On my first day bartending at PDT, the James Beard Award–winning neo-speakeasy, I knew next to nothing about bartending. I didn’t know a Sazerac from a Saratoga, and I certainly was not savvy in all the intricacies surrounding the tools of the trade — like shakers and jiggers. Eventually, I went from someone who was happy to use whatever instruments were handy to someone who literally brought in their own kit to their shift and would insufferably opine about the benefits of a particular Japanese-made bar spoon or which strainer had the best coils to ensure properly sized ice chips.
After a few years behind the bar at PDT, I went on to serve as the bar director for the Momofuku restaurant group. When considering bar tools for a commercial establishment known for its aesthetic, I had to strike a balance between functionality, style, and cost. These tools would be used hundreds of times per day and would be subject to the high heat of our commercial dishwasher. This is all to say I know a thing or two about bar tools and how to pick the right ones for the right situation.
When it comes to selecting tools for home use, I find that we have much more flexibility. Since a home set of tools is usually destined for use by one, maybe two people, you can prioritize individual preferences. Home bar tools are also subject to a lot less wear and tear than those found in a high-volume cocktail bar, so aesthetics and build quality matter to different degrees.
Note that I use the term “bar cart” here only in a figurative sense—a bar cart is a state of mind. Of course, if you have the desire — and space — for a separate piece of furniture to hold your bar tools and bottles, by all means. But don’t feel inadequate if you do not have a literal cart for all your bar stuff. I don’t! But I still refer to this assemblage of tools as my bar cart, however spread across multiple cabinets and drawers as it may be.
What follows, in decreasing levels of essentiality, are my top picks for each item in a bar cart that are as useful as they are aesthetically pleasing.
Some experts might advocate for having just one jigger for simplicity, but I find having one jigger for large measures and another for small to be more user-friendly. These items are not particularly costly, nor do they take up that much space, so there is very little downside to owning more than one.
The OXO mini measuring cup is the jigger I prefer for larger measures. It has easy-to-read markings and works well if you are resting the jigger on your countertop, as opposed to holding it in one hand while you pour with another, which is great for beginners as well as for those who may be bartending with limited use of their hands.
For smaller measures, I love this stainless-steel Japanese-style jigger from Cocktail Kingdom. It’s available in a variety of finishes, but to me stainless-steel reigns supreme thanks to its ability to withstand a dishwasher.
There are far fancier options on the market, but as far as bang for your buck and overall ease of use, I can’t recommend anything but these workhorse shakers. Like the jigger, there are a few fancy finishes available, but stainless steel wins out for its durability and for being low-maintenance.
I was introduced to this strainer by spirits and cocktail educator Don Lee back when we were both working behind the bar at Momofuku Ssäm Bar, and I have been a devoted user ever since. Most strainers have a long handle, which might make them easier to pick up than this one, but the robust coil and ergonomically genius rubber tab at the center of the device are winners in my book. Additionally, the curved lip at the top of the strainer allows you to “close the gate” and only let through the small ice chips that are created during the shaking process, which, to many bartenders, including myself, is the sign of a well-shaken drink.
I cannot stress enough how much easier life is with a nice citrus juicer. When juicing citrus, you want to only squeeze out the juice from the fruit, not turn the whole piece of fruit into a mash and strain it out, which is what would happen if you were to use a full-fledged juicing machine — although those are great for juicing things like ginger, pineapple, and watermelon. You want a citrus juicer that gives good leverage to extract as much juice as possible and that also allows oils that are released from the skin to make their way into the juice, providing an extra dimension of flavor.
Think of peelers as you would disposable razors. They will serve you well for a time, and once it’s time to say good-bye, you must move on to a new one. These peelers are inexpensive enough that they’re not too painful to replace, and, given light use, one might last you around a year before being too dull to properly separate the skin from the pith of a citrus fruit to garnish your drinks.
If you have nice knives that you can repurpose from the kitchen, by all means use them, but if you want a knife as part of your bar cart, these Kuhn Rikon paring knives are great due to their small (but not too small size) and handy sheath. They also come in a ton of fun colors.
Although it’s nice to have, I actually regard a mixing glass that’s dedicated to making stirred drinks to be fairly low on the list of essential bar items. Nine times out of ten I use the small side of the Koriko shaking set. That said, this pitcher, recommended by cocktail maven Lynnette Marrero, is a great choice due to its durability and insulated walls.
I love this bar spoon, despite it being more of a “nice to have” than an essential. Many bartenders use chopsticks to stir their drinks, but if you want to go a little more upscale, this one can’t be beat. Just don’t stab yourself on the trident fork — that’s for deftly picking up pieces of fruit for garnishing.
If you’re looking for an alternative to disposable plastic straws, these borosilicate glass straws are perfect. They come in clear or a colored array and even include a brush for easy cleaning.
I won’t get into the physics of it here, but just know that a “dash” is not always a dash. Factors such as bottle size, bottle neck length, and how full the bottle is will affect the volume that comes out of one “dash” of bitters. Given how concentrated bitters are, it’s not a bad idea to try to ensure some consistency by transferring them to bottles like these. Just note that the “dash” that comes out is roughly half that from a standard bottle of bitters (typically 1/8 teaspoon), so just double the number of dashes from any given recipe.
A spray bottle dedicated to misting out small amounts of spirits is something that everyone thinks they can live without until they get one. For recipes that call for a rinse of, say, absinthe or a mist of peated Scotch, there are ways to accomplish the task, but this handy spray bottle can be a lifesaver. Just don’t leave whatever it is you’re spraying in the bottle for too long, otherwise the bottle may pick up the flavors of the spirit.
Sure, you can use a standard toothpick to perch olives or cherries over the top of your cocktails, but where’s the fun in that? Love and Victory is a Brooklyn-based design studio that cranks out all kinds of fun bar-related accouterments. You can find cocktail picks with fruit, eyes, and snakes on them, but the bugs really speak to me.
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