15 Must-Have Bartending Tools
As owners of the top bartending company in the country, we’ve had years to determine exactly which bartending and mixology tools are needed for work behind the bar. This list doesn’t vary too much between a mobile or private bartender and a bartender who works in a brick & mortar. The only item you probably won’t need when working at a bar or restaurant is a food-grade ice bin since that’s usually built into the bar. Everything else is a must-have!
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Martini Shaker
A martini shaker is a very personal item for most bartenders. Some prefer Boston shakers, others prefer metal. Here’s why we love this one:First of all, it comes in a four-pack from Amazon and when you’re busy behind a bar with no sink, you need multiple martini shakers for different drinks. Using the same shaker for a gin martini and then a mezcal cocktail will have disastrous results.
We love that it’s clear. Sometimes we’re precisely measuring drinks and other times we’re eye-balling it. It’s nice to see the drink that’s being built.
Because it’s plastic, the lid doesn’t freeze shut. And if it does ever get stuck (this goes for all shakers), moderately tap the shaker along the line where the lid fits into the shaker.
It’s light-weight for the traveling bartender.
The cap doubles as a measuring device - 1 oz to the halfway mark, 2 oz to the top.
It’s recycleable!
2. Bar Mat
Nothing looks more professional than a bartender’s bar mat. Yes, they serve the functional purpose of collecting drips and splashes from your shaking and mixing, but they also make you look professional, experienced, and organized. We recommend getting two so you can line them up side-by-side and create a larger work area.
3. Wine & Beer Key (opener)
You’ll need several wine and beer openers. Some bartenders prefer to have a beer opener that is specific to beers but we recommend a hinged, dual-purpose wine key. If you’re newer to bartending you’ll be tempted to use a winged wine opener because they are easier to use and practically fail-safe. DO NOT show up with one of these. You might as well write the word rookie across your forehead and roll in on a bike with training wheels.
We recommend a hinged wine opener because they will help you to be the fastest. You might not be good at using one in the beginning but go buy a couple cases of the cheapest wine you can find and practice practice practice.
Purchase several. No wine key is indestructible and they all breakdown over time. You’ll also likely lose a dozen over the course of your bartending career because they are so small.
Just like the knives we are recommending, we like a colorful wine key so that other bartenders don’t confuse it with theirs.
4. Small Cutting Board
Unless you’re working at a beer and wine bar, there’s a 100% chance that you’ll be prepping limes or lemons or both. A small cutting board is must and we like this black one. It looks sleek and hides wear and tear.
5. Set of Small Knives
Purchase a set of small knives for prepping garnishes or removing foil from a wine bottle. We recommend this colorful set so there’s no confusion over who owns it. Our bartenders are in a lot of private homes and it’s nice to have tools that won’t get mixed up with the client’s collection.
6. Jigger
A jigger is a two-sided measuring device with one amount on one end and a larger amount on the other. There are dozens of options out there but we like these for two reasons:
There’s 1 ounce on one side and 2 ounces on the other. These are the most common measurements you’ll use in bartending. Some jiggers have 1.25 or 1.75 measurements and that’s just confusing for everyone.
These are stainless steel and very durable.
This brand comes in a three-pack and just like the wine keys, they have a tendency to get lost.
7. Muddler
Although you can improvise with the flat end of a wooden spoon or the flat side of your martini shaker, this one comes down to optics. Using a professional muddler makes you look like an expert and will fit in your bar kit more easily than a wooden spoon. :) We like this one because of the little teeth it has at the end.
8. Julep Strainer
If you want to skip this device you can always improvise with the top of your martini shaker. But when you’re muddling fruits like raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc., it’s nice to have a separate tool o hand. You might not use this one all the time but it will definitely come in handy.
9. Bar Spoon
When someone tells you that he wants her drink stirred, not shaken (more on this request in a moment), you’ll need a bar spoon. It will also come in handy for layering cocktails, fishing olives from the bottom of olives jars, and just plain old fashioned stirring. We like the ones that have a spoon on one side and a fork on the other.
Bartenders around the world have James Bond to thank for the famous martini request, “shaken, not stirred.” Dudes neverrrrr get tired of using this phrase. It’s not a problem except that 95% of the people who say it laugh and then say, “just kidding I’ll have it shaken.”
10. Pour Spouts
Pour spouts are so inexpensive there’s no reason not to buy them. Like the bartending mat, there’s an element of optics to these little bottle aids since almost every professional bartender uses them. They’re cheap, they help with a bartender’s speed, and they prevent spillage and liquor waste. If you’re just starting out with bartending, practice using them at home with water-filled spirit bottles until you get a feeling for their flow.
11. Citrus Squeezer
This tool seems to break down the most for us, so we’d recommend purchasing maybe two or three so that you always have a back-up. Yes you can hand squeeze but nothing catches seeds like one of these.
12. Ice Scoop
Although you can easily use your martini shaker or a plastic cup as an ice scoop, having a real ice scoop on hand looks a lot more professional. We like this small metal one that guides just the right about of ice into your shaker or glass.
13. Ice Bucket
If you’re working in a brick & mortar restaurant or bar you likely will not need an ice bucket since it’s built into the bar. However, our private and mobile bartenders need to always have these on hand. Yes, this one looks very industrial but here’s why we like it:
It’s just the right size for the bar. Not so small that you’ll beed to constantly refill it and not so big that it’s an eye sore. You can easily hide it behind a row of wine and spirit bottles anyway.
It’s food-grade plastic.
It’s big enough to hold and transport all of your bar tools from A to B.
14. Bar Towels
DO NOT pass up this item. You will use these white towels so much that they are an absolute must-have. You’ll use them for spills, for wiping down the bar, for wrapping a leaky martini shaker, for putting under beverage tubs to soak of condensation, and for so much more. Just remember to either throw them in the washer right when you get home or to lay them out to dry until you can wash them. Small colonies of bacteria tend to grow quickly in towels soaked with juice. Don’t leave them in wet clumps.
Remember that buying cotton towels is important for absorption.
15. First Aid Kit
Every bartender should carry a small first aid kit with her bartending tools. Even the smallest paper cut can be super painful when there’s lime juice seeping into it all night. And then there’s those more serious cuts that don’t warrant stitches but that need proper cleaning and bandaging.
In addition to a small first aid kit we recommend purchasing a box of finger cots that can be easily rolled over the bandaged finger for safety and cleanliness.
This Girl Walks Into a Bar has bartending services in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Austin, Houston, Dallas, Tampa, Atlanta, and New York City. Book your private bartender with us today!
