J-Line Franco

The choice here is almost entirely about the rim, because the two differ by only a centilitre in capacity. Take the clear 31 cl version and you have a glass that suits everything and that you put in the machine without a second thought. Choose the 32 cl gold rim and you get a glass that catches candlelight, but that asks for a little more care at the sink. Mixing is fine: a set of clear ones as the base with a few gold rims for the holidays works better than half a table in gold. For a dinner, count on two glasses per guest, water and soft drinks side by side.

Franco is a water glass, but a capacity of just over thirty centilitres also makes it suitable for longer drinks with ice. Add the cubes first and pour afterwards, so the drink chills immediately and the ice stays at the bottom. For a Cuba Libre with a wedge of lime this is exactly the right height, and a Moscow Mule with ginger beer works just as well in it as in the copper mug it traditionally comes in.

The glass itself is pressed soda-lime glass and can simply go in the dishwasher. The gold rim is an applied layer rather than through-coloured glass, so that version is better washed by hand in lukewarm water with a soft cloth. Aggressive tablets and long hot programmes eat away at the shine over time. The clear Franco does not have that limitation and handles a normal glassware programme without trouble.

If you are looking for more from the same corner, the J-Line collection gives the full picture. For more choice in the same shape, look at the water glasses or at the heavier tumbler glasses. If you would rather have colour than gold, you will find it among the coloured glasses. If you often mix your own drinks, a bar spoon is handier than a fork for stirring.