Lead-Free Crystal Wine Glasses and Decanters

Lead once gave crystal its weight and sparkle. Modern lead-free crystal gets the clarity and thin rim without it, and it goes in the dishwasher besides.

By the Bonwits editorsUpdated September 30, 20265 picks

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Our top picks

5 picks, each linked to the exact listing

1
Best overallGabriel-Glas StandArt Crystal Wine Glass, Set of 2
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2
The entry pointZwiesel Glas Pure Bordeaux Red Wine Glass (Set of 2)
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3
The varietal glassRiedel Extreme Cabernet Glass, Set of 2, Clear
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4
The everyday decanterSpiegelau Style Crystal Wine Decanter, 33 oz (1 L)
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5
If money is no objectZwiesel Glas Zwiesel 1872 Handmade Glass Pollux Decanter, 1-Liter
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Traditional lead crystal is glass with a large share of lead oxide in the melt. The lead makes it heavy, soft enough to cut deeply, and brilliant under light, which is why cut crystal and old decanters look the way they do. It also means some lead can move into what the glass holds, slowly, and more so the longer a drink sits in it.

Most good wine glasses made today contain no lead at all. Makers replaced it with other oxides that give the same clarity, a thin rim and a clear ring when the glass is tapped, and the good ones are made to go in the dishwasher. Zwiesel's Tritan is the best-known example. Riedel says it has made only lead-free crystal glass since 2015.

So the choice is easy for new glass. The five picks below are all described as lead-free by their makers: three wine glasses and two decanters, from about $34 to about $100. The notes cover what to do with the lead crystal you may already own.

How we chose

Lead-free, in the maker's words. The maker states the glass is made without lead, on its own site or its Amazon listing. We quote that claim rather than extend it.
Thin rim, good bowl. The qualities that made crystal worth having: clarity, a fine rim, and a bowl shaped for wine.
Dishwasher tolerance. Glasses that get used every night, because they survive the dishwasher.
Sold by the maker or Amazon. Every pick is sold on Amazon US by Amazon.com or the brand's own North American distributor.

We read makers’ specifications, warranties, care instructions and the sources listed at the end. We do not accept paid placements. How we choose

The 5 picks, in detail

Best overallNo. 1

Gabriel-Glas StandArt Crystal Wine Glass, Set of 2

Our take. One seamless, very light lead-free glass for every wine, and the one most households need.

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Made in: Austria
Keeps for: Years of daily use; the maker cites 1,000 wash cycles without clouding
Material: Lead-free crystal, single piece (maker's statement)
Capacity: About 16 to 17 oz
Weight: About 150 g
Care: Dishwasher safe

Gabriel-Glas makes one universal shape, and the StandArt is the machine-made edition in lead-free Austrian crystal, sold on Amazon by Gabriel-Glas North America. Bowl, stem and foot are drawn from one piece, so there are no joins, and it weighs about 150 grams.

The bowl holds about 16 to 17 ounces and has a subtle kink at its widest point that sets a natural pour line. Reds, whites and Champagne all sit comfortably in it. It goes in the dishwasher.

Skip it if you want matched red and white glasses on a formal table, or if the modern bowl is not to your taste.

The catch. Singles cost close to what pairs cost elsewhere, and the maker does not replace glasses broken in use.

The entry pointNo. 2

Zwiesel Glas Pure Bordeaux Red Wine Glass (Set of 2)

Our take. A big, angular Bordeaux bowl in Tritan crystal, for about $17 a glass.

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Made in: Germany
Keeps for: Years of dishwasher use; Tritan is built for restaurants
Material: Tritan crystal glass, lead-free (maker's statement)
Capacity: About 23 oz
Height: 10.5 in
Care: Dishwasher safe

Zwiesel Glas, from the Bavarian glassworks long sold as Schott Zwiesel, says all of its Tritan crystal glasses are made entirely without lead, that it has not used lead or other heavy metals in its glass production since 1991, and that the glasses are free of lead, cadmium and BPA. Tritan was developed to stand up to restaurant use, which is why so many wine bars pour into it.

The Pure Bordeaux holds about 23 ounces and stands 10.5 inches tall, with the collection's distinctive angular bowl that tapers to the rim. It is made in Germany and dishwasher safe.

Skip it if you prefer a round, classical bowl; Pure's sharp shoulder is a look. Zwiesel makes rounder shapes in the same glass.

The catch. The angular bowl is a matter of taste, and the tall stem needs a tall cabinet.

The varietal glassNo. 3

Riedel Extreme Cabernet Glass, Set of 2, Clear

Our take. Riedel's machine-made Cabernet glass, from a maker that moved entirely to lead-free crystal glass in 2015.

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Keeps for: Years; Riedel rates all its glasses dishwasher safe
Material: Machine-made crystal glass; no lead oxide as a principal ingredient since 2015 (maker's statement)
Capacity: About 28 oz
Height: About 9.7 in
Care: Dishwasher safe

Riedel states that since 2015 it has made only crystal glass that does not use lead oxide as a principal ingredient. Glasses bought before then may be lead crystal, and Riedel still carries a California warning for leaded crystal products on its site, so the date on the box matters if you are buying older stock.

Extreme is a machine-made line with a diamond-shaped bowl designed for bold New World reds. The Cabernet holds about 28 ounces, and Riedel says all its glasses are dishwasher safe.

Skip it if you want one glass for everything. This is a large red wine glass, and a white poured into it will warm before it is finished.

The catch. "Lead-free" at Riedel dates from 2015; older Riedel may be lead crystal.

The everyday decanterNo. 4

Spiegelau Style Crystal Wine Decanter, 33 oz (1 L)

Our take. A slim, lead-free crystal carafe for opening up a young red on a weeknight.

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Made in: Germany
Keeps for: Years; the narrow neck is the only thing to be careful of
Material: Lead-free crystal (per the listing)
Capacity: 33 oz (1 L)
Spout: Angled for a clean pour

The decanter is the piece where lead crystal matters most, because wine or spirits can sit in it for hours or longer. Spiegelau's Style decanter is made in Germany, and the listing describes it as lead-free crystal. It holds 33 ounces, a full bottle, with an angled spout that pours cleanly.

Its shape is tall and slim rather than wide, so it aerates less than a broad-bottomed decanter. For most young reds, an hour in a carafe like this is all that is needed, and it takes up little room on the table.

Skip it if you decant old wine for sediment; a wider, more stable decanter is easier to pour slowly.

The catch. The narrow neck makes it harder to dry inside; a decanter brush or drying stand helps.

If money is no objectNo. 5

Zwiesel Glas Zwiesel 1872 Handmade Glass Pollux Decanter, 1-Liter

Our take. A sculptural Tritan decanter that aerates as it pours and goes in the dishwasher.

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Made in: Germany
Keeps for: Many years; the maker says it will not etch or cloud
Material: Tritan crystal glass: titanium and zirconium oxide, no lead (per the listing)
Capacity: 1 L (33.8 oz)
Size: 9 in tall, 9 in wide
Care: Dishwasher safe

Pollux is made in Germany of Tritan crystal glass, which the listing describes as a non-lead material of titanium and zirconium oxide, resistant to breakage, chipping and thermal shock. It holds a liter, stands 9 inches tall and 9 inches wide, and is shaped so wine runs down its sides as it fills, which opens it up.

The unusual base is designed to be held from underneath when pouring. Zwiesel says it is completely dishwasher safe and will not etch, cloud or discolor, which is rare in a decanter this size.

Skip it for sediment-heavy old wine, which needs a slow, steady pour from a simpler shape. For young reds it is a handsome way to do the job.

The catch. The wide, low shape takes real shelf space and is awkward to store.

Compare the picks

Pick	Best for	Made in	Keeps for	Buy
Gabriel-Glas StandArt Crystal Wine Glass, Set of 2	Best overall	Austria	Years of daily use; the maker cites 1,000 wash cycles without clouding	Check priceAmazon
Zwiesel Glas Pure Bordeaux Red Wine Glass (Set of 2)	The entry point	Germany	Years of dishwasher use; Tritan is built for restaurants	Check priceAmazon
Riedel Extreme Cabernet Glass, Set of 2, Clear	The varietal glass	Not stated	Years; Riedel rates all its glasses dishwasher safe	Check priceAmazon
Spiegelau Style Crystal Wine Decanter, 33 oz (1 L)	The everyday decanter	Germany	Years; the narrow neck is the only thing to be careful of	Check priceAmazon
Zwiesel Glas Zwiesel 1872 Handmade Glass Pollux Decanter, 1-Liter	If money is no object	Germany	Many years; the maker says it will not etch or cloud	Check priceAmazon

Compared.

Every comparison

What the research says about lead crystal

The studies that changed advice on lead crystal measured storage, not a glass of wine at dinner. A 1992 study in the American Journal of Public Health stored wine and spirits in lead crystal decanters from 14 makers for one to ten days and found lead levels from 100 to 1,800 micrograms per liter, with more leaching from more acidic liquids. The authors judged drinking beverages stored in lead crystal decanters a hazard.

The California Department of Public Health puts it plainly: occasional use of leaded crystal will not expose you to large amounts of lead unless liquids have been stored in it, but children should never eat or drink from leaded crystalware, and food or alcohol should not be stored in lead crystal decanters. The longer a drink sits, the more lead can leach.

If you own lead crystal

There is no need to throw out a grandmother's cut glasses. Use them for serving, pour and drink, and wash them by hand. Do not keep port, whisky or anything else in a lead crystal decanter between uses; decant for the evening, then empty it. Do not give lead crystal to children. California's guidance on tableware of uncertain lead content is most cautious for children, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

If you do not know whether a piece is lead crystal, assume old, heavy, deeply cut glass is, and treat it the same way.

Lead-free and the dishwasher

Zwiesel describes Tritan as built for brilliance, break resistance and dishwasher resistance, and every pick here is rated dishwasher safe by its maker. A top rack and a gentle cycle still extend a glass's life. Wash old lead crystal, and anything cut or gilded, by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Is lead crystal safe to drink from?

For occasional use, California's public health department says leaded crystal will not expose you to large amounts of lead unless liquids have been stored in it. It advises that children never use it and that food and drink not be stored in it.

What is lead-free crystal?

Glass made with other oxides in place of lead oxide, giving crystal's clarity and thin rim. Zwiesel's Tritan, for example, is described as titanium and zirconium oxide glass made without lead.

Are Riedel glasses lead-free?

Riedel says that since 2015 it has made only crystal glass that does not use lead oxide as a principal ingredient. Riedel glasses made before 2015 may be lead crystal.

Is Schott Zwiesel lead-free?

Yes, by the maker's statement: Zwiesel Glas says its Tritan crystal glasses are made entirely without lead and that it has not used lead or other heavy metals in production since 1991.

Can I keep whisky in a crystal decanter?

In a lead-free decanter, yes. In a lead crystal decanter, no; studies found lead in spirits and wine stored for days, and California's health department advises against storing drinks in leaded crystal.