The 9 best espresso cups in 2023, according to Insider's espresso expert

One of the best parts of pulling a shot of espresso is inspecting your work afterward. Double-walled glass offerings like these from De'Longhi allow you to do so while also keeping your coffee a little hotter than the average demitasse.

While this design is on the fragile side, espresso begs to be admired and the delicate glass is a pleasure to hold. There's no better way to covet the stuff than with translucence, and the flared rim goes a long way to deliver all the nuanced flavors a good batch of freshly ground beans has to offer.

For a rustic, farmhouse feel, it's hard to do better than hand-dipped and individually shaped stoneware. Each of these CB2 cups has a unique shape and hue, ranging from ash-grey to dark blue and black. And for about four dollars, it's a hard price to compete with, hand-dipped or not.

If you'd like to keep your coffee drinkware matching, CB2 also makes this cup in a full 12-ounce size to accommodate cappuccinos, lattes, and more.

Ceramic coffee mugs come with handles because the material can get too hot to hold. These cups from Fellow are an updated take on the traditional ceramic demitasses; the double-walled construction keeps your coffee hot and fingers cool. They're also less breakable than glass.

This is also another great option for a whole set of coffee ware: Fellow makes cappuccino, cortado, and latte cups to cover all of the requisite cafe-drink sizes. These handle-free cups are also stackable, making them perfect for left-handed users and small spaces, too.

Though bone porcelain or china doesn't exactly impart any flavor or lend to better aromatics, there's a pleasure to its thin, warm texture for a lot of coffee and tea drinkers that can't be denied.

Porcelain is a more refined clay fired at a higher temperature, and bone porcelain, or china, comprises bone ash, which lends to better durability. If you want some timeless glassware, Villeroy and Boch has been at it for almost three centuries and is used in fine dining the world round. We like several of their models, such as the neutral Modern Grace glasses, and the Amazonia line that features a colorful smattering of South-American flora and fauna.

When we perform our espresso taste testing, these are the cups we pull out. Similar to tasting glasses for other beverages, the convex shape, three internal fins, and sloping make for easy dissection of tasting notes.

Technical stuff aside, we've also found that this demitasse offers some of the best heat retention we've come across. The only downside is that the glass is incredibly delicate, and we have managed to break more than one.

Owners of modern kitchens might appreciate something a little more design-forward, and Villeroy & Boch's New Wave series, with its slanted rim and flared handle, are a fun take on the classic shape. 

Made with "premium" (not quite china) porcelain, these are on the thinner side, yet more durable than your average ceramic. The New Wave is sold individually and in sets with a saucer and spoon. Just note that because of the unusual shape of the handle, these demitasses are not exactly left-hand-friendly.

If you don't anything fancy, and would prefer to go the indestructible route, kitchen-grade stainless steel offerings like these from Recaps are dishwasher-safe and built to withstand anything you're (likely) going to put them through.

While thinner stainless steel won't retain heat terribly well, double-walled designs like this one keep heat similarly to the way a vacuum-insulated thermos or cooler does. The downside with stainless steel is that you might find that it imparts a slight metallic flavor, though I haven't. Otherwise, these are perfectly viable and virtually indestructible vessels for your espresso.

There's a lot to be said for the classic demitasse and saucer design. After all, they're the workhorses designed to survive the bustling daily life of an espresso cafe. These Sweese cups fit snugly in the paired saucers, leaving just enough room for a little chocolate, baklava, or biscuit.  

For those that want to neatly confine their drinkware to a small countertop or cabinet corner, this stackable set comes with a steel stand for an attractive and functional solution. The five available colors makes for an endearing and personal presentation.

While nicer glass isn't to be overlooked, the Youngever Espresso Cups are a smart budget option. The glasses are double walled glass, just like our best overall pick, but these won't sting to replace if they break. If you're stocking a rental or preparing for a host of espresso drinkers, this four-pack is an easy solution. 

Youngever also makes larger espresso cups and coffee mugs in the same double-walled glass design. 

We spoke with espresso experts including Lance Hedrick of Onyx Coffee Lab and Chi Sum Ngai and Kaleenah Teoh of The Coffee Project NY to learn what helps you get the most out of tasting your shot. The resounding recommendation was double-walled glass. Of course, choosing your demitasses is highly subjective based on how much you're concerned with aesthetics vis-à-vis aromatics, durability, and cost. That's why we rounded up our favorite designs in a variety of materials.

Here are the pros and cons of common espresso cup materials:

Ceramic: Decent durability, decent heat retention, and generally affordable.

Stainless steel: While stainless steel is your most durable and heat-retentive option (when double-walled), it can impart a metallic flavor some people find unpleasant.

Glass: Glass is the least durable material, and chances are high you'll break a glass or two. But where flavor and aesthetics are concerned, double-walled glass is superior.

What should I look for in an espresso cup?

Consider the main available materials: ceramic, stainless steel, and glass. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and if you really want to splurge, you might consider bone porcelain or china. Espresso cups can be delicate, so if you have a hectic household or are outfitting a rental, choose a more durable material. 

How do I remove coffee stains from a mug?

The simplest way to remove coffee stains from mugs is to soak your mugs in a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar.

Why are espresso cups so small? 

Espresso cups, or demitasses (French for "half-cups"), are small because espressos are small. A single shot ranges from about two-thirds of a fluid ounce (20 milliliters) to about two ounces (60 milliliters). Pouring such a small amount of a hot beverage into a full-sized cup or mug would cool it almost immediately, whereas a smaller vessel provides snugger insulation and better heat retention.

What's the difference between espresso and cappuccino cups? 

Cappuccino cups are designed for bearing two shots of espresso and about four ounces of steamed milk, so they have a larger capacity. Espresso cups traditionally hold about two or three fluid ounces (75 milliliters to 90 milliliters), while cappuccino cups usually hold about five or six fluid ounces (145 to 1 5 milliliters).