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How to Set Up Your Home Bar - Without Overspending

Date: 21-09-2026
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From Our Blog...

 

Martini from the Bar/Giani Cocktail Collection

 

Setting up a home bar doesn't need to mean a full drinks trolley and a wall of spirits. A handful of the right tools covers almost everything, and you can build it up as you go.

 

The essentials

Cocktail Shaker
Available as all stainless steel or half stainless, half glass. Stainless is faster to chill and more durable day to day, while the glass half lets you watch the ingredients combine as you shake, a nice touch if you enjoy the process or you're making drinks for guests.

Mixing Glass
For anyone stirring rather than shaking. Wider than a shaker, so you can stir without splashing, and clear enough to watch the drink dilute as you go.

Jigger
Takes the guesswork out of ratios. Look for clear markings in both millilitres and ounces.

Strainer
A hawthorn strainer, the kind with a coiled spring, handles the ice for both stirring and shaking. For a completely clean pour with no small ice shards or pulp getting through, pair it with a fine conical strainer for a proper double strain.

Bar Spoon
Long handled, for stirring with control. Doubles as a layering tool for other drinks.

Cocktail Picks
Reusable stainless picks hold up better than disposable ones, for olives, a twist, or a cocktail onion.

Ice Mould
A larger, slower melting cube keeps drinks cold without watering them down.

Glassware
Worth having a small mix on hand rather than one single glass.

Serving Tray
Presentation matters just as much as the drink itself. A proper tray turns your set up from functional to genuinely nice to use, whether you're carrying drinks over or setting up a small bar station for guests. The Moda range brings a vintage look with modern practicality, worth adding once you've got the basics sorted. 

 

Spotlight: A world class martini set up for under $100

To show how affordable this can be, we put together a full martini kit using everyday warehouse pricing, shaker, jigger, strainer, picks, glassware and all. Total cost: $99.94.

Watch it come together in our martini set up reel.

For a closer look at our home bar essentials, check out our carousel post here.

 

A stainless steel cocktail shaker sits on a wooden bar alongside a jigger, glass mixing jug and a chilled cocktail garnished with orange peel.

 

A few common questions:

Do I need a shaker for a martini?
Not strictly. Classic martinis are traditionally stirred, and plenty of people prefer that cleaner, silkier result. But we're big fans of shaking too, it chills faster and creates tiny ice shards through the drink, adding texture and extra cold. Comes down to preference, either way a shaker's worth having.

What glass should I use for a martini?
A traditional martini glass is the classic choice, a coupe works just as well and is more forgiving to pour into.

Gin or vodka martini?
Down to taste. Gin brings more botanical, herbal notes, vodka is cleaner and lets the vermouth come through.

What's the real benefit of a jigger over eyeballing it?
Consistency, your drink tastes the same every time.

 

Ready to build yours?

Shop the full Barware range.

 

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