The 7 Best Cocktail Shakers

Best Overall

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tin Set

$32 at Amazon View on Cocktail Kingdom View on Carbonknifeco.com

The interesting thing about this shaker set is that it’s weighted. This makes it feel more stable and secure in your hands, making it less likely to slip when you’re shaking it. Plus, the shaker snaps open and shut without a lot of pressure—no need to worry about the shakers getting stuck together. Fans love the high quality, plus it cleans up in a snap. When you’re done making cocktails, you can wash them in the dishwasher. Then, the small cup stacks inside the big cup for easy storage. 

Jonathan Stanyard, a bartender at Seattle’s Feast, swears by this cocktail shaker. He says, "It's classic metal on metal, helping to cool the cocktail quicker, and has a weighted bottom with a little rim, which helps with the grip."

Anthony Escalante, the bar manager at Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix, agrees. He says, "This tin is a front-runner. It’s reliable, and one of the most popular brands in the bartending world."

We second all of these insights, but beware, as it’s not a shaker for a beginner. It takes time to work with a shaker like this and understand how to properly seal and shake. We also appreciate how easy it is to clean all of Cocktail Kingdom’s shakers.

Type: Boston | Material: Stainless steel with gold plating | Size: 18- and 28-ounce cups | Capacity: 2 drinks | Dishwasher-Safe? Yes

Runner-Up, Best Overall

Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tins

View on Cocktail Kingdom View on Shakerandspoon.com

The Koriko shaker from Cocktail Kingdom features two weighted tins that fit inside each other to form a tight seal. One tin, the one you make your drinks in, holds 28 ounces while the smaller one holds 18 ounces. You'll have to purchase a Hawthorne or Julep strainer separately. You can mix enough for two cocktails in these tins, and when you’re done, they're dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. We found that they’re also incredibly lightweight, so you’re not putting too much pressure on your joints—essential if you’ve got a long night of cocktail-making ahead of you! That’s why you’ll see this set behind every cocktail bar in the country.

Did we mention that they're also super durable? Jeremy Powers, a bartender at City Club in Raleigh, North Carolina, says, "I once saw a bartender drop both of the cocktails he was shaking. Lucky for him, both shaker sets were Koriko. Neither lost their seal or spilled a drop, even after bouncing on the floor. I've never used anything else since."

We like that these are thin and lightweight yet incredibly durable. The seal forms well and stays tight through shaking, and the weighted ends ensure your arms feel less tired after a good shake. The capacity is generous and the outside of the shaker is easy to grip.

Type: Boston | Material: Stainless steel | Size: 18- and 28-ounce cups | Capacity: 2 drinks | Dishwasher-Safe? Yes

Best Double-Walled

OXO Good Grips Cocktail Shaker

$17 at Amazon

OXO is known for making above-par kitchenware, so it’s no surprise its cocktail shaker is top-notch. Note the signature finish: Non-slip plastic coating smartly placed anywhere you’re likely to grip, twist, or squeeze. (We enjoyed the fact that you can drop this or knock it over and never worry about a spill or it breaking.) The entire top half of the cocktail shaker is covered in the material, so you can close, shake, and open it again with ease. 

Unlike the majority of cocktail shakers available, this one has a double-walled finish, so cocktails stay chilled and ice melts slower, even if you let your freshly shaken cocktail sit in the vessel for a bit. The double-walled construction keeps the heat of your hands away from your cool drink. Yet, it is lightweight and comfortable to hold and shake. This unit is intuitive to use and easy to clean.

Another smart feature is the jigger cap, which features indentations that measure out 3/4, 1, and 1.5 ounces. Keep in mind this shaker is hand wash only.

Type: Cobbler | Material: Double-walled plastic, | Size: 3.2 x 3.4 x 9.1 inches | Capacity: 16 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe? No

Best Copper

Kotai Copper Cocktail Boston Shaker Set

$19 at Amazon View on Thebarglass.com

If you’re looking for a workhorse and still-suave set, Kotai’s copper option certainly fits the bill. The attractive set comes with one 28-ounce copper-plated sturdy stainless steel tin and one 16-ounce glass with a tempered rim for extra durability. That tempered rim means the glass was heated and cooled to give it a strong, durable finish that won't crack or shatter. We second this—we found it sealed tightly and felt durable to use. 

If you’re a fan of delicious Moscow mules, display this shaker alongside the drink’s distinctive copper mugs. All you need is vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, and you'll be on your way to a good time. For mojitos, because the shaker is made from transparent glass, you can see what you’re muddling.

The tin is made from 18/8 stainless steel and finished without seams for a stylish, streamlined look. We love that this copper does scratch quite easily, so care needs to be taken when storing and using. A strainer must be purchased separately.

Type: Boston | Material: Copper-plated stainless steel, rim-tempered glass | Size: 7.09 x 4.69 x 3.9 inches | Capacity: 16- and 28-ounce cups | Dishwasher-Safe? No

Best Style

Georg Jensen Sky Cocktail Shaker

Orig. $159 $145 at Amazon View on Horchow.com View on Georgjensen.com

"While I will always be a fan of a cobbler shaker and love my mixing glass, I will always default to using a Parisian shaker," says "Ghostbusters" director and founder of Artingstall’s Brilliant London Dry Gin Paul Feig. "To me, it’s the best combination of a Boston shaker and a cobbler. You get the solid seal of a cobbler—even better, sometimes, since I have several cobblers that leak when you shake aggressively—and the extra distance between top and bottom results in a great mix when you give it a good shake. It’s also simply the most elegant looking of all shakers and fits comfortably in your hands."

Georg Jensen’s Parisian shaker is one of the most handsome options on the market, with a unique asymmetrical design and a polished stainless steel finish. The set comes with an equally as smart double-sided jigger and stir spoon. The jigger’s two ends have 2- and 1-ounce pourers. We are fervent martini fans, and found that this perfectly holds one super-chilled martini. It’s not quite large enough for two, but it’s an outstanding option for having a solo, super-chic drink.

Type: Boston | Material: Copper-plated stainless steel, rim-tempered glass | Size: 7.09 x 4.69 x 3.9 inches | Capacity: 16- and 28-ounce cups | Dishwasher-Safe? No

Best Glass

Rabbit 18 Ounce Glass Cocktail Shaker

$15 at Amazon

One of the biggest benefits of Rabbit’s designs is they take tried-and-true classic products and give them a smart update. Case in point: this glass Boston shaker that doesn’t stray from the well-loved lid-and-shaking tin design, but adds in a silicone base to ensure the shaker doesn’t slip when you place it on a surface (especially a sticky bar or a slipper countertop). Instead of trying to tug off the lid of the shaker, there’s a smart silicone seal that keeps the lid on and it makes it easy to pop off when you need it. (That said, the cap of the lid is slightly difficult to get off if you have limited arm strength or mobility.)

The glass container doubles as a measuring tin so you can build one, two, or three cocktails in one tin without breaking out the jigger, though the cap doubles as a 1.5-ounce jigger. Other assets: a dishwasher-safe construction and a rust-proof stainless steel lid.

Type: Boston | Material: Silicone, glass, stainless steel | Size: 9.29 x 4.06 x 3.98 inches | Capacity: 18 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe? No

Best Cobbler Shaker

Rabbit Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker

Orig. $31 $18 at Amazon

If you’re eying a cobbler shaker, this option is an easy pick. It’s lightweight but still sturdy, thanks to durable stainless steel construction. (RBT is a barware brand first and foremost, so expect built-to-withstand construction.) 

There are plenty of smart details in this shaker, like an exterior silicone grip to ensure the shaker doesn’t slip out of your hand and a slotted strainer that prevents lemon seeds or loose mint from falling into your drink. Instead of yanking off a pressure-sealed lid, silicone threads and gaskets allow you to twist off the top with ease (though it still takes some muscling to remove the cap). These sturdy silicone grips also allow you to shake up a drink with one hand.

While all of those make cocktails an easy feat, the one grievance is that this shaker is hand wash-only even though the brand's website says it is dishwasher safe. There is clear lettering etched into the bottom of the shaker that says "do not dishwash".

Type: Cobbler | Material: Silicone, stainless steel | Size: 9.37 x 4.53 x 4.37 inches | Capacity: 18 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe? No