You can make excellent cocktails with a short list of tools. Buy these first and add the rest only as your drinks demand them.
Bar tool sets in a box often include pieces that sit in a drawer forever. A better approach is to choose tools that match the cocktails you actually want to make. If you favor shaken sours, a good shaker, a jigger and a strainer are the core. If you favor stirred drinks, you need a mixing glass and a bar spoon.
Everything on this list improves consistency. Measured, well-chilled, properly strained drinks taste better than approximate ones.
Jigger. A double-sided measure for exact pours. A jigger is the single most important tool because it makes drinks repeatable. Choose one with clear markings, and consider one with several measure lines inside.
Shaker. A two-piece tin shaker, often called a Boston shaker, is the standard in bars and is easy to clean. A three-piece cobbler shaker has a built-in strainer and is simpler for beginners.
Strainer. A Hawthorne strainer has a coil that fits the shaker tin and holds back ice. A fine mesh strainer used as a second layer catches ice chips and fruit pulp, which gives a cleaner texture.
Mixing glass and bar spoon. A heavy glass or tin vessel for stirred drinks, with a long spoon that reaches the bottom. Together they handle the negroni, manhattan and martini.
Citrus press or squeezer. Fresh juice makes a bigger difference to a drink than almost any gadget. A handheld press is inexpensive and effective.
Once the core five are in place, a few extras make life easier. A peeler or paring knife produces citrus twists. A muddler crushes herbs and sugar gently. A cutting board and a small sharp knife prepare garnishes. A bottle opener, a pour spout or two and a clean towel round things out.
For drinks that depend on ice quality, such as a spirit served over a single large cube, ice molds or the technique in the clear ice guide pay off. Ice is the most overlooked ingredient in a home bar.
Stainless steel is durable and does not retain odors. Glass is attractive and good for stirring. Avoid tools with thin plating that flakes. Wash tools by hand shortly after use, since sugar and citrus residue is harder to remove once it dries, and dry them well. Check whether a tool is dishwasher safe before putting it in.
Keep knives sharp and handle them with care, cutting away from your hands on a stable board.
Tools are only half of a home bar. Fresh citrus, a bottle of bitters, a bottle of homemade simple syrup and a couple of versatile spirits cover a surprising number of recipes. Add vermouth, kept in the refrigerator once opened, when you want to try stirred classics.
You will also want glasses that suit your drinks. The glassware guide shows which shapes to buy first.
Spend a little more on the jigger and the shaker, since you use them for every drink and a poor one is frustrating. A solid, well-balanced tin shaker lasts for years. A jigger with clear, readable measurements prevents errors. Save on the extras. A basic peeler, a plain muddler and a small cutting board do their job without needing to be expensive.
Be skeptical of large kits with many pieces. They tempt you to buy tools you will not use. Buy the core five, and add tools only when a recipe you want to make calls for them.
A small, tidy area makes cocktails easier. Keep bottles, tools, ice, glasses and a damp towel within reach, and set up before you start mixing. Line up the ingredients in the order you use them. Wipe the surface between drinks, since sugary spills attract ants and make everything sticky.
If you are making drinks for several people, set out all the glasses first, chill them, and make the drinks in a row. That rhythm is the same one used behind a bar, and it is useful at home. For a larger gathering, think about batching so you are not working the whole evening.
Tools used with alcohol and ice are slippery, and knives and glass are sharp. Cut citrus on a stable board, with the blade moving away from your hand. Do not use cracked or chipped glassware, and never reach into a glass of ice with bare hands to fish out a shard of broken glass. Sweep and wipe up spills promptly, particularly on hard floors.
Certain drinks justify extra tools. A fine mesh strainer improves anything shaken with herbs or fruit. A channel knife or a good peeler produces garnishes that make a drink look finished. A juicer handles volume if you make many sours. A small funnel makes bottling syrup and batches easy and tidy. Add each one when a drink you want to make calls for it, rather than before.
Handling a shaker and strainer is a physical skill, and it improves quickly with practice. Many people find a few hours of guided practice more useful than a month of watching videos. A cocktail class puts the tools in your hands with feedback from someone who uses them every day.
A jigger. Measuring accurately makes every recipe repeatable and keeps drink strength under control.
A Boston shaker is the professional standard and easier to clean. A cobbler shaker has a built-in strainer and is easier for beginners.
Only for drinks that crush herbs, fruit or sugar. Many cocktails need none, and the back of a sturdy spoon can serve in a pinch.
A long, thin spoon or chopstick can stir a drink in a pinch, though a bar spoon reaches the bottom of a tall glass more easily.
Ask about a table, an event date or a class and the operator will reply with what is possible.