We Tested 12 Boston Shakers–Here’s How Our Favorites Shake Out (2024)

There are two types of shakers predominantly used in mixology: Boston shakers and cobbler shakers.

Boston shakers tend to be favored by most bartenders because of their size, simplicity, ease of use, and easy cleanup. They’re essentially just two tins, one larger than the other, that fit together to form an airtight seal. Boston shakers are also the largest type of shaker. They provide plenty of space to shake the co*cktail back and forth, properly chilling and diluting the drink in the process and giving bartenders the ability to mix multiple servings of the same co*cktail at once.

Cobbler shakers are a bit more complex. They come with three pieces: a large shaker tin, a small lid with a built-in strainer, and a cap. In theory, cobbler shakers should make mixing a drink more streamlined since the strainer is already part of the shaker. In practice, the strainers tend not to be fine enough to properly strain the co*cktail. Not only do they need extra straining, but they also tend to have a smaller overall capacity compared to Boston shakers.

How to Use a Boston Shaker

Using a Boston shaker is simple, but it does take a bit of practice to do so effectively. A Boston shaker is comprised of a large and small tin. To make a shaken co*cktail, all of the ingredients are first placed in the large tin. Ice is then added and the smaller tin is placed on top. The smaller tin should sit at about half an inch to an inch from the top of the large tin and should be at an angle, with one side aligned with the side of the large tin.

Before beginning to shake, give the small tin a strong smack in order to seal the two tins together. Then shake vigorously for about 10-15 seconds. You want to be able to feel the ice and co*cktail ingredients going from one side of the tins to the other. Shaking with ice also strengthens the seal by lowering the temperature inside the sealed shaker and creating a vacuum that holds the tins together tightly.

After about 15 seconds of shaking, the shaker should be almost too cold to touch. Your drink is now done, however, the seal created while shaking might make the tins difficult to pull apart. To break the seal, look at where the two tins are attached. On one side of the small tin, there is more space between the tin walls. Smack the shaker where that gap is, and it should force the seal to break.

Once the tins are separated, affix a Hawthorne strainer to the top of the tin to hold back the ice and any muddled ingredients, then pour your mixed co*cktail into your preferred serving glass.

What We Learned

A Good Seal Was Paramount

By their nature, Boston shakers are extremely simple tools. There isn’t much variation on the basic, two-tin design, but those small deviations can make a big difference in how effective the shakers are.

When trying to find the best possible shaker, we found the most important factor was how well it sealed. The last thing anyone wants is for the shaker to break apart, spilling the co*cktail ingredients on your hands and wasting a good drink—and what affected the seal the most was the material the tins were made of. Some came with one glass shaker and one metal shaker (i.e. stainless steel), while others were all metal.

Metal Shakers Were More Reliable

From testing, it was clear that the most reliable material was stainless steel, tin-on-tin shakers. These shakers formed the most consistent, reliable seals—seals that held up even after five minutes of extended shaking. The steel and glass shaker was the most common variation, but when using glass to shake drinks with ice, there is always the possibility of the glass chipping or cracking. And the copper shaker we tested had the weakest seal of any shaker.

Weight and Shape Were Important

The weight and shape of a shaker also affected how easy each was to use. Some Boston shaker sets are weighted, meaning they either have weights attached to either end or are built with thicker materials. This added weight helped to keep the shaker balanced in our hands, which made it easier to shake properly. Some shakers had extra weights welded or bolted to the base of each shaker tin. Some of these shakers felt more unbalanced, but over time this style of weight can loosen and possibly fall off.

Flared Bases Were (Mostly) a No-Go

Another common design variation we found was the shape of the bases of the tins. Some shakers had flared bases, meaning the sides flared out and were wider on the end opposite the opening. This can be helpful for ensuring the tins don’t tip over while adding ingredients, but flared bases can make shaking awkward or uncomfortable depending on how you like to hold your shaker. Generally, we preferred bases that were not flared—with a little care, these won’t tip over and they were more comfortable to hold onto and shake.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Boston Shaker

We’ve established that Boston shakers are simple tools. That’s what makes them so useful behind the bar—they’re easy to use and clean. So, what sets shakers apart?

The best Boston shakers are reliable and easy to use. They have tins made from all stainless steel, are able to maintain their seal while shaking (even for a long period of time),and provide enough balance and weight to make shaking feel like a natural motion. They also have straight, rather than flared, bases.

Our Favorite Boston Shakers

What we liked: When testing the shakers side-by-side, the Modern Mixologist shaking tins immediately stood out—they are very well-crafted shaker tins. Weighing 440 grams total, they have some good heft but aren't overly heavy. The tins were also sleek and without any welding seams, so there’s no risk of any parts coming loose or breaking off with extended use.

This set also performed well on every shaking test. It sealed perfectly on the first attempt and did not leak during any of the dry or wet shake tests. When shaking, we were able to get proper aeration and dilution, and the weight of the shaker felt balanced. When it was time to strain the co*cktails, it was easy to break the seal, and two different Hawthorne strainers fit the opening of the shakers.

We found the combination of clean, quality design and high-level performance with this Modern Mixologist set to be very impressive. And at its price point, you can’t do much better than this shaker.

What we didn’t like: The only potential issue with this shaker was its size. It’s slightly shorter and holds just a little bit less liquid than most other weighted shakers. It’s only a difference of a few ounces, but it’s worth considering.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Capacity: 26- and 18 3/4-ounce tins
• Weight:440 grams
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes
• Base: Straight

What we liked: The flared base might seem like a small detail, but it helped with stability when setting the tins upright on the counter. It also added a nice heft to each tin, which made the dry shake feel more substantial. These tins sealed well, released easily, and were dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.

What we didn’t like: We typically prefer tins without a flared base because they can feel awkward for some people while shaking. While we didn’t feel like the base on this set was too intrusive, it is worth noting for people who prefer tapered bottoms.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Capacity: 28- and 18-ounce tins
• Weight: 560 grams
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes
• Base: Flared
  

What we liked: If you’re on a bit of a budget, but still want a high-quality set of shaker tins, the Piña Barware set is a great pick. This shaker set is cheaper than most of the other shakers we tested but sacrifices none of the quality.

The Piña Barware shaker performed well on all of the shaking tests; the shaker tins remained sealed through all dry and wet shake tests. The shaker opening is the same width as the Modern Mixologist, too, so the Hawthorne strainers fit perfectly.

What we didn’t like: The only downside is that the weights are welded onto the end of both shaker tins. This means that over time, the seams could potentially wear down and the weights could break off from the rest of the tin.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Capacity: 28- and 18-ounce tins
• Weight: 558 grams
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes
• Base: Straight

What we liked: This set is priced similarly to our other budget pick (though Amazon sells each tin separately and the small tin can be found here), and we were impressed with its performance. It formed a great seal, felt balanced during shaking, and fit well with a Hawthorne strainer. It’s hard to argue with their price point and performance.

What we didn’t like: Like the Piña set, the weighted base on these shakers is also welded on, which could wear out over time.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Capacity: 28- and 18-ounce tins
• Weight: 447 grams
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes
• Base: Straight

The Competition

• Crafthouse by Fortessa Stainless Steel Boston Shaker: The Crafthouse sealed well, but we found the design to be a bit awkward. One tin had a flared base and the other didn't, which made the shaker feel asymmetrical and unbalanced when shaking.
• Barfly Weighted Tins: This shaker set sealed perfectly during every shaking test, but it was a little light compared to the other weighted tins and didn’t feel as balanced in hand.
• Sertodo Copper Boston Shaker Set: Although this copper shaker is stylish, it did not create a reliable seal and leaked during multiple shaking tests. And because it’s made from copper, it can stain if not cleaned properly.
• A Bar Above Boston Shaker - Weighted: This shaker created an airtight seal during every test. However, out of all of the shakers, we struggled the most opening this one.
• The Boston Shaker Professional Boston Shaker: This shaker worked very well during testing, but the small shaker on this model is made of glass. Glass always has the potential to chip or shatter, which you want to avoid when shaking a drink with ice.
  
• True Advance Boston Set of 2 Stainless Steel Shaker Tins (18/25oz.): This set sealed well during testing, but was beat out by weighted sets.
• Twelve24 Mixing Tin Set: While this set did eventually seal properly, it took a few tries to get the tins to align and there were some leakages.
• Bull In China Weighted Shaker Tins Set, 28oz.: These shakers sealed and shook up co*cktails nicely, but were harder to pry apart than other models.

FAQs

Do you really need to shake your co*cktails?

If a co*cktail contains citrus juice, egg whites, or dairy, it needs to be shaken to properly combine all of the ingredients. Shaking with ice also chills and dilutes your co*cktail, softening some of the stronger flavors from the alcohol in the drink. Spirit-forward co*cktails like Manhattans and Martinis (that don’t have any fruit juice) should be stirred.

Can you use a co*cktail shaker for anything else?

co*cktail shakers can be used for mixing other types of drinks as well. Try mixing lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice, straining it, and topping it off with club soda to make a sparkling lemonade.

How long do Boston shakers last?

The key to any shaker set is its ability to create a seal. Since a Boston shaker is usually made from stainless steel, you can expect it to last for a long time unless the lip on one side is dented or otherwise damaged, making it impossible to tightly seal.

Why We're the Experts

• Dylan Ettingeris a contributor with more than a decade of experience working in specialty coffee. He also specializes in writing about co*cktails and the spirit industry.
• He's previously written reviews of whiskey glasses and Hawthorne strainers for Serious Eats.
• For this review, we tested 12 Boston shakers with three different shaking tests: a wet, dry, and long shake. We also assessed each set for its fit, making sure they sealed properly before and after testing.