Martini Glasses Suck

But coupes on the other hand are both elegant and practical vessels for serving cold gin et al.

I’m not sure I can think of a design that is both as iconic and useless as that of the martini glass. Its steeply angled walls may have at one time signified glamour and class (and the willingness to drink pure, cold alcohol), but after serving 43 million Cosmopolitans since 1987, even that element of cachet is long gone. Worse, the design is impractical, seemingly created to spill its contents at the nearest sign of a jostle (and usually, it seems, directly on my lapels).Thankfully all is not lost.There’s a ready substitution that has an even more storied glassware pedigree and it works far better—the coupe. Ikea used to sell a really subtle version—it was a perfect softening of the martini glass’ hard angles, called the Optimal, and it was $3, but sadly they’ve discontinued it. But there are some other really nice versions out there, like this one called The Jasper ($9.95) from Crate & Barrel.Or this slightly more elevated take from Schott Zweisel, The Pure (available from parchedpenguin.com $100 for 6)And if you absolutely must have some ornamentation, this lightly bedazzled option from West Elm (Metallic Bubble Coupe, $103 for 4) will do the trick without embarrassment.