Best Glass Chess Sets in the UK

Out of the Blue isn't just your average glass chess set. The craftsmanship, the attention to detail, the pieces' polished accents and purposefully soft lines and curves, there are many little touches here that separate the set from your usual deal.

What we really like is that the colour of the glass differs a little bit between different pieces. The "royalty" pieces have a hint of green in them, while the smaller pieces are completely white. Every piece here is defined but not too defined to make them look too gaudy.

The board adds up to 35 x 35 centimetres in width and length, making it noticeably larger than your average board like that. With the size difference, it is more comfortable to play and it makes for a better decoration piece.

The board surface here is transparent glass. As far as we can tell, there's nothing particularly interesting about it.

The pieces come with non-slip pads. They do their job but, sometimes, the pads can peel off certain pieces, so you will have to re-glue them. Other than that, we've no complaints about the set.

To put it all a little differently, Out of the Blue Glass Chess Set makes for a luxury decoration piece. But the set isn't just about aesthetics. Thanks, among other things, to the board's size, this chess set is practical and comfortable to play with.

There are many good things we can say about Traditional Games Glass Chess Set. There's a very clear difference between the frosted and clear glass pieces. That said, both types of pieces look really good, with an elegant and dignified aesthetic to them.

The board is nothing to complain about too. It has a polished and refined appearance to it. The transparent glass here is durable and gorgeous. The size is optimal.

Measuring 30 x 30 centimetres, the board is neither too large nor too small. It is perfect to play with but doesn't take away too much space, so the set still makes for an excellent showpiece and a beautiful item to have at home.

The non-slip pads do not make the pieces noticeably heavier and/or inconvenient but they do an excellent job keeping these pieces nice and balanced.

As far as we're concerned, this chess set has only one flaw but it is a relatively big one. Again, the pieces are great and so is the board. The problem is that the board has sharp edges, making the set particularly unsuitable for children. We would only recommend it to kids above the age of eight, provided they have the mental capacity to understand the danger that these sharp edges can pose.

All in all, Traditional Games Glass Chess Set can serve as an outstanding conversation starter. The set will prove a great gift for people who love the game of chess. Plus, it is really functional and easy to play with.

First and foremost, this Global Gizmos glass set is a little more versatile than every other set on the list here. The board's nice and the chess pieces are excellent too. But we will get to them in a moment.

In addition to the usual package, this set includes 24 draught pieces. Needless to say, you can use these pieces and the board to play draughts. Add to that the fact that the board doesn't incorporate sharp edges and you have yourself an excellent gift for children ages 3 and up. They can play both games, using them to develop logical reasoning, memory, strategic and critical thinking, creativity, the list goes on.

That being said, this is primarily a glass chess set and not a bad one at that. The frosted pieces look classy but subtle, while the see-through pieces have a stylish but, at the same time, tasteful appearance to them.

The board is a slightly different story. It doesn't look half-bad, we've no complaints in that department. However, it is a little thin and susceptible to scratches, so you have to be really careful with the board.

In other words, Global Gizmos 2-in-1 Benross Glass Chess and Draughts Set will be great for the entire family. The non-slip pads will keep the pieces in place. You'll be able to play two of the world's most loved games using the same beautifully crafted glass board.

Babz Glass Chess Board Set isn't necessarily as "deluxe" as advertised. It's not bad. The set has its moments. But "deluxe" is a little too much.

As far as we're concerned, the biggest issue here is that it can be a tad difficult to differentiate between the see-through and frosted glass. Sure, they look good, we're not saying they don't. But there has to be a clear difference between opposite pieces and that's not entirely the case. Other than that, we don't really have any major issues with the set.

The board's really good. Measuring 25 x 25 centimetres in overall dimensions, it is compact and works as a decoration piece as much as an actual chess board. The transparent glass doesn't have that cheap look and feel to it. On the contrary, it appears elegant and refined.

What's more, the board comes equipped with 4 little pads on the bottom that keep the base stable and protect it from scratches. These pads are white/transparent, so they do not stand out too much.

The pieces look good but not necessarily something that we haven't seen before. They too come fitted with non-slip pads and these pads are effective enough as well.

To sum it up, Babz Glass Chess Board Set is a really good frosted glass chess set but not without its flaws. We would recommend it to people who are more concerned with aesthetics than they are with functionality. That said, the board is really practical.

DNY© Glass Chess Set is the most affordable set in this lineup but we wouldn't call it the cheapest. The price difference here isn't that huge and the quality isn't that much different too.

As it is usually the case, the set comes supplied with 32 chess pieces. Half of these pieces are see-through, while the other half are frosted. The pieces are attractive enough, stylish but not too much where it becomes gaudy. The non-slip pads aren't very noticeable but they do a good enough job preventing the pieces from sliding around the board and/or scratching it.

It is really the size where we have a problem with these pieces. There's always a size difference between chess pieces but the pawns here are unusually small, making them a little inconvenient to move and look weird in contrast with other pieces.

The board adds up to precisely 25 x 25 centimetres in length and width. It is that usual size that makes the board comfortable enough to play with but, at the same time, compact enough to work as a decoration piece.

The board and the set in general are suitable for children. There are no sharp edges here. The pieces aren't too delicate.

In short, DNY© Glass Chess Set is a little more affordable than every other set here. The product comes packaged in a nice coloured box that already looks better than your average gift wrap. The glass here is really tough.