Cocktail Sets

Start with the shaker in the set, because that part determines how the whole thing works. A cobbler shaker has a built-in strainer and a cap that doubles as a measure, so a single tool gets you there. A Boston shaker consists of two loose parts that you clamp together; it chills faster and leaks less once you have the knack. If you are just starting out a cobbler is plenty, and anyone who stands behind the bar regularly almost always ends up with a Boston.

Then count the pieces. Four usually means shaker, strainer, jigger and bar spoon. At five or six a muddler, ice tongs or a set of picks are added. Finally, look at the finish. Stainless steel is neutral and scratch-resistant, while copper, gold and black have a thin coating that asks for gentler treatment.

Working with a set goes fastest if you keep to a fixed order. Measure all the liquids in the jigger first and pour them into the shaker, only then fill with ice and close it. Shake firmly for ten to fifteen seconds, until the outside frosts over, and strain straight into a pre-chilled glass. Anything with juice, syrup, egg or cream goes in the shaker. Anything made purely of spirits you stir with the bar spoon, because that keeps the drink clear.

Some sets are built around a single recipe. A margarita comes with a salt rim and a sturdy lime press, a mojito with a muddler and crushed ice, and a pornstar martini with a shaker you can shake hard for the foam layer on top.

Rinse the parts straight after use. Citric acid and sugar syrup dry quickly in the seams of a cobbler shaker and are hard to shift afterwards. Untreated stainless steel is dishwasher safe, but do take the parts apart so water cannot sit anywhere.

Coloured versions in copper, gold, black or gunmetal have a thin layer over the steel. That eventually comes loose in a dishwasher and discolours under aggressive detergents. Wash them by hand in lukewarm suds and dry them with a cloth, and the colour will last for years.

If you would rather have single pieces than a complete package, the cocktail shakers are listed separately, along with the bar spoons, jiggers and strainers in the menu. Want to be able to take everything with you somewhere else? Then look at the bartender rolls, which keep the tools in a roll-up bag. And if you already have the tools but are missing the glassware, the cocktail glasses hold the shapes that go with the classics.