Bartending Tools - 5 Cool Tools For At Home
In our last post we talked about all the tools that you actually need in order to make cocktails at home. I’m a big believer in just having the tools you need, things can get cluttered fast in the kitchen. But there are some other tools that are pretty useful! Especially as you’re getting into making more complex cocktails or hosting bigger parties. Check them out and let me know what you think!
Pour Spouts
You’ve seen these at work in bars across the world. They are cheap and effective, allowing bartenders to know exactly how much alcohol they’re serving without using Jiggers or other measuring tools.
For at home use, I always recommend getting the ones with attached rubber caps. Close up those bottles or else you’ll get bugs in them! They love the booze too.
Bottle Opener
If you really get into bartending, you’ll get a ton of bottle openers as gifts. They’re also a fun collectable, like magnets or coins from different places. That said, their are very few bottle openers that are going to hold up behind the bar, if that’s your goal. Here are the two styles that I actually use and recommend.
There are a ton of these and they are fun to personalize or collect different branded keys. This tool is the number one most used piece in any bartenders collection. You use the flat hole to open the bottle and you use the end to open cans, so you don’t jeopardize your nails or hands. You may be open your bottle without one, but should you open 100 bottles with your hand? No. The correct answer is no.
You’ve probably seen kitschy, ‘homemade’ sigs with these guys attached to them. I don’t care what you mount it to, but this tool is definitely one of my most beloved creations. If it does nothing else, it’s great for keeping people from stealing or moving your bottle openers.
Squeeze Bottles
The unsung hero of every kitchen… invest $5 in some plastic squeeze bottles and you’ll be amazed at all the uses you come up with for them. Personally, I think they are a must-have tool for keeping simple syrups and juices for parties.
The ones shown are a little fancy, but they also break apart for cleaning which is important. You will forget about them, they will get moldy, and you will have to clean them very thoroughly once that happens. Plus they don’t leak as badly.
Bar Mat
Making drinks is sticky work. Liquor is sticky, soda is sticky, syrups are nothing but sticky. The easiest way to clean up after a party is to make sure there wasn’t that much dirty to begin with. By using a couple of bar mats, not only do you keep your counters from getting too gross, but you also designate the ‘cocktail making area’ on the counter so that people don’t move things around too much.
These are the kinds you see in bars, where there are lots of little raised parts so that the bottles and glasses are kept off the bulk of the liquid. This is essential in a bar, but just kinda nice for at home bartending.
They come in a few shapes and sizes. For at home? Bigger is Better.
As an alternative, I also like using a very large, durable silicone mat to put bottles, make drinks, and protect tables or counters. They roll up nicely and are also great for using the kitchen in other ways.
Lewis bag & Mallet
Technically the only cocktail that really requires this is the Mint Julep, which really requires crushed ice. But once you’ve got one, you’ll want to have crushed ice in lots of drinks, especially in the summertime.
In addition to getting crushed ice, you also get to use a mallet and hit stuff. It’s a big hit at parties. Load the bag and let people crush their own ice… if you trust your friends with a mallet.
8 Must Have Pieces For home
All these tools were the fun ones, but what about the stuff you really need? Check those out here!
That’s it for us today! If you want to learn more, check out the blog posts below or head over to Patreon for exclusive content and the ability to send me questions and ideas for posts! Keep an eye out for How to Be 21, to be published in 2027!
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