The Best Cocktail Shakers in 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tin Set

5

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Cocktail Kingdom’s Leopold Weighted Shaking Tins are extremely popular in the bar industry and are also consumer fan favorites...for a reason.

Isabella Marriott, head bartender at Brooklyn’s Bar Beau says, “They are so easy to snap open and closed that you never have to worry about the shakers getting stuck together.” You’ll find most experienced bartenders use this type of weighted shaking tins to mix craft cocktails. “An added bonus is you can stack them and never have to worry about the small tin getting trapped in the larger one,” she says.

These particular tins are a standard 18- and 28-ounce size and are made of commercial and home dishwasher-safe stainless steel. While we found these easy to use during testing—releasing easily while also not leaking during the shake—for the novice bartender there will be a learning curve to any style of Boston shaker. You’ll need to know how a shaker feels in your hand to properly seal the tins and avoid spills. Boston shakers are far easier to clean than the average cobbler shaker, however, and this set proves that, as there are fewer nooks and crannies to scrub.

Price at the time of publish: $28.98

Style: Boston Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 18- and 28-ounce tins | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Best Value

A Bar Above Copper Boston Shaker Set

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“A Bar Above started as an incredibly informative drinks podcast,” says Deena Sayers, a beverage strategist at Doña Vega Mezcal. “Now, they have a fantastic line of bar tools that I’ve come to fall in love with.”

Tom Levron, formerly a bartender at The Beekeeper Bar in Carlsbad, Calif., likes the brand's Boston shakers in particular. “These shakers are welded all around and not just in three spots like most shakers, which means they are stronger and will last longer. Also, they are priced competitively with other high-end shakers.”

Sayers notes that these shakers are available in two options: weighted and unweighted. “If you’re a flair bartender or shake your cocktails extra hard, then you’ll prefer the weighted set that won’t break loose during your cocktail-making theatrics. If you’re a bartender focused on speed, an at-home enthusiast, or just always have a problem popping the tin off after you finish shaking, then you’ll want to go with the weighted/unweighted combination.” The shaker sets are also crafted from food-grade stainless steel with a copper-coated finish.

We found this set to be one of our favorites, and the best value by far. The product was a pleasure to unbox—very sleek and modern, with great fonts and marketing. We loved the minimalist design if the box—it was sturdy and of good quality and could definitely reuse it for something else. Each product was individually wrapped in plastic and the products themselves were very modern, sleek, and strong. They were definitely the shiniest of the bunch! The tins kept all ingredients inside and were totally sealed tight. Although the tins are slightly large, we thought that was a plus—perfect for making multiple drinks at once. The pour was clean and precise, as the strainer did not allow for any spillage. Best of all, the product came with an insert that included instructions on how to use the tins and shake a cocktail—a very big plus for first-time bartenders. It also included care instructions and a sample cocktail recipe to get started. The back of the insert gave direct contact information for questions and assistance.

Price at the time of publish: $49.99

Style: Boston Material: Stainless Steel, Copper | Capacity: 18- and 28-ounce shaker tins | Dishwasher-Safe: no

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Best for Beginners

Rabbit Twist-to-Lock Cocktail Shaker

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This Rabbit cocktail shaker is ideal for beginners: it’s intuitive to use and easy to clean. The all-in-one design features a strainer, tin, and lid, all built into one simple shaker. Flip the lid to build a cocktail—the top of the cup has measuring lines so you can easily build cocktails right in the shaker, no jigger required. Lift open the lid to reveal an integrated strainer. 

The unique bayonet lid securely fits into place on the 18-ounce tin, allowing you to shake up cocktails as vigorously as needed. But no need to shake too hard—the double-walled stainless steel allows the drinks inside to chill quickly, while still keeping the outside of the containers warm to hands. A twist-on lid means you don’t have to struggle to remove a frozen lid. Plus, the cocktail shaker has a reamer attachment, so you can juice citrus directly into the tin.

Price at the time of publish: $38.97

Style: Cobbler Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 18 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

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Best for Professionals

Cocktail Kingdom Set of Koriko Weighted Shaking Tins

4.7

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“The Cocktail Kingdom Koriko weighted tins are very nearly the industry standard for a reason,” explains Cameron Shaw, bar specialist at New York’s Lot 15, nestled in the back of the Kixby Hotel. “They are durable, and the relatively thin walls of the tins ensure that they form a good, tight seal from day one.” He also doesn't recommend banging the ends of the tins together to seal them when double shaking—otherwise, this will cause the weighted caps to come off prematurely. Amy Wong, of Portland’s King Tide Fish & Shell, notes that while these tins are industry favorites, they take a while to get used to. “They can be hard to seal the first few times, but that means they will last longer,” she says. “It’s like breaking in quality leather shoes—they are hard and cause soreness at first, but they eventually mold and you never want to get another pair.”

During testing, we loved the weight of these shaking tins and felt like we had more control than a traditional cobbler shaker. Each tin (large and small) holds two drinks and is made from weighted stainless steel. We love that this set comes in classic silver or a glamorous option of sleek rose gold, gold or black.

Price at the time of publish: $21.98

Style: Boston Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 18- and 28- ounce tins | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Best Set

Fortessa Crafthouse Cocktail Set, 4 Piece

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Take your bartending skills to the next level by investing in this high-quality cocktail set from Crafthouse by Fortessa. Designed by renowned bartender Charles Joly, this four-piece set comes with everything you need to make cocktails: a two-piece Boston shaker, 2-ounce jigger, a Hawthorne strainer and a muddler. The 15-ounce shaker, strainer and jigger are made of stainless steel and are dishwasher safe, while the 11.5-inch muddler is made of rich black walnut and is recommended to wash by hand.

During testing, we found this set to be one of the most comprehensive, easy-to-use, and aesthetically pleasing of the lineup. We found that the tins were well constructed and beautiful, although the strainer looked a tiny bit flimsier than some of the others. The tins felt great in the hand, separated easily, and the strainer poured just fine, while the muddler was simply an added bonus.    

Price at the time of publish: $119.95

Style: Boston Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 15 ounce tins | Dishwasher-Safe: Everything except the muddler

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Best Splurge

Cocktail Kingdom Coley Shaker

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“For the home enthusiast, I am also loving the design and construction of the Coley shaker,” says Escalante. “[It will] get the job done while also bringing some style to your home bar.”

Its design is inspired by cocktail historians David Wondrich and Greg Boehm’s private collection, though the name is a nod to Ada "Coley" Coleman, a trailblazing female bartender from the turn of the century. The two-piece cocktail shaker is also made to an exacting standard and has an 18-ounce capacity. “The Coley can be a bit more expensive than the brands we use daily, but it comes back to design and construction,” continues Escalante. “Not to mention the silver-plated finish that will surely impress those you plan to entertain.”

While we agree with Escalante on the design and style factors, we had a particularly hard time separating the two tins from one another. There’s no doubt that the design is sleek, and unlike the design of other cocktail tins, these two pieces didn’t have much overhang, that’s to say, the two pieces nearly almost clicked together. However, the fit was pretty seal-tight, and we had a hard time separating the two tins from one another.

The design and packaging of this product is very sleek and will look beautiful on your home bar. That said, this may not be the best choice for the novice at-home bartender.

Price at the time of publish: $169.99

Style: Boston Material: Silver-Plated EPNS | Capacity: 18 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: no