We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Product Reviews and Buying Guides Drinkware Reviews All the Bar Essentials You Need To Build a Well-Stocked Home Bar Your one-stop shop for liquors, mixers, tools, and more. By Melanie Fincher Melanie Fincher Melanie Fincher is a Birmingham, Alabama–based food writer who covers everything from cooking techniques to gadget reviews. She has nearly 7 years experience writing news and lifestyle content. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on November 18, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Bar Toolkit Glassware Bar Carts and Cabinets Essential Mixers & Garnishes Why Take Our Word For It? Photo: Allrecipes / Dera Burreson Maintaining a well-stocked bar can be an expensive endeavor. The good news is that spirits will last indefinitely if stored correctly so you can build your collection gradually without spoilage. We'll show you how to stock your bar at home, with spirits, mixers, garnishes, tools, glassware, and even storage options. It's important to note that something is a "bar essential" only insofar as you use it. This list of essentials can be added to or subtracted from depending on how you plan to use your home bar. Allrecipes / Dera Burreson Bar Toolkit The number of bar tools and gadgets on the market is endless. Luckily, you can handle a majority of home bartending tasks with just a handful of tools, and we're willing to bet you already have quite a few in your kitchen right now. Bottle Openers and Corkscrews Chances are you've already got one, but a bottle opener is necessary for opening glass bottles of beer and various mixers. Many wine openers can also be used to open beer, and options range from your simple corkscrew to a do-it-all, electric wine opener. OXO Stainless Steel Bottle and Can Opener $13 $12 at Amazon Chef Craft Select Waiters Corkscrew $7 $5 at Amazon OXO Steel Double Lever Waiters Corkscrew $19 at Amazon Oster Wine Opener $59 at Amazon Jiggers A jigger is a mini measuring cup that helps you achieve exact measurements for your cocktails. A standard jigger is double-sided, with one side holding 1.5 ounces on its large side (the equivalent of one shot) and 0.75 to 1 ounces on its small side (or what's known as the pony shot). But you'll also find Japanese-style jiggers, which are longer and skinnier, with one side typically measuring 2 ounces and the other measuring 1 ounce. You can even find literal mini measuring cups that some argue are much easier to read than traditional, double-sided jiggers. But at the end of the day, you only need one. OXO Good Grips Steel Double Jigger $12 at Amazon Homestia Double Cocktail Jigger $13 $10 at Amazon OXO Steel Angled Measuring Jigger $16 at Amazon Tezzorio Set of 3 Double Jiggers $15 $14 at Amazon Shakers and Strainers A stainless-steel cocktail shaker is the key to refreshingly chilled, shaken drinks. It can come in two forms: Boston-style and cobbler. The former is a metal tin that fits tightly over a pint glass so it doesn't spill on you while you shake. Most professional bartenders use a Boston-style shaker because they're faster to use and easy to clean. At home, you may prefer a cobbler, a one-piece shaker with a built-in strainer, eliminating the need for extra parts. If you're using a Boston-style shaker, you'll need a Hawthorne strainer to prevent ice or other solid ingredients from dropping into your glass. When you strain from a mixing glass, you'll need to use what's known as a Julep strainer. Some folks might purchase a fine mesh strainer (sieve) to strain out ultra-fine ingredients like pulp. Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tin Set $32 at Amazon OXO Steel Single Wall Cocktail Shaker $23 at Amazon Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Hawthorne Strainer $25 at Amazon HIC Kitchen Julep Bar Strainer $13 at Amazon OXO Conical Strainer $12 at Amazon Koviti Cocktail Strainer Set $19 at Amazon Ice Makers, Molds, and Buckets Ice plays a crucial role in cocktails. Skip the cloudy, odor-holding freezer ice, and instead invest in a few different ice molds and makers for craft cocktails. Spirit-forward drinks (like a Manhattan or an old-fashioned) are best served with large cubes and spheres as a longer melt-time prevents the drink from diluting too quickly. For your tropical drinks, go with crushed or pebbled ice. This will keep the drink cool and the sheer quantity of ice helps dilute the heavy syrups typically used in these drinks. And finally, standard, 1 x 1-inch cubes are what you'll use for everything else since standard ice cubes are excellent for shaking. Also, a designated ice bucket and scoop are always handy for easy access when making cocktails or chilling wine. Tovolo King Cube Ice Tray $11 at Amazon Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds, Set of 2 $15 $14 at Amazon Ticent Ice Cube Trays $13 $10 at Amazon GE Profile Countertop Nugget Ice Maker V2 $599 $499 at Amazon Ozera Silicone Ice Cube Tray $8 at Amazon Oggi Ice Bucket $40 at Amazon Better Ice Means Better Drinks—These Are Our Allstar-Favorite Ice Cube Trays Juicers, Cutting Boards, and Peelers There are a handful of tools you can purchase to help with prep work of fresh ingredients like juice, zest, or slices of fruit. Freshly squeezed citrus will always be superior to bottled, so we recommend having a juicer that gets the most juice from your fruit. You'll also need to have a couple of small cutting boards on hand for prepping ingredients like herbs for muddling or making garnishes. A simple paring knife or vegetable peeler will do the trick when you need a citrus peel. Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer $25 $20 at Amazon San Jamar Saf-T-Grip Cutting Board $33 at Amazon Brite Concepts Mini Bamboo Cutting Board $7 at Amazon HENCKELS 4-inch Paring Knife $39 at Amazon Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler $17 at Amazon ZYLISS 2 in 1 Zester $12 at Amazon Allrecipes / Dera Burreson Glassware It's tempting to buy a different type of glass for every different type of cocktail (like margarita glasses or martini glasses), but having two to three different-sized glasses will work for nearly any cocktail you could ever want to make. Plus, elegant cocktail glasses look stunning in a bar cart or cabinet. A mixing glass is a designated glass for stirring cocktail ingredients. You can use any drinking glass from your cupboard, but a mixing glass is an elegant and functional addition to any home bar. Libbey Kentfield Coupe Cocktail Glasses $45 $37 at Amazon LEMONSODA Premium Highball Glass Set $27 $25 at Amazon Luigi Bormioli Bach Double Old Fashion Glasses $55 $37 at Amazon HIWARE Professional Cocktail Mixing Glass $16 at Amazon Bar Carts and Cabinets You'll need somewhere to store and display your growing liquor and bar collection proudly. You don't have to drop thousands of dollars—you can find stylish, minimalistic bar carts for less than $100. VASAGLE BRYCE Serving Cart $73 $44 at Amazon Novogratz Helix Metal Rolling Utility Cart $70 $36 at Amazon FATORRI Industrial Wine Bar Cabinet $220 at Amazon Ciecie Bar Cabinet $130 at Amazon Home Source Corner Bar Unit $279 at Amazon Rocco The Super Smart Fridge View on Roccofridge.com Essential Mixers & Garnishes Mixers are just as essential as spirits since most standard cocktails require at least one (more likely two). Having some of the more popular mixers will ensure you always have what you need to make your favorite libations, like Moscow mules and amaretto sours. Not only are these popular mixers for cocktails, but it's also nice to have some on hand for non-alcoholic drinks, like Shirley Temples. Though you may be tempted to skimp on garnishes, don't. Part of the fun of preparing and investing time and money into a great cocktail is the presentation. Plus, depending on the type of garnish, they can also add flavor to the mix. Keep a collection of olives (for martinis), citrus fruits and/or peels, and maraschino or cocktail cherries on hand for all your favorite drinks. Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water $45 at Amazon Fever-Tree Premium Club Soda $39 at Amazon Q Mixers Ginger Beer $24 $19 at Amazon Angostura Aromatic Bitters $10 $9 at Amazon Hella Cocktail Co. Bitters Set $38 at Amazon Liber & Co. Real Grenadine $19 at Amazon Collins Sweet & Sour Cocktail Mix $13 at Amazon Stirrings Simple Syrup Cocktail Mixer $10 at Amazon Divina Castelvetrano Olives $10 $9 at Amazon Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherries $24 at Amazon I've Tried All the Cool Soda Makers—and This Is the One I Have Two of in My Home Why Take Our Word For It? Melanie Fincher is a food writer and editor for Allrecipes. An avid home cook and food journalist with experience writing news and lifestyle content, Melanie has spent the last three years working exclusively in food media. Her work can also be found in Food & Wine, MyRecipes, and Better Homes & Gardens. Updated by Allrecipes Editorial Team Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit