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If you've ever read a bartender job description, you know that bartenders are expected to do a lot. From pouring beer, pouring wine, and pouring alcohol to cash management and more. So much so that most bars have a bartender cheat sheet and bar operations manual on hand to avoid mistakes.
These tasks also require a wide array of tools to accomplish properly and quickly. Cocktail shakers, jiggers, strainers, and even specialty tools like a wine purifier, wine decanter, wine openers, or wine pourer.
Read on to see our top picks for bartending kits including beginner's sets, professional kits, and more.
Must Have Bartender Tools
There are many tools available for bartenders to help streamline their work and allow them to make more complicated cocktails. However, they aren't all created equal, so we've gone through many different options to pick the best out for you.
Even if you aren't a bartender yet, learning how to use these tools is a great thing to put on your bartender cover letter and bartender resume. The more capable you are of learning new skills and mastering the tools, the more likely you are to ace that bartender interview.
With that in mind, here are our must-have bartender tools:
Best Bartender Kit Overall: Mixology Bartender Kit
The best bartender kit available is the 10-piece Mixology Bartender Kit from the Mixology & Craft Store. It comes with a shaker, liquor pourers, strainer, muddler, jigger, corkscrew, ice tongs, and a spoon. This means you'll be able to master that standard pour with ease. These are all conveniently stored in a beautiful bamboo holder that really highlights the quality of the set. The tools are also made to be highly durable and machine-washable, so they can take quite a beating and still be used in a variety of settings.
Best Bartender Starter Kit: 14-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
Our top pick for beginners is this comprehensive 14-piece kit from the FineDine Store. Included are a 28 and 18 oz cocktail shaker with a lid and filter, a double jigger of 1 and 2 oz, a muddler, a beer and soda opener, 6 bottle pourers, and a Hawthorne cocktail strainer. Best of all, the entire set is made of stainless steel, so it makes cleanup a breeze. No more buying specialty restaurant cleaning supplies. It's also an Amazon best-seller with more than 5,000 five-star reviews, so it's of a quality you can trust. Even experienced bartenders would enjoy how simple, yet useful this set is.
Best Traveling Bartender Kit: Professional 17-Piece Travel Bartender Kit
If you're a bartender on the go, you need a kit that can easily be packed without having to worry about damage or missing pieces. That's where the Travel Bartender Kit comes in handy. It's a fully comprehensive bartender kit with two rust-proof cocktail shakers, a jigger, muddler, mixing spoon, multiple strainers, and more. Best of all, it all rolls up into a hand-crafted rustic-style bartender tote bag, carefully designed with extra inner straps and compartments to keep the Boston shaker and other barware tools organized and accessible at all times. It actually has 27 different pockets and fixed straps, so you can add even more tools to your collection to take on the road. This way you can make your most popular cocktail recipes with many types of rum anywhere, anytime.
Best Bartender Kit Bag: CURMIO Bartender Kit Travel Bag
If you already have your tools and are looking for a good bag, you'll love the CURMIO Bartender Kit Travel Bag. It's not just able to hold all of your comprehensive bartender toolset for traveling, it's also a wine bottle carrier. The bag is designed with two side foldaway pockets with elastic tops for a cocktail shaker & glasses and two padded dividers with adhesive tape to separate the compartment into three parts to carry wine or fragile bottles. It's also made to be water-resistant so those bottles of wine or a pint of liquor won't cause damage if they happen to leak.
Best Professional Bartender Kit: Elite Mixology Bartender Kit
For professional bartenders, our top pick is the Elite Mixology Bartender Kit from Barillio. This kit has all the tools a professional bartender would need to make the drinks every bartender should know. The kit contains a 24 oz cocktail shaker with built-in strainer, a two-sided jigger, muddler, mixing spoon, Hawthorne strainer, ice tongs, corkscrew, 3 liquor pourers, 6 pourer caps, 2 pourer brushes, and 2 Bottle stoppers. It's a truly comprehensive kit that can help any professional bartender elevate their craft and ensure customer satisfaction.
Best Cheap Bartender Kit: HabiLife 21 Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
Cheap options don't have to be low-quality ones. That's where the HabiLife 21 Piece Cocktail Shaker Set comes in. It features 21 stainless steel bar equipment layout essentials including a cocktail shaker, jigger, tongs, and more for less than $20. They're very easy to clean and the shaker is designed to never leak or rust. This set tops other cheap bartender kits because it's much sturdier than you'd expect and offers enough tools to be useful for even a professional to use. Now you can make spring cocktails and fall cocktails for a fraction of the cost. Most importantly, there's a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so you can return it if it isn't to your liking.
Best At-Home Bartending Kit: Highball & Chaser Premium Bartender Kit
Highball & Chaser make high-end and stylish bar tools, and this collection is a great choice for your home. Available in gunmetal black, copper, silver, gold, and natural colorways, this set is as much of a centerpiece as it is a set of tools. In addition to the usual bells and whistles, this set also includes a bar knife, lemon twist/zester, and corkscrew so you can handle any drink your guests throw your way. With this kit in hand, your parties will be the talk of the town and making summer cocktails or winter cocktails in no time.
The Whole Kit and Caboodle
The right bartender tools can help you meet customer demands and feel more comfortable in your environment. Whether you're a hobbyist, beginner, or expert mixologist, there's a kit for you. Once mastered, you're on your way to increasing that bartender salary. You should also look into getting a wine cellar app or inventory scanning app like BinScan to streamline inventory processes and save the bar money.
If you're just getting into bartending, make sure to look at the bartender age requirements for your state and city. Some places let you serve under 21, but others don't. So, you'll want to know whether or not you can get a job.
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