Help me buy new glassware!

[SusanMac]

I desperately need new glassware as my current set is very old and etched after a million years of dishwashing. But, it's been a long time since I've bought everyday glasses.

How cheap is too cheap? How expensive is too expensive? I know that all glass isn't equal. But, how do you know what is decent quality that will last? Any specific brands I should look for?

Any ideas are welcome!
TIA

[gertdog]

Susan,

I am a huge fan of the Picardie tumblers at William-Sonoma. They sell in a variety of sizes, in sets of 12. They're versatile, durable, and nice-looking. The price is good too. Here they are.

Also, Anchor and Libbey both make tumblers that are somewhat similar in style- the shape is a little more straight-sided and less flared. But these are also good, and durable.

I have all of the above and can give them a thumbs-up!

[Cookin4Love]

I have my own opinion about this. I get tired of the same glassware after a few years, so I pay no more than $6.00 a glass (usually much less) and plan to get rid of it when I get tired of it. There are always women's shelters and other places more than happy to take it. I've just found that new glasses one of those little things that make me happy. By not investing a lot, I can always veer off into whatever color/style/current trend interests me. Right now, I have some beautiful clear glass tumblers with a cobalt blue spiral running through them. I just got rid of some thick, hand-blown tumblers with a varying cobalt/green rim. I also only use 16-ounce or larger tumblers, so I never buy sets that force me to take home juice glasses, etc. I know that, for some, really good glassware is an investment. I, however, consider glasses disposable!

[SueK]

Originally posted by gertdog
I am a huge fan of the Picardie tumblers at William-Sonoma. They sell in a variety of sizes, in sets of 12. They're versatile, durable, and nice-looking. The price is good too. Here they are.

We got these for our wedding and they are still holding up very well after all these years. They've been dropped, banged together, etc., and have never chipped or broken!

[SusanMac]

Thanks for the tips. I had just assumed that Williams Sonoma would be overpriced. I definitely want to buy a set w/out the juice glasses, as I already have a set of those that I love. And, this may sound strange, but I kinda like having the juice & water glasses be different sets.

I'll keep an eye out for Anchor & Libbey.

[Kay Henderson]

When I set up my present house as a vaction rental (it is now our primary residence), I needed to buy LOTS of glassware. After finding out that Libbey has 85% of the restaurant market, I investigated their website. I ended up ordering wine and water goblets in one simple pattern, and ice tea (which I use for water for informal meals) and old fashioned glasses (which I use for orange juice as well as Scotch and soda) from an Italian pattern that Libbey imported. I bought boxes of 36 and 24. After getting the suggested retail from the website, I told a local restaurant supply store that I would really like to buy locally if he could offer me a decent price. He did and I bought.

Five years later, I remain very happy with my purchase. Both patterns are very durable. Because I have extras, I just replace as the occasional breakage or chipping occurs, and I have enough for parties as well. The goblets are classic enough to look good with my Spode as well as my everyday china, and I don't have to put up with hand-washing fragile, exceedingly expensive crystal.

Here is Libbey's website:

http://www.libbey.com/

Kay

[gertdog]

After looking at the link Kay posted, I'm pretty sure my Libbey glasses are the Gibraltar pattern. I bought them at a restaurant supply store too! I think they cost about $1.50 per glass.

[Canice]

This may not be helpful, but... I had to replace my wine glasses last year and couldn't find anything that didn't look really cheap or cost more than I was willing to spend until I stumbled across the stemware at Target. That did the trick!

[Kismet]

I'm with Canice! DH and I are both very klutzy and tend to break a lot of glasses. The Target brand have held up well, and they were inexpensive enough that we don't feel bad when we break them.

[mbrogier]

I have the Picardie tumblers exactly like the ones at William-Sonoma. I found a whole set at Homegoods. The brand is identical to the W-S ones.

[SusanMac]

I've heard of Libbey. Are they sold at regular homestores, or just restaurant supply stores? I love my local restaurant supply store, but don't want to have to buy a huge case of glasses.

[gertdog]

Susan, I've seen Libbey glassware at Target, I think. When I bought mine at the restaurant supply store, they let me buy as many as I wanted. And when I broke two (they got stuck together when stacked), they let me buy just two to replace them. So you might check and see if they are flexible on minimum purchases.

[Robyncz]

OMG! I'm so excited. I HATE the glassware we registered for 10 years ago. It doesn't stack and I don't like the way it feels in my hand. But I love Picardie (although I had no idea what it was called prior to reading this thread).

Anyway, today I was strolling through my local Sams Club and I noticed 2 boxes of Picardie. Each box contains eight 16 oz and eight 12 oz glasses. There was no price marked, though. The guy looked them up in the computer and they were marked $4.69 a box. Yep. I just bought 32 Picardie glasses for under $10. I'm sooooooooooo excited!

[Kay Henderson]

Libbey glassware is all over the place. I have seen it at grocery stores, etc. One of the best selections was at Target, however.

Kay

[Valerie226]

I bought a bunch of the Picardie tumblers at an outlet mall, at the kitchen supply store that sells Corningware. I'm thinking it must be the called the "Corningware" store but I don't go to outlet malls often. they were cheap & I love them. there is something special about the glass ( maybe it's tempered) that makes it resistant to chips & shattering. If you break one it's nowhere near as nasty as regular glass. They aren't bulletproof but they're close. Mine have looked nice for a decade!

[caseyconor]

Would anyone know of a restaurant supply store open to the public in the Boston area? Thanks.