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These High-Quality Cocktail Shakers Will Upgrade Your Homemade Mixed Drinks — & One's Only $10
There’s nothing quite as relaxing as kicking back with a cocktail, especially when you're sipping it in the comfort of your own home. When choosing the best cocktail shaker for your kitchen or bar, the most important factor to take into account is your skill set. Cobble shakers are good for both beginners and professionals, while Boston shakers are particularly suitable for experienced mixologists. Most selections are made with durable stainless steel that remains cold, while other affordable picks are made with plastic or glass components.
Regardless of what they’re made from, cocktail shakers come in two styles:
- Boston shakers — what bartenders usually pick — consist of two mixing tins of different sizes that fit inside each other (with the larger tin covering the smaller tin like a roof). When shaken, the liquid inside creates a natural seal that prevents leaks until you're ready to pop it open and pour. However, you'll need a separate strainer.
- Cobbler shakers include a strainer cap and lid so they’re easy to shake, strain, and pour your cocktail without any extra accessories. Some designs even have caps that double as jiggers, making it easy to measure your pours. It's important to note that once the single tin is chilled, the metal lid on a cobbler shaker can contract, making it difficult to pop open. And while it's definitely convenient not having to purchase an additional strainer, bits of pulp and ice can escape through if the holes are too large.
Whether you're an experienced mixologist or just experimenting with recipes, the best cocktail shakers can make every drink a delight — here are our top five picks.
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1The Overall Best Boston Shaker
Not only are the tins designed with heavy bottoms that give them added heft, but this weighted Boston shaker set is great for professionals yet easy enough for beginners to use and love. It has a nearly perfect 4.9-star rating on Amazon, and each pair is hand-tested to make sure that the seal doesn't leak once the tins are connected. They're made from dishwasher-safe stainless steel and designed to work with all standard Hawthorne- and julep-style strainers. Plus, they're large enough to hold about two cocktails' worth of liquid. (The smaller cup is 18 ounces and the larger cup is 28 ounces.)
According to fans: "The shaker is nice and simple. As an amateur, it's easy to use and easy to clean. We don't make cocktails often, so we wanted to limit the supplies to the essentials. This is perfect for our small collection of home bar supplies.One nice bonus feature, the cups nest without sticking together. This saves space and we can even store other utensils inside when traveling."
2The Best Cobbler Shaker
With a cap that doubles as jigger with different pouring measurements, this cobbler shaker is great for beginners. The strainer holes within the lid aren't large enough that they'll allow ice to flow through, and the non-slip exterior on the plastic tin gives you a firm grip as you shake. The double-walled insulated plastic construction won't chill liquids as quickly as metal shakers, and it's hand-wash only — but for the low price of just $10, it's might be a good trade-off.
According to fans: "I've always wanted a cocktail shaker but have always been a little too intimidated to try using one. This one makes it really simple since the strainer is incorporated into the lid and the jigger is well marked. I look forward to getting a lot of use out of this!"
3This Boston Shaker Set That Comes With A Strainer
If you're searching for a Boston shaker that's stylish and functional, look no further than this one. Not only does it come with a Hawthorne strainer for easy pours, but one of the included shaker glasses has instructions on how to make multiple drinks — like an old fashioned — printed on the outside. However, since glass is involved, it's a little more fragile than 100% stainless steel or plastic sets. It's also hand-wash only.
According to fans: "I can't tell you how many of the typical cocktail shakers I've been through (the ones that have the lid with holes in the top of the spout) before finally getting the Boston shaker. I love having the measurements on the glass, and they've held up just fine after hand washing and even going through the dishwasher. I also don't have any problems with the liquid pouring down the side of the shaker instead of going into my glass.”
4A Cobbler Shaker That Transforms Into A Portable Tumbler
Want to drink straight out of the shaker? If so, this one comes with a sipping lid so that you can use it as a tumbler, too. The shaker body is made from stainless steel that quickly chills your beverages, and the added tumbler lid is made with shatterproof plastic. Similar to the first cobbler shaker mentioned, this one has measurements marked inside the cap for precise pours. Plus, it's dishwasher safe, which is very convenient.
According to fans: "Best shaker out there, sleek look, doubled as tumbler, holds 2-3 drinks."
5An Affordable Full Cocktail Shaker Set
If you know you'll be making lots of drinks, you might want to grab a 14-piece shaker set like this one. Each order comes with a shaker, double jigger, muddler, bottle opener, strainer, spoon, two shot glasses, and six pour spouts. The shaker tins are made from brushed stainless steel that's fingerprint-resistant, plus they're safe to clean in the dishwasher. More experienced bartenders, however, may prefer a more expensive kit with a few more accessories and a display stand, as some reviewers found this one to be a little basic — but for less than $30, it can't be beat.
According to fans: “I bought this cocktail shaker for the bar cart that I put together for my husband and so far he loves this set. It’s great looking and exactly what he needed! He hasn’t had any issues with any of the items in the set. The bar cart isn’t that big so the fact that all of the items can be easily stored in the shaker is awesome because it saves on space.”
