Budget Bartending: Common Household Items that Can Be Used in Place of Bar Tools

Making drinks at home is a fun way to experiment with flavours and the art of mixology while also saving money. You can create bar-quality drinks by using fresh ingredients and good-quality spirits. Getting into home bartending can feel a bit intimidating, especially when it comes to buying bar tools. But I’m here to show you that you don’t have to invest in a bunch of fancy equipment right away to get started. You can make delicious craft cocktails at home using items you likely already have in your kitchen.

I’ll walk you through substitutions for some of the most commonly used bar tools, using everyday kitchen items.

Shakers

There are a couple of different styles of shakers, with the main ones being the Boston shaker and the cobbler shaker. Although their designs are different, their primary function is the same: to hold the cocktail and ice securely so you can shake and chill the drink without spilling.

When I’m in a pinch, a mason jar makes a great substitute. I’ve even been on weekend trips where we cleaned out a pasta sauce jar after dinner and used it to make post-dinner drinks. Just add your ingredients and ice into the mason jar, make sure the lid is tightly sealed, and shake as you normally would. Then strain into your glass and enjoy your ice-cold shaken cocktail.

Strainer

The Hawthorne strainer is a unique tool with a very specific shape and function, which makes it difficult to find an exact substitute. The best alternative you’ll likely have in your kitchen is a fine mesh strainer. You can hold it over your glass and pour the cocktail through it. Alternatively, you can hold it inside your shaker as you pour, allowing it to strain the cocktail as it flows out.

Jigger

A jigger is a bartender’s measuring tool. It’s usually double-sided and marked with common cocktail measurements. Measuring ingredients accurately is very important when making cocktails, as balance is key.

While having a jigger is convenient, there are other ways to measure your ingredients. Measuring spoons work great and only require a little simple math to convert recipes. Two tablespoons are equal to 1 fluid ounce. So, if you’re using a tablespoon to make your drinks, simply double the number of ounces listed in the recipe.

For example, if a recipe calls for 2 oz of tequila, 1 oz of lime juice, and ½ oz of agave, your converted measurements would be:

• 4 tbsp tequila

• 2 tbsp lime juice

• 1 tbsp agave

Mixing Glass

Of all the bar tools listed, I think the mixing glass is the least necessary for home bartenders. Although it looks elegant when preparing a drink, its function isn’t highly specialized. You can use almost any vessel designed to hold liquid to stir a cocktail.

Some good substitutes include a glass measuring cup, a wide-mouth mason jar, or even a sturdy highball glass.

Bar Spoon

The bar spoon is one of the most underestimated bar tools. Its design is simple, but it serves many purposes behind the bar. Its primary function is stirring drinks, but it’s also used to measure small amounts of ingredients and for common tasks like fishing cherries or olives out of a jar. Bartenders will even use it to place a drop of cocktail on the back of their hand to taste.

If you’re stirring a cocktail and don’t have a traditional bar spoon, my favourite substitute is a chopstick. It easily spins the ice and liquid around in your mixing vessel and can actually be even easier to use than a bar spoon. A metal straw works well, too, as it functions in a very similar way.

When it comes to measuring small quantities, a standard American bar spoon holds about 5 ml, which is almost exactly the same as 1 teaspoon. So just like we used tablespoons in place of a jigger, you can use a teaspoon measuring spoon in place of a bar spoon with a simple 1:1 conversion. If a recipe calls for 1 bar spoon of an ingredient, you can measure out 1 teaspoon instead.