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A Guide to 36 Plastic Wine Glasses Just Right for You!
Plastic wine glasses are a great option for many reasons. They’re lightweight and inexpensive. Some plastic wine glasses are disposable whereas others are meant to be used over and over.
Plastic wine glasses are also easy to find! If they are inexpensive and affordable, why did we spend hours pouring over the hundreds of choices for you? It’s what we love to do at Explore with Tess.
When it comes to travel and wine products (2 of our favorite subjects!), we leave nothing to chance. From wine glass charms to wine decanters and wine destinations, we research every inch of the subject matter.
So, come along and explore Plastic Wine Glasses with us! If you would like to skip ahead, you can use the Table of Contents below.
Before we present the results of our shopping extravaganza for Plastic Wine Glasses, we would like to start by answering 7 critical questions in the following sections:
- What are the benefits of plastic wine glasses?
- What are plastic wine glasses made of?
- What is Tritan plastic?
- Are acrylic drinking glasses safe?
- What kind of wine can you drink from plastic wine glasses?
- What features should you look for in plastic wine glasses?
What are the benefits of plastic wine glasses?
Plastic wine glasses have a host of benefits. It really just depends on your purpose. Here’s a list of the most common advantages of using plastic wine glasses. See if any of these fit your purposes.
- Durability – Plastic drinkware (with the exception of disposable cups) can be enjoyed for hundreds or even thousands of times.
- Shatterproof – Most all plastic wine glasses are at least shatterproof, meaning that they won’t break into tiny pieces of shards like glass.
- Break resistant – Again, most plastic wine glasses are resistant to breakage (more so than glass), but depending on the type of plastic, they break if dropped on hard surfaces.
- Reusable or Disposable – You can take your pick. Plastic wine glasses are available in styles that can be used over and over or thrown away after one use.
Plastic wine glasses are the perfect option for parties, both indoors and outdoors. The last thing you want around your pool party is glass shattering.
What are plastic wine glasses made of?
Isn’t the answer, well, plastic? Yes, of course, but we’re asking about the actual type of plastic. It’s important to know because it can make a practical as well as aesthetic difference.
Polycarbonate is a type of plastic that has been specifically created to be strong and durable. It’s usually clear or white in color, but could also come with other colors depending on how it was manufactured. Polycarbonates most commonly show up as glasses because it is an expensive material and it can be made to closely emulate glass.
It is better to hand wash polycarbonate wine glasses instead of using the dishwasher. Overtime, a dishwasher’s heat and soap can cause the polycarbonate glassware to get cloudy and promote small cracks.
Word of caution: Not all polycarbonate containers are BPA free. Here’s where you will want to rely on the manufacturer’s labeling. If you see the #7 in the triangle at the bottom of a plastic product, it is not BPA free.
Acrylic plastic wine glasses, which are also inexpensive, are a good substitute for real glass because they’re durable and reusable. They have good clarity, which helps them look like the real thing. Acrylic is impact and heat resistant.
Acrylic glassware can also come in colors and have etchings. But overtime, with lots of use and washings, it can crack and fade as well.
Another major advantage is that acrylic does not contain or release the potentially toxic BPA compound.
What is Tritan plastic?
Copolyester – also known under the trademark Tritan – is the newest material for plastic wine glasses. It is at the high-end of plastic glassware and for good reason.
Plastic wine glasses made with Tritan plastic are the best in terms of breakage and durability. Here are the advantages as listed by Tritan’s manufacturer, Eastman:
- BPA-free plastic
- Impact-resistant
- Exceptional dishwasher durability
- Much lighter than glass
Are acrylic drinking glasses safe?
Other than Tritan plastic wine glasses, acrylic is safe for drinkware and food storage. It does not leach harmful chemicals into food or drinks. Always check the manufacturer’s labeling.
To make sure your acrylic glassware stays safe, keep it away from heat (no dishwasher or microwaves) and do not store liquids in acrylic containers.
What kind of wine can you drink from plastic wine glasses?
There is a difference between drinking wine from a Solo cup versus quality plastic wine glasses. Yes, if you are drinking wine from a Solo cup instead of beer, you are likely to lose some quality and flavor in the wine.
But what if you want pretty disposable plastic wine glasses for a party? No worries. You can purchase disposable wine cups – like the ones we recommend below – without sacrificing flavors.
How? For disposable wine glasses, buy the smaller sizes. The smaller sizes mean that the wine is drunk faster. The heat from your hand doesn’t have time to transfer into the wine and the party-goer will drink it faster than a large pour of wine.
So, to answer the question, any wine will work – even in disposable plastic wine glasses.
What features should you look for in plastic wine glasses?
Refer back to our section above about the different types of plastic wine glasses and their advantages and disadvantages. Ask yourself the purpose of the glasses. Do you want them to be long-lasting? Disposable? Do you need a lot of glasses for a party?
All of these questions will help you narrow down to your best choice.
Stem or Stemless. There are pros and cons to both. Let’s cover some of the most common:
- Plastic wine glasses with stems are more likely to look like real glassware – if that’s important to you.
- Stems help keep fingerprints and smudges off the glass, so the drinkware looks good all night long. You can keep refilling a plastic wine glass without it looking gross!
- Stems protect white wine from the heat of your hand.
- Stemless wine glasses are great for red wines that don’t suffer from a little heat transfer.
- Stemless plastic wine glasses are less likely to topple over.
- Stemless wine glasses are often stackable.
Would you like for your plastic wine glasses to be dishwasher safe? If so, the safest bet are wine glasses made from Tritan plastic.
Find Your Perfect Plastic Wine Glasses with These 36 Choices
In our guide to the Best Plastic Wine Glasses, we divided the products into 7 categories:
- Plastic wine glasses with stems
- Stemless plastic wine glasses
- Colorful plastic wine glasses
- Disposable plastic wine glasses
- Plastic wine glasses for champagne
- Insulated plastic wine glasses
- High-end plastic wine glasses
Plastic Wine Glasses with Stems
Imagine you are throwing a party and the guests love your new stemless Tritan plastic wine glasses. You don’t have to worry about broken glass on your beautiful new patio.
Plus, when guests hold a wine glass by the stem, they don’t get smudges on the glass and the wine stays cooler. There’s nothing worse than topping off a wine glass that has fingerprints all over it. No icky looking wine glasses!
All four of our Top Picks for Plastic Wine Glasses with Stems are made of copolyester – Tritan. These plastic wine glasses are also free of BPA (bisphenol A) and do not contain estrogenic activity (EA) and androgenic activity (AA).
Tritan plastic is also top-rack dishwasher safe, shatterproof, and is considered unbreakable.
Fortessa “Sole” Collection; set of 6
Colorful Outdoor Wine Glasses
Colorful drinkware can add decorative panache to your next party. Although, colorful wine glasses are not a good choice for a wine tasting party. At a wine tasting, it’s important for guests to actually see the colors of the wine.
But otherwise, bring on the color. I always look for ways to add a little flair and fun! From single use to years of fun, these 7 wine glass sets will be the life of the party.
The two sets of Lily acrylic wine glasses featured above have received better than average reviews, as is the case with most Lily Home Store products, which are manufactured in Taiwan.
One note worth mentioning: They can’t be made of both acrylic and Tritan plastic. It’s one or the other. It’s not a deal breaker for us, but we suggest treating these as though they are made of acrylic – and that means washing by hand is preferable but top-rack dishwasher is still an option.
Certified International creates iconic designs that have been setting trends for generations. They are based in New York, with a huge California warehouse full of products. You may remember them for their classical Christmas dinnerware!
The Certified International 8-piece acrylic goblet set comes in Cobalt blue, as pictured above, and also in teal, ruby red, and green.
Tarhong is a family-owned factory in China that has been making tableware since 1956. They are most known for their melamine dishes and plastic drinkware. You can find their products at fine department stores in the U.S.
The set of 6 Tarhong blue stemless wine tumblers look like glass. They are BPA-free, shatterproof, and dishwasher safe.
We also love the look of the set of 4 stemless glass-like wine glasses by Oenophilia, which specializes in wine and barware.
We round out our colorful collection with two recommendations for disposable champagne flutes. Both the Rose Gold Glitter set and the Blue & Pink set come in two pieces that you will need to fit together – this is fairly common with disposable wine glasses with stems.
Stemless Wine Tumblers
We looked for features such as dishwasher-safe, shatterproof, BPA-free, reusable, and if they were nearly indestructible that was a bonus.
In our article “The Wide World of Wine Tumblers” we explain the reasons behind the trend and make dozens of recommendations from high-end Italian wine tumblers to disposable sets for parties.
Four reusable sets and one disposable set make our recommendation list for stemless plastic wine tumblers.
The unbreakable Bravario plastic wine tumblers should not shatter, crack, or break when dropped because these glasses are made from heavy weight Tritan BPA-free plastic.
You can order in sets of 2, 4, or 8, and in ounce sizes 13, 16, or 20, depending on the set.
Set of 2, 4, or 8 Tritan tumblers, 20 oz.
Set of 6 or 8, 18-oz acrylic tumblers.
Set of 8 Tritan wine tumblers.
32-piece set of 12-oz disposable wine and whiskey tumblers. BPA free and shatterproof.
High-End Plastic Wine Glasses
It may seem like a contradiction in terms, but plastic wine glasses do come in upscale selections. However, it is the look of these beautiful glasses and not so much the price that make them an upscale selection.
Our first two picks come in a set of 24 or an affordable four pack.
Tossware Reserve, 9 ounces, Tritan plastic flutes in a set of 24 or 4. Dishwasher safe.
Tossware Reserve, 9 ounces, Tritan plastic goblets in a set of 24 or 4. Dishwasher safe.
Our next two picks have the look of elegant crystal cut wine glasses. However, they are made of durable, high quality plastic. These are meant to be disposable, but it’s no problem to wash and reuse.
Disposable Wine Glasses
Disposable wine glasses are a great way to worry-proof your next event or gathering. With large crowds, you don’t want people to have to keep track of their wine glasses. Plus, smaller disposable wine glasses might help keep guests from over imbibing!
We found four more quality choices for disposable wine glasses, including a few with a little bling!
100 Pack of 9-oz Plastic Cups with Gold Glitter and a Gold Rim
100 pack of 12-oz disposable plastic wine tumblers with gold rim
100 Pack of 9-oz Disposable Plastic Cups with Rose Gold Rim
200 Pack of 9-oz clear, disposable plastic wine tumblers
Disposable, Recyclable Champagne Flutes
If you’re having a celebratory gathering and don’t want to rent or use your own crystal champagne glasses, disposable flutes are a perfect alternative. Our 9 picks for plastic champagne flutes are disposable, recyclable, and in some cases reusable.
They are affordable and beautiful!
Insulated Wine Glasses
For smaller gatherings or everyday summer fun, insulated plastic wine glasses may be a better choice than disposables. In our shopping, we’ve uncovered 3 Top Picks.
Freeze Cooling Cups, available insulated and double-walled
8 pack, 10-ounce tumblers with drink-through lids
10, 10-ounce tumblers with drink-through lids & bonus name decals
Final Thoughts on Plastic Wine Glasses
Plastic wine glasses are an excellent choice if you’re looking for a durable, lightweight, and inexpensive drinkware. Some types can be used over again while others only provide one use (disposable).
They also come in many different shapes with shatterproof/break resistant properties that make them perfect for both indoor or outdoor parties where glassware could be risky.
What are your reasons for choosing plastic wine glasses? Let us know in the comments below.
