Bormioli Rocco Caffeino

Two things matter in a small coffee glass: the capacity and the wall thickness. At 8.5 and 9 cl, Caffeino sits at the classic espresso size, where a shot of roughly three centilitres fills the glass by a third and leaves the crema room to breathe. A thicker wall keeps the coffee warm for longer and feels sturdier in the hand; a thin wall cools down faster. Then choose on shape: a glass that widens slightly towards the top lets the crema spread out, so you can see it better. Six glasses are enough for a household; for a business, count on two glasses per seat.

Warm the glass briefly under the hot tap or on top of the machine before use, because cold glass draws the heat straight out of the shot. Serve it on a saucer with a spoon and a small glass of water alongside; that water is there to rinse the mouth before you drink, not after. The same size also works for a carajillo with liqueur, or for a small espresso martini to round off a meal, as long as you keep the serving small.

Coffee leaves behind oils that settle on the wall as a thin, dull film and start to taste bitter over time. A normal dishwasher programme does not always shift that, so rinse the glasses briefly before they go in. Then choose a glassware programme and place them apart from one another. Never pour boiling water into a glass that has just come out of the fridge, because that difference is what makes glass crack.

More from this maker is listed under Bormioli Rocco. For the larger sizes there are the cappuccino glasses and the latte macchiato glasses; the full overview is under coffee glasses. If you want to start mixing with coffee, the recipes are with the coffee cocktails, and the kit you need for them is with the bar tools, from jiggers to strainers.