Setting up a home bar is more than just stocking a shelf with different spirits; it’s also about equipping yourself with the right tools so can shake and stir your way to your favorite cocktails in the comfort of your own space.
I used to be really intimidated about making cocktails at home. For a long time, I thought cocktails always required an intricate ingredient list with a complicated recipe and even more complicated gadgets.
The truth is, practically every cocktail I’ve ever made at home requires pretty much the same set of basic bar tools. Investing in the right items can also really help elevate your confidence when making drinks at home, and empower you to try new recipes.
From the classic cocktail shaker to muddlers and glasses, here are 13 essential bar tools for your home.
13 Essential Bar Tools for Your Home Bar
Cocktail Shaker
A cocktail shaker is one of the most essential bartender tools, and it’s used for mixing cocktails such as a Cosmopolitan.
Cocktail shakers are usually made from stainless steel to keep your cocktails chilled.
Most at-home bar enthusiasts use a Cobbler Shaker with a built-in strainer and lid for cocktail mixing. But if you’re looking to elevate your at-home cocktail game, you may want to try a Boston Shaker, which is the shaker of choice for professional bartenders.
Mixing Glass
For many classic cocktails like Martinis or Manhattans, they require a mixing glass because they are better stirred, not shaken.
You can also use a mixing glass when assembling drinks that require muddling of herbs or fruit herbs or fruit, or dissolving sugar evenly into your cocktail.
Bar Spoon
A bar spoon is a long-handled spoon is designed for stirring cocktails in tall mixing glasses or shakers. Bar spoons are the perfect length and the small spoon size allows you to gently stir ingredients without over diluting your drinks.
Cocktail Strainer
A cocktail strainer is used for separating ice and other solid ingredients from the liquid when pouring a cocktail into a glass from either a Boston Shaker or mixing glass.
A Hawthorne strainer is the most common type of strainer and works for cocktails shaken and stirred.
Jigger
A jigger is a double-sided tool for measuring and pouring alcohol.
The standard size is one and a half ounces – the same as a shot glass – but they’re stainless steel, rust-resistant, and more durable.
Muddler
A muddler is used to crush and mix ingredients like herbs, fruits, and sugar at the bottom of a glass or mixing glass. It’s one of the essential bar tools for making drinks like a Mojito or an Old Fashioned.
Ice Bucket
For the most part when you’re mixing cocktails at home, any ice you need will be close by. But if you’re entertaining guests and mixing up cocktails in another room, you may want to invest in an ice bucket as one of your home bar essentials.
Most buckets come with tongs, making it easy to add ice to glasses without using your hands.
Citrus Peeler
Often, a cocktail will call for a garnish like an orange peel. If you don’t already have a peeler for vegetables, grab a citrus peeler to add to your at-home bar.
Citrus Juicer
Freshly squeezed juice is a key ingredient in several cocktails. There different types of citrus juicers out there, but a simple one like a handheld citrus press gets the job done for small batch cocktails.
Citrus Zester
Occasionally, some cocktails may call for citrus zest. Having a citrus zester on hand allows you to add that special burst of flavor or aroma to your drink.
Bottle Opener and Wine Opener
A quality bar will also be stocked with wine or beer. Don’t forget a bottle opener and a corkscrew wine opener.
Ice Cube Molds
Stop using the ice from your refrigerator dispenser and fill up a few ice molds instead. Ice molds are inexpensive way to instantly elevate your cocktails and make them look fancy.
For next-level cocktail presentation, you can even buy a personalized ice cube press.
Glassware
No beautiful cocktail would be complete without the glass. After all, you need a vessel to hold your drink!
It can be overwhelming trying to figure out all the types of glasses for which cocktail. But when you’re just starting to build out your home bar, these four types of glasses are perfect:
- All-purpose wine glasses – work for red and wine varietals and even spritzes
- Coupes – they work for Martinis, Cosmopolitans, and frozen drinks, but for champagne, too
- Low ball glasses – work great for several kinds of cocktails and spirits with and without ice
- High ball glasses – for cocktails that usually require a lot of carbonation like a Mojito, or the classic Bloody Mary
