NYC, thanks in large part to their classic design and fantastic weight in your hand and at $25 for 4, you can’t beat the value. Contrary to popular belief, most restaurants aren’t raking in the dough, so they need glassware that is beautiful but also sturdy, and that’s cheap enough so one or two can break every once in a while. These fit the bill.
2. Rona Wine Glass
We’ve been fans of these Rona wine glasses from CB2 for years, especially when it comes to serving red wine. They have the feel of crystal, yet we’ve put them in the dishwasher and had zero issues. Their unique shape also makes a beautiful statement on the table.
3. Nachtmann Vivendi Bordeaux Glass
If you want a delicate look, yet a wine glass that is also sturdy, look no further than this glass, and for only $30 for a set of four, you’re spending just $7.50 a glass. These glasses are a bit more delicate than the others we’ve recommended, but we still stick them in the dishwasher and don’t feel bad about it.
4. Riedel Vivant Red Wine Glasses
These are the most expensive glasses we’re going to recommend on this list, and they’re only $10 a glass – which isn’t bad for a glass with the name Riedel attached to it. While these say they’re great for red wine, you can totally get away with serving white wine in them as well.
