Should Glassware Face Up Or Down In A Kitchen Cabinet?

As you prepare to place new glassware in your kitchen cabinets for safekeeping, you may find yourself pausing with a glass in your hand. You have to decide whether your glasses will face up or down.

This decision has sparked debate and disagreement in many households and can be a hard decision to make. So, as you prepare to arrange your kitchen cabinets, you will want to know whether it is better to store glassware facing up or facing down.

Deciding on whether to face glassware with the rim of the glass facing upwards or downwards is ultimately a matter of personal preference, though there are pros and cons to each choice.

Facing glassware upwards is more aesthetically pleasing, and also safer when storing brittle glassware. Facing glassware downwards helps prevent dust and insects from collecting inside the glass, and makes glasses easy to stack.

There are several ways you can store your glassware in your cabinets. Some people don’t even store glassware in their cabinets at all. But as you prepare to arrange your kitchen cabinets or put new glassware away for the first time, you should take time to think about the best way to store your glasses.

As you debate whether to store your glassware facing upwards or downwards, you must first understand the factors that impact the method that will work best for your specific circumstances.

The Best Way To Store Glassware In Your Kitchen Cabinet

In an ideal world, you will store your glassware in a manner that protects all the glassware, maximizes space, is most sanitary, and is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Unfortunately, facing glassware upwards achieves some of these goals to perfection, while facing glassware downwards excels in other aspects.

This is why you should take some time to understand some factors that impact whether facing glassware

up or down is best for your specific kitchen.

Factors Impacting Whether Glassware Should Face Up Or Down

The Shape And Design Of The Glassware

The glassware itself can impact whether you face it upwards or downwards. In fact, based on its size and shape, it may be better to face some glasses facing upwards, and others facing downwards.

Some glassware, like large-bowled red wine glasses, can be quite top-heavy. It's safer to store these types of glasses facing down. If, however, the rim of the glass is quite thin, like other elegant types of wine glasses, they should face up.

How Sturdy Or Fragile The Materials Are

Not all glassware are created the same. Some water glasses are heavy, and made of thick glass that can survive regular wear and tear, and even an occasional tipping over.

Other glassware is fragile and thin and will shatter into tiny pieces with the slightest impact. When dealing with delicate glassware, you should always store it in the direction where it is resting in a stable and safe position.

More durable glass can be stored based on preference and what makes the most sense in the space.

Is The Glassware On Display, Or Hidden?

Whether these glasses are on display or hidden from view is another factor to consider when deciding to face your glasses with the rims up or down. Generally speaking, glasses that are on display look best facing up.

This is because a glass facing upwards is its intended position, and therefore looks as it should. Glasses facing down look less “ready,” but if the cabinets are covered, or out of sight, then this does not need to factor into your decision as much as if they are in constant view.

Air Quality And Cleanliness In The Kitchen

If you don’t have an air filtration system and have a constant open-air environment, then glasses should probably face downward.

Dust, residue, and even insects can find their way into your glassware if it faces upwards. If, however, you have a quality air filtration system or run an air purifier and don’t leave your windows open, then this will have a much lesser impact.

Pros And Cons To Storing Glassware Upright In Cabinets

Pros To Storing Glassware Rim Upward

It looks Nicer When Displayed

One great perk to storing your glassware facing upwards is that it looks nicer. If you have kitchen cabinets with glass doors or store glassware in a kitchen cabinet alternative like a decorative hutch, then the glasses facing up look best.

Ideal For Glassware With Fragile Lips

When it comes to storing more fragile glassware, facing it upwards is usually safer. This is especially true when you are dealing with glasses with thin and fragile lips and rims, like fancy wine glasses. Glassware with fragile rims should face upwards so it is protected.

Helps Prevent Chipped Rims

A chipped glass isn’t at the end of its life unless, of course, that chip is on the rim., A chipped rim can cause injury and bleeding. When you store glasses face up, you are preventing the rim of the glasses from coming in contact with any hard surfaces.

Is The Intended Position Of The Glass

It is important to remember that when a glass faces up it is sitting in its intended position. In other words, glassware was designed (in most cases anyway) to sit facing upwards. So when you put it away with the rim of the glass facing upward, you are storing it as its designer and manufacturer intended.

Cons To Facing Glassware Rim Upward

Dust Can Collect

The biggest con to storing glassware facing upward is that it can collect dust or even insects. If you don’t use some glasses very often, like a particular set of wine glasses, then there is a good chance when you go to use them the inside of the glass will have a layer of dust.

You Can’t Stack Glassware

Some glassware, especially more durable water glasses, are designed with the ability to stack them. This usually works best when the glasses are facing down, and is far less effective, and borderline dangerous, when the glasses are facing upwards.

Might Find yourself Constantly Re-Washing Glasses

Even if you don’t notice a layer of dust, you might find yourself constantly rinsing glasses that are facing upwards in fear that they are dirty. This is a waste of time and water. If you find yourself doing this, you might want to think about which glasses you should start facing downward to save on time and water.

Pros And Cons To Storing Glassware Face Down In Cabinets

Pros To Storing Glassware Rim Downward

Allows You To Stack Some Types Of Glasses

One great perk to storing glasses face down is it might increase your storage capacity. Many glasses, like water glasses, are stackable. Facing glasses downward allows you to stack these glasses and maximize the space in a smaller kitchen with limited storage.

Protects Glassware From Dust And Insects

One huge benefit to facing glassware downwards is that it prevents dust or insects from collecting inside the glass. This means you can simply grab a glass from the cabinet and use it without worrying if the inside of the glass is completely clean.

A More Stable Storage For Glassware

In some cases, depending on the size of a glass, it is best stored facing downwards for safety reasons. Some glasses, like certain martini glasses, are top-heavy. They have a better chance at a long lifespan if you store them face down.

Cons To Storing Glassware Rim Downward

Does Not Look As Nice When Displayed

One downside to storing glasses face down is that it does not look as aesthetically pleasing. If you are putting your nice glassware on display, or if your kitchen cabinets have glass doors, downward-facing glasses aren’t ideal.

Can Potentially Chip The Rim Of Glassware

The rim of the glasses is at greater risk of damage when faced downward. This is because the fragile rim is in constant contact with a hard surface.

The Cabinets Might Not Be Cleaner Than The Air

While storing glassware face down protects them from dust, the rim of the glass may be subject to worse conditions. Remember that your glasses are only as clean as the shelves of the cabinets when you store them facing downward.

Final Thoughts On Facing Glassware Up Or Down In Cabinets

Storing your glassware face up or face down can be a tough decision. On the one hand, glasses look great facing upwards, and more fragile glassware is more protected when facing up. When facing down, however, you can stack many types of water glasses, and the inside of the glass is protected from dust.

Remember to consider how often you use the glasses, the shape and size of the glass, and even the air quality and cleanliness of your kitchen when deciding whether to face glassware up or down.

Related Guides:

• 11 Different Types of Wine Glasses (And Their Uses)
• The Top 11 Crystal Glassware Brands
• Wine Glass Dimensions (with Drawings)