Wine glasses play a very important role in enjoying wine, and they need to be kept clean. Since it’s never easier to clean things by hand, you’re probably wondering if the dishwasher can take care of the job for you. But some wine glasses can get more than a little pricey. These glasses are usually purchased in order to celebrate special occasions and you don't want to ruin or break them. We’ve researched if wine glasses are dishwasher safe, no matter what style you’re using.
Most wine glasses can survive a cycle in the dishwasher. However, you must take your individual glasses into account. Some brands of wine glasses are going to be sturdier than others. If your wine glass has a stem, it is more likely to break. And you must always load wine glasses properly, in the top rack of your dishwasher. To keep wine glasses safe in a dishwasher, you must consider:
- Glass brand
- The style
- Your loading method
Wine glasses can sometimes be overlooked as snobby tools for fancy parties, but they’re more versatile than that. There are wine glasses for everyday use, for a weekend dinner party, or a romantic anniversary. Keep reading to learn which glasses can go in the dishwasher, how to load them, and alternative ways to clean them.
What is the best way to clean wine glasses?
You will have to choose between washing any glass by hand or dishwasher. Washing a wine glass by hand will allow you to treat the glass more delicately. Meanwhile, running wine glasses in a dishwasher is easier, and it will get the job done faster.
Washing By Hand
Washing by hand is always going to be safest for your wine glasses. You won’t have to worry about dishwasher tines breaking that signature thin rim. You don’t have to worry about the fragile stem snapping apart either.
And it doesn’t help that sometimes the dishwasher detergent can leave spots on the glass, which defeats the purpose of serious wine tasting. Experts like Missouri Wines agree that washing your wine glasses by hand is the best way to go. But there are other things to consider.
Firstly, wine glasses are so thin, it’s still possible the glass can break. That wouldn’t be good for your hand or the glass. It’s important that you handle the glass properly. Always hold your wine glasses by the bowl instead of the stem.
The stem is an essential part of drinking wine because it keeps your hands from warming up the drink. But the stem is also just as weak as it looks.
Also, it’s usually considered best to do away with special washing substances. It can be cheaper and safer to simply use just a little bit of ordinary dishwashing liquid. Just bear in mind that the dishwashing liquid should also be odorless in order to prevent issues with the next drink of wine. Also, make sure that you don’t accidentally knock your glass into the sink’s faucet or basin.
How do you wash wine glasses in the dishwasher?
While it may be less safe to wash your wine glasses in a dishwasher, it is definitely easier. Dishwashers can be used to wash everyone’s wine glass after a full dinner party. That would save you an enormous amount of work and effort.
Further, you may not even be worried about the value of the glasses themselves if they were only purchased for casual use. Glasses like these are usually stemless, and easy to replace.
But a broken glass still isn’t any fun to clean up, and the heat from a dishwasher might be a little too much for your wine glasses. There are specific things you should consider in order to properly wash wine glasses in a dishwasher.
Your Brand
The unfortunate drawback of any wine glass is that the glass is deliberately designed to be thinner than usual. This design is meant to enhance the drinking experience. Thinner wine glasses improve the clarity and make it easier to sip the wine. So, wine glasses will always be more fragile than usual.
The best way around this is to purchase a brand-name wine glass. Specialized brands have been designing glasses for years, just for the purpose of wine tasting. That means these brands will understand how to balance proper durability with the traditional shape and build.
For example, one of the most renowned brands of wine glasses is Riedel. This specialty brand has been working on glasses intended for wine over the last two hundred years. Riedel also sells wine glasses for any occasion, ranging from casual to fancy. Specialists like Wineware support that Riedel has a high reputation throughout the world.
Click here to find these Riedel wine glasses on Amazon.
You can read this post to learn if buying expensive wine glasses is actually worth the investment.
Your Style
The shape and material of your wine glasses are going to make a serious difference. Some wine glasses have a larger bowl or a thinner rim. But most of all, you will have to figure out how to work with wine glasses that have a stem or not.
The stem is a crucial part of your wine glass. If you are constantly holding your wine by the bowl, then the flavor of the wine really can change.
True, some wine glass brands have added other substances to their glass in order to increase durability. But no matter what promises are made on the packaging, the stem of any wine glass is going to be unusually delicate. A stemless wine glass will always be safer in the dishwasher because it will be loaded flush against the rack.
Where do wine glasses go in the dishwasher?
The first rule you must follow when loading wine glasses into a dishwasher is to keep them all on the top rack. The lower rack will be too dangerous for any wine glass. The bottom of the dishwasher is where the sprayer is located. This sprayer is far too strong for wine glasses to survive nearby. Riedel’s own website advises customers to load wine glasses on the top rack.
The second rule is to make sure each glass is spaced out far enough. Stack each of your glasses between the dangerous tines. There should be room for at least one finger between every glass. This is to make sure the glasses won’t damage each other during the cycle. You can read this post about how many wine and cocktail glasses you should own.
When your wine glasses have stems, settle these stems into the cup shelves if your dishwasher is equipped with them. If not, you can purchase special holders that will better protect wine glasses in the cycle. Whether your wine glasses have stems or not, try to angle them so that no water pools inside the bowl.
Check out these wine glass dishwasher holders on Amazon.
Lastly, always remember to keep the temperature down before you actually run the load. Higher temperatures will simply be too rough on thin glass.
What is the best dishwasher for wine glasses?
There’s a lot that goes into selecting any dishwasher, let alone for wine glasses. But if you want to, you can actually invest in a dishwasher that will take special care of your glasses. A larger installation would be ideal for serious wine tasters. A compact dishwasher is more ideal because it is typically less expensive, and always takes up less room.
Riedel is famously known to be officially certified by Miele, so the Riedel company has often suggested a Miele dishwasher for use with their brand of wine glasses.
Click here to find this HOmeLabs countertop dishwasher on Amazon.
However, specialists like Best Wines Online approve of the HOmeLabs brand, which made the top of their list for the best wine glass dishwashers. The most important factors will always include the size of the dishwasher, the space inside the dishwasher, and the range of cycles they offer.
How do you clean the wine glass in a Bosch dishwasher?
Bosch is another popular dishwasher for wine glasses. This is probably because of Bosch’s unique feature that allows you to double-check your settings while the cycle is running. You should definitely pay attention to these settings since you can.
Most of the time, you would simply want to run the “glass” cycle. This will ensure that your wine glasses are treated with the correct pressure and temperature.
Also, Bosch has a variety of special rack systems for their dishwashers. You should try to aim for the flexible rack option, which will allow you to adjust the tines for spacing. This can be crucial to make sure there’s enough room for your wine glasses that have stems.
Summary
Wine can be an expensive treat, so it’s only natural that you should try to take special care of your wine glasses. It’s likely that your wine glasses were a moderately large investment, even if they were just for a small group of friends. Now that you know the relationship between wine glasses and dishwashers, it’s time to choose which cleanup job is best for you.
