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GlasswareBuying guide

Cocktail Glasses: Coupe, Nick and Nora, Martini and Highball Sizes

Which cocktail glass is for which drink, with brim capacities in ounces and centiliters, and a crystal pick set beside an everyday glass one for each shape.

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Specification

Coupe and martini glass
7 oz / 20 cl to the brim (Difford's Guide)
Nick and Nora
4 to 6 oz to the brim
Highball
6 to 10 oz; Collins 12 to 14 oz
Chill time
20 to 30 minutes in a freezer

Four shapes cover nearly every cocktail. A coupe or martini glass (7 oz to the brim) serves drinks without ice. A Nick and Nora (4 to 6 oz) does the same job in a smaller, deeper bowl. A rocks glass holds short drinks over ice, and a highball (6 to 10 oz) carries long ones.

What size is each cocktail glass?

These are brim capacities from Difford’s Guide, a bartending reference. A drink fills less than the brim.

Glass Capacity to brim Used for
Coupe 7 oz / 20 cl Shaken or stirred drinks served without ice
Martini (V-shaped) 7 oz / 20 cl Martinis; no bigger, or the drink warms
Nick and Nora 4 to 6 oz Any drink you would serve in a coupe
Old-fashioned 11 oz / 32 cl Spirits and short drinks over ice
Double old-fashioned 12 to 16 oz / 35 to 47 cl Generous drinks with more ice
Rocks 9 to 11 oz / 27 to 32 cl Short drinks; thicker glass for muddling
Highball 6 to 10 oz / 18 to 30 cl Highballs and fizzes
Collins 12 to 14 oz / 35 to 41 cl Long drinks with plenty of ice
Flute 6 oz / 17 cl Sparkling wine and champagne cocktails
Margarita 8 oz / 24 cl Margaritas, with a salted rim

Glasses for drinks served without ice should be cold. Difford’s Guide allows 20 to 30 minutes in a freezer to chill one.

Coupe, martini or Nick and Nora: which should you buy?

Buy coupes first. A coupe serves the same drinks as a martini glass, and Difford’s Guide lists both at the same size. Add Nick and Noras if you make small, strong stirred drinks.

Coupe glassPremium pickViski Admiral Crystal CoupeAccessible alternativeLibbey Signature Kentfield Coupe
MaterialLead-free crystalLead-free glass
Capacity7 oz9 oz
DetailAngled bowl with cross-hatch etchingRounded bowl, flat reinforced foot
Sold asSet of 2Set of 4
CareDishwasher safeDishwasher safe, per the maker's listing
Pay more if
you want the 7 oz size that matches the bartending standard, in cut crystal that catches the light.
Save if
you host larger groups, expect breakages, or also pour sparkling wine into the same glass.

For a Nick and Nora, Viski’s Raye glass holds 4 oz in lead-free crystal and is dishwasher safe on the top rack. Riedel’s Nick and Nora stands just over 6 inches tall, in machine-made crystal glass.

Coupe, martini and Nick and Nora glasses

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Which highball and rocks glasses are worth buying?

Tall and short tumblers are the everyday glasses of a bar, so buy enough of them.

Highball glassPremium pickRiedel Drink Specific Glassware HighballAccessible alternativeLibbey Classic Highball
MaterialCrystal glass, machine-madeGlass
SizeJust over 6 in tall11 oz
Designed withCocktail expert Zane Harris, sized for extra iceA straight-sided everyday tumbler
Measure2 oz (60 ml) drink markerNone
Sold asSet of 2Set of 6
CareDishwasher safeSee the maker's page
Pay more if
you make highballs often and want a glass sized around the ice, with a pour line built in.
Save if
the glasses will serve water, soda and cocktails alike, and you want six of them.

The same Riedel range includes a Rocks glass a little over 3 inches tall. For whiskey served neat or over one large cube, see our guide to crystal whiskey glasses. Large cubes need a wide glass, which our clear ice guide covers.

Highball, rocks and Collins glasses

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Browse current highball and rocks glasses on eBay.

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What about flutes and wine glasses?

A flute holds about 6 oz and keeps sparkling drinks fizzy. Wine glasses are a subject of their own, because makers such as Riedel and Zalto shape bowls for particular wines. Our luxury crystal brands guide explains who makes what.

How do you care for cocktail glasses?

Follow the maker’s care line for the exact glass. As a rule:

  • Glass and machine-made crystal glass are often listed as dishwasher safe.
  • Waterford and Baccarat both recommend washing their crystal by hand in warm water.
  • Waterford warns against pouring hot liquid into cold crystal, or very cold liquid into warm crystal.

A chilled glass only helps if the drink is cold too, which comes down to how you shake it. The home bar setup overview lists the rest of the kit.

Where can you find vintage cocktail glasses?

This page covers glasses in current production. For etched coupes and older Nick and Noras, our sister site has guides to vintage cocktail glasses and to the Vesper martini glass.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a coupe and a martini glass?

Shape. A coupe has a rounded, shallow bowl and a martini glass has straight V-shaped sides. Difford's Guide lists both at 7 oz to the brim and uses them for the same drinks served without ice.

What is a Nick and Nora glass?

A small stemmed glass with a deeper, narrower bowl than a coupe, holding 4 to 6 oz. It is named after Nick and Nora Charles of the Thin Man films, and Difford's Guide dates the style to the 1930s.

What size should a martini glass be?

No bigger than 7 oz, according to Difford's Guide, because a martini warms up in the time it takes to drink a larger one. Keep the glass in the freezer before use.

What is the difference between a highball and a Collins glass?

Size. Difford's Guide lists a highball at 6 to 10 oz and a Collins at 12 to 14 oz. Both are tall and narrow.

Are crystal cocktail glasses dishwasher safe?

It depends on the maker. Riedel and Viski list some lead-free crystal glasses as dishwasher safe, while Waterford and Baccarat recommend washing their crystal by hand. Check the care line for the exact glass.

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