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That’s one safety hazard taken care of — and many refreshing drinks enjoyed. acrylic
Summer is prime time for cookouts, dining al fresco, and outdoor happy hour. As you plan your next barbecue or patio cocktail night, don’t forget some of the most important but frequently overlooked items: unbreakable drinking glasses. Outdoor drinkware has come a long way since its inception — many options today aren't just durable, but attractive, too.
The best outdoor glasses look like "real" drinkware but can handle the dishwasher and even dropping on the deck. (Just don't make a habit of it!) They come in various shapes and styles, including stemless, multicolored, and extra-large vessels. Scroll down to see our recommendations for outdoor drinkware products — then pick out your favorite for stylish, shatter-free happy hours all summer long.
Stemless wine glasses are an obvious choice for outdoor entertaining because they're much more stable than their stemmed counterparts. These drinkware options have the added benefit of being plastic or acrylic while living up to the sleek reputation of glass. Our favorite stemless glasses for outdoor wine drinking are available in inviting colors and unique textures so pleasing to the eye that your guests won’t notice any difference. Most of these are even dishwasher safe, but we’ve included recyclable options for even easier cleanup.
These elegant glasses are ideal for traditional wine drinkers who prefer a stem to hold onto. Their smooth, thin rims and sturdy bases marry beauty with practicality, making them a smart purchase for uncompromising wine drinkers. Their designs can accommodate all wines; you’ll appreciate that they come in diverse shapes and dimensions. Whether you’re drinking Bordeaux, Burgundy, or bubbly, we’ve highlighted glasses to suit them all.
Ice-cold beer, here. From the no-frills pilsner model to the can-shaped glass, our favorite outdoor beer glasses are perfect for craft beer connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike. We like a plastic or acrylic cup with a thick, reinforced base — the solution to warding off breakable cups while retaining the crystal-clear glass look. If you need to keep your drinks cold, house them in our favorite freezable pint glasses. No matter which you go for, these shatter-proof beer glasses easily elevate the occasion from a red solo cup party to something more charming.
Pop open your favorite bottle of Champagne or cuvée, and pour them to the tip-top of these unbreakable flutes and coupes. From the Champagne tower to peoples’ hands, these dreamy drinkware sets are always a secure choice for a crowd. We especially enjoy these stemmed and stemless vessels for their reusability, chic colors, and distinctive figures.
The term “outdoor glassware” inherently carries some risk and for a valid reason. One shattered glass tumbler over the grass, pool, or irregular walking surface can become a safety hazard we all want to avoid. These tumblers are made of plastic so when the lemonade, juice, or party punch falls to the ground, the liquid is all that needs cleaning up. Not to mention, these feature beautiful designs with funky silhouettes that are also ergonomically easy to grip, lowering the risk of party fowls.
The days of ice quickly melting into your drink are over. With one of our favorite insulated tumblers from top brands like YETI and Hydroflask, your cooler beverages will stay cold and refreshing in your cup for hours. These stainless steel, vacuum-insulated tumblers are shaped like stemless wine glasses, but they’re made to help you also sip your beer, cocktail, juice, or other drink in style. Lidded and dishwasher-safe, it doesn’t get much more convenient or practical than this.
Cocktails and mocktails are done a favor when poured into these glasses. The patterned etching, curvy outlines, and dusky colors in these truly resemble sophisticated glassware. You can rest assured that your dirty martinis, Tom Collins, and frozen margaritas have a happy home in these luxurious, plastic drinkware options. And, when the drinking is over, you can place these glasses onto your dishwasher’s top rack for cleaning.
Whether stainless steel, acrylic, or Tritan, the material of your cup can affect the entire drinking experience. Stainless steel is one of the most durable materials you can choose, and it’s perfect for those who like the subtle scent of steel to elevate their wine or beer experience. On the other hand, stainless steel is very heat-conductive, making it better suited for insulated cup designs.
The budget-friendly, convenient, and designer-friendly option, plastic is the closest you’ll get to shatter-proof drinking glass. We enjoy the various color and shape options plastic glasses offer. Plus, it's a comfortable, insulative material that keeps your hands temperate. When there's condensation on the cup, just be sure to slip a coaster underneath.
Outdoor drinkware that’s too small can have you running to and from the bar cart or beverage tub more times than you’d like. Alternatively, large goblets are uncomfortable to hold and even more inconvenient to sip from. We looked for glasses with capacities ranging from six to 24 ounces. Depending on the drink of choice, our favorites are not so small that you finish your beverage before you begin to enjoy it and not so large that you can’t hold them.
Aside from size, we examined these shatter-proof glasses for their insulation. Is the glass single-, double-, or triple-walled? Is it freezer-safe? If a glass contains cooling gel, how long does it keep your drink cold? For the most optimal, we also looked for cups that give you a glass-like drinking experience. We found acrylic products with thin rims and sturdy bases, as well as stainless steel options that are tough all around.
blue sheet Vacuum-insulated and freezable outdoor glasses are great for keeping drinks cold but aren’t all dishwasher-safe, making them sometimes inconvenient to clean up. Having a set on hand for casual usage and more intimate occasions is often easier to manage (plus, it’s more economical). For larger gatherings, seek out a disposable or dishwasher-safe option. Remember that even clear, dishwasher-safe materials, like plastic and stainless steel, may need a good polishing with a dry soft towel to remove water stains. If you have stainless steel glasses with a brushed finish, we suggest hand-washing them to protect their coating over time.