Six Sweet Cocktail Accessories for Serious Mixologists

Truly, you don't need a lot of fancy tools to keep a well-appointed bar. A small selection of spirits and mixers, a shaker, and a bag of ice from the corner bodega will keep the drinks flowing and your guests lubricated.

But if you take your cocktails as seriously as gourmands take their food, there's a nigh limitless toybox of whosits and whatsits out there to make cocktails even more delicious. And even if they don't add much functionality, they do add a lot of style. Here are six fun gadgets for cocktailians who want a bar that's as cool looking as it is well stocked.


• Yarai Mixing Glass $34

The Yarai mixing glass is named for the cross-hatched pattern in the crystal, which theoretically makes it more difficult to drop. While they're not inexpensive, these mixing glasses are the ne plus ultra of mixology tools. Gorgeous to look at and tough enough for professional work, setting one of these on the bar says, "I am really serious about my cocktails."


• Yukiwa Gold 3-Piece Cobbler Shaker $67.50

While many professional bartenders swear by the two-part Boston shaker, a three-part cobbler shaker like this one is necessary for the hard shake, the intense shaking method preferred by hardcore Japanese bartenders. Kanetaka Daiki, the master mixologist behind the bar at Glen in Beijing, uses a simple single-serving shaker made of plastic, but I like the bit of kitschy flash from this gold one.


• Ice Ball Mold $205

A perfectly clear sphere is the holy grail of ice, and it's almost impossible to get without a lot of effort. Once you've got your block of perfectly clear ice (an adventure in itself), you can either chip away at it with an ice pick, or you can use an ice mold like this one to shape it into a perfect ball.



• Muji Silicon Ice Ball Maker $11.75

If all you want is the ice ball and you don't need the bragging rights behind a perfectly transparent one, the silicon ice ball maker from Muji is an easy and economical choice. The two-part rubber mold is easy to use and makes drinks look extra special.



• Chef'n Citrus Jucier $19.95

Fresh-squeezed juice is the gateway to serious cocktails, and that requires a serious juicer. I've used everything from electric juicers to pressers – in a fit of desperation I've even used the handle of a pot lid set into a frying pan (it's really hard to find juicers in Beijing) – and while I prefer a good hand mixer, cleaning the goop out afterwards can be a colossal pain. With this sunny presser, you can get fresh-squeezed citrus in an instant, and then the whole thing can just pop in the dishwasher with no nooks and crannies to hold onto the pulp.


• Bitters bottles $23.95

There's a wealth of bitters out there beyond Angostura and Peychaud's. Some people make their own, and there are tons of artisanal producers experimenting with strange flavors to add depth to cocktails. The only problem is those bottles don't necessarily match each other and your bar can wind up looking cluttered. But fear not, because that opens up one of the most fun bar accoutrements around: bitters bottles! They come in any number of sizes and the corked stoppers make for a perfectly measured dash every time. Best of all, they look like tiny potion bottles. Sometimes I like to sit in front of my collection and pretend I'm a wizard.