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After over a decade of making cocktails and mocktails at home, you tend to collect more than a few bar tools. I’ve tried a huge variety of home bar tools, and in this post I’m sharing my top picks and the essential home bar tools list that every well-stocked home bar needs!

This post will walk you through all the essential bartending tools of the trade you absolutely need for making craft cocktails and other beverages at home. The best part is that most of these tools are under $15, meaning you won’t break the bank to build your collection. On average though, expect to spend about $50 -$100 for your build your own bar kit. This is also a super handy guide if you are looking for a quick gift for the mixologist in your life! 😌

An assortment of home bar tools sit on a blue background, including measuring beakers, a cocktail sieve, a cocktail mixing glass and spoon, a cocktail muddler, and a boston shaker.

🤨 what are bar tools and why do I need them?

🔧 choose the right tool for the job. You probably wouldn’t use a screwdriver in place of a hammer, right?! Sure, it works (yeah I’ve tried this 🥲), but having the right tool for the job is the best way to get the job done. That’s the same logic behind this tool guide. Each tool selected has a specific purpose that enables you to flawlessly make perfect mixed drinks at home.

🧰 build your perfect toolbox. While you can buy a boxed set of bar tools, I recommend buying a la carte. This way, you only buy the necessary tools you need. I learned in culinary school that knife blocks are a waste of money, because you end up with tools you’ll barely use. This guide helps you determine exactly what you need for YOUR home bar— and nothing extra that won’t get use!

🤌 precise and pragmatic. If you’ve ever had a poorly balanced drink, then you get why precision is so important. This guide will help you choose the best tools for mixing the perfect drinks, every time. Not only that, but so many of these tools are useful for tasks aside from bartending at home!

ℹ️ quick reference essential home bar equipment list

  1. Measuring Tool
  2. Cocktail Shaker
  3. Cocktail Mixing Glass
  4. Cocktail Mixing Spoon
  5. Cocktail Strainer
  6. Juicer
  7. Cocktail Muddler
  8. Cutting Board & Pairing Knife
  9. Bar Towels
  10. Bottle Opener

A quick note! You absolutely do not need to buy every tool on the list. Depending on the drinks you plan to make, you will likely need a few different tools from each section of the guide.

📏 measuring tools

Making sure you have precise ways to measure liquids is possibly THE most important thing when mixing drinks at home. Luckily, there are a variety of tools you can use to measure liquids with. Here are a few of my favorites:

OXO Measuring Beakers

oxo measuring beakers sit on a blue background. The beakers are unstacked.

Price: $23 for a set of 7 beakers

Why you need it: Multipurpose and precise, these OXO measuring beakers measure so much more than your liquor and mixers! They nest for easy storage, and the full set allows you to measure liquids in amounts from less than a 1/2 ounce all the way to a full cup of volume. Talk about versatility!

Traditional Jigger

A cocktail jigger used for measuring cocktail ingredients.

Price: $7 – $15 for a stainless steel model

Why you need it: The classic measuring tool used at most bars is a jigger, which has two sides to it capable of measuring in 1 ounce standard pours and 2 ounce double pours. Some models have a 1 1/2 ounce pour, and some are in milliliters instead. This tool is essential for measuring precise standard or double-shot pours.

Wondering about the name? It comes from a nautical term, the jiggermast is a small mast on a ship. Navy sailors used to have rations of rum allowed to them, and the measurement was called…yup: a jigger.

OXO Small Measuring Cup

A small measuring beaker from OXO.

Price: $10

Why you need it: This mini measuring cup is perfect for using for making beverages at home. It has the popular measurements used for making mixed beverages. It’s super handy, easy to read, and cleans easily too!

🌀 mixing tools

Each drink recipe has its own way of being prepared, or mixed. You’ve likely heard James Bond’s famous martini order: shaken, not stirred. 😎 How you prepare drinks impacts their final dilution level from ice, which impacts their flavor.

Bar Spoon

A cocktail spoon.

Price: $5 – $10

Drinks made with it: Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or Martinis, to name a few!

Why you need it: You might think that a spoon is a spoon, right? Wrong! A cocktail mixing spoon has a longer handle, so it allows you to easily mix in a cocktail mixing container or a variety of glasses. Their handles are twisted to make stirring easier and more fluid of a motion. This helps keep your drink from getting too diluted!

Different bar spoons also serve as measuring devices, but be sure to check your manufacturer’s label. Typical volumes range from 1/2 to 1 tsp, or 2.5 to 5 mL.

Cobbler Shaker (Standard Cocktail Shaker)

A cobbler shaker used for mixing cocktails.

Price: $23

Drinks made with it: Most shaken drinks, like the Chocolate Espresso Martini.

Why you need it: Any drink that is shaken requires the use of a cocktail shaker. This style of shaker, called a Cobbler Shaker, typically includes three parts: the base “cup” portion, a lidded top with a strainer, and a cap that easily pops or twists off for pouring.

While it can be tempting to go for looks, many of the more stylish cobbler shakers can be difficult to pour from and can be leaky. The linked model from OXO is budget friendly and reliable in performance, like nearly everything from OXO!

Boston Shaker

A boston shaker used for mixing cocktails.

Price: $25 – $35

Drinks made with it: Shaken drinks and muddled drinks, like the Cranberry Gin Smash

Why you need it: This style of shaker is much more versatile, as it’s essentially two cups that are put together, one upside down inside of the other. The most popular variety of this shaker is a glass cup inside of a metal tin cup, but you can also purchase a Boston shaker that’s all metal.

These shakers can also usually hold a bit more volume than Cobbler Shakers can, depending on their size. They can be a bit more difficult to pour from, though.

Cocktail Mixing Glass

A cocktail glass used for mixing cocktails.

Price: $15 – $20

Drinks made with it: Stirred drinks and some muddled drinks, like the Kiwi Mojito.

Why you need it: A cocktail mixing glass provides a large volume area for mixing single drinks or multiple servings, all at once. It’s ideal for drink recipes that don’t need a lot of dilution or agitation, like Old Fashioneds.

You can easily muddle drinks in it, or add ice and stir drinks to mix them. It’s also a great way to add a elegant presentation to your drink making, which is great when you’re serving beverages for a party!

Blender

A Ninja foodi compact countertop blender.

Price: $50 – $200+

Drinks made with it: Frozen beverages, like a Piña Coladas or Frozé

Why you need it: If you plan on making any frozen beverages, you’ll want a nice highpowered blender in the kitchen. You have some options depending on your budget, ranging from budget friendly countertop options, all the way to luxury items like Vitamix and Blendtec at the $350+ price point. You can also opt for a small countertop blender which is great for single servings!

🫗 strainers

Many drinks made in a Boston shaker or cocktail mixing glass will need to be strained before serving to remove ice and other large particles. These specialty tools can help get the job done quickly and easily!

Fine-Mesh Sieve

A OXO cocktail sieve for straining cocktails.

Price: $10 – $15

Drinks made with it: Any drink where the visual appeal really matters and final presentation needs to be free of ALL particles and sediment.

Why you need it: If you are making a lot of flavored martinis or daiquiris, it’s a good idea to get a fine mesh strainer for your home bar. This OXO cocktail strainer is made of stainless steel fine mesh, and it helps to remove nearly all small particles from the mixed drink before serving. This is important when you want a drink that is free of any chunks, seeds, or even zest.

Hawthorne Strainer or Julep Strainer

A hawthorn cocktail strainer for straining cocktails.

Price: $10

Drinks made with it: Cocktails and beverages that must be strained to not have ice in them.

Why you need it: A Hawthorne strainer or Julep Strainer neatly fits on top of a cocktail mixing glass to strain out any ice cubes or larger particles. If you really want to be sure that there are no particles in your drink, you’ll want to double strain it through a separate strainer, too.

🎩 specialty tools

These tools range from must-have to nice-to-have, depending on your needs! Certain tools, like bottle openers, are good to have on hand all the time. Other tools, like handheld frothers, are nice to have if you find yourself making the drinks that require them regularly.

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Bar Towels

Price: $5 – $20

Why you need it: Drink making can get messy, so kitchen towels and bar towels are your BFF! Opt for ones that are 100% cotton because they absorb liquid quickly and are easy to launder.

Getting a large pack of them can also be helpful, because then you won’t be worried about towels getting stained.

Cutting Board and Pairing Knife

A small bamboo cutting board with a pairing knife on it.

Price: $10 – $100+

Why you need it: A nice sharp knife and cutting board set are a couple of the most important bar tools you’ll use! You can use a good pairing knife for cutting citrus fruits and other garnishes, and having a few sizes of cutting boards helps to keep your workspace clean.

Bottle Opener & Wine Key

A wine key and bottle opener tool for opening wine and beer bottles.

Price: $10 – $15

Why you need it: A bottle opener is not just for beer bottles! Many mixers come bottled in glass bottles with caps that require a bottle opener. Choosing a wine opener with an added bottle opener means you get two essential tools in one!

Cocktail Muddler

A cocktail muddler from OXO.

Price: $16

Drinks made with it: Cocktails like mojitos or smashes.

Why you need it: This OXO cocktail muddler has a nylon end and is made of stainless steel, so it’s easy to clean and it won’t cause damage to your cocktail mixing glasses. It also doesn’t absorb any flavors or odors, unlike other wooden muddlers, and there is no chance of it splintering off into your drinks!

Handheld Milk Frother

An electric hand frother for mixing drinks.

Price: $10 – $15

Drinks made with it: Any drink that contains a layer of foam, like a Monkeypod Mai Tai.

Why you need it: If you want to get fancy with foam, but you don’t want to splurge on intense specialty equipment, a handheld frother is your new BFF. You can use it to make a quick foam to layer on top of your drinks, and you can also use it to froth milk for your morning latte.

🍋 juicing tools

The easiest way to level up your drinks is by using fresh ingredients at home, like freshly squeezed juices. These tools will help you make quick work of juicing citrus fruits!

Handheld Juice Press

A manual citrus press juicer.

Price: $7 – $12

Why you need it: Don’t waste your time with a citrus reamer or a cutesy hand juicer that comes with a measuring cup and strainer attached. You can strain the juice in the final step of making your drinks, so you don’t need anything fancy.

The old reliable model of the handheld citrus press works so well it’s not in need of any major redesign. If you find that you are juicing lots of citrus, it might be worth looking into an electric model.

Electric Juicer

A tribest citristar electric citrus juicer.

Price: $50

Why you need it: If you make cocktails, mocktails, and simple syrups regularly, it’s totally worth investing in an electric citrus juicer. This Tribest citrus juicer is the closest thing on the market to Ina Garten’s Citristar juicer, which is no longer being made. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to store (though it is a little big)! It also makes fantastic shells of the spent citrus that can double as a garnish!

🧊 ice molds & tools for using and serving ice

Ice is sometimes thought of as an afterthought in drink making, but it’s actually a huge part of the experience! It’s also a fun way to add flair and flavor to your drinks, because you can customize the ice to add an extra layer of presentation, like with these Cranberry Ice Cubes!

King-Sized Cubes

Price: $10 – $15

Why you need it: Big ice cubes melt more slowly, meaning your drink stays colder longer without being diluted! These king sized cubes make for great presentation, too. Especially if you freeze garnishes inside!

Round Ice Spheres

Zoku round ice sphere molds.

Price: $15 – $20

Why you need it: Ice spheres help to immediately elevate any drink, and nowadays it’s easy to create your own at home! You can create your own individual ice spheres using freezer-friendly molds like the ones I have from Zoku!

Clear Ice Molds

A true cubes clear ice maker.

Price: $30-$100+

Why you need it: Clear ice is perhaps the most elusive type of ice out there. The internet is full of specialty methods to make clear ice. Truthfully though, all the ice making hacks of using distilled water or boiling your water first don’t really work in a foolproof way.

I’ve had the best success with specific clear ice makers. A word of caution, they do take up a LOT of freezer space. There are options for making your own large clear ice cubes, small clear ice cubes, spears of ice, and even clear ice spheres!

Ice Bucket & Scoop

Price: $30 – $50

Why you need it: If you entertain a lot, you may want to invest in a reliable ice bucket to keep a fresh supply of ice close to guest areas and your bartending zone. An ice scoop is useful to easily serve the ice! It’s also handy because your guests can top off their own ice as they need to.

🤑 bar tools worth splurging for

This section is a bonus “nice to have” guide. Some of these tools are excessive, but if you find yourself entertaining often, or even enjoying at-home mixology more than you thought you would, they are worth a gander.

GE Opal Ice Maker

Price: $550+

Drinks made with it: It’s the preferred ice for cocktails like swizzles, and even makes lemonade more fun!

Why you need it: Nugget ice, or pebble ice, is also known as “good ice” on #icetok for a good reason! It’s soft, crunchy, and looks beautiful layered in cocktail glasses. The GE Opal Ice maker is the gold standard in homemade pebble ice!

The only downside is this ice machine is pricey, and they take up a bit of space. You can buy pebble ice at certain fast food places like Sonic by the bag, so that’s a great alternative option!

Insulated Cocktail Shaker

A specialty insulated cocktail shaker used for mixing cocktails.

Price: $70

Drinks made with it: Any shaken cocktails.

Why you need it: The cocktail shaker from Elevated Craft is my go-to shaker. It’s insulated, so your hands never get cold shaking it, and the top is easy to unscrew and pour from. There’s also a measuring cup and built-in strainer on the inside of the cap, which makes for simple measuring and pouring.

isi Whipper

Price: $60 – $120, plus the cost of cartridges

Drinks made with it: Anything that has a layer of foam on top.

Why you need it: This isi whipper tool is extra cool if you plan to make cocktails or mocktails that contain foam. As a bonus, you can also make homemade whipped cream. Breakfast waffles will never be the same!

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