X Must-Have Tools You Need For Your Bar Cart

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Sure, there's intriguing fun to enjoying a tipple at a cocktail bar, but mixing drinks at home can be satisfying, too. There is expertise to the process: You'll need to learn how to make classic cocktails with the right technique. However, once you've stocked up on a few bottles for your bar cart, you'll just need to supplement with some must-have gear to kickstart the process.

Essentially, the necessities include a vessel for construction, tools for measuring and integrating components, as well as simple utensils for finalizing the drink. You may already have some of these tools lying around — like a juicer or a peeler — while other components are affordable parts that ease the creation process. 

Not every tool is necessary for all drinks; some prefer stirred cocktails to elaborate shaken ones, after all. And if you're not a fan of fruit-based cocktails (instead preferring spirit-forward creations), then scratch citrus equipment tools off the list. Really though, stock up the Amazon shopping cart with these utensils, and you'll be poised for the full spectrum of mixed drinks.

Not much cocktail-making takes place without a shaker. As a result, you'll definitely need to buy this foundational tin, preferably a stainless steel Boston style — perhaps the Etens cocktail shaker set. Learn the wrong way to shake a cocktail (and how to correct yourself), however, and you can even use the tool for better-tasting coffee, too.

Mixology is a detailed craft: Ingredients necessitate measurement to the increments under an ounce. And a snazzy jigger pours shots, liqueurs, and syrups with effortless ease in precise amounts. Buy a stainless steel model like the Briout jigger with quarter-ounce markings for utmost precision.

Whether it's a mojito or an old fashioned, some laborious mashing releases aromatics in iconic cocktails. Opt for a specifically stainless steel muddler — like Ohtomber's 8 inch version — to get more heft and fewer lingering aromas than with wooden models.

Once you've shaken or stirred your components in a tin, you'll want to pour through a Hawthorne strainer to stop ice, fruit, or spices from dropping into the glass. No need to overthink specifics: Just buy an OXO Steel Cocktail Strainer for the job. It'll fit into varying shaker models and is easy to clean, too.

Some drinks need a touch of extra finesse: A fine-mesh strainer ensures a silky smooth drinking experience. Aim for a size that's around a glass diameter, like this 3-inch steel fine-mesh strainer from OXO, to avoid any unwanted splattering. The tool will assuredly keep out ice shards, citrus pulp, egg white bits, and other solids from your drink.

Citrus and spirits go hand in hand, so keep it manual and invest in a handheld lemon squeezer. The stainless steel RCMo model maintains easy cleaning with a metal construction, while padding with rubber for extra grip makes squeezing easy. And don't forget that you can get some extra juice with an additional slicing step, thereby crafting citrus drinks with a rapid squeeze.

Sure, bar cart tools do come with extra flair, but the long twisted bar spoons aren't only for show. They'll reach down even into the slimmest glass, and you can use them to advantageously crack ice, too, with a few sharp whacks. So purchase a set of two 12-Inch bar spoons from Hiware for stirring with style.

The merging of citrus fruit and cocktails doesn't only apply to the juice, but the external peel, too. So if you don't already have one lying around, grab an ergonomic KitchenAid Y Peeler to seamlessly remove a strip of rind. Whether it's a Manhattan or Negroni, that eye-catching strip of zest makes drinks complete.

In some drinks, it's the most minute addition that makes the biggest impact. So purchase a two-pack of the 2-ounce Bumobum Dropper Bottles to perfectly drop a splash of bitters atop an egg white foam, rinse a glass with a measured touch of absinthe, or integrate a precise amount of saline solution into a drink build.

Additionally, in the garnish department, you'll want to load up on cocktail picks for finalizing drink builds. Consider buying a set of metal cocktail picks by GDBY for environmentally conscious reusability, as well as extra elegance. Pop on a maraschino cherry, olive, or other fruit with eye-catching appeal.

Sure, another vessel for mixing isn't completely essential, but isn't the show part of the experience? Procure a pitcher for stirred cocktails, like this elegant model from Kitessensu, to show off building a negroni, old fashioned, martini, and a wide range of other classics.