All the Bar Essentials You Need To Build a Well-Stocked Home Bar

Maintaining a well-stocked bar can be an expensive endeavor. The good news is that spirits will last indefinitely if stored correctly so you can build your collection gradually without spoilage. We'll show you how to stock your bar at home, with spirits, mixers, garnishes, tools, glassware, and even storage options.

It's important to note that something is a "bar essential" only insofar as you use it. This list of essentials can be added to or subtracted from depending on how you plan to use your home bar.

Bar Toolkit

The number of bar tools and gadgets on the market is endless. Luckily, you can handle a majority of home bartending tasks with just a handful of tools, and we're willing to bet you already have quite a few in your kitchen right now.

Bottle Openers and Corkscrews

Chances are you've already got one, but a bottle opener is necessary for opening glass bottles of beer and various mixers. Many wine openers can also be used to open beer, and options range from your simple corkscrew to a do-it-all, electric wine opener.

OXO Stainless Steel Bottle and Can Opener

$12 at Amazon

Chef Craft Select Waiters Corkscrew

$7 $5 at Amazon

OXO Steel Double Lever Waiters Corkscrew

$19 at Amazon

Oster Wine Opener

$59 at Amazon

Jiggers

A jigger is a mini measuring cup that helps you achieve exact measurements for your cocktails. A standard jigger is double-sided, with one side holding 1.5 ounces on its large side (the equivalent of one shot) and 0.75 to 1 ounces on its small side (or what's known as the pony shot).

But you'll also find Japanese-style jiggers, which are longer and skinnier, with one side typically measuring 2 ounces and the other measuring 1 ounce. You can even find literal mini measuring cups that some argue are much easier to read than traditional, double-sided jiggers. But at the end of the day, you only need one.

OXO Good Grips Steel Double Jigger

$12 at Amazon

Homestia Double Cocktail Jigger

$13 $10 at Amazon

OXO Steel Angled Measuring Jigger

$16 at Amazon

Tezzorio Set of 3 Double Jiggers

$15 $14 at Amazon

Shakers and Strainers

A stainless-steel cocktail shaker is the key to refreshingly chilled, shaken drinks. It can come in two forms: Boston-style and cobbler. The former is a metal tin that fits tightly over a pint glass so it doesn't spill on you while you shake. Most professional bartenders use a Boston-style shaker because they're faster to use and easy to clean. At home, you may prefer a cobbler, a one-piece shaker with a built-in strainer, eliminating the need for extra parts.

If you're using a Boston-style shaker, you'll need a Hawthorne strainer to prevent ice or other solid ingredients from dropping into your glass. When you strain from a mixing glass, you'll need to use what's known as a Julep strainer. Some folks might purchase a fine mesh strainer (sieve) to strain out ultra-fine ingredients like pulp.

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tin Set

$32 at Amazon

OXO Steel Single Wall Cocktail Shaker

$23 at Amazon

Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Hawthorne Strainer

$25 at Amazon

HIC Kitchen Julep Bar Strainer

$13 at Amazon

OXO Conical Strainer

$12 at Amazon

Koviti Cocktail Strainer Set

$19 at Amazon

Ice Makers, Molds, and Buckets

Ice plays a crucial role in cocktails. Skip the cloudy, odor-holding freezer ice, and instead invest in a few different ice molds and makers for craft cocktails. Spirit-forward drinks (like a Manhattan or an old-fashioned) are best served with large cubes and spheres as a longer melt-time prevents the drink from diluting too quickly.

For your tropical drinks, go with crushed or pebbled ice. This will keep the drink cool and the sheer quantity of ice helps dilute the heavy syrups typically used in these drinks.

And finally, standard, 1 x 1-inch cubes are what you'll use for everything else since standard ice cubes are excellent for shaking. Also, a designated ice bucket and scoop are always handy for easy access when making cocktails or chilling wine.

Tovolo King Cube Ice Tray

$11 at Amazon

Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds, Set of 2

$15 $14 at Amazon

Ticent Ice Cube Trays

$13 $10 at Amazon

GE Profile Countertop Nugget Ice Maker V2

$599 $499 at Amazon

Ozera Silicone Ice Cube Tray

$8 at Amazon

Oggi Ice Bucket

$40 at Amazon

Juicers, Cutting Boards, and Peelers

There are a handful of tools you can purchase to help with prep work of fresh ingredients like juice, zest, or slices of fruit. Freshly squeezed citrus will always be superior to bottled, so we recommend having a juicer that gets the most juice from your fruit.

You'll also need to have a couple of small cutting boards on hand for prepping ingredients like herbs for muddling or making garnishes. A simple paring knife or vegetable peeler will do the trick when you need a citrus peel.

Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer

$25 $20 at Amazon

San Jamar Saf-T-Grip Cutting Board

$33 at Amazon

Brite Concepts Mini Bamboo Cutting Board

$7 at Amazon

HENCKELS 4-inch Paring Knife

$39 at Amazon

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler

$17 at Amazon

ZYLISS 2 in 1 Zester

$12 at Amazon

Glassware

It's tempting to buy a different type of glass for every different type of cocktail (like margarita glasses or martini glasses), but having two to three different-sized glasses will work for nearly any cocktail you could ever want to make. Plus, elegant cocktail glasses look stunning in a bar cart or cabinet.

A mixing glass is a designated glass for stirring cocktail ingredients. You can use any drinking glass from your cupboard, but a mixing glass is an elegant and functional addition to any home bar.

Libbey Kentfield Coupe Cocktail Glasses

$45 $37 at Amazon

LEMONSODA Premium Highball Glass Set

$27 $25 at Amazon

Luigi Bormioli Bach Double Old Fashion Glasses

$55 $38 at Amazon

HIWARE Professional Cocktail Mixing Glass

$16 at Amazon

Bar Carts and Cabinets

You'll need somewhere to store and display your growing liquor and bar collection proudly. You don't have to drop thousands of dollars—you can find stylish, minimalistic bar carts for less than $100.

VASAGLE BRYCE Serving Cart

$73 $44 at Amazon

Novogratz Helix Metal Rolling Utility Cart

$70 $36 at Amazon

FATORRI Industrial Wine Bar Cabinet

$220 at Amazon

Ciecie Bar Cabinet

$130 at Amazon

Home Source Corner Bar Unit

$279 at Amazon

Rocco The Super Smart Fridge

View on Roccofridge.com

Essential Mixers & Garnishes

Mixers are just as essential as spirits since most standard cocktails require at least one (more likely two). Having some of the more popular mixers will ensure you always have what you need to make your favorite libations, like Moscow mules and amaretto sours. Not only are these popular mixers for cocktails, but it's also nice to have some on hand for non-alcoholic drinks, like Shirley Temples.

Though you may be tempted to skimp on garnishes, don't. Part of the fun of preparing and investing time and money into a great cocktail is the presentation. Plus, depending on the type of garnish, they can also add flavor to the mix. Keep a collection of olives (for martinis), citrus fruits and/or peels, and maraschino or cocktail cherries on hand for all your favorite drinks.

Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water

$45 at Amazon

Fever-Tree Premium Club Soda

$39 at Amazon

Q Mixers Ginger Beer

$24 $19 at Amazon

Angostura Aromatic Bitters

$10 $9 at Amazon

Hella Cocktail Co. Bitters Set

$38 at Amazon

Liber & Co. Real Grenadine

$19 at Amazon

Collins Sweet & Sour Cocktail Mix

$13 at Amazon

Stirrings Simple Syrup Cocktail Mixer

$10 at Amazon

Divina Castelvetrano Olives

$10 $9 at Amazon

Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherries

$24 at Amazon

Why Take Our Word For It?

Melanie Fincher is a food writer and editor for Allrecipes. An avid home cook and food journalist with experience writing news and lifestyle content, Melanie has spent the last three years working exclusively in food media. Her work can also be found in Food & Wine, MyRecipes, and Better Homes & Gardens.