Vidivi

The choice here comes down mainly to height and capacity. The tumblers run from 27 to 37 centilitres and are low and wide: pleasant for water, juice, whisky with a cube of ice or a cocktail you build in the glass. The long drink glasses of 29 and 41 cl are narrow and tall, which keeps ice cold for longer and lets the fizz escape more slowly. If you want a single size for the whole table, the 29 or 37 cl tumbler is the safest choice, because it takes both water and a drink. If you go for two sizes, combine a low tumbler for water with a 41 cl long drink for everything else. Diva and Concerto differ mainly in the relief: Concerto is more finely ribbed, Diva coarser and more faceted. Dolomiti has a thick base, looks the heaviest and stands most firmly when you stir in it.

Fill a tumbler about two-thirds full, leaving room for ice without spilling at the first sip. Add plenty of ice to the 41 cl highball before pouring, because lots of ice melts more slowly than a little ice and therefore dilutes your drink less. The relief looks best with colorful drinks, such as a Negroni in the low tumbler or a Mojito in the highball glass. Stir cocktails built in the glass itself, and let the garnish extend above the rim, because you smell a sprig of mint or a slice of citrus before you taste it. For water at the table, the low tumbler without ice is sufficient; its thick wall keeps the contents just as cool as a thin-walled glass that does develop condensation.

Vidivi works with pressed glass: the glass is pressed into a mould, which makes the wall thicker than in drawn crystal. That makes the glasses less sensitive to knocks and suitable for daily use. They can go in the dishwasher, although the relief stays clear longest if you run them on a normal programme rather than the hottest one. Limescale settles more quickly in the grooves than on a smooth wall, so dry them with a cloth afterwards if you have hard water. Stand them upright or upside down loosely in the rack and don't slide them into one another.

If you prefer to browse by shape rather than brand, go to tumbler glasses or long drink glasses for the full selection. For whisky with a single ice cube, there is more at whiskey glasses, and if you choose the drink rather than the shape, start with cocktail glasses. Behind the bar, bar spoons are essential, and you can keep an opened bottle fresh with wine stoppers. If you are looking for something with a stem instead of a tumbler, start one level higher.