Unbreakable glasses

Start with the shape, because that decides what you can use the glass for. This collection holds water glasses from 25 to 47.3 cl, longdrink glasses of 25 and 40 cl, wine glasses from 31 to 46.3 cl, a cocktail glass of 68 cl and small 16 cl glasses for shots and canapés. For a buffet or a reception the 31 cl wine glasses are handy, because at a normal pour they do not look half empty.

Then look at colour and clarity. The clear versions from J-Line and Koziol come closest to real glass; the coloured variants in red, yellow, blue, green and orange are the practical choice at a large party, because guests find their own glass again and you throw away fewer half-full glasses at the end. Bar Professional also supplies black and white versions that suit a sleek bar. Check the number per set, which runs here from two to eight pieces, and the stackability if you work with crates.

Plastic conducts heat differently from glass, so an unbreakable glass feels less cold and does not mist up. Chill the drink rather than the glass: use plenty of ice and pour from a chilled bottle or jug. For a mojito that works well, since you build it on crushed ice anyway, and you can press the mint down in a plastic glass without worry. With an aperol spritz you fill the glass completely with ice before pouring, otherwise it dilutes too quickly.

What you had better not do is serve hot drinks in acrylic. Polycarbonate and Tritan take heat better, but for coffee and tea real glass is still the wiser choice.

For beer, a plastic glass holds less head than tempered glass because the wall is smoother. So pour at more of an angle and bring the glass upright a little later than you are used to. Pour wine slightly less full in an unbreakable glass, so you can still swirl without anything going over the rim when someone walks past.

Almost everything here goes in the dishwasher, but plastic scratches sooner than glass. Do not use scouring pads and place the glasses in the basket so they cannot slide against cutlery. Wash at a lower temperature than you would choose for crystal glass, because water that is too hot can cloud thin-walled acrylic over time.

A grey haze after a few seasons is usually not wear but limescale. You remove it with a dash of vinegar in the rinsing water and with a brush from the glass brushes for the narrow models. Store the glasses stacked and dry, because moisture between two stacked glasses eventually leaves a ring you can no longer polish out.

If you want the same thing in real glass, the tempered counterparts are under the longdrink glasses and the wine glasses. For cocktails, look at the broad overview under the cocktail glasses, where the shapes are explained per recipe and where plastic models sit alongside glass ones. If you serve outdoors and away from the bar, the serving trays are a logical addition, certainly when you carry many glasses at once across grass or gravel. If you are still in doubt about material or size, the frequently asked questions are below.