Engraved glassware is the backbone of the personalised gift world, and for good reason: it is a genuinely useful object, the engraving lasts as long as the glass does, and almost everybody drinks something.
The mistake people make is buying the wrong glass for the person. Here is the short version of who gets what.
Pint glasses and tankards
The default gift for a beer drinker, and the most-bought category we have. A personalised pint glass becomes his glass in a way that a generic one never does.
Tankards are the more traditional choice - heavier, with a handle, and they suit milestone birthdays and father-of-the-bride gifts. Stainless steel tankards are the hard-wearing option and work outdoors where glass does not.
Tumblers
The whisky glass. Heavy base, wide mouth, room for a large ice cube. An engraved tumbler is the right gift for anyone who drinks spirits neat or over ice, and it is the most versatile glass on this list - it does whisky, rum, an old fashioned, or a soft drink without looking out of place.
Gin glasses
The balloon or copa shape exists because it holds ice, botanicals and tonic without going flat. Personalised gin glasses photograph beautifully, which is part of the appeal, and a pair engraved with two names makes an easy anniversary or wedding gift.
Wine glasses
Engraved wine glasses are the safest gift in the whole category. If you know nothing about someone except that they drink wine, a glass with their name on it will land. Buy two if it is for a couple.
Champagne flutes
Occasion glasses rather than everyday ones. Personalised flutes are at their best engraved with a date - a wedding, an engagement, a fiftieth. A pair is the standard gift; a set of six suits a wedding present.
Shot glasses and brandy glasses
Shot glasses are stocking-filler territory and work well in sets. Brandy glasses are a small category but the right answer for a certain kind of recipient - usually someone older who has a particular chair and a particular drink.
Getting the engraving right
- Name over message. A first name engraved on a glass looks classic. A paragraph looks cluttered on a curved surface.
- Mind the curve. Text wraps around the glass, so shorter lines sit better than long ones.
- Pairs should match. If you are buying two, use the same design and change only the names.
Care
Engraving does not wash off, but glass is still glass. Hand washing keeps it looking new longest, and storing glasses so they are not knocking together prevents the chips that eventually kill them.
Browse the full personalised glassware collection to see the whole range in one place.