Used for water, iced teas, and hard liquor, the tumbler is a multi-purpose glass. Tumblers usually feature a relatively thick glass or crystal that can hold numerous ice cubes without breaking. It traditionally has a volume of between 8 to 12 ounces, with a wide cylindrical shape and usually no taper. However, many tumblers feature ornamentation on the exterior, including cut glass at the very base to aid in the measurement of the pouring of "fingers" of alcohol. Some tumblers actually grow wider as they approach the rim, which can bear a slight outward flair. This largely depends on the year of manufacture, and the specific drink for which the tumbler has been designed.
 

Tumblers experienced a significant change in their style and shape after 1875, when glass makers began making them taller and narrower than their pre-1875 forbearers. This shape change gave way to the name the "old fashioned" which subsequently inspired the drink of the same name. Other notable and valuable tumbler styles include the six flute, the alternating flutes, the plain with star bottom, the diamond thumbprint, the bull’s eye, the gooseberry, and the Haley’s comet.