This three-in-one cocktail shaker will save you time and money

Cocktail shaking is an art form that’s mesmerized me for years and when I got my own cocktail shaker, I realized two important things. 1. I lack so much finesse when it comes to shaking cocktails. 2. Not all shakers are created equal.

There are tons of options on the market with varying price points, designs, and an array of bonus features. Some don’t leak, but you’re guaranteed to feel like you just climbed Everest with your bare hands after a few shakes because the ice makes it so cold. Others don’t condensate, but your cocktail might end up on the kitchen counter by the time you’re ready to pour. Some have strainers, some don’t have strainers. Really, it’s a tricky market if you’re a first time buyer.

Having been burned (or frozen, depending on how you look at it) by many-a-shaker, I was excited to discover a potential solution to all this nonsense. Enter: The Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker.

About the Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker

The Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker is a cocktail shaker seeking to upgrade the experience of cocktail crafting, and the makers of this shaker have a bold list of claims. According to Elevated Craft, the double wall vacuum-insulation should keep your hands free of frostbite and condensation. The top screws in, creating a seal that in theory doesn’t leak. Finally, there’s a built in filter that doesn’t release ice or solids into your cocktail, promising a smooth pour. Hellooo warm and dry hands!

Its lid functions as a jigger—a bar tool with two ends serving as a measuring cup for cocktails—with a whopping 6-oz. capacity. I’m someone who loves making cocktails for others, and the idea of making multiple drinks in half the time makes my heart skip a beat.

Over 29,000 people backed this on Indiegogo during the crowd-funding campaign and Elevated Craft generated over $2.5 million in pre-order sales. I think it’s safe to say that I’m not the only one who’s tired of messy home bar experiences. However, claims like these are easy to make. It’s living up to them that can prove challenging.

What I made in the Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker

I tested this shaker for four weeks and made a bunch of drinks. Here are some of my favorites:

• A true classic, the French 75
• Kate Spiers’ Elderflower Margarita: A fun drink with a fun twist!
• Non-alcoholic Pineapple Spritz: I love a good mocktail, especially when I can serve it in a fun glass and experience zero hangover. I combined 2 ounces of Ghia with 2 ounces of pineapple juice, shook for 30 seconds, and topped with flavored sparkling water.

What I like about the Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker

I think this may have been love at first shake. Not only did the metal not condensate, it maintained an even temperature throughout the process and this shaker didn’t sweat at all. My hands were spared the glacial pain usually associated with shaking a cocktail.

As someone who typically needs to beat the lid into her shaker to get it to seal and pray that it will open back up, I have to say, the twist on and off feature thrilled me to pieces. Not only was it relatively easy to open and close, but the seal was perfect—not one drop of my cocktail leaked.

The lid eliminates the need for two separate pieces of important cocktail gear, as it contains a jigger and a strainer. I batch cocktails when entertaining, and using a jigger can get downright annoying. There’s a spill factor and batching requires some counting, which is stunningly not as easy after the first round or drinks.

The Elevated Craft Shaker eliminates both issues with a 6-oz. (180mL) volume lid. I noticed reduced spillage and less counting frustration. The strainer was great, too, as it allowed for a smooth pour with no ice or solids.

What I don’t like about it

While I love the functionality of a jigger/strainer hybrid, I will say that the funnel shape of the lid meant that all the ice gathered there, making it difficult to pour everything at once. I frequently had to give a coaxing shake to get the cocktail fully into the glass.

Also, the measurements included in the jigger, while handy, are confusing at first and there was a slight learning curve. The first time I made a cocktail in this shaker, the jigger seemed way smaller than what I was used to.

To get a feel for which lines correspond to which measurements, I used a separate jigger to double check my work. I ended up being way off. The actual imprint of the measurement includes a line over the oz or mL notation, which makes it difficult to know which actual line to use. It wasn’t an issue once I took the time to learn it, but it did make for a ridiculously strong gimlet the first go around.

Is the Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker worth it?

Yes! This three-in-one cocktail shaker eliminates the need for purchasing tools separately and removes a lot of frustration from the cocktail making experience. I’m not saying that you should ditch what you’re using currently if it’s working for you, but if you’re looking to elevate your home bartending, this tool will make it that much better.

Get the Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker at Huckberry for $70