Bar tools

Gift pick Shaking

Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tins, set of two (18 oz + 28 oz), stainless steel

Two weighted tins seal with a tap, take daily use, and cost less than most cobbler shakers. It is the format working bars use, so the technique carries over.

Budget pick: BarConic Etched Shaker Set, 28 oz + 18 oz tins

Gift pick Shaking

Cocktail Kingdom Usagi Cobbler Shaker, stainless steel, 800 ml (28 oz)

A three-piece cobbler with a built-in strainer is easier for a beginner than tins and still shakes a proper sour. Death & Co lists it as the alternative to tins.

Budget pick: True Contour 12 oz Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker

Gift pick Stirring and measuring

Cocktail Kingdom Yarai Mixing Glass, 500 ml (17 oz)

A heavy glass with a wide base and spout holds ice well and pours cleanly. Winter drinks like Manhattans, Negronis and Old Fashioneds are stirred, so it gets constant use.

Budget pick: True 17 oz Recipe Mixing Glass

Stirring and measuring

Cocktail Kingdom Teardrop Barspoon, stainless steel, 30 cm

A spoon about 12 inches long with a tight twist and a weighted end stirs smoothly and measures small amounts. The twist matters more than the finish.

Budget pick: Bar spoon with long handle and oval bowl, 12 in

Stirring and measuring

Cocktail Kingdom Japanese Style Jigger, stainless steel, 1 oz / 2 oz

The tall narrow cup reads accurately and the 1 oz and 2 oz sizes cover most classic specs. Measuring each pour is what makes a home bar repeatable.

Budget pick: BarConic Jigger, standard double-sided stainless steel

Straining

Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Cocktail Strainer (Hawthorne), stainless steel

A snug spring and finger tabs let you control the flow and hold back ice. Cheap strainers with loose springs let ice chips through.

Budget pick: Cocktail Strainer, 2 prong Hawthorne, stainless steel

Straining

Cocktail Kingdom COCO Strainer Premium Mesh Cone, stainless steel

A fine mesh cone for double straining takes out ice shards and muddled bits from shaken sours. It costs little and works for syrups and herbs too.

Straining

Cocktail Kingdom Premium Julep Strainer, stainless steel

A julep strainer sits in the mixing glass and gives a clean pour for stirred drinks such as Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. A Hawthorne works too, but this fits the glass better.

Gift pick Glassware

Libbey Heavy Base Rocks Cocktail Glasses, 11 oz, set of 12

A thick base and straight sides suit Old Fashioneds, neat pours and hot toddies, and a dozen covers a party. It is a restaurant staple that survives the dishwasher.

Budget pick: Libbey 128 Heavy Base 9 oz rocks glass, case of 36

Gift pick Glassware

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Coupe Glass, 6 oz

The wide bowl suits Manhattans and sours served up, and 6 oz matches classic specs. Thin glass chips, so buy a few extra.

Budget pick: Amehla x The Educated Barfly Coupe Cocktail Glass, 7 oz, set of 2

Gift pick Glassware

Cocktail Kingdom Nick and Nora Glass, 5 oz

The upright bowl stays level in the hand and spills less than a coupe, which helps at a party. It suits small stirred and shaken drinks.

Gift pick Glassware

Bodum Pavina Double Wall Glasses, 8 oz, set of 2

Double walls keep hot drinks hot and the outside cool to hold, which suits hot toddies, spiced cider and Irish coffee. The clear glass shows the layers.

Ice

Tovolo King Cube Silicone Ice Mold (2 inch cubes)

One 2 inch cube melts slowly in an Old Fashioned, a neat pour or a zero-proof spirit over ice. The drink stays cold without thinning fast.

Budget pick: Tovolo King Cube, single tray

Gift pick Ice

Viski Lewis Ice Bag and Mallet

Crushed ice made in a canvas bag is drier and more even than blender ice. It is mainly for juleps and tall drinks, but it also makes a small, useful gift.

Budget pick: Clean kitchen towel and a rolling pin

Citrus and garnish

Luxardo Gourmet Maraschino Cherries, 14.1 oz (400 g) jar

Dark, firm cherries without the red-dye taste are the standard garnish for a Manhattan or Old Fashioned. Refrigerate the jar after opening.

Citrus and garnish

Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer

Fresh juice is the difference in sours and hot toddies, and a hand press is faster than a reamer when making several drinks. Press cut side down.

Budget pick: BarConic Citrus Press, High Endurance

Citrus and garnish

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler, 3-pack (red, green, yellow)

A sharp Y-peeler takes wide strips of citrus peel with little pith for expressing over a drink. It is cheap enough to keep several.

Budget pick: Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler, single

Gift pick Citrus and garnish

Microplane Classic Zester/Grater (model 40020)

Fresh nutmeg and citrus zest finish winter drinks such as eggnog and hot toddies, and this rasp is the standard for both. One tool covers garnish and spice.

Citrus and garnish

Liber & Co. Almond Orgeat Syrup

Real almond syrup adds body to classic and zero-proof drinks, where cheap versions taste of extract. A little goes a long way.

Budget pick: Fee Brothers Orgeat

Gift pick Sets and gifts

Cocktail Kingdom Essential Cocktail Set, stainless steel

It is the same five tools a bar buys, in one order, so a gift giver skips choosing.

Budget pick: BarProducts Bartender's Tote, stainless steel DELUXE 17 pc

Gift pick Sets and gifts

BarProducts Bartender's Tote, stainless steel DELUXE (17 pc) with 0.75 oz / 1.25 oz jigger

Use it as a first kit or to see whether a recipient keeps making drinks.

Budget pick: BarConic Etched Shaker Set, 28 oz + 18 oz tins

Gift pick Showpiece

Breville Smoking Gun (model BSM600)

The handheld smoker fills a glass or cloche with smoke without a torch, which suits a few showpiece winter drinks. It is the model most cocktail guides name.

Budget pick: Gramercy Smoking Cocktail Kit