Best Cocktail Shakers
Because shaking your drink really does make it taste better
We tried an array of cocktail shakers in this Outside the Labs review.
By Laura Murphy
Head to any restaurant or bar and you’re likely to notice inflation on the menu.
The National Restaurant Association announced that menu prices have increased by 7.7 percent over the last 12 months, and the cost of alcohol is trending upward, too.
All of this is adding up to higher-priced cocktails everywhere, and especially in my hometown, New York, N.Y., where a mixed drink can now cost upward of $20.
Aside from giving up booze, the best way to beat inflation blues may be to skip the bar altogether and make your cocktails at home. But it helps to have some barware to get started.
The cocktail shaker isn’t just a bit of barkeep theater—it actually has a purpose: to chill, dilute, and emulsify the ingredients of a drink for a perfectly balanced cocktail.
The bartender’s cocktail shaker is a tool, but at home, the cocktail shaker is a device of leisure. It’s a vessel brought out for special occasions or maybe to just play 1950 and observe cocktail hour when the work day is done.
Whatever the case, it must have function and form. That’s what I looked for in the six cocktail shakers my colleague Angela and I evaluated for this Outside the Labs review.
Before I got started, I talked to some experts. Here’s what I learned.
Do I Really Need a Cocktail Shaker?
What Should I Look for in a Cocktail Shaker?
What Kind of Cocktail Shaker Is Best?
How to Use a Cocktail Shaker
How We Evaluated
Editor's Choice: Yukiwa Boston Shaker
The Yukiwa Boston Shaker has a glass top and a weighted tin.
Photo Illustration: Consumer Reports, Parched Penguin, Getty Images
Price: $82
Where to buy: Parched Penguin
We can see why pros like Bruno like Boston shakers. It’s nice to be able to see your ingredients as you add them to the glass. The Yukiwa feels solidly crafted. It has room for about two cocktails and the two pieces seal together tightly. The weighted base made the shaker easy to grip, and when shaking, there was no leakage, not even when making the gin fizz, which incorporates egg white and calls for a dry shake. It’s also dishwasher-safe and easy to clean.
It’s a little plainer than some of the other shakers we tried. If you’re looking for a decorative object for your bar cart, there are better options. But when it comes to function, this classic shaker does the job with aplomb.
Runner-Up: Stainless Steel Tin-on-Tin Shaker
The Crate & Barrel shaker comes in two stainless steel parts.
Photo Illustration: Consumer Reports, Crate & Barrel, Getty Images
Price: $20
Where to buy: Crate & Barrel
Made of stainless steel and priced at a steal, this tin-on-tin shaker fits about two drinks and has a maximum fill line that helps prevent overfilling. The seal is supertight, resulting in leak-free shakeage. The base was a little large for the evaluators’ tiny hands, but it was still fairly easy to grip. It does get pretty chilly while shaking, and both Angela and I had to pry the shaker apart by knocking it against the counter a bit to loosen the seal. But with more practice, we both feel confident that we could loosen it with just our hands.
Once again, this is more of a workman’s cocktail shaker than an ornamental one, but the shiny stainless steel does elevate the look a bit. It’s also dishwasher-safe, which makes it cinch to clean.
Most Reliable: BrüMate Shaker Pint
The BrüMate Shaker Pint is part cocktail shaker, part to-go cup.
Photo Illustration: Consumer Reports, BrüMate, Getty Images
Price: $40
Where to buy: BrüMate
The BrüMate Shaker Pint is part cocktail shaker and part to-go pint glass. It’s a cobbler shaker with three parts—pint glass, strainer, and cap. It’s made of shatter-proof material and the pint glass is insulated so that your drink stays cool, but the exterior doesn’t get cold while shaking. And with a 20-ounce capacity, I was able to make three cocktails at a time.
When shaking the daiquiris, the seal held. Both Angela and I could feel pressure build up while dry-shaking the egg white, but a good grip on the top kept the contents from exploding all over the kitchen. It’s hand-wash only, so it’s a little more high-maintenance than some of the other shakers, but it’s not difficult to clean.
Aesthetically, it’s rather rugged-looking. If you like to indulge in fancy mixed drinks while camping, this is the shaker for you.
Best for Beginners: True Wooden Finish Cocktail Shaker
The True cocktail shaker has a vintage-looking wooden finish.
Photo Illustration: Consumer Reports, True Brands, Getty Images
Price: $23
Where to buy: Amazon, Target, Wayfair
The True Wooden Finish Cocktail Shaker is another cobbler shaker. I found that while bartenders prefer Boston or tin-on-tin shakers, beginners tend to be drawn to cobblers because they’re all-in-one. This one was the favorite among guests at a Fourth of July party—it sounds particularly satisfying when you shake it.
But it isn’t the most durable shaker of the bunch. The top popped off and the contents exploded all over Angela while she was dry-shaking the egg white for her gin fizz. After that, her shaker would not reseal; the top kept springing up, making it no longer usable. I didn’t have this issue, but this shaker does feel flimsier than some of the others we tried.
Made of stainless steel, it has a 20-ounce capacity and must be hand-washed. The faux wood on the exterior gives it a cool, vintage vibe.
For the Connoisseur: Viski Gunmetal Heavyweight Cocktail Shaker
This heavyweight shaker has a sexy gunmetal finish.
Photo Illustration: Consumer Reports, Boisson, Getty Images
Price: From $37
Where to buy: Amazon, Boisson, Target, Viski
Another cobbler, this sophisticated-looking shaker is nicely weighted, with thick stainless steel craftsmanship. It holds 17 ounces and has a strong seal that could handle both a regular and a dry shake without leakage. At a little over 1 pound, it’s heavier than the other shakers, but our arms didn’t get tired while shaking. The grip is nice and feels very ergonomic.
The exterior of the shaker did get pretty cold, though, and it was difficult to pry the top off. It took both Angela and me some time to loosen it, during which the ice in the shaker continued to melt, further diluting the drink.
Bur if you want to impress your friends with your cocktail-making skills, this shaker certainly looks the part. It comes in five different finishes including the gunmetal we evaluated.
Best Looking: Hawkins New York Simple Cocktail Shaker
Putting form over function, this brass-finished shaker is for the Gatsby in your life.
Photo Illustration: Consumer Reports, Hawkins NY, Getty Images
Price: $48
Where to buy: Hawkins New York, Huckberry
To be honest, I’m not much for hard alcohol and I don’t see myself going to the trouble of using a cocktail shaker for a mocktail. But I do like pretty things. If I had space to fill and wanted to set up a bar cart, I’d definitely snag the Hawkins New York Simple Cocktail Shaker. It’s the art deco vibes and the brass finish for me.
Functionally, however, this cobbler shaker leaves a lot to be desired. It was easy enough to hold, but the top popped off while I was making my cocktail and I got a gin bath—no tub. It worked a bit better for daiquiris, but the holes in the built-in strainer are rather big and little pieces of ice came out with the pour. It’s also hand-wash only, so you might as well just keep it on the shelf.
Do I Really Need a Cocktail Shaker?
“Cocktail shakers are an ideal way to thoroughly mix multiple ingredients in a drink while also getting it very cold,” says Joe Bruno, the owner of American Bartenders School in New York City and Bar-Pro Consulting.
Bruno says that for drinks with a thicker consistency—such as a piña colada, mudslide, or mango lassi—shaking mixes the drink better than stirring. Shaking can also add air, as in the case of egg-white cocktails like a gin fizz. These types of cocktails are supposed to have a foamy, emulsified consistency.
“The risk in shaking is “bruised ice,’” Bruno says. “Meaning tiny, broken chips of ice floating in the drink. This is taken into consideration with more sophisticated drinks like Martinis and Manhattans, whereas in juice-laden sugary hot weather drinks, it’s not as noticeable.”
If you don’t want broken chips of ice swimming in your martini, Bruno suggests stirring the drink gently then straining out the ice rather than using a cocktail shaker. In fact, contrary to what Mr. Bond says, martinis should be stirred, not shaken. But the man likes his drink the way he likes his drink, and if you like it that way, too, you’re going to need a cocktail shaker.
What Should I Look For in a Cocktail Shaker?
Here’s the secret: You don’t need a fancy shaker to make cocktails. Erika Moore and Raquel Ravenell, founders of Whiskey and Rosemary, a lifestyle brand with a focus on craft cocktails, often tell students in their beginner cocktail-making classes to just come with a Mason jar.
“Don’t be intimidated if you don’t know what to get just yet,” Moore says. But when you’re ready, Moore and Ravenell recommend looking for a shaker with a good grip and a good seal.
“By ‘grip,’ we mean how it fits in your hand,” Moore says. Some shakers have a bigger circumference, which might not work for people with smaller hands. A good seal, meanwhile, refers to how the two parts of the shaker fit together and seal the contents of the shaker in, so they don’t spill while you’re shaking.
Bruno suggests that at-home bartenders look for a shaker that’s dishwasher-safe and can be multipurposed.
“A Boston-style shaker has a 16-ounce mixing glass that can be chilled and used to serve beer, too,” he says, adding that “if the shaker is insulated, that’s a plus. It won’t sweat on the outside and be messy or potentially leave water marks on the furniture.”
A good shaker will also have a weighted bottom, Bruno says, which helps keep it from tipping over. Thinner metals, like aluminum, may also bend over time, which can mess with the seal and cause the shaker to leak while in use.
What Kind of Cocktail Shaker Is Best?
There are four types of cocktail shakers, and what’s best depends on your preferences.
Boston shaker: A two-part shaker consisting of a glass and a metal shaker tin. Bruno prefers this kind of shaker because the glass allows you to see the ingredients better. This type of shaker doesn’t include a strainer, so bartenders often use it with a Hawthorne strainer.
Tin-on-tin: Just like a Boston shaker except instead of a glass, it has two metal pieces. This also requires a Hawthorne strainer, though Bruno mentions that some bartenders prefer not to use a strainer and just hold the two pieces close together as they’re pouring.
Cobbler: An all-in-one shaker with three parts—a shaker, a strainer, and a cap that can be used as a 1-ounce measuring cup. Because it’s attractive, Bruno says this shaker is often used in high-end restaurants where cocktails may be delivered with the shaker and poured tableside.
Parisian: Comes in two pieces—a cap and shaker—but it’s taller and more slender than the Boston, tin-on-tin, and cobbler. This also requires a Hawthorne strainer.
How to Use a Cocktail Shaker
Hold the shaker with both hands and “elbows up,” Moore says. “Kind of like a shake weight. And be sure to shake away from anyone you’re making a drink for—just in case you spill.”
“Everybody’s shake is different,” Ravenell says, “and momentum is important, too.”
Bruno recommends adding 5 to 6 ounces of ice to your ingredients. Seal the strainer by putting the top on tightly, and, using both hands to grip the top and the base, shake up and down at a 90-degree angle for about 10 seconds to thoroughly mix your drink. “I find you can feel the drink get colder as you shake it,” he says.
After shaking, if your shaker doesn’t come with a built-in strainer, use a Hawthorne strainer to keep ice and herbs from pouring out and into your drink. If the drink is supposed to be poured over ice, use new ice—not the ice with which you shook the ingredients—it looks better that way.
If the parts of the shaker get stuck together, tap it on your palm or against a table until they release.
Rinse the shaker between drinks if you’re making beverages for the same person. If you’re making a cocktail for a new person, it should be washed in hot water and, ideally, sanitized. This is particularly important if the people you’re making cocktails for have allergies or sensitivities.
How We Evaluated
Moore and Ravenell suggested that we evaluate the shakers by making a classic daiquiri—an easy, three-ingredient drink. We also decided to make an egg-white cocktail as well, so we could see how the shaker handles a dry shake. I also took the shakers to some social events to get a sense of how easy they are for a variety of people to use.
This product evaluation is part of Consumer Reports’ Outside the Labs review program, which is separate from our laboratory testing and ratings. Our Outside the Labs reviews are performed at home and in other native settings by individuals, including our journalists, with specialized subject matter experience or familiarity and are designed to offer another important perspective for consumers as they shop. While the products or services mentioned in this article might not currently be in CR’s ratings, they could eventually be tested in our laboratories and rated according to an objective, scientific protocol.
Like all CR evaluations of products and services, our Outside the Labs reviews are independent and free from advertising. If you’d like to learn more about the criteria for our lab testing, please go to the Research & Testing page on our website.
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