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Best Bartender Kits

Updated August 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
NÄUZone Professional Bartender Kit
NÄUZone
Professional Bartender Kit
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Sturdy Build
Bottom Line

A quality starter set that really shines for its sturdy build.

Pros

This 14-piece set comes in an attractive tube package. Features a leak-proof shaker with weighted bottom. Rust-resistant and easy to clean. Substantial at over 3.25 pounds. Good starter kit that makes a great gift for beginner bartenders.

Cons

Bottle opener is a little large, while the muddler is on the short side. Jiggers are not standard size.

Best Bang for the Buck
Barillio Elite Cocktail Shaker Set
Barillio
Elite Cocktail Shaker Set
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Booklets Included
Bottom Line

This inexpensive set comes with a couple of booklets to get you started in mixology.

Pros

Items include a muddler, double jigger, stainless steel shaker, and velvet bag for storage. Rustproof and dishwasher safe. Quality build for a low price. Extras include a pocket recipe booklet and a larger ebook filled with tips and recipes.

Cons

Some buyers report that the shaker leaks and the top can easily get stuck. The muddler is too large to fit in the storage bag.

Mixology & Craft Bartender Kit
Mixology & Craft
Bartender Kit
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Rugged and Fun
Bottom Line

A rugged option that stands out for its smaller details, such as the cocktail picks and marked jiggers.

Pros

Shaker and other metal elements are constructed from rustproof stainless steel. The 14-piece kit includes a sizable shaker, mojito muddler, and jiggers with markings. Dishwasher safe. Comes with an online cocktail catalog.

Cons

Set does not include a fine strainer.

AOZITA 24-Piece Cocktail Shaker Bartender Kit
AOZITA
24-Piece Cocktail Shaker Bartender Kit
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Great Value
Bottom Line

Consider this comprehensive shaker set that includes everything you need to make a variety of cocktails.

Pros

Constructed with high-quality stainless steel that is rust-proof and dishwasher-safe. Set includes a Boston tin that can hold up to 3 drinks at a time. Comes complete with a stand for easy storage.

Cons

The shaker top does not seal tightly, which can result in leakage while mixing drinks.

Highball & Chaser 13-Piece Bartender Kit
Highball & Chaser
13-Piece Bartender Kit
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Best for Beginners
Bottom Line

This kit with a stand is great for those interested in mixology and makes storage a breeze.

Pros

Some of the 13 pieces include a Boston shaker, 2 types of strainers, a jigger, and a corkscrew. It comes with a 30-plus recipe ebook you can download on your phone. It comes in 5 colors.

Cons

Some of the pieces aren’t as high-quality compared to buying them piecemeal.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for best bartender kits

The addition of a dedicated bar is a popular upgrade for homeowners and renters who love to host. However, many amateur mixologists soon discover that a bartender’s day is never done. From preparing garnishes to opening bottles to blending exotic cocktails, a bartender needs the right tools for each job. This is where a special collection of barware called a bartender kit comes into play.

At a minimum, a bartender kit contains a cocktail shaker, a measuring “jigger” cup, ice tongs, a long bar spoon, and a strainer. More complete sets also include bottle stoppers, pourers, shot glasses, a garnish knife, and a conical strainer. Some sets are designed to be compact and portable, while others are meant to be displayed prominently. Professional mixologists often create their own customized bartender kits, while home bartenders tend toward pre-packaged starter kits.

When shopping for a bartender kit, you will want to consider a number of factors. Some bartending sets sold for home use may not meet the standards of a commercial bar, while higher end sets marketed for professional mixologists may be too much for casual entertainers.

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Bartender kits make excellent housewarming gifts for homeowners with wet bars.

Key considerations

Construction

Almost every bartender kit on the market, from the most basic to the most comprehensive, uses stainless steel as its main metal component. Not only does stainless steel provide an attractive mirror sheen, it is also non-reactive to acidic ingredients, doesn’t retain scent/flavor, and is dishwasher-safe.

However, the gauge and chromium content can vary widely from set to set. Less expensive bartender kits tend to use a thinner gauge of stainless steel, which means individual pieces are more susceptible to wear and tear. Better shaker tins are not only made from a higher grade of stainless steel, but they are also weighted on the bottom for additional stability.

Some bartender kits also use tempered glass tumblers in place of a “cheater” tin. The shot glasses may also be made from a heavy form of glass. Copper plating is also a common practice, especially in higher end sets. A few bartender kits even contain gold or silver plated elements. Buying the least expensive bartender kits with thinner gauge stainless steel can lead to durability and maintenance issues later, so we suggest shopping in the mid-range for a better grade of stainless steel.

Portability

Most bartender kits are designed to move with the bartender from event to event. This makes portability an important consideration for working mixologists. Some kits are designed to be self-contained: all of the individual pieces fit snugly inside the oversized shaker tins. Others include a special carrying bag that will hold all of the tools in place between jobs. Higher end bartender kits tend to use dedicated storage cases, with specific slots for each tool and barware. Many home wet bar owners use these decorative cases to display their bartending hardware between uses.

Ease of use

Some bartender kits are intended specifically for professional mixologists, which means a casual home bartender might find them challenging to use. Others are marketed toward casual home bartenders, which may frustrate a trained mixologist trying to meet commercial standards.

The size of the jigger cups, for example, can vary widely. A larger cheater tin fits differently in the shaker than a smaller one. Some bottle openers are better suited for high volume demand than others. These are all important considerations when it comes to finding the ideal fit between the bartender and their tools.

Features

Essential tools

Some experienced mixologists say a well-trained bartender can produce excellent results with only a shaker tin and a serving glass. We would add a few more pieces of barware and tools to that bare bones list. Here are the most essential pieces of equipment almost all bartender kits should include:

  • Shaker tins. The ingredients in cocktails need to be mixed vigorously in order to blend well and release their essential qualities. A single-piece cocktail shaker can perform this task well, but many mixologists prefer to use a large weighted shaker tin and cap it with a smaller “cheater” tin while mixing the ingredients. Amateur bartenders may want to use a larger size cheater tin for a more secure fit.

  • Jigger cup. Spirits and mixers for most cocktail recipes are measured out in ounces or fractions of ounces. A double jigger measuring cup allows bartenders to add the right proportion of each spirit to the shaker tin.

  • Bar spoon. Sometimes a long swizzle spoon is required to perform a more delicate mix or to stir in muddled ingredients. Most bartender kits should include a metal spoon capable of reaching the bottom of a shaker tin.

  • Hawthorne strainer. While ice cubes and muddled leaves may be part of the cocktail recipe, they do not always belong in the final product. A Hawthorne strainer fits snugly over the rim of a shaker tin and prevents unwanted ingredients from entering the serving glass.

  • Ice tongs. Many popular cocktail recipes call for ice cubes to chill the spirits and other ingredients before the drink is served. Other adult beverages are often served “on the rocks”, meaning over ice. Ice tongs are an elegant and efficient way of delivering ice from a bucket to the shaker tin or serving glass.
     

Useful accessories

More complete bartender kits include specialized tools and barware that help amateur and professional mixologists prepare drinks more efficiently and reduce spillage. Here are some additional pieces often found in larger bartender kits:

  • Bottle stoppers and pourers. Mixologists commonly add special stoppers and pourers to spirit and wine bottles to reduce spillage. The narrow spouts improve the flow, making it easier to measure spirits into a jigger cup or pour wine into a serving glass. Some bartender kits include six or more pourers, and more can be purchased separately. Some pourers are designed to aerate wine, too.

  • Speed bottle opener. One routine task a bartender usually performs dozens if not hundreds of times during a shift is opening beer bottles. A special bottle opener allows bartenders to remove caps from glass beer bottles as efficiently as possible, avoiding the damaging effects of twisting or prying off numerous caps by hand.

  • Conical strainer. While a traditional Hawthorne strainer does a good job of holding back ice and other ingredients from a finished cocktail, some recipes call for a conical strainer to remove any muddled leaves or other finely processed additives.

  • Muddler. A muddler is essential a mortar and pestle designed to crush leaves for popular cocktails such as mojitos and juleps. While the most basic bartender kits often leave out the muddler, many expert mixologists strongly urge home bartenders to keep one on hand.
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Did you know?
A muddler is an essential tool for making several popular cocktails, including the mojito and mint julep.
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Bartender kits prices

Inexpensive (under $20)

Entry-level bartender kits may only contain a handful of tools designed for basic cocktail recipes, but a surprising number also include strainers, ice buckets, shot glasses and garnish knives. The overall quality may not compare with higher end stainless steel sets, but casual users should still be satisfied with the completeness of the sets. We would not recommend an entry-level bartender kit for professional use, but these sets are certainly durable enough for an occasional home party. Their main drawbacks are that the components can bend and dent more easily, and that the seal on the shaker/strainers may not be completely leak-proof.

Mid-range ($20 to $50)

This price range is really the sweet spot in terms of quality and value. An eight-piece bartender set should be constructed from high quality stainless steel, and contain virtually every tool an amateur mixologist will need. In fact, most of the contenders on our shortlist fall into this mid-range price point. More complete sets also include additional pourers and stoppers for additional spirit and wine bottles, plus durable shot glasses and a speed bottle opener for beer.

Expensive (over $50)

On the higher end of the price spectrum lives the showroom quality bartending sets, complete with customized storage and presentation cases. All of the tools, from the shaker tins to the strainers and muddlers, will either have an elegant antique appearance or the high sheen of gold or silver plating. These bartender kits should still be functional as well as ornamental, and include a number of useful additions not found in standard sets. These are the barware and tool sets to consider for a housewarming or as a gift to a newly trained professional mixologist.

Tips

  • Some bartender kits offer a larger cheater tin for easier use by amateur mixologists.

  • Before buying a professional grade bartender kit for a mixologist-in-training, make sure the jigger sizes are compatible with industry requirements.

  • Many mixologists start with a large bartender kit and gradually winnow it down over time. A basic five to eight piece set should be enough for most home bartenders.

  • Purchasing additional shaker tins and strainers will usually increase efficiency, but accurate measuring and mixing is more important than speed.

  • Using bottle stoppers generally reduces spills, and makes pouring spirits into the jigger much easier. Bartenders may want to invest in more bottle stoppers for spirits and wine than are included in the original set.
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Bartender kits for professional mixologists may contain different tools than kits sold for home use.

FAQ

Q. I just added a wet bar to my basement game room. Should I invest in a deluxe bartender’s kit?

A. While a multi-piece bartending kit complete with bottle stoppers, muddlers, speed bottle openers and other tools may seem like a good investment, it isn’t necessary for most home mixologists. A basic eight-piece bartending kit should contain enough hardware to prep fruit, mix cocktails and open beer or wine bottles.

Q. My son is receiving on-the-job training to become a licensed bartender. Would a bartender kit be a good present when he starts his new position?

A. Many bars and restaurants provide employees with the proper tools to perform their duties. Some bartender kits do not include the right jigger cup sizes or commercial grade tools. You may want to have a discussion with your son before investing in a bartender kit. He may need it for catering or freelance bartending assignments, but also may just prefer a book of recipes or a higher-end individual tool. You may also want to buy him a collection of ingredients to make cocktails, such as top-shelf liquor and mixers.

Q. Can I use the standard kitchen tools I already own instead of buying a specialized bartender kit?

A. There are a few mixology-related tasks you can perform with standard tools like a paring knife or an ice scoop, However, many of the tools included in a bartender kit are designed specifically for the art of creating cocktails from precise recipes. Shaker tins are hard to duplicate with standard glassware, and obtaining exact measurements of alcohol can be challenging without a jigger cup. Even a basic five-piece cocktail shaker set is preferable to improvising with regular kitchenware.