Gatherings with friends and family will no doubt be extra special this summer. What better way to celebrate and welcome in the warm weather than by adding some colorful — and super affordable — summer drinking glasses to your bar!
“Matching the right cocktail glass to the appropriate drink shows that thought went into serving that beverage,” says Sunny Seng, a bartender at Moon Rabbit at the InterContinental Washington D.C. — The Wharf. “For example, if your drink is served cold and without ice, you’ll want a stem so your hand doesn’t warm up the drink. Or, if your drink has lots of bubbles, it’s best to consider a tall and narrow glass to retain the carbonation.”
With so many cocktail glass styles to choose from, we went ahead and curated our favorites. Seng also suggested the best drinks for each glass.
Stylish drinking glasses for summer
Ikea Frasera Whiskey Glass
These clear glasses will make any drink, preferably a mezcal Negroni or Dark 'N' Stormy, look regal with diamond cutouts that only look expensive!
Birch Lane Melissa Copper Martini Glasses
Did somebody order a dirty or espresso martini? This martini glass's copper metal has heat-trapping properties to keep liquids cool. Bonus: your glasses won’t shatter if dropped.
Ikea Sommardrom Glass
We’re not sure if it’s the price or the beachy blue waves on these glasses that will make you smile more! Seng recommends serving a Tom Collins or greyhound in these.
Riedel Happy O Tumblers
Perfect for white wines like sauvignon blanc or chardonnay, the four different base colors — pink, green, yellow and blue — make it easy to keep track of your guests’ drinks.
Perigold Nude Hepburn Crystal Lowball Glasses
Created by famed furniture designer Brad Ascaloon, these glasses are crafted from crystalline glass and are as gorgeous as they are functional. Seng suggests serving a whiskey sour or mezcal Negroni in this lowball glass.
JoyJolt Villa Heavy Base Square Shot Glass
With a heavyset base, these 1 1/2-inch shot glasses are the perfect vessel for vodka, tequila or whatever you’re shooting!
Tommy Bahama Manhattan Glasses
With its heavy base and flared mouth, this lead-free crystal does justice to its namesake 19th century drink. If you're not a fan of Manhattans, Seng also recommends a nice, frothy Black Russian.
Joss & Main Maegan Drinking Glasses
Perfect for mezcal mules or a refreshing watermelon basil margarita, These beaded white glasses can skew modern or vintage, plus their neutral color will match any table setting.
Nordstrom Rachel Parcell Drinking Glasses
These pink-tinted stemless wine glasses are ideal for afternoon of toasting rosés, strawberry gin smashes or daiquiris with your girlfriends.
Rabbit Freezable Beer Glasses
Best for pale lagers or IPAs, these glasses will hold their chill for up to two hours if placed in a freezer an hour before using. Plus, the silicone base acts as a built-in coaster to protect tabletops and shield your hands from the cold.
Opalhouse Plastic Wave Texture Short Tumbler
Pour some homemade sangria into these tumblers! An embossed wave pattern adds a fun design to these drinking glasses, available in five bright colors including light and dark blue, green, orange and pink.
DuraClear Tritan Margarita Glasses
These multicolored, ideal-for-outdoor-use margarita glasses have the look of traditional glass, but are made of food-grade, BPA-free plastic that won’t shatter or discolor.
JoyJolt Gwen Highball Glasses
With their cool lava lamp shape, these multiuse glasses can be used for gin cocktails or sparkling rosé — or backup kitchen glasses when needed.
CB2 Fia Amber Luster Cocktail Glass
These handblown coupes, with their amber patina, will bring a Gatsby-esque feeling to any gathering. Pour some Champagne or Kir Royale in these bad boys.
Frontgate Freeze Cooling Pint Glass
These plastic pints have a cooling gel technology that keeps ales and lagers chilled while also providing a rubber grip for better grasping.
Confetti Double Old-Fashioned Glasses
Nothing says celebration better than spicy margaritas and colorful confetti. These mouth-blown glasses, with their turquoise rims, are covered in it!
Saban Glass Fritsy Whiskey Glass
You’ll pay a little more for these gorgeous handblown glasses, but once they’re in hand, you’ll want to own all 21 shades. Drinking Negronis or Arnold Palmers out of them will instantly transport you to a swanky hotel bar.
Crate & Barrel Calder Highball Glass
The brass lacquer base on this glass, created by famed designer Aaron Probyn, sets it apart from your typical drinkware. It also makes for the perfect vessel for mai tais or strawberry margaritas
Sun Squad Plastic Tumbler
A fun alternative to clear glass, these shatter-resistant plastic tumblers are available in four bright prints, including iridescent and ombre shades and mermaid and fruit prints. They're almost as bright as the spiked lemonades you'll be drinking this summer.
Tommy Bahama Corkcicle Rocks Glass
Made of double wall, heat-tolerant, borosilicate glass, these glasses will serve you well when the weather turns cold and you’re serving hot toddies! But since the weather's getting progressively warmer, Negronis will suit you just fine until then.
Ikea Festlighet Margarita Glass
Sometimes a basic and inexpensive margarita glass is the best way to show off colorful margaritas — the wide bowl on this one allows for plenty of ice.
Jaxson Double Old-Fashioned Glass
The gold hexagon patterning gives this glass an art-deco feel, making it ideal for retro-inspired tabletops and old-fashioned cocktails.
Tommy Bahama Corkcicle Cigar Rest Whisky Wedge Glass
Like your whiskey or bourbon neat? This squared cocktail glass also features a cutout side wedge to hold a small-sized cigar.
Shark Skinzz Silicone Outdoor Wine Glasses
Savor all of your white wine or rosé spritzers in these glasses this summer. These multicolored silicone wine glasses are break-, stain- and odor-resistant, plus they flatten for easy storage or travel.
VoChill Personal Wine Glass Chiller
You’ll never have to worry about your drink going warm again, thanks to VoChill, a two-piece, hard plastic stand that supports your stemware and keeps your beverage chilled. Simply store the top part (which contains a proprietary freezable fluid), in your freezer and when ready to drink, snap it into the magnetic base, place your glass onto the cradle and watch as your rosés, whites and sparkling beverages stay cool for up to an hour. It comes in four colors to match any tabletop — stone, sand, quartz, and blush.
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