Best trifle bowls for Christmas
Whether you're looking for a statement piece for the dining table, or a Christmas gift, we've rounded up the best trifle bowls available at major retailers
One of Britain's best-loved desserts is a classic trifle, a large bowl piled layer upon layer of cake, thick custard, and whipped cream (jelly, booze, and fresh fruit are optional). A trifle is not just for Christmas; it's loved for Sunday tea, dinner parties, and celebrations. One thing imperative for serving this delicious dessert is the trifle bowl, which must be pretty, large and capable of showing off the trifle in all its glory. This is why glass or acrylic (if you want to take the trifle out of the house) is the best bowl to use.
Trifle bowls come in all shapes and sizes, with many traditional ones being highly decorative and heavy, especially if made of crystal. More contemporary trifle bowls are plain glass, often tall, some shapely and footed, others simple and elegant. Pricewise, they can range from as little as £2 into the hundreds for the hand-blown crystal. Many trifle bowls are practical and used for other desserts, salads, or punch bowls, or they will also work well as fruit bowls. Most will not be heat-proof.
Here, we have picked some of our favourites across styles and with prices to suit all budgets, with most of them far too lovely to be hidden away at the back of the cupboard, waiting for Christmas to come around.
Our collection of trifle recipes is full of great inspiration, and if it's a festive occasion, try our range of Christmas trifle recipes to make a Christmas centrepiece or follow our guide on how to make the ultimate festive trifle with tips and tricks for your dessert for the big day. For more kitchen inspiration, check out our reviews section for over 400 reviews, including our round-ups of the best serving platters, cake storage tins and cocktail jugs.
Best trifle bowls at a glance
- Best elegant-simplicity trifle bowl: ProCook Glass Trifle Bowl, £25
- Best budget trifle bowl: Dunelm 23 cm Trifle Bowl, £8
- Best blowout crystal trifle bowl: Emma Bridgewater Black Toast Trifle Bowl, £170
- Best trifle bowl for indoors and out: Lakeland Crystal Acrylic Large Serving Bowl, £9.99
- Best British glass trifle bowl: Dartington Fortuna Trifle Bowl, £142
- Best bargain trifle bowl: Ikea Trygg Glass Bowl, £2
- Best recycled trifle bowl: John Lewis & Partners Recycled Glass Bowl, £25
- Best small trifle bowl: Marks and Spencer Ribbed Glass Bowl, £22
- Best vintage individual bowls or sets: Dibor glass dessert bowls or set, £27
- Best versatile not-just-for-trifle bowl: FavorFlavour large trifle bowl, £37.33
- Best coloured trifle bowl: Sazy Luna trifle bowl, £17
- Best minimalist trifle bowl: Wayfair Simplicity trifle bowl, £40.07
- Best luxury trifle bowl: The White Company Optic serving bowl, £60
- Best simple trifle bowl: Glasshop plain serving bowl, £13.95
- Best individual trifle bowls: ProCook glass dessert bowls, £25
Best trifle bowls 2024
ProCook Glass Trifle Bowl
Available from ProCook (£25)
Best elegant-simplicity trifle bowl
There is something about this lovely, trifle bowl, which, though simple, shouts elegance too. The gentle curves of this wide dish make it an excellent size for family parties, and we particularly like the broad base, which will stand firmly on the table. With its generous 22cm width and 3.2 litres capacity, not only will a trifle look fabulous, but it will also be handy for other desserts, be excellent for punch, and will undoubtedly be lovely for fruit. The bowl is made of beautiful clear glass and is dishwasher-proof. Plus, it comes with a one-year guarantee.
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Dunelm 23cm Glass Trifle Bowl
Available from Dunelm (£8)
Best budget trifle bowl
This Dunelm glass trifle bowl is not just 23cm across but also 23cm tall, making it an elegant statement piece for the centre of the dinner or buffet table. This is going to make showing off your trifle or other desserts easy.
We love the shape of the bowl and its thick, sturdy glass, which looks far more expensive than its astonishing price. The trifle bowl is also safe to go into the fridge and the dishwasher.
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Emma Bridgewater Black Toast Trifle Bowl
Available from Emma Bridgewater (£170)
Best blowout crystal trifle bowl
This hand-blown and hand-finished crystal trifle bowl from Emma Bridgewater forms part of their Black Toast collection, launched over three decades ago and is still as popular today. The 27cm diameter makes this a wide bowl but not too deep. The writing on the glass is beautifully and carefully sand-blasted, stating this is a bowl for "trifle & peaches & pears". The bowl is made with lead-free crystal with brilliant clarity and durability. Though they say it can be put in the dishwasher, handwashing would be better. We love the beautiful bowl; though expensive, this is one to have around for a long time.
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Lakeland Crystal Acrylic Serving Bowl
Available from Lakeland (£9.99)
Best bowl for indoors and out
This pretty bowl from Lakeland is deceptive; it may look like Granny's heirloom crystal, but looking closer, it is, in fact, made from food-safe crystal-clear acrylic. This makes the bowl light and handy for taking outside and using at parties, picnics or summer BBQs without worry. Its traditional look makes it perfect for a trifle and other desserts, salads, and even a bowl of punch or eggnog. It's an brilliant price, is BPA-free, comes with Lakeland's three-year guarantee and it likes the dishwasher.
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Dartington Fortuna Trifle Bowl
Available from Amazon (£142)
Best British-made glass bowl
This weighty Dartington trifle bowl is handmade in Devon, UK, using 24% lead crystal. It will make a sizeable family trifle, at 23cm wide by 17 cm tall. The dish is beautiful, so it will not only look lovely in the middle of the dinner table filled with a glorious trifle, but it is practical for many other desserts or fruits and, when not in use, is far too good-looking to be put into a cupboard, so makes an excellent ornament. This may not be the cheapest trifle bowl, but this one is a keeper for years to come.
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Ikea Trygg Glass Bowl
Available from Ikea (£2)
Best bargain glass bowl
Yes, you read that correctly, this 15cm tall and 28cm wide glass bowl from Ikea is just £2. It's hard to believe it is so cheap because there's nothing flimsy about it. From the narrow base, the bowl flares out, making it perfect for a Christmas trifle and many other puddings, salads, whatever, if it is not hotter than 50C. With its simple shape and vast expanse of clear glass, a trifle will look stunning in it. We love everything about this simple bowl.
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John Lewis & Partners Recycled Glass Bowl
Available from John Lewis & Partners (£25)
Best recycled glass bowl
This charming pale green, gently ribbed bowl from John Lewis holds a whopping 3.5 litres. So, your trifle will not be deep, but it will be wide as the bowl also measures 24.5cm across, making this an excellent for family occasions. The bowl, though, can go in the freezer, so it is perfect for frozen desserts, too. We like the fact that the bowl is made from 70% recycled glass waste glass and handmade. It is a sturdy dish weighing just over one kilo, which may be a little heavy for some when filled with trifle.
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Marks and Spencer Ribbed Glass Bowl
Available from Marks and Spencer (£22)
Best small glass bowl
The ribbed glass bowl from Marks and Spencer is attractive and will show off a trifle beautifully. This small (ish) bowl is just 20cm across and 15cm tall. It includes a small foot, making the bowl look taller. This size will suit those wanting a smaller trifle but still want a good-looking bowl on the table. The glass is light, so it needs careful handling and is not dishwasher proof. The bowl is part of a collection at Marks and Spencer, which includes matching individual bowls for £6 each.
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Dibor Individual Vintage Bowls
Available from Amazon (£27)
Best individual bowls or set
These embossed baroque-style vintage glasses will look equally gorgeous on the table for special occasions or every day use. They can be filled with any dessert, but at 10cm tall and 12cm wide, they are perfect for show-off individual trifles or desserts up to a generous 300 ml. The footed bowls are made of toughened glass, so they are robust and can go into the dishwasher, fridge or freezer. They are available to buy individually or in sets and in other colours. We love them.
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FavorFlavour large trifle bowl
Available from Amazon (£37.33)
Best versatile, not-just-for-trifle bowl
This trifle bowl from FavorFlavour is unfussy, a neat size for smaller trifles, and comes with a handy tight-fitting lid, an excellent way to cover your leftover trifle (if you ever have any). When not being used for dessert, it's a great bowl for other foods as not only is it OK in the fridge, but it can also be used in the microwave or freezer. So, if space in the kitchen is difficult, this is a versatile dish and not just for a trifle.
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Sazy Luna footed bowl (21cm)
Available from Sazy (£17)
Best coloured trifle bowl
If you want to make more of a statement with your trifle bowl, this option from Sazy is great value for money (at under £20) and decorated with an earthy, peach-coloured swirl. It has a chunky stem that makes it easy to carry to the table, and the pop of colour makes it a statement to display on a shelf, even when not in use. You can also get a set of six bowls to match.
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Wayfair Simplicity glass trifle bowl
Available from Wayfair (£40.07)
Best straight trifle bowl
The straight sides of this handblown glass trifle bowl make it easy to create smart, clear layers as you build your trifle. If you prefer a minimalist style, this is our pick – with no added detail or engraving, the food itself will shine as the centrepiece.
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The White Company optic serving bowl
Available from The White Company (£60)
Best luxury trifle bowl
This trifle bowl from The White Company stands out for it's wide fluted top – making it easy to fill and serve from. It's made from hand-blown glass and has a delicate fluted design for a very pretty choice. As an investment bowl, it would make a lovely house-warming gift.
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Glasshop plain serving bowl
Available from Amazon (£13.95)
Best simple trifle bowl
Although trifle is a retro classic dessert, you can still serve it up in modern style. This super minimalist bowl has a simple flowing ridged top to look like a drop of water – chic, elegant and under £15!
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ProCook glass dessert bowls
Available from ProCook (£25)
Best individual trifle bowls
If you like serving up individual trifles to guests, this mini set perfectly mimics the style of a large trifle bowl. The set of four has a minimalist design with a curved open edge and chunky glass foot for stability, plus they’re all dishwasher safe for less washing up after a dinner party.
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