How to Set Up a Home Bar

A home bar is a shelf, a tray and a short list of tools. You do not need a full cabinet to pour well. Here is what to set up first and what can wait.

Choose the place

A bar cart, a shelf in the dining room or two feet of counter will do. Keep it away from direct sun and from the stove. Put the glasses where you can reach them and the tools on a tray, so the whole bar can move to the table when guests arrive.

Glasses first

Glasses matter more than gadgets. Four types cover almost everything.

• Wine glasses. A set of six amber wine glasses works for red and white. For bigger gatherings, the stemless wine glass set gives you twelve glasses, six for red and six for white. Our guide on how to choose wine glasses goes deeper.
• A short glass. Spinning whiskey glasses hold 9.5 oz, rest on a rotating base and come with ice ball molds.
• Beer glasses. A set of four 16 oz IPA beer glasses with a tulip shape.
• Something for outdoors. Insulated wine tumblers with lids are the choice for the patio or a picnic, in six colors so nobody mixes up their drink.

The tools

You need four things to make most cocktails: a shaker, a jigger to measure, a strainer to hold back the ice and a long spoon to stir. The gold cocktail shaker set with a wooden stand has all four, plus a citrus juicer, six pourers, a bottle opener, two shot glasses and a recipe booklet. The stand keeps the tools together and on display.

For wine

A rechargeable electric wine opener pulls the cork with one button and releases it with another. The set includes a foil cutter, an aerator pourer and two vacuum stoppers for the bottle you do not finish.

One classic to learn first

The Moscow mule is a good first cocktail because it needs no shaking. Fill a copper mug with ice, add 2 oz of vodka and half an ounce of fresh lime juice, top with 4 to 6 oz of ginger beer and stir once. Finish with a lime wedge. A set of Moscow mule copper mugs comes with two mugs, two copper straws and a jigger. Wash the mugs by hand.

A conversation piece

The Red Head Barrels charred oak aging barrel sits on its own stand with a spigot and lets you age spirits at home, one small batch after another. It comes with instructions and a recipe booklet. Follow the instructions before the first fill. Then see how to age spirits at home in a 1-liter oak barrel for curing, tasting and bottling.

Ice and garnishes

Large ice melts more slowly than small cubes, so a drink stays cold without thinning as fast. Keep lemons and limes on hand, and cut garnishes just before guests arrive.

Taking the bar outside

For a picnic or a concert in the park, a folding picnic table with wine glass holders has room for four glasses and a slot for the bottle. Pair it with the insulated tumblers and leave the stemmed glasses at home.

Looking after it

Check the care line on each product page. Copper mugs are washed by hand and dried right away. Some glasses are dishwasher safe and others last longer washed by hand. Rinse the shaker and the jigger after each use so citrus does not dry on the metal.

What to buy first

Start with glasses and a shaker set, then add one piece at a time as you find what you pour most. Stock the bottles you already drink, not the ones a list tells you to own. Keep a non-alcoholic option on the tray for guests who want one, and enjoy responsibly.

Shopping for a home bartender? Our home bar gifts guide is sorted by what they pour.

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