dining and entertaining
By John deBary, a drinks journalist and co*cktail book author. He got his start behind the bar at the acclaimed neo-speakeasy PDT before going on to serve as the bar director for the Momof*cku restaurant group. “Drink What You Want,” John’s first co*cktail book, was published in 2020 and then re-issued as a set of cards in 2024; his second book, “Saved by the Bellini,” was released in 2023.
Photo-Illustration: Strategist; Photos: Retailers
As someone who’s spent the better part of his life mixing drinks, one of the clearest demarcations I find between a fantastic drink and a merely mediocre drink is accurate measuring. Visit any co*cktail bar known for the quality and inventiveness of their drinks and you will see everyone behind the bar relying on jiggers, vessels specifically designed to measure out precise — and small — quantities of liquid. A set of good jiggers is an absolute must for any seasoned bartender, and they are doubly essential for the amateur drink-slinger making co*cktails at home.
Generally, co*cktail recipes can call for measurements ranging from two ounces down to a “barspoon,” and there are jiggers built to match every measure. You can find jiggers in a wide variety of sizes, but the most common design features one ounce on one side and two ounces on the other. Some styles are all-in-one with demarcations to indicate specific measurements, while others are sized specifically for each measure.
What type of jigger you buy ultimately comes down to whether you prefer to save space and rely on internal demarcations or would rather work with the slightly more foolproof assortment of more specifically sized jiggers. Furthermore, some people might have difficulty seeing the markings on the inside of the jigger, which are usually etched in very small and sometimes hard-to-read lettering. Jiggers are generally made from metal, and the most common material is stainless steel. Copper, gold, and other finishes make for a nice-looking bar cart but typically require handwashing.
To come up with a collection of jiggers to suit every at-home drink-maker, I surveyed four expert colleagues in the beverage industry and included my own favorite as well. If you’re looking for other essential barware, you can check out our guide to co*cktail strainers and shakers.
$16
Photo: Retailer
Japan is known for serious bartenders in three-piece suits methodically crafting elegant, minimalist co*cktails. As a result, an entire genre of bar tools has emerged around this style. Pretty much all of the bartenders I spoke with mentioned a “Japanese-style” jigger. PDT bartender Ben Hopkins opts for the one made by bartender-owned shop A Bar Above. They like it because it contains an internal measure for the barspoon (an eighth of an ounce) as well as the one-and-three-quarters-ounce measurement. “It’s a more nuanced piece of technology,” they say, “especially since not everyone is going to have a barspoon.”
I would never dream of leaving co*cktail Kingdom’s small jigger out of my bar kit. It allows for easy measurements of three-quarter and half-ounce pours, plus the interior marking for a quarter ounce is significantly easier to spot than those of other jiggers I’ve used. It’s nearly identical to A Bar Above’s jigger, without the supplementary measurement lines, for a slightly lower price.
$27
Those looking for an Art Deco aesthetic in their bar kit should consider co*cktail Kingdom’s Leopold jigger. It’s able to measure as little as a quarter ounce and up to two ounces. Billie Keithley, the resident co*cktail expert at Breckenridge Distillery, favors it for “fluidity [of handling] and balance,” while Madalyn Summers, the service director at The Nines, thinks “it’s more ergonomic and feels better in my hand.”
Photo: Photo: Retailer
These utilitarian-looking jiggers come in a range of sizes and are some of the least expensive jiggers available. Dee Ann Quinones, beverage consultant for the Coco Club and Layla, loves their compact form factor and overall stability thanks to their cylindrical shape. Plus, “When you’re pouring, you can very easily see the demarcations,” she says, unlike with some other jiggers.
Photo: Retailer
Many bartenders prefer the Swiss Army–knife style of a stepped jigger with physical bands for measures ranging from a half ounce to two-and-a-half ounces at the upper rim. Summers says that the extra headroom makes two-ounce pours a little less perilous. “You still have a little bit of wiggle room and then you can very easily dump that into a glass” without worrying about spills — great for the less practiced hand.
Unlike classic jiggers, this cup has a diagonal surface with high-contrast text noting each measure, ideal for anyone who might have difficulty seeing the more subtle demarcations on metal jiggers. Plus, the read-from-above design makes it easy for those who might want to set the jigger down on a surface to pour, rather than hold the jigger in one hand and a bottle in another.
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