For the uninitiated, a bedside water carafe is a vessel (usually, glass) that typically lives on your nightstand and provides a few glasses’ worth of water at arm’s reach. It typically includes a single water cup that doubles as a lid for the carafe, and while it’s not limited to use on your nightstand (there are plenty of multi-glass carafe sets), the ritual of using a bedside carafe can feel nonchalantly luxurious and intimate, like staying at a high-end hotel (even if you’re just in a Bushwick railroad apartment). I appreciate the presence of a bedside carafe the same way I appreciate my key holder or coat rack: as a small, but consistent convenience that makes the everyday motions of life run just a little bit smoother.
As a design nerd and enthusiastic hydrator, here’s what I look for in a great bedside carafe: size (around 28 ounces is my personal sweet spot), aesthetic, and how easy it will be able to fumble around for in the middle of the night. I appreciate delicate glassware, but for something that I’m using all day as a WFH writer, I need glassware that’s straightforward to pick up, difficult to knock over, and easy to pour. Functionality, however, doesn’t have to be a substitute for sleek design, and I often find myself looking for midcentury-modern-inspired carafes or jugs with color-blocking combinations.
Below, I have rounded up a handful of my favorite bedside carafes for every aesthetic and budget. Whether you’re shopping in the $20 or $100 range, and each one combines form and function for a practical purchase that will delight you for years to come. Plus, a bedside carafe also makes an excellent housewarming gift.
Ready, set, sip.
