Gifts for Home Bartenders

Home bartenders usually start with a cheap three-piece shaker and a bottle of bitters, then slowly discover why real bars use weighted tins, big clear ice and fresh citrus. Gear, glassware and good mixers are where a gift helps most. Leave choosing the bottles to them.

Under $25 10 ideas

  1. OXO SteeL Double Jigger

    Measures accurately with markings inside the cups, which matters because balance is everything in a cocktail. Free-pouring is how drinks go wrong.

    OXOStocking stuffer

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  2. Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Hawthorne Strainer

    A tight spring that holds back ice and citrus pulp when pouring from a shaker tin. The strainer used in a lot of professional bars.

    Cocktail KingdomStocking stuffer

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  3. Cocktail Kingdom Teardrop Barspoon

    A long, weighted spoon that spins smoothly in a mixing glass for stirred drinks like Manhattans and Martinis. Feels very different from a kitchen spoon.

    Cocktail KingdomStocking stuffer

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  4. Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer

    A hand press with gearing that gets a lot of juice from limes and lemons with little effort. Fresh juice is the single biggest upgrade to a home cocktail.

    Chef'n

    See it on Amazon

  5. Tovolo King Cube Ice Molds, Set of 2

    Two-inch cubes melt slowly, so an Old Fashioned stays cold without getting watery. Flexible silicone makes the cubes easy to pop out.

    TovoloStocking stuffer

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  6. Angostura Aromatic Bitters, 4 oz

    The bitters in an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan and dozens of other classics. Every home bar needs a bottle, and most run out sooner than they expect.

    AngosturaGets used upStocking stuffer

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  7. Peychaud's Aromatic Cocktail Bitters

    The New Orleans bitters behind the Sazerac, lighter and more floral than Angostura. The second bottle every serious home bar adds.

    Peychaud'sGets used upStocking stuffer

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  8. Luxardo Maraschino Cherries

    Dark, rich candied cherries in syrup, nothing like the neon red ones. They make a Manhattan look and taste like it came from a good bar.

    LuxardoGets used upStocking stuffer

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  9. Liber & Co. Real Grenadine

    Made from real pomegranate rather than corn syrup and red dye. It makes a real difference in a Jack Rose or a Shirley Temple for the non-drinkers at the party.

    Liber & Co.Gets used up

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  10. Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water

    Small bottles mean the tonic is always fresh and fizzy, and real quinine gives it a clean bitterness. Their gin and tonic will taste noticeably better.

    Fever-TreeGets used up

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Under $50 7 ideas

  1. Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tins, Set of 2

    The tin-on-tin shakers used behind most bars. They seal with a tap, chill drinks fast and come apart easily, unlike the cobbler shaker that freezes shut.

    Cocktail Kingdom

    See it on Amazon

  2. True Cubes Clear Ice Cube Tray

    Uses directional freezing to make crystal-clear cubes in a regular freezer. Clear ice melts more slowly and makes a drink at home look like it came from a cocktail bar.

    True Cubes

    See it on Amazon

  3. Riedel Nick and Nora Glasses, Set of 2

    Small, elegant stemmed glasses for stirred drinks like Martinis and Manhattans. Less spill-prone than a wide coupe or martini glass.

    RiedelFor display

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  4. Glencairn Whisky Glass, Set of 2

    The tulip-shaped tasting glass used in Scottish distilleries. It concentrates the aroma, which is why whiskey lovers prefer it to a tumbler.

    GlencairnFor display

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  5. Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails

    Hundreds of recipes from the famous New York bar plus clear explanations of technique and stocking a bar. The book most home bartenders cite.

    Ten Speed PressBook

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  6. Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions

    Argues that every cocktail descends from six root recipes, and teaches them to riff on those templates. Makes them a better bartender, not just a recipe follower.

    Ten Speed PressBook

    See it on Amazon

  7. Liquid Intelligence by Dave Arnold

    A science-heavy book on ice, dilution, carbonation and clarification. For the home bartender who wants to know why a drink works.

    W. W. NortonBook

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Under $100 1 idea

  1. Cocktail Kingdom Yarai Mixing Glass

    A heavy Japanese-style mixing glass with a pour spout and a cut-crystal pattern. Stirring Martinis in it feels like a ritual, and it looks good on the bar cart.

    Cocktail KingdomFor display

    See it on Amazon

$100 and up 2 ideas

  1. Breville 800CPXL Die-Cast Stainless Steel Motorized Citrus Press

    Presses a large batch of lemons and limes quickly with a lever arm, which matters when they are juicing for a party. Much easier than a hand press for big batches.

    Breville

    See it on Amazon

  2. GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker

    Makes the soft, chewable pellet ice from tiki bars and drive-ins. It makes juleps, cobblers and tiki drinks feel right, and it sits on the counter.

    GE Profile

    See it on Amazon