The only bar tools guide you need for making mocktails at home — ice cube trays, strainers, jiggers, glasses, and garnish tools. No excess, just what actually gets used.
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You don’t need a full bar setup to make a beautiful mocktail. You need five things. Maybe eight if you want to go further. This guide covers exactly what we use across every recipe on this blog — nothing unnecessary, nothing that only gets used once.
The right tools make the difference between a drink that looks considered and one that just looks poured. A large clear ice cube in a rocks glass. A fine mesh strainer that keeps the drink clear. A cocktail pick that makes a single lychee look like a design choice. These things matter more than they sound.
Build this kit slowly — start with the essentials and add the rest as you need them.
01 · Ice
Ice is the most underrated ingredient in a mocktail. A single large clear cube in a rocks glass changes the entire presentation — it melts slower, keeps the drink colder longer, and looks intentional. Regular ice from a standard tray works perfectly fine but a large cube tray is one of the best small investments you can make for your drinks.
Large Clear Ice Cube Tray (2-inch cubes) — The one tool that visually upgrades every drink on this blog. Slow-melting, crystal clear, fits perfectly in a rocks or highball glass. Used in the Midnight Wash, Social Splatter, Kalamansi Spark, and more.
Find on Amazon →Sphere Ice Mold — For when you want something more elegant than a cube. A clear ice sphere in a wide glass is a beautiful presentation for any clear or lightly colored drink.
Find on Amazon →02 · Straining & Muddling
A fine mesh strainer is what separates a clear, beautiful drink from a cloudy one. If you’re making anything with muddled fruit, steeped flowers, or loose tea, you need one. A muddler is helpful but not required — the handle of a wooden spoon does the same job.
Fine Mesh Strainer (small) — Used in the Mixed Berry Splash, Butterfly Pea Shift, and any recipe with loose ingredients. Look for one that fits over a standard glass. A 3 to 4 inch diameter is ideal.
Find on Amazon →Cocktail Muddler — Used for the Mixed Berry Splash and any fresh fruit drink. Wooden or stainless both work. If you don’t have one, the handle of a wooden spoon or a fork for soft berries does the same job.
Find on Amazon →03 · Measuring
Mocktail recipes are more precise than they look. A little too much rose water ruins the Spring Petal. A little too much ginger syrup overpowers the Kalamansi Spark. A jigger — the double-ended measuring tool used in bars — makes measuring fast and accurate.
Double Jigger (1 oz / 2 oz) — The most useful measuring tool for any drink recipe. One end measures 1 oz, the other measures 2 oz. Stainless steel is easier to clean than plastic and looks better on a counter.
Find on Amazon →Small Measuring Spoons (¼ tsp) — Essential for rose water and small quantities of specialty ingredients. Standard measuring spoon sets work fine — just make sure yours includes ¼ tsp.
Find on Amazon →04 · Glasses
The right glass changes how a drink feels to hold and how it looks on a table. You don’t need a full set of every glass type — but having one good rocks glass and one good highball covers most of the drinks on this blog.
Rocks Glass (Low Ball) — The wide, heavy glass used for the Midnight Wash and Social Splatter. Low and substantial — feels grounding in the hand. Used for slow sipping drinks and anything with a large ice cube.
Find on Amazon →Highball Glass (Tall) — Used for the Blue Butterfly, Kalamansi Spark, and Mixed Berry Splash. Tall and clear — essential for color-changing drinks where you want to see the full gradient.
Find on Amazon →Ceramic Mug (wide-mouthed, heavy) — For warm drinks — the Lavender Cloud and any future Care collection ritual. Weight and heat retention matter. Something that feels grounding when you hold it with both hands.
Find on Amazon →05 · Garnish Tools
Garnish is what signals to the person receiving the drink that it was made with intention. A single tool — a cocktail pick, a channel knife — is often all it takes to turn a good drink into a considered one.
Cocktail Picks (minimal / reusable) — Used in the Spring Petal, Social Splatter, and any garnished drink. Metal or bamboo — minimal design looks best. Reusable metal picks are more sustainable and look more premium.
Find on Amazon →Channel Knife (Citrus Peeler) — Makes a long elegant citrus twist in seconds. Used for garnishing the Social Splatter and Kalamansi Spark. One of the small tools that looks impressive and actually gets used.
Find on Amazon →Honey Dipper — Makes measuring and pouring honey clean and easy. Small but genuinely useful if you use honey regularly in drinks.
Find on Amazon →The Short List — Start Here
If you’re just starting out, these five tools cover almost every recipe on the blog:
— Large clear ice cube tray
— Fine mesh strainer
— Double jigger
— One rocks glass + one highball glass
— Cocktail picks
The right tools don’t make the drink — but they make the ritual feel worth doing. That’s always been the point.
Give yourself some RLC.Now stock the pantry too.
Read The RLC Mocktail Pantry Guide →Links above are suggested products. We are not yet Amazon Associates — affiliate disclosures will be added once approved.
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