You’ve already picked up your best wine cooler, your bottles are stored at optimal temperatures now its time to enjoy some wine! While for most occasions glassware will be the logical choice – there is always room for plastic especially if the event if a bit more ‘dynamic’ and you wouldn’t want to accidentally break your precious crystal wine glasses – they were a gift for your wedding after all!
Plastic Wine Glasses: The Pros and Cons
Classic wine glasses are just that – made of glass. Long-standing cultural norms dictate that serious wine drinkers use traditional stemmed wine glasses to savor the best bottles. These traditional glasses are deep-rooted, not just in the public memory, but also in pop culture. So why would anyone opt-in for a plastic wine glass? Can it even be called a wine ‘glass’ if it’s made of plastic?
Plastic wine cups/ holders/ glasses come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes today, and the trend keeps getting larger. Do they have any tangible advantages over traditional wine glasses?
The Advantages of Plastic Wine Glasses
Plastic wine glasses might come off as tacky, but in fact, there are several reasons they’re much better than their market counterparts.
- Whether it is acrylic or polycarbonate thermoplastic, by its very nature, plastic is highly customizable. They can be styled and molded into any number of desirable shapes, also dyed to any color required. Acrylic wine glasses can feature dazzling colors, etched designs, and aesthetically pleasing shapes. Simply put, plastic is more customizable than glass.
- Plastic wine glasses are highly durable, strong, and do not break easily. Regular wine glasses always pose the risk of shattering, cracking or chipping, especially during storage and transportation. A broken glass stem is a recipe for disaster that ruins any party quite quickly. Plastic glasses are not delicate at all and can weather a good amount of rough use.
- Polycarbonate glasses are clear and mimic the look of regular wine glasses, but are made of much cheaper material. They can be bought in bulk for lower costs and the perfect choice for outdoor events, parties, and picnics. There’s no worry of broken glass pieces or wastage. Plastic glasses are the choice in demand for caterers and event organizers.
- Plastic wine glasses aren’t just great for rough use and storage, they can also be easily scrubbed clean with soap and water. Drying plastic glasses is easier too.
The Cons of Plastic Wine Glasses
It’s not all great, however, and plastic glasses have their pitfalls.
- While plastic glasses mimic the look of real glass, they aren’t the real thing. That’s painfully obvious when it comes to the feel and weight of plastic glasses. Some drinkers might not enjoy the cheap plastic feel on their palms while drinking good wine.
- Plastic, not shockingly, isn’t environment-friendly. They are not good long-term choices and if buyers want to dispose of them after a couple of uses, it contributes greatly to the solid waste problem faced by the world. Plastic isn’t biodegradable and the chances of plastic wine glasses ending up in the ocean or in a landfill somewhere are very high.
- Real glass is considered a status symbol – and is highly preferred at formal events. At high society gatherings, wine aficionados who consider wine consumption an experience rather than just mindless drinking will surely be disappointed.
The Best Wine Glasses to Buy Right Now
Here are the top-rated plastic wine glasses to grab right now.
Michley Unbreakable Red Wine Glasses
These plastic glasses are made of a special type of plastic called Tritan plastic, which is especially durable and shatterproof. The pack comes with a set of 4 12.5 ounce glasses, and are also dishwasher friendly. They can be bought for around $25.99 from Amazon here.
Tossware Vino
These stemless plastic wine glasses aren’t just sturdy and good looking, they’re also recyclable. Made from recycled PET polymer, they are 100% BPA-free. A 12-cup pack can be bought from Amazon for around $12.99 here.
DecorRack Plastic Wine Cups
These stackable 24-pack cups are the perfect carry-along for picnics and hikes. The 6-ounce glasses complement outdoor parties and barbeques really well. They’re available on Amazon for around $9.99 here.
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