Over the course of my career working in bars and restaurants, I’ve trained over a hundred people in the basics of mixing drinks. Of all the fundamental techniques that someone must master in order to produce competently crafted cocktails, shaking might be the most vexing. This is not because shaking is particularly complex, but many people can’t wrap their minds around how hard and how long one must shake in order to obtain the proper result. Shaking a cocktail accomplishes four main things: It mixes, chills, dilutes, and aerates the ingredients, rendering them stinging cold, properly balanced, and with a nice, frothy texture. It takes about 15 seconds of violent shaking for the mixture in the shaker to reach optimal conditions, and it would take a great deal more shaking to negatively impact the quality of the drink. It’s so much easier to undershake than overshake.
It’s critically important, then, to find a well-designed shaker that you feel comfortable using. If a shaker is too heavy, doesn’t seal right, or is too hard to open, it can be a huge impediment to the quality of your drinks, so it’s important to keep those factors into consideration when choosing a set for yourself. The best shakers are made entirely from metal, usually stainless steel. Shaking sets that rely on a pint glass are too heavy and do not seal well and are therefore not recommended. Furthermore, high-quality shaking sets are usually weighted, giving them a bit more balance and maneuverability.
After speaking with five experts in the field, I’ve compiled a list of the best cocktail-shaking sets to suit every style and budget. If you’re looking for other essential barware, you can check out our guides to cocktail strainers and jiggers.
Pretty much every expert I spoke with recommends these shakers. Jordan Schwartz, the beverage director of Crawford’s Social, declares them “straight and to the point — function over fashion.” Sold by Cocktail Kingdom, one of the most well-regarded suppliers of barware for professional bartenders, these sturdy and reliable shakers are the default equipment in cocktail bars the world over. Shannon Mustipher, spirits educator and author of Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails, said that with other brands, sometimes the metal can deform, making the two pieces very hard to separate after shaking.
As a runner-up to the Koriko tins, both Mustipher and Schwartz hold this set in high esteem. “They’re a little less expensive relative to Cocktail Kingdom,” but they’re still “pretty solid,” says Mustipher. The sets come in a wide range of finishes, although the brand recommends hand-washing to preserve the aesthetic integrity.
Bull in China’s matte-finished shakers offer practical advantages: a slightly better grip when wet and easier to keep fingerprint-free when stored on a bar cart. “Bull in China is amazing. They have really cool finishes on their shakers if you want something that’s a unique color,” says Haera Shin, beverage director for Momofuku. She favors these shakers for their sturdy build, affordability, and wide range of finishes.
One upside to making drinks at home is that durability is less of a concern. You can focus on a shaker’s visual appeal more than when you’re shaking hundreds of cocktails a night. For those for whom expense is no issue, Dee Ann Quinones, a beverage consultant for the Coco Club and Layla, loves these hummingbird-themed shakers hand-painted in Mexico’s Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains. “If you are going to whip out a shaker at your house, this one is absolutely stunning.”
Typically, I would advise amateur bartenders to steer clear of three-piece cobbler shakers. They are elegant and feature a built-in strainer, but they can sometimes jam or leak. However, I am always happy to defer to the expertise of Kato’s bar director, Austin Hennelly, who calls this Japanese-made shaker his “all-around favorite.” He finds them easy to seal and open, plus “the smaller internal volume means they are better suited for shaking with the kind of ice most people will have at home.”
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
