25 Essentials for a Legit Home Bar

Image via Complex Original

Buy the Easy Pour Cocktail Shaker at shoptudeau.com, $29.99

With a push button pour and narrow spout design, you'll be shaking up killer concoctions, sans spills.

Buy the jigger at Crate and Barrel, $1.99

A jigger is used to accurately measure the size of a shot. Typically found with a 1 oz. cup on one side and a 1/2 oz. on the other, you'll use this small, but but very necessary tool for every drink you make.

Buy the Grip Bottle Opener at crateandbarrel.com, $5.95

Because beer bottles don't open themselves.

Buy the Messermeister Citrus Zester at cutleryandmore.com, $3.99

This Messermeister zester is prime creating the tiny strips of rind called zest, which adds a hint of citrus flavor to cocktails.

Buy the Schott Zwiesel 'Tritan Cru Classic' Bordeaux Wine Glasses at Sur la Table, $13 ($78 for a set of 6)

When choosing wine glasses,look for thin glass, as thick glass can affect the way the wine tastes and breathes (along with making the rim thicker and harder to drink from). Go for clear glasses as well, considering you'd likely want to see what you're drinking. Finally, aim to pick up glasses that can hold more than 20 oz. so your wine has plenty of room to breathe and aerate even after its been poured.

Buy the Soda Siphon at Williams-Sonoma, $74.95

To add fizz to your favorite cocktail, a soda siphon is a must have. 

Buy the Breville Electric Citrus Press at Sur la Table, $199.99

Fresh citrus is the most common ingredient in quality mixed drinks next to alcohol. You'll want to acquire a juicer that maintains the refreshing quality of the fruits you'll be pulling the juice out of. This Electric Citrus Press from Breville is automatic, one-press juicing—from a lime to a grapefruit, this machine has you covered.

Buy the Hoffman Bar Spoon at Cocktail Kingdom, $19.95

For when your guests go the anti-Bond route, and prefer their drinks stirred (not shaken). The spiraled neck of this long spoon assists grip, even when hands are wet.

Buy the Highball Glass at crateandbarrel.com, $5.95

A highball glass is meant for drinks with a higher proportion of mixer as compared to alcohol. Think: scotch and soda or gin and tonic.

Buy the Stress Less Automatic Lever Corkscrew at shoptudeau.com, $89.99

This Automatic Lever Corkscrew from Trudeau makes opening a bottle of wine a clean, 2-step process. Just lower the lever (where the corkscrew is attached) into the bottle's cork, and then pull up. Zero struggle. With a gripped lever, and black and chrome finish, this corkscrew is as sleek as it is practical.

Buy the Waring Pro Ice Crusher at chefscatalog.com, $79.99

While retro ice crushers add a classic appeal to the bar top (and are less expensive), going automatic means the crushing will be faster and a more consistent. A must for a pro in the making.

Buy the Callaway Martini Glass at Crate and Barrel, $12.95

This is probably the glass that you picture in your mind when someone mentions a cocktail. This glass is a go-to for martinis or any other cocktail with emphasis on aromatics.

Buy the Swing Tray Glass Rimmer at bedbathandbeyond.com, $9.99

Make sure you have the ability to take care of the little details, like topping off a margarita with a rim of salt, or trimming a rim with sugar rim. This rimmer will ensure you can provide the finishing touch to any drink request.

Buy the Wine Bucket at wayfair.com, $35.43

Practical enough to handle the action behind the bar, but still attractive enough to present to guests tableside. Win win.

Buy the Stainless Steel Coasters Now at kegworks.com, $32.49 (for a set of 6)

With a clean stainless-steel outer shell and rubber bottom, these coasters are sturdy enough to save your bar top. Plus, they look hella cool.

Buy the Epicureanist Measured Pour Top Now At hayneedle.com, $10.99

You've likely noticed that every bar has a pour top attached to every bottle. These tops allow for an even and precise pour, while preventing excess spills. If you're making drinks for a party full of people, these are clutch.

Buy the Rocks Glass at Williams-Sonoma, $79.95 (for a set of 4)

Known also as an "old fashioned glass" (the classic drink that gives the glass its name), the rocks glass typically hosts drinks that are served on ice. The thick base at the bottom of the glass, or tunc, is built into the glass in order to allow ingredients to be muddled into the drink before adding in the liquid. Mojitos are calling.

Click Here to Buy the Korin Hi-Soft Cutting Board Now At korin.com, $69.90

You'll need a clean and sanitary surface where you can chop and peel all of the raw ingredients and garnishes for your cocktails. This "hi-soft" option from Japanese tableware producer Korin is a synthetic cutting board, yet closely resembles wood in color and texture, and will easily get the job done.

Buy the Carlisle Triple Head Glass Washer at katom.com, $69.90

Pick up an efficient glass cleaner, grabbing every nook and cranny, so the next drink won't have remnants of the last.

Buy the Aroma Aerating Wine Pourer at shoptudeau.com, $24.99

By letting a wine decant, you allow air into the wine, letting it "breathe" and opening up the flavor. This aerating wine pourer from Trudeau decants the wine while pouring, providing the effect of 30 minutes of traditional decanting via its air intake system. Pretty sweet.

Buy the Walnut Muddler at Williams-Sonoma, $24.95

A muddler's primary purpose is to mash the ingredient (typically fruit) into the drink. By breaking up the fruit, it releases more of its essence, contributing a more flavorful and complex drink. And, of course, that's exactly what you want.

Buy the cocktail strainer now at crateandbarrel.com, $9.95

As the name suggests, a strainer strains out pulp and ice, while allowing the mixed drink to pass through into the glass. This Hawthorne-style strainer has a metal spring on the end, making sure you get pure, unadulterated booze in your cup.

Buy the Designer Series Wildside Blender at blendtec.com, $454.95

Buying a blender for the home bar is a little more complicated than you might think. Considering that a bar blender's main purpose is combing crushed ice to drinks, a good bar blender should be at least 500 watts in order to power through tough ice. Also, considering that 27 oz. blender will make roughly two drinks, look for double that capacity if you're planning on entertaining.

Buy the Nonic Pint Glasses at truebeer.com, $9.95 (for a set of 2)

A pint glass has many forms but a single purpose, to hold beer. The typical measurements are the Imperial (or British) pint or an American pint which come in at 20 fluid oz., and 16 fluid oz. respectively. Get these, and fill, drink, and repeat 'till your heart's content.

Buy the PDT Cocktail Book at Amazon, $17.73 

If you don't know the difference between a fuzzy navel and tequila sunrise, then you shouldn't be tending bar in the first place. PDT's bar master Jim Meehan will walk you through the art of making a fine cocktail, much like the one's served at his East Village speakeasy, Please Don't Tell.