You know them. You love them. You roll your eyes at their particular attention to glassware. They’re your mixology-obsessed bestie, your partner, your sibling. And they have very strong opinions on whether or not that cocktail is being served in the right glass. But in a world where home bars are the new hot spots, there are so many tricks and tools of the trade for bartender wannabes to accumulate that choosing a great gift can leave you wanting to run for the gift card aisle. But fear not, dear friends, we’ve pulled together some of our favorite bartending gifts, from crystal glassware to the cherries on top, to help your own cocktail connoisseur outfit their home bar with style and ease.
This bartending hack will have your drinks pretty and perfect with decorated rims! The 3-tiered glass rimmer is a handy gadget that folds up conveniently for storage. With a cool multi-tiered presentation, you can keep the rimmer accessible while entertaining so that you and your guests can easily fix up their glasses’ rims. Have lime juice in one tier, sugar in the next, and salt in the last! Salty or sweet, depending on your drink of choice!
Upgrade your drinks with ice shaved to perfection! You can manually grind ice cubes to the specifications you desire so that your drinks will have perfectly sized ice every single time. You could even use this for homemade snow cones!
Slightly less fancy but certainly just as functional, every great bar needs a go-to highball glass, and this set of six from JoyJolt is my favorite. Why? Well, they’re simple, sophisticated, smooth to the touch, and the perfect weight. They have a soft rolled lip and heavy bottom while the sides are slim and the grip slender, so it’s a great glass for carrying around a busy party. To top it all off, they’re affordable, which is great if you’re bartending on a budget.
While not technically a cocktail gift, every great bar needs a great wineglass. And in my book there’s none greater than a Riedel. The brand is known for its collection that has glasses perfectly shaped to complement each type of wine and this set comes with red, white, and champagne glasses, so all your bases are covered. While some folks go for the stemless, a stemmed glass is usually best as it prevents temperature change from your body heat. But honestly, my favorite part is that all Riedel is dishwasher safe.
Drinking cocktails out of fancy glassware is one thing, but mixing them in fancy glassware is for the real connoisseurs. Enter this etched crystal mixing glass — because it’s likely that your bartending buddy is using a standard old cocktail shaker, am I right? This exceptionally beautiful, weighted bottom glass has a 24oz capacity with a wide rim so stirring is a delight, and the pitcher spout makes pouring a breeze. It will really take anyone’s bar collection to the next level.
Crafted for the professional bartender or home enthusiast, these Barfly Julep cups are a must have if you’re into the refreshing, southern cocktail. The style originates in Kentucky more than a century ago, with perfect proportions for this famous bourbon-based cocktail. This version has a classic heavy base and intricate beading detail making them a forever piece your future bartender can treasure.
Moscow mules have become one of the most popular cocktails of late, and they’re refreshing and fun to make and serve at home, preferably around a barbecue or at a pool party. But it’s key to serve this one in an adorable copper mug, which helps keep the drink cool with its thermal properties. Make from authentic, food-safe copper with a classic hammered surface, this set of mugs also includes 4 pure copper straws, 1 shot glass and a recipe booklet to get you started.
Sure, you’ve got glassware and a mixing glass, but any good bar setup also needs a beautiful, party-ready pitcher. This 34oz beauty is etched to shimmer in the light, with a nice weight and smooth handle for easy pouring of cocktails, water, or whatever else you want. You can use it for a big batch of sangria, which is a personal favorite, or pre-make any mixed cocktail so you’re ready to serve instead of spending the whole night mixing. It’s pretty enough for any gifting occasion, but this one goes to the top of my wedding gift list for sure.
My biggest problem with most ice buckets is that the ice just melts and condensation goes everywhere. Not so with this insulated number from Oggi. It’s double-walled construction keeps the ice solid, even overnight, and limits the condensation so i don’t have to worry about where I set it. You can use it as an ice bucket with the attached scoop (so handy!), but it’s also big enough to use for chilling wine or champagne. Every bar needs one.
Honestly, this awesome ice tray from W&P isn’t just for crafting perfectly gigantic cocktail ice cubes (which it does), it’s also great for a zillion other fun kitchen hacks like freezing herbs, juice, egg cups, baby food, and more. It creates 2.25″ cubes, which keep your cocktails from getting diluted, and just plain looking cool while doing it. And it’s made from good grade premium silicone, is dishwasher safe, and has a lid, which, frankly, every good ice tray needs!
I don’t know how they do it, but this ice ball maker somehow creates a perfect sphere with perfect clarity for your perfectly delish cocktails. They’re easy to pop out of the shaping mechanism, melt slowly, and make your drinks look smashing. It might take a while to get the hang of this ice-making process, but for anyone obsessed with the perfect drink, this ice shaper is a perfect gift.
Ok, so I’m about to get even nerdier on you. But I saw the bartender at my local watering hole using one of these and was instantly smitten. If you can have cool patterns on your ice, why wouldn’t you? This ice cube design tray conducts heat from the air through unique designs that leave their mark on your super clear, giant ice cubes (see above), making each drink you serve a real work of art. It’s also just super fun to play and experiment with. Talk about a party trick.
It’s pretty much inevitable that your cocktail-obsessed buddy will also be obsessed with types of ice, and standard old ice cubes usually aren’t it. What is, though, is nugget ice, like the old school soda machine kind of nugget ice. Small, crunchy, craveable, this countertop ice maker is a gift they won’t forget. It makes batches in just 10 minutes, and you can even pair it with a mobile device to keep tabs on its progress and schedule fresh ice batches. It’s basically ice heaven and your buddy probably needs one.
Not just for chopping veggies or serving cheese, your buddy’s bar needs a butcher block of its own, and this mini size from John Boos is a great choice. Its small size fits on many bar carts, making slicing up those garnishes super convenient, and the soft maple wood is easier on knives than other cutting surfaces, keeping them sharp longer. This one has cute little “bun” feet which also keep the board elevated to prevent water and juices from getting sopped up underneath, and it’s substantial enough to stay put wherever you want to chop.
No one wants water rings all over their nice furniture, so coasters always make a fun and functional gift. But to be perfectly honest, I’ve never encountered a better set than these ceramic coasters, which do a shockingly good job of absorbing condensation so it’s not just sitting on the surface making a mess. They’re cork backed to protect surfaces, keep everything clean and dry, and stack away in their holder when not in use. They come in various patterns, but this marble one makes a sophisticated gift.
A clever trick to learn the art of mixology or just a fun party game, the Mixology Dice® make a great gift for the fledgling bartender in your life. The cute bag includes eight laser-engraved birch wood dice that inspire hand-crafted cocktails made with fresh ingredients. Think rum, lemon, chili, and bitters, oh my! It will help your giftee create both traditional drinks, with instructions, and think up all new ones!
Some folks go for ice in their whiskey, while others don’t like their drinks watered down, and for those folks, these granite whiskey stones should do the trick. Store them in the freezer (you can use the wood tray to keep them all in one place) and then pop them in your drink to keep it cool without diluting it or imparting flavor. They come in different colors in a perfectly giftable little box that makes an ideal stocking stuffer for any whiskey appreciator in your life.
Save your bartending buddies time and effort with this high-end citrus juicer. Forget manual grippy juicers that require bulging muscles for little reward. You can buy citrus by the bag with this Breville citrus press! It’s a big tool, and a little pricier for a gift, but for anyone squeezing the life out of a ton of lemons and limes on a regular basis, they’ll thank you for it. It squeezes maximum juice from every tiny lime or massive grapefruit with ease.
Decidedly unfussy but extremely necessary for anyone worth their mixology weight, this black PVC countertop mat will save your buddies from spills, protect their glassware, and facilitate dry times. Get them a cute little one to keep things from sliding around on their bar cart or wherever they’re mixing from. It’s easy to clean with a quick rinse or a run through the dishwasher, and can also double under other appliances (like a coffee maker) to catch stray drips.
If there’s one thing I know about bartending, it’s that the tools are super cool. I mean, it has screwy things and springs and graters… so much fun. I don’t know how to use half of these things but I have some friends who definitely do, and they would truly appreciate this sophisticated complete matching set of bartending tools as a gift for any occasion. It’s sleek, stylish, and has everything you need to make all the big name cocktails you could dream of. Choose a color that suits your giftee’s style and you’re good to go.
In my book, half the fun of making cocktails is getting to decorate them with fun garnishes, and to do that, you definitely need this OXO 2-in-1 tool, which easily creates both citrus zest and twisty garnishes from your favorite citrus fruits. OXO makes super durable, well-thought-out products, and this one is no exception. The stainless steel stays sharp while the soft non-slip gripper handle stays in your hand even when wet.
When it comes to peeling cocktail garnishes, you need a sharp blade that cuts smoothly and precisely to keep everything looking tidy while also protecting your fingertips. This classy looking Rösle swivel peeler might seem pricey for what it is, but it’s worth it for a gorgeous, functional gift. It has a replaceable blade, is made of balanced stainless steel (feels great in your hands), and its extra sharp double blade effortlessly peels a variety of fruits with precision and ease.
Admit it, every time you watch a cooking competition on TV, they’re using crazy tweezers to delicately garnish their final dish. And now you and your friends can do the same with this set of dishwasher safe, non-slip, long grippy tweezer tongs. The added length is easier to handle, gives you more accessibility to get into all the nooks and crannies, and helps you control your creative output. It might not be the gift your mixologist friend is dreaming of, but it’s one they will surely appreciate.
Every mixologist needs a great paring knife to delicately slice garnishes with perfect edges and ease. This Kyoku 3.5″ knife not only does the job but does it beautifully with a wonderful weight and a gorgeous wood handle. Made from high-quality heavily-layered stainless Damascus steel, the paring knife’s blade has been treated for heightened wear resistance and its body is ergonomically designed to help prevent hand fatigue.
Professionals will tell you, using a sub-par corkscrew to open a really nice bottle of wine just ain’t it. Your bartender buddy will thank you for upgrading them to this Barvivo version, with its natural rosewood handle, double corkscrew, serrated foil cutter and beer opener. Seriously, it has saved me many a broken cork, y’all. It’s simple, reliable, and luxurious all in one and should be in everyone’s must-have home bar rotation.
Most mixologists like to make all their syrups and ingredients and mixes from scratch, because of course they do. So why not extend that preference to making their own tonics too? With Top Hat Provisions’ East India Tonic Syrup, you can do just that. It’s a non-alcoholic, concentrated tea infusion made with fresh citrus and vegetable juices, tropical fruits, cane sugars, plant based natural sweeteners, and cultured botanicals. You add it to your plain carbonated water and suddenly you have all the tonic flavor (and you’re in control of that flavor) you can dream!
When it comes to bloody mary making, it’s all about that flavor and those garnishes. Top it with anything and everything to make it your own. But why spend all that time on the mix itself? Start your bartending buddies off with a solid base like this LAVA premium bloody mary mix made from San Marzano tomatoes (the best) and spices. It has no added sugar, is gluten-free and vegan and all you have to do is add vodka and serve over ice. But you can spice it up or add other flavors too. You do you.
One simply cannot have a margarita without a salted rim, my dears. That’s where LAVA’s jalapeno citrus salt comes in. A blend of real jalapeno powder, real key lime juice crystals, and natural sea salt, this stuff adds a perfect finishing touch to any cocktail you like, making you the star of the show. Not to worry though, it’s not too spicy, just right, and comes with an air-tight lid to preserve flavor and texture for many a party to come.
Forget plastic skewers or cheap bamboo alternatives, gift your mixologist friends a set of reusable metal cocktail skewers, complete with funky animals and symbols on top! This giftable set of 6 skewers are long enough to hold 3-4 large olives and made of food-grade stainless steel, with heads in zinc alloy. They are virtually unbreakable, rustproof, and anti-corrosive so they’ll last a lifetime of yummy drinks and look good doing it.
Help your friends turn up the flavor on their craft cocktails at home with this sampler pack of Monin’s gourmet floral flavors. These inventive syrups in popular flavors — violet, lavender, rose, hibiscus, and elderflower — add a unique twist to your cocktails, lemonades, waters, or even coffees. They’re small bottles, so you can try them all and find your own favorite. I go for the elderflower with vodka and lemon for something slightly sweet, fresh, and a little flowery!
It’s the classics, turned up, with luxurious cocktail garnishes from Collins. Making your own orange garnish is easy enough with the flick of a good peeler, but making candied orange twists is another story. To help your friend out, give them this gorgeous glass jar of candied orange cocktail twists, made in Italy with simple ingredients. It’s a bold bite that’s balanced and sweet, and it holds up to the stiffest cocktails until you decide to make your own!
Made of infused herbs, spices, and botanicals, bitters add depth and complexity to your cocktails and are essential for any mixology aficionado. This adorable gift set from bourbon makers Woodford Reserve is crafted with bourbon cocktails in mind and includes bottles of orange, spiced cherry, sorghum and sassafras, aromatic, and chocolate bitters to help your friends create well-rounded, flavorful cocktails with a twist.
While certainly not an essential item for your home bar, this edible glitter is definitely a fun one. And it makes a great gift for any occasion. You can choose from a wide variety of colors, though I like the classic gold to add to cocktails or champagne for a an aesthetic adventure. Plus, it’s vegan, certified halal and kosher, and obviously safe for consumption. It won’t alter the taste or texture of your cocktails, and a little goes a long way, so one tiny jar should last for a while.
If the bartender in your life has the mixology down but is ready for the next level, this little cocktail smoker kit is the perfect gift. Made of sturdy, easy-to-clean aluminum and rugged plastic, the battery-powered smoker can use different flavor wood chips (make sure to get fine size, not big chunky ones) to add flavors to everything from cocktails to charcuterie, chocolate to cheese. And the kit includes all the accessories you need to get up and running in just minutes. Plus, it looks super cool.
Made from handcrafted Japanese stainless steel blades and BPA-free plastic, this mandoline slicer will refine your cocktail garnishes without having to practice expert-level knife skills. We’re talking long, even cucumber slices, citrus shreds, and more. It comes with 4 interchangeable blades and a non non-skid rubber base for added stability, but you should definitely still watch those fingertips. Throw it on the top rack of the dishwasher to clean up. It’s basic. It’s beautiful. It’s one of my favorite kitchen and bar tools and most people won’t buy it for themselves so it makes a great gift.
Ok, so you got salt to rim that margarita glass, but now you need a way to get it on there. That’s where the original acacia wood rimmer — Created in 2017 by husband and wife home bartenders — comes in. And it doesn’t look cheap or cheesy like the tiered black plastic versions you’ll find at many an establishment. This salt rimmer dish is super easy to use, all you have to do is wet the rim of your glass with a lemon or lime wedge, flip it upside down, and dip! And this wood version looks super classy on any home bar.
What’s a good cocktail bar without the cheese? For the mixologist who has everything, add this snazzy cheese board to their collection so you can snack with ease. This bamboo board has a raised center platform, a groove for your crackers around the outside, and a hidden drawer filled with cheese knives, labeling slates, a wine opener, and even a carrying bag. Who doesn’t love an all-in-one gift? If you want to go the extra mile, this cheese board can also be customized with an engraved message or design to add a personal touch to your gift.
Speaking of serving up a fun cocktail situation, the home bar isn’t complete without a fancy serving tray for those handcrafted cocktails. I love this faux-leather one with its marble pattern, gold handles, and easy-to-clean surface (seriously, just wipe it with a damp cloth and you’re golden). It’s not only handy but really elevates any home bar and makes serving and clean up a breeze.
We can all get a little messy from time to time, and we don’t want to add extra trash to the landfill, so I love these linen cloth cocktail napkins instead of the usual paper go-tos. They look really elegant, come in a rainbow of colors to match any decor, and are easily washable for the next cocktail party. The small size is nice instead of the usual dinner-size cloth napkin, especially if you’re just holding a glass and noshing on small bites between sips.
The beginning is always a very good place to start, so make sure your bartending buddy has a solid home base for all their goods with a fancy gold bar cart. Sure, you could get them a basic version, but why not add a bit of pizazz with this metallic finish? I love that it has a bit of everything, from a serving surface to modular wine glass and wine bottle racks. And the wheels are lockable so you don’t have to worry about it rolling away mid-pour!
Speaking of the right glasses… your mixologist needs some of each, so you can’t go wrong. But one way to go absolutely right is with this super-giftable set of 100% lead-free crystal decanter and glasses. Perfect for the whiskey lover in your life, these glasses feature gorgeous grid etching and a heavy bottom (so there’s less chance of spillage), and the decanter really kicks the experience up a notch. The fact that it comes in a beautiful gift box is just icing on the cake, making this set a top choice.
Simple, solid, and stemless but with the requisite wide brim to best oxygenate the spirits inside, these JoyJolt martini glasses are also just a joy! Seriously, they’re adorable and they make a real splash at any party. You don’t have to only use them for martinis, either. You can get creative and throw any mixed cocktail or mocktail in these cute little numbers and gaze longingly into their super clear, wide open shape. Dishwasher friendly, affordable, and packaged in a giftable set, I love giving these glasses to any new homeowner or budding bartender friends.
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