Photo illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailer
On my first day as a bartender at PDT, the James Beard Award-winning neo-speakeasy, I knew next to nothing about bartending. I couldn’t tell a Sazerac from a Saratoga, and I certainly wasn’t familiar with all the intricacies of the tools of the trade—like shakers and measuring cups. Eventually, I went from someone who was happy to use whatever instrument was at hand to someone who literally brought his own set to his shift and offered insufferable opinions about the merits of a particular Japanese bar spoon or which strainer had the best spirals to ensure the right size ice cubes.
After a few years behind the bar at PDT, I became the bar director for the Momofuku restaurant group. When thinking about bar tools for a commercial establishment known for its aesthetics, I had to find a balance between functionality, style and cost. These tools would be used hundreds of times a day and exposed to the high heat of our commercial dishwasher, so I know a thing or two about bar tools and how to choose the right ones for the right situation.
When it comes to choosing tools for home use, I find we have much more flexibility. Since a home tool set is usually intended for use by one or maybe two people, you can prioritize individual preferences. Home bar tools also experience much less wear and tear than tools in a large cocktail bar, so aesthetics and build quality are important to varying degrees.
Note that I’m using the term “bar cart” figuratively here—a bar cart is a state of mind. Of course, if you have the desire—and the space—for a separate piece of furniture to store your bar tools and bottles, go ahead. But don’t feel inadequate if you don’t have a literal cart for all your bar supplies. I don’t have one! But I still refer to this collection of tools as my bar cart, no matter how scattered they are across multiple cabinets and drawers.
What follows, in descending order of importance, are my top recommendations for each item in a bar cart that is as useful as it is aesthetically pleasing.
Some experts may advocate having just one measuring cup for convenience, but I find it’s more user-friendly to have one for large amounts and one for small amounts. These items aren’t particularly expensive, nor do they take up that much space, so there’s little downside to having more than one.
For larger quantities, I prefer the OXO mini measuring cup. It has easy-to-read markings and works well if you rest the measuring cup on your countertop rather than holding it in one hand while pouring with the other. This is great for both beginners and those who have limited use of their hands when bartending.
For smaller quantities, I love this Japanese-style stainless steel measuring cup from Cocktail Kingdom. It comes in a variety of styles, but for me, stainless steel can’t be beat thanks to its dishwasher-safeness.
There are far fancier options on the market, but for value for money and overall ease of use, I can’t recommend these high-performance shakers highly enough. As with the measuring cup, there are some fancy designs available, but stainless steel is the best due to its durability and low maintenance.
This strainer was introduced to me by spirits and cocktail instructor Don Lee when we were both working behind the bar at Momofuku Ssäm Bar, and I’ve been an avid user ever since. Most strainers have a long handle, which may make them easier to grip than this one, but the sturdy spiral and ergonomically ingenious rubber tab in the middle of the device are the winners in my opinion. Additionally, the curved lip at the top of the strainer allows you to “close the gate” and only let through the small shards of ice created when shaking, which for many bartenders, myself included, is the sign of a well-shaken drink.
I can’t stress enough how much easier life is with a good citrus press. When juicing citrus, you only want to squeeze the juice from the fruit, not mash and strain the whole piece of fruit, which is what would happen if you were using a full-fledged juicer – although these are great for juicing things like ginger, pineapple, and watermelon. You want a citrus press that offers good leverage to extract as much juice as possible, and that also allows oils released from the peel to pass into the juice, providing an extra dimension of flavor.
Think of peelers as disposable razors. They’ll serve you well for a while, and when it’s time to say goodbye to them, you’ll have to get a new one. These peelers are so inexpensive that it’s not too painful to replace them, and with light use, one can last about a year before it’s too dull to properly separate the peel of a citrus fruit from the pulp and garnish your drinks.
If you have nice knives from the kitchen that you can repurpose, by all means use those. However, if you want a knife as part of your bar cart, these paring knives from Kuhn Rikon are great because of their small (but not too small) size and convenient sheath. They also come in lots of fun colors.
While it’s nice to have a mixing glass designed for mixing stirred drinks, I actually consider it to be pretty essential barware. Nine times out of ten, I use the small side of the Koriko mixer set. Still, this pitcher recommended by cocktail expert Lynnette Marrero is a great choice due to its durability and insulated walls.
I love this bar spoon, even though it’s more of a “nice to have” than a must-have. Many bartenders use chopsticks to stir their drinks, but if you want something a little more upscale, you can’t beat this one. Just don’t stab yourself with the trident fork – it’s designed for deftly picking up pieces of fruit for garnishing.
If you’re looking for an alternative to disposable plastic straws, these borosilicate glass straws are perfect. They come in clear or colored versions and even include a brush for easy cleaning.
I won’t get into the physics here, but you should know that a “shot” isn’t always a shot. Factors like bottle size, bottle neck length, and how full the bottle is will affect the volume that comes out of a “shot” of bitters. Given how concentrated bitters are, it’s not a bad idea to try to ensure some consistency by decanting them into bottles like this one. Just note that the “shot” that comes out is about half the size of what comes out of a standard bottle of bitters (usually 1/8 teaspoon), so just double the number of shots from any recipe.
Everyone thinks they can get by without a spray bottle designed only for spraying small amounts of spirits until they get one. For recipes that call for a rinse of absinthe or a mist of peated scotch, for example, there are ways to accomplish the task, but this handy spray bottle can be a lifesaver. Just don’t leave what you’re spraying in the bottle for too long, or the bottle may take on the flavors of the spirit.
Sure, you can use a regular toothpick to put olives or cherries on your cocktails, but where’s the fun in that? Love and Victory is a Brooklyn-based design studio that makes all kinds of fun bar accessories. You can find cocktail picks with fruit, eyes, and snakes on them, but the bugs really speak to me.
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