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When you want a delicious cold mixed drink during the holidays, after work, or when entertaining, an indispensable part of a good home bar is a top-quality cocktail shaker.
There are two popular styles of cocktail shakers: the Boston shaker and the cobbler shaker. The Boston shaker consists of two mixing tins or glasses of different sizes (usually 28 ounces and 18 ounces). The liquids you are mixing naturally create a seal between the two containers to avoid dripping.
When using a Boston shaker, you need a separate Julep or Hawthorne strainer depending on the drink you are making. A Hawthorne strainer utilizes a spring that fits inside the rim of the shaker tin to filter out ice, while a Julep strainer is bowl-shaped and fits into the tin at a certain angle, allowing your drink to filter through holes while holding back the ice.
The cobbler shaker has three parts: a tapered top with a built-in strainer, a bottom shaking tin, and a cap that can also work for measuring liquids. The biggest complaint about the cobbler is that the top either leaks or is difficult to remove once the ice chills the shaker.
Two of the shakers in our guide are Boston shakers. These are preferred by professional bartenders because of their simplicity, the amount of control they afford, and their fast performance. The other models we include are new takes on the classic cobbler. They are excellent for beginners who are just getting the hang of making mixed drinks.
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Our picks for the best cocktail shakers are based on hours of research into reviews from first-time cocktail makers, amateur home mixologists, professional bartenders, and people of all levels in between. We picked our best cocktail shakers based on their ease of use, durability, security (do they leak?), and comfort.
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Top Shelf's Boston Shaker Set comes with two shaker tins: a 28-ounce weighted tin and an 18-ounce unweighted tin. Both are made of food-grade 304 stainless steel and are safe for both commercial and home dishwashers.
Designed by a bartender of over ten years who was tired of using sub-par equipment behind the bar, Top Shelf promises that you'll get "a perfect watertight seal every time," and our research backs the claim up.
Wiki.ezvid.com calls it the best cocktail shaker you can buy and says it provides a clean pour with no drips and won't warp over time. WarmReviews included this shaker in its top ten list, too, because of how well it tested with professional bartenders. The reviewer also praised its durability.
Removing the top tin is effortless compared to taking the lid off a cobbler-style shaker which tend to get stuck or freeze shut. You simply break the seal of the tins by squeezing close to where they meet.
Pros: Durable, offers water-tight seal
Cons: A bit of a learning curve for those used to cobbler shakers, doesn't come with accessories
The OXO SteeL Press & Pour Insulated Cocktail Shaker has a brushed stainless steel exterior with a second interior wall that keeps beverages cool, your hands warm, and keeps condensation from forming on the outside and making the shaker slippery. The container holds 18 ounces. The lid screws on and features three silicone seals to prevent spills.
You can pour your drink through the self-straining top with the press of a button. Press the button again, and the lid closes. The lid can be disassembled and washed in the dishwasher, but the main tin must be hand-washed.
The Inventory liked that the Press & Pour shaker is self-straining, insulated, and that you can use it with one hand. The reviewer also said it's a better option for novices than a Boston shaker, which can cause a mess for beginners. Wiki.ezvid.com gave this model high ratings because it has three strong silicone seals and can be used with both cold and hot drinks. However, the reviewer found that the built-in strainer clogs easily.
Top Ten Select also loved this shaker because the insulation keeps your hands from getting too cold, but they do not recommend it for advanced bartenders.
There were a few complaints about pulpy juices, herbs, fruit, and even small slivers of ice getting stuck in the strainer and making it hard to pour. Also, make sure that the top is depressed before you start shaking, or you will end up with a mess.
Pros: Built-in strainer, insulated, great for beginners
Cons: Expensive, strainer clogs easily
The best stylish cocktail shaker
The Metrokane Bullet Cocktail Shaker is ideal for amateur bartenders interested in creating a speakeasy aesthetic for their home bar.
The Metrokane Bullet Cocktail Shaker is made of polished 18/8 stainless steel and features four parts: the main shaker tin, a strainer, a lid, and the top that gives the product it's "bullet" look. You load up the ingredients, insert the strainer, add the lid, and then you start shaking it. To prevent leaks, you should hold the lid on firmly while shaking the Bullet. All of the parts are dishwasher safe
HiConsumption rated this shaker highly because it is easy to handle and has a minimalist, art deco look. The reviewer also found that it fits well in your hand for smooth stirring and shaking action. However, the reviewer did note that the Bullet is hard to open.
For instance, the purely decorative "bullet" top of the shaker can get stuck and may require you running hot water over it to loosen it up. Also, the parts have been known to rust, so you need to be sure to dry everything off completely when you are done. Despite these negatives, buyers still find this model serves their needs well.
Pros: Attractive art deco design, built-in strainer
Cons: The lid gets stuck, susceptible to rusting and leaking
The best cocktail shaker with measurements
When you want to keep your barware to a minimum, the WMF Loft Boston Shaker allows you to make approximate measurements without the use of other tools.
The WMF Loft Boston Shaker consists of a tapered 18/10 stainless steel shaking tin along with a heavy glass that is calibrated in centiliters and ounces. The German firm Fiedeler and Raasch designed this cocktail shaker for WMF.
As with other Boston shakers, the two components create a seal when pressed together with the help of a little liquid. With a squeeze or a sharp turn, you can break the seal. Both pieces are dishwasher safe.
Cook's Illustrated recommends the WMF Loft Boston Shaker because its testers liked that the glass's wide mouth made it simple to clean, muddle, and stir. They also appreciated the heavy-duty construction. The downsides were that it is hard to get the shakers to seal, and the testers would have preferred half-ounce demarcations on the mixing glass.
HiConsumption found that the WMF cocktail shaker sealed easily, and the reviewer also recommended using a jigger for measuring fractions of ounces. The OXO SteeL Double Jigger is excellent if you want to add one to your bar setup.
Unfortunately, glass does have a tendency to break, especially if you're entertaining or have had a couple cocktails prior to mixing up another. A standard pint glass should fill in just fine if your mixing glass does take a fall, but then you lose the measurements you bought the shaker for in the first place. WMF does sell a replacement glass to ensure your cocktail ingredients always stay well-proportioned.
Pros: Mixing glass features measurements, designed for a good seal
Cons: The measurement demarcations are in full ounces (you may still want a jigger), mixing glass could break