The 4 Best Cocktail Strainers: Choices for Every Bartender
BarNeedWhether you're a professional bartender or a home bar enthusiast, the right strainer is an essential tool in the cocktail-making process. Its role goes beyond simply straining out unwanted ice or fruit pulp; it ensures a smooth, refined drink and is key to improving both your efficiency and the quality of your cocktails.
Today, we’ll recommend the 4 best Hawthorne and julep strainers, each carefully selected and tested by professionals to help enhance your bartending experience and skills, and create more perfect drinks.
Jump to:
- Most Practical: Compact Hawthorne Strainer
- Best for Mixing Glasses: Classic Julep Strainer
- Most Tropical: Pineapple Strainer
- Most Unique: Skull Cocktail Strainer
Compact Hawthorne Strainer
This strainer has virtually no drawbacks and is highly praised for its comprehensive performance. Its 6-inch compact size makes it smaller and more agile than most other models on the market, allowing for easier handling. While it lacks a long handle, its main body is actually wider than that of other types, allowing it to perfectly fit the rim of a shaker, even some larger mixing glasses.
We invited several experienced bartenders to test it with cocktails, and the feedback was unanimously positive. They noted that this strainer meets industry standards—and even surpasses them. If you're looking for a reliable, practical strainer, don’t hesitate—this one is your top choice.
Price: $13.99
Key Features:
- No long handle for convenient use. It’s easy to store and takes up little space, making it portable for on-the-go bartenders.
- Universal design fits tightly on various containers, ensuring optimal filtration without worrying about spills.
- Ergonomically designed with a smooth surface for comfortable grip and fluid handling, providing a seamless experience.
Classic Julep Strainer
While most bartenders still consider the Hawthorne Strainer to be their go-to choice, whether for its straining efficiency, flexibility, or versatility—this is almost universally accepted within the industry. However, as the only Julep strainer in this recommendation, it still makes the cut due to its excellent performance. You can also still find it as a staple in the cocktail kits of many professionals.
Price: $11.99
Key Features:
- Perfectly suited for mixing glasses, it's an essential tool when you're making stirred rather than shaken cocktails.
- Extremely easy to clean. Its simple structure allows for a quick rinse after use, with no hard-to-reach corners.
- Compared to other models, it's lighter in weight, offering a comfortable grip and a smooth, effortless handling experience.
Pineapple Strainer
As the variety of bartending tools continues to grow, more and more bartenders are turning to fun, unique tools to enrich their collections. For those passionate about tropical bar culture, this creatively designed pineapple strainer is sure to steal their hearts.
During our trips to Hawaii, Bali, and Fiji in recent years, we noticed that many local bars were using pineapple strainers, which not only reflected their cultural identity but also added a touch of flair to their bartending performances, offering visitors a delightful show.
Price: $15.99
Key Features:
- The unique perforated design replaces traditional mesh holes, offering both aesthetic appeal and effective filtration.
- Balances both visual appeal and functionality, creating a vibrant tropical atmosphere when mixing drinks like Mai Tai or Blue Hawaiian.
- Its handle-free design makes it compact and easy to handle, offering flexibility in use and portability for on-the-go bartending.
Skull Cocktail Strainer
The incorporation of the skull element gives this strainer a unique, bold character. Since 2021, it has sold out almost every Halloween, showing just how popular it is. If you're a fan of goth or punk culture, or if you're looking to make a statement at a Halloween party with your bartending skills, this strainer will elevate your taste and make you the center of attention.
Price: $16.99
Key Features:
- Eye-catching design, it not only creates smooth, clear drinks but also serves as a stunning decorative piece.
- A perfect blend of visual appeal and functionality, it allows you to showcase both your professionalism and unique style while mixing drinks.
- The full-wrap spring design ensures a tight fit on shakers and mixing glasses, providing excellent filtration performance.
Conclusion
The 4 strainers recommended in this article stand out not only for their affordable prices but also for their exceptional performance. Each one has been carefully selected and rigorously tested to provide you with the ultimate bartending experience. Made from high-quality, food-grade stainless steel, they are durable and designed for long-term, frequent use. Additionally, they are available in gold versions, which you can explore on the Strainers Collection page.
By the end of this blog, we hope you've found your perfect match. Whether you choose your favorite or decide to take them all home, we believe these strainers will enhance your cocktail crafting. If you have any experiences, insights, or questions you'd like to share, feel free to leave a comment or get in touch with us below. Cheers!
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