6 Great Wine Glasses For When You Don’t Want To Spend $60 On A Zalto

As we recently pointed out, Zalto glasses are wonderful. They’re feather-light, have an attractive, angular-yet-rounded design, and somehow make every wine taste better. Unfortunately, they’re also $60 each, and - despite their surprising durability - breakage is a very real (and demoralizing) possibility. So here are some less costly alternatives to fill that Zalto-shaped hole in your life.

All of these glasses are less than $15 each, and they’re attractive enough to whip out at your next dinner party (whenever that’s a thing again). They’re also perfect for when you want to have your own quarantine wine tasting accompanied by Grover Washington Jr.’s Winelight. Try it sometime. It’s a soothing experience.

A Close Relative of the Zalto

In terms of aesthetics, these are about the closest you’ll get Zaltos. Just look at their clean, sharp lines and the angles of their bowls. Sure, Schott Zwiesel glasses aren’t as light, but consider that a perfectly fair trade-off because they won’t break as easily. And if you need a cosign, these are exactly what Ashley Santoro, owner of L’Itos and Leisir Wine, uses at home.

Get some Schott Zwiesel glasses ($50 for 4) →

The Budget-Friendly Option

For something a little more affordable, try Bormiloi Rocco. Their white wine glasses (consider them universal) are $25 for a set of four, and, if you squint, they look a lot like Zaltos. But even if you don’t squint, they still look more expensive than they actually are. These glasses are practical, timeless, and you won’t find yourself grieving for 24 hours if you break one.

Get some Bormioli Rocco glasses ($25 for 4) →

The Stemware Made for Swirling

There’s something so satisfying about the way a Zalto glass funnels the scent of a wine straight to your nose. We’re pretty sure this has to do with the near-triangular shape of the bowl, and these Power glasses from Stozle do a very good job of replicating that. These glasses are also elegant and attractive in their own right. Looking at them makes us want to add some wine and start swirling (for purely ASMR reasons).

Get some Stozle glasses ($35 for 4) →

The "Glass" to Take on Day Trips

Planning a hike, a picnic, or a camping trip? Don’t bring glass. That usually doesn’t end well. Try some of the reusable plastic vessels from Tossware. They have a few wine glass options (including both stemmed and stemless), but we’re especially drawn to these rocks glasses which have a Zalto-esque profile. Sure, they’re intended more for spirits and cocktails, but don’t get bogged down in specifics. You can very much drink wine out of these, preferably in a grassy field surrounded by butterflies or at least a few moths.

Get some Tossware glasses ($13 for 12) →

The One You Can Order Individually

If you’ve paid close attention, you may have noticed this glass before. It’s something we use in photoshoots sometimes - and we do that, in part, because this Crate & Barrel glass has the chic angularity of a Zalto, at about a fourth of the price. Also, you can buy them individually (a highly underrated option), and they’re ideal for Aperol Spritzes.

Get some Crate & Barrel glasses ($14 each) →

A Newcomer Worth Checking Out

The newest option on this list, these glasses are a recent offering from Made In, a cookware startup known mainly for their cost-effective but high-end-feeling pots and pans. (We’ve used them, and approve.) There are red and white wine options - both of which have a rounded, minimalist design - although if you only go with one set, we’d choose white. They take up less room, and they’re essentially all-purpose. Sommelier (and author) Sarah Thomas recommends them highly.

Get some Made In glasses ($59 for 4) →

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