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Having the right tool on hand makes doing anything easier, and drinks are no exception. Owning a few key bar tools will make mixing drinks more fun and make you feel more professional, building confidence.

Just as the bartender at your favorite local bar has craft cocktail tools at their fingertips, you should have similar bar tools ready for your home bar.
9 Must Have Home Bar Tools
Cocktail Shaker
A cocktail shaker is used to make a lot of drinks, especially those with citrus juice in them. A three-piece metal shaker with the strainer built in is the easiest to start with. (A Boston Shaker is the two-piece shaker often used a craft cocktail lounges, but can be a little intimidating for home bartenders - especially those just starting out.) Look for a shaker that’s at least eighteen ounces so there’s lots of room for ice.
Jigger
A jigger will make measuring your ingredients quick and easy. Look for one with multiple measurements built into it, an essential feature for bartending precision. Jiggers with one ounce measurements on one side and two ounces on the other are the most common.
Mixing Glass
A mixing glass is a tall, straight-sided glass vessel, part of essential bar glassware, used for chilling a drink with ice when you want it stirred, not shaken. It’s most commonly used with whiskey and bourbon cocktails. They're usually made with glass or crystal and come with a wider variety of patterns on them. A wide-mouth mason jar will work well in place of a mixing glass if you don't have one on hand.
Fine Mesh Strainer
A fine mesh strainer is used for keeping bits and pieces of fruit, herbs and/or ice out of your drinks when you pour them. When told to "double strain" a drink, it means pouring it through a larger strainer (like a hawthorne strainer) and then through a fine mesh strainer. A staple among bar supplies, you’ll also need a fine mesh sieve for making simple syrups and homemade liquor infusions.
Citrus Juicer
The difference between a good drink and a great drink is fresh juice. A citrus reamer or hand-held juicer will help you get the maximum amount of juice out of your citrus fruits. Citrus reamers are great for starting out because they’re inexpensive and small, making them easy to store.
Hawthorne Strainer
A hawthorne strainer is needed for pouring the drink from your mixing glass into your serving glass. You want the ice used to chill the drink to stay in the mixing glass and a hawthorne strainer does that job perfectly.
Bar Spoon
A long-handled bar spoon creates ease in stirring up your drinks. Bar spoons are designed to fit through the ice in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass and will make mixing far easier than if you try to substitute it for a traditional spoon.
Muddler
A muddler will help you break down the fruits and herbs in your drinks. It’s fun to use and super affordable. There are lots of muddlers on the market. I like the weight of metal and wood muddlers compared to plastic ones. They also hold up better over time. If you want to get started mixing drinks immediately and don’t have a muddler on hand, use a wooden spoon instead.
Peeler
A vegetable peeler will help you create simple garnishes, or remove citrus peels to squeeze over the tops of your cocktails. To avoid waste, use it on citrus fruits before you cut and juice them for your drink. Trim the peel with a small paring knife to neaten up the sides before placing into your cocktail.
Shop Bar Tools
Bar tools come in at all price points, but you don’t need to get the most expensive tool to craft a great drink. You also don't need to buy a full set or get every piece on this list immediately.
If you love vodka cocktails but don't like bourbon drinks, skip the mixing glass and hawthorne strainer since those are primarily used with stirred whiskey cocktails. Likewise if you love bourbon cocktails, you may not need a cocktail shaker right away.
These are tools I have in my own kitchen and home bar. I recommend them because I love them and know they hold up well over time.
Other Items to Have on Hand
Mason Jars with Lids
The mason jar is the unsung hero of the home bar. Need a cocktail shaker? A glass? A jar for storing simple syrup? A vessel for infusing liquor?
A wide-mouth pint mason jar or quart mason jar is incredibly versatile and can be used for almost anything. It can handle hot liquids when creating simple syrups, as well as the vigorous shaking of ice and spirits for cocktails and mocktails.
Home Bar Accessories
Cocktail picks, cocktail napkins, tongs, an ice bucket - all of these tools are nice to have, but not necessary for a successful home bar. These are accessory items I mostly use when I'm entertaining, vs my day-to-day happy hour cocktail time.
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