The Best Cocktail Shakers for Home Bartenders

A good cocktail shaker is a home bar essential—drinks that have ingredients that are harder to mix with liquor, like juice or eggs, must be shaken to ensure a proper blending. Shaking also chills drinks and dilutes them slightly to improve flavor. You’ll craft cocktails like an expert with these outstanding cocktail shakers!

Buying a Cocktail Shaker

Familiarize yourself with these features when considering a cocktail shaker purchase:

• Type: There are three types of cocktail shakers: cobbler, Boston, and Parisian, also called French. A Boston shaker consists of two steel cups, one larger than the other, that fit together and seal—this is the type of shaker you see most bartenders use. A cobbler shaker has three pieces: a cup, a lid with holes at the top, and a cap that are all placed together. A Parisian shaker is similar to a cobbler, with a cup and a lid, but the lid does not have holes to use as a strainer. The type of shaker you need is a matter of personal preference, but it does take a little more finesse to use a Boston shaker without spilling!
• Material: Most cocktail shakers are made from stainless steel, which is durable and easy to clean. A cocktail shaker that’s stainless steel with a coated finish may need the extra care of washing by hand to maintain its good looks. Some Boston shakers have a glass cup and a steel cup, and the bottoms of some cobblers are glass—if you choose one of these, just keep in mind that there is some risk of breaking glass. Plastic cocktail shakers exist and may be practical for some, but they don’t really get points for style, and in cocktail making, style matters!

Whether you’re mixing drinks for your next party or mixing them for a quiet evening in, these shakers are just what you need for cocktail perfection!

Best Cobbler Shaker: Cresimo Cocktail Shaker

Cresimo’s cobbler shaker is simple and convenient to use, with a snug fit that guards against leaks, making it the perfect shaker for beginner mixologists! Made from top-quality stainless steel with a built-in strainer, this shaker holds up to 24 ounces, enough for two to three drinks per mix. The cobbler cleans easily by hand or in the dishwasher.

Best Boston Shaker: Top Shelf Shaker

This stainless steel Boston shaker is tough enough to stand up to the high traffic of a busy bar, so it’s built to last. The two weighted cups make shaking easy and give you a tighter seal to prevent leaks while mixing—and they’re perfect for flair bartending if you think you’re ready! The shaker set is approximately 10.5 inches tall when sealed together and makes one to two cocktails per mix.

Best Parisian Shaker: Viski Warren Cocktail Shaker

Impress your guest and mix your cocktails in style with this elegantly contoured stainless steel shaker finished in gunmetal black. Easy to use, the shaker holds up to 25 ounces. It also comes in copper, cold, metallic, and multicolored finishes, as well as in a penguin shape for a little bartending whimsy.

Best with Bar Kit: FineDine Cocktail Shaker Set

If you’re looking for a starter bar set, this stainless steel kit is just what you need! This set includes a Boston shaker, one tin holding 28 ounces and the other 18 ounces, a filter, a double jigger, a muddler, a beer and soda opener, six bottle pourers, and a Hawthorne cocktail strainer.

Best with Stand: Mixology Bartender Kit

Looking for the perfect gift set or just want to keep your home bar tidy? This stainless steel Parisian shaker set comes with first-class bartending tools packed in an elegant stand: a double-sided jigger (0.5/1 ounce), a muddler, a mixing spoon, two liquor pourers, ice tongs, a Hawthorne strainer, and a double lever corkscrew. The bar tools come in silver, gold, and copper finishes. The stand is made from bamboo or mahogany.