A Cocktail Expert Says These $7 Glasses Are the Only Ones You Need

Cocktail glasses are important. For the record, I’d drink a great Boulevardier out of a shoe if I had to, but on the whole, having the appropriate glass for a particular beverage is definitely part of the aesthetic experience. In friends’ homes over the years, I’ve seen things you wouldn’t believe, from Negronis in pint glasses and martinis in coffee mugs to extremely nice wine served in plastic sports bar cups. Whether you’ve been searching for the perfect versatile cocktail glass to add to your home bar or you haven’t even considered investing in some (yet), I’ll let you in on a little secret: You can find incredible cocktail glasses at super reasonable prices, if you know where to look.

For tips on finding great, affordable cocktail glasses, I talked to Amanda Schuster, author of New York Cocktails and last year’s marvelous Signature Cocktails. According to Schuster, there are a couple multipurpose glasses you can pick up that will let you effectively serve a wide range of drinks.

“The Nick and Nora glass is so versatile,” she says. “A coupe that size is great — somewhere around 5 or 6 ounces is all you need. When you see a coupe glass for sale that’s around 8 or 9 ounces, that’s a really big glass. You don’t need all that glass.” For her, a “tulip-shaped, less stout” Nick and Nora would be the first choice if she could only use one kind of glass, and she loves popular bar brand Cocktail Kingdom’s iteration.

Cocktail Kingdom Nick and Nora Glass 6-Pack

Schuster buys these glasses by the box, pointing out that they’re the perfect combination of attractiveness, utility, and affordability. “That’s a really good price, and you get good glass for that. If you break it, you don’t feel so terrible,” she says, laughing. 

But although it’s her favorite glass, it’s not necessarily the only one you need, because between the 5-ounce size and delicate nature of its build, you don’t want to put ice in these. “I would not put ice in this glass. I’d say just get a rocks glass,” Schuster explains, adding that Cocktail Kingdom has a great one that costs around $6.50 per glass. “If you want something that looks a little prettier on the shelf or with ice in it, get their etched whiskey glass. I have a bunch of these, and they don’t break easily. They’re really fun to have.”

Cocktail Kingdom Yarai Rocks Glass 6-Pack

Whether you’re turning out world-class cocktails in your home bar or dishing tequila sodas to your friends in your backyard, it turns out you don’t really need extravagant glassware. Thus, do yourself a favor and stock up on these Cocktail Kingdom options (if only so you can reroute the rest of your funds toward that single malt Islay Scotch you’ve been eyeing).