So, you’re building your bar, you’re ready to make a few drinks now, but do you have the appropriate tools? You’ve got to have the right tools to mix your cocktails.

Personally, when it comes to mixing drinks, I really like going with a Boston Shaker-sort of device. A Boston Shaker is simply a metal tin with a glass top…if you just have a mixing tin, you can improvise the glass with any old glass that would fit inside the top of your tin. For me, it makes mixing and serving drinks quick and easy. With the right glass, you can just flip it over and hold it on the inside of the tin as your pour the drink to make an appropriate strainer…or, you can use a separate collander to strain your drink and keep those ice cubes out of your martinis.

Traditional martini shakers look nice, but tend to be too cumbersome when it comes to getting the job done. You’re probably working with wet hands, so dissembing the metal pieces can get difficult, and as the metal gets cold, separating the pieces only gets harder. However, if you are going with a more traditional look, then the martini shaker isn’t completely horrible.

However, I think the biggest choice for your personal shaker is whether to go with glass or metal, and I definitely prefer the latter. Glass is fragile, and you’ll be using the shaker rigorously, the wrong twist could crack that glass providing an unfortunate safety hazard and an end to your stylish serving of drinks. Metal, on the other hand, isn’t only safer and more durable, but is better at chilling your drinks. If you plan on serving with a bit of flair and flipping your shaker around, metal is the obvious choice.

Stay classy.