9 Pro-Approved Tools for 10/10 Margaritas, Daiquiris, and More Cocktails, Starting at $4

Anyone who has had a great cocktail at a bar and then tried to recreate it at home knows that there’s more to making a good drink than meets the eye. Maybe your Old Fashioned turned out too syrupy and sweet, or the spicy margarita you shook up was watered down and ultimately tasted flat.

“It’s not rocket science to do this right. It’s all about the details,” says Leandro DiMonriva, longtime bartender, and host of the mixology tutorial show The Educated Barfly. Mixing up a great drink just takes an understanding of some basic techniques. “It seems daunting when you first get into it, but once you figure it out, you know it forever. The rules don’t change,” DiMonriva says. 

Thankfully, expert mixologists like DiMonriva are more than willing to share the tools you need to avoid disappointing drinks. Keep reading to shop nine tools that will instantly upgrade your home bar.

9 Essential Bar Tools for Every Home Bartender:

• Barfly Measuring Cup Jigger, $15 (originally $16)
• Barfly Superfly Tin Set Cocktail Shaker, $26
• Tinana 2-Inch Clear Ice Cube Tray, $32 with coupon ($38)
• The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy, $20 (originally $33)
• Riedel Drink Specific Glassware Highball Glass, $45
• Cocktail Kingdom Buswell 4-Prong Hawthorne Strainer, $22
• Barfly Drink Mixing Glass, $31 (originally $39)
• Cocktail Kingdom Teardrop Barspoon, 40cm, $4 (originally $8)
• Cocktail Kingdom Conical "Coco" Strainer, Stainless Steel, $10
  

Barfly Measuring Cup Jigger

“One of the biggest mistakes that home bartenders make is that they don’t measure anything,” DiMonriva says. The fastest way to mess up a drink is to guess the proportions. Using a jigger to measure the volume of every ingredient ensures that the cocktail will be balanced and taste the same every time you make it. Seasoned bartenders at the world's best bars carefully measure each ingredient, so why not do it at home? “This is my favorite jigger by far,” DiMonriva says. “It’s very accurate, which helps to mix several ingredients at once.” It also has measurements for ounces, milliliters, and tablespoons for added versatility.

Barfly Superfly Tin Set Cocktail Shaker

Any aspiring mixologist needs a cocktail shaker. Many of the most popular cocktails in the world need to be shaken. “I like the heavy weight of this shaking set and the ease of locking and unlocking the tins while shaking,” DiMonriva says. “They never get stuck, and the weight helps for a robust shake that helps aerate the contents nicely.”

Tinana 2-Inch Clear Ice Cube Tray

Using clear ice makes a big difference. Nobody wants to look at a big, cloudy chunk of ice floating in their drink when a crystal-clear cube is an option. The cloudiness in ice is caused by tiny air bubbles, minerals, and other impurities that get frozen within the ice. Aside from appearances, clear ice tends to melt more slowly and is less likely to crack.

“All the systems I recommend utilize the directional freezing method popularized by Camper English,” DiMonriva says. “This is a method of freezing ice that gives clear dense ice, lacking any cloudiness or trapped gasses.” For an affordable way of making clear ice at home, DiMonriva recommends this system from Tinana. “It’s a bare-bones system that makes 8 large(ish) cubes,” DiMonriva says. “At under $40, it’s hard to beat.”

Riedel Drink Specific Glassware Highball Glass

Presentation is a big deal when it comes to cocktails, and selecting the correct cocktail glass is a big part of a drink’s presentation. “You want to make sure the glassware properly fits the cocktail,” DiMonriva says. “It’s important for glass to be able to contain the volume of the drink while not appearing half empty.”

Choice in glassware is also functional. For a drink that’s served without ice, like a classic Martini or a Daiquiri, it’s helpful to use a stemmed glass like a Nick and Nora or a coupe glass so that the cocktail isn’t warmed by the drinker’s hand. For a drink served on a big block of ice, use a rocks glass. For tall drinks served over ice and topped with soda, use a highball glass like this Riedel option. 

Cocktail Kingdom Buswell 4-Prong Hawthorne Strainer

After shaking or stirring a cocktail, it needs to be strained. The Hawthorne strainer is a flat circular strainer with a spring that fits over the opening of a shaker. When pouring a drink into a glass, the strainer holds back the ice and any muddled fruit or herbs used in the cocktail.

“Many Hawthorne strainers fail to strain well with coils that aren't tight enough, letting rather large pieces of ice through,” Di Monriva says. “This strainer has a double coil which helps to block 90% of the shredded ice caused by shaking.”

Barfly Drink Mixing Glass

“Mixing glasses are a must,” DiMonriva says. Any home bartender who aspires to stir up the perfect Martini, Negroni, or Old Fashioned needs a proper mixing glass. “This mixing glass from Barfly is a nice size and also can be machine washed,” Dimonriva says. On top of the easy cleanup, this mixing glass also has tall, straight walls that allow for easy, uniform stirring.

Cocktail Kingdom Teardrop Barspoon, 40cm

“Weighted bar spoons are also a standard piece of equipment,” DiMonriva says. Bar spoons are specifically designed to stir cocktails in a steady circular motion with a mixing glass. The long, thin handle and teardrop counterweight at the tip work together to make stirring a martini a breeze.

Cocktail Kingdom Conical "Coco" Strainer, Stainless Steel

When shaking cocktails with fruit juice, herbs, or muddled fruit, sometimes a Hawthorne Strainer isn’t enough to strain all the tiny particles in the cocktail. To produce a clear drink, bartenders often use a fine mesh strainer to remove any particles that may have passed the first strain.

“A strainer is arguably one of the most important pieces of equipment,” DiMonriva explains. “It’s useful for cocktails but also for fine-straining juice pulp.” This fine strainer has a deep bowl, which allows for an impressive volume of liquid.