What to Buy

These Shatterproof Glasses Make Entertaining Stress-Free

Say goodbye to broken glass.

by:
May  5, 2023
Photo by Rocky Luten

Being a wine expert, people are often surprised to hear that I don’t care much about what you serve wine in. That doesn’t mean I’ll drink wine out of just anything (there are a few things a wine glass really does add to the wine-tasting experience), but people are too precious about the glassware. Have you ever been invited to someone’s house and are handed a glass so wafer-thin and delicate that you’re nervous about touching it, let alone holding it? Fancy and pricey, nice wine glasses are beautiful, but for me, the stress that comes with them isn’t worth it. Hosting isn’t fun if you’re constantly worrying about them—side-eyeing your guests who are talking with their hands, or spending the end of the night tenderly hand-washing each glass.

A glass breaking feels almost inevitable, regardless if someone has had one glass or three, and I’ve seen it happen in a number of different ways: the slip out of the hand, the teeter off the edge, the slow-motion knock over. Once it breaks, the party stops. Everyone freezes, I have to call for someone to hold my poor kitten, Pinot, until the floor’s safe again, and I’m on broom-and-vacuum duty until all shards are gone.

In the past, to keep things simple when hosting more than just a few people, I’ve resorted to buying single-use plastic cups. But, let’s be real: It’s 2023. The time for single-use anything has long passed. After my boyfriend, Nick, broke yet another of my traditional wine glasses, I gifted myself a set of these Shatterproof Tritan Outdoor Wine Glasses in Sage. I knew it was time to try something new, but I didn’t realize how much I would grow to love them.

Photo by Rocky Luten

The green is understated and oh-so chic (they're also available in Amber, Aqua, and classic Clear) and come in both white and red wine sizes. The glass for white wine is narrow, with less surface area for the wine to warm up and a slight tapering at the top to hold in aromas. Meanwhile, the glass for red has a deliciously generous bowl built for opening the wine up. It would even make a fantastic gin and tonic balloon glass. The best part? They won’t break. They’re made from proprietary Tritan copolyester—a fancy word for a material that can withstand pretty much anything—making them nearly indestructible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve audibly sighed in relief when they’ve dropped and bounced off the floor, not even a scratch visible.

Now that it’s warming up, I can bring these to the park, pool, or beach, and I plan to buy my mom a set for Mother’s Day so she can host dinner parties outside without stress. Did I mention they’re dishwasher-safe, too? No more hand washing a dozen glasses once the party’s over. I’ll cheers to that.


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Lee Musho

Written by: Lee Musho

Lee Musho is a food writer and wine expert based in New York City.

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