Home Bar Glassware: The 8 Glasses Every Bar Cart Needs

A good home bar does not need a hundred glasses. It needs the right few. These eight cover almost every drink you will pour, from a morning mimosa to a late-night old fashioned. Here is what each one is for and how many to buy.

The 8 glasses every bar cart needs

1. Rocks or old fashioned glass

Short, heavy, and versatile, built for spirits on the rocks, an old fashioned, or a negroni. Start here if you buy nothing else. Shop whisky and rocks glasses.

2. Highball or Collins glass

Tall glasses for long drinks with plenty of ice and mixer, like a gin and tonic, a mojito, or a Tom Collins. Explore highball glasses.

3. Coupe

The vintage saucer shape for shaken and stirred cocktails served up, and for champagne. Explore coupe glasses.

4. Martini or cocktail glass

The iconic V-shaped glass for martinis and cocktails served without ice. Shop cocktail glasses.

5. Nick and Nora

A smaller, stemmed glass with a gentle bowl. It holds an up cocktail without the spills of a martini glass, and it looks refined. Shop Nick and Nora glasses.

6. Wine glass

One all-purpose wine glass works for both reds and whites at home. Explore wine glasses.

7. Champagne flute

For toasts, mimosas, and sparkling wine. Explore champagne flutes.

8. Shot glass

For measured pours, tastings, and shots. It is a bar tool as much as a glass. Shop shot glasses.

How many of each should you buy?

For a home that entertains, a good rule is six of your everyday glasses, such as rocks, highball, and wine, and four to six of the special-occasion shapes, such as coupe, martini, and flute. Buy in matching sets so your bar looks pulled together.

Build it once, use it for years

Choose durable, lead-free glass for daily use and save crystal for the pieces you want to show off. Explore the full spirits and cocktail range at IKIDO, with free shipping across Canada.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most essential cocktail glass? The rocks or old fashioned glass, because it handles the widest range of drinks.

What is the difference between a coupe and a martini glass? A coupe has a rounded, shallow bowl, while a martini glass has a straight-sided V. Both serve cocktails up, without ice.