Bar Necessities: Buying Guide, Ratings And Reviews Of Mugs, Coolers, Glassware, Shakers, And More

Amazing Ribs steins

Heft a cold one in this 22 ounce ceramic stein with gold trim. We have a range of mugs that say "BBQ God", "Jeet?", "Got Ribs?", "iRibs", "Eat Me", and more. Dishwasher and microwave safe. We have coffee mugs and clothing with these fun captions. Sold through CafePress.com.

Amazon's mug selection

Amazon.com has an unbelievable selection of beer mugs including team logo mugs. I prefer a mug with a lid to keep out flies and ash. To see them all, click here

German Beer Stein with Octoberfest Beer Wagon. This beautiful ceramic beer stein with pewter lid was handcrafted in Germany by Zoeller & Born. The handpainted antique style relief shows a beer wagon with a German village in the background. This 1/2 liter stein is about 9.75" tall. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.

Homer Simpson Beer Stein. Glass stein shows Homer saying, "Beer... now there's a temporary solution." The pewter lid has Simpson's logo embossed on it. Made in Germany. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.

Moe's Tavern Lidded Beer Stein. A glass stein with a pewter lid and on the side are characters from Moe's Tavern of Simpson's fame. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.

Team Lidded Beer Stein. A snazzy glass stein with a pewter lid and your team's logo in pewter on the side. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.

Jack Daniel's Lidded Beer Stein & Shot Glass. This mug has a fired-on Jack Daniel's portrait and logo and the phrase "Enjoyed in fine establishments and questionable joints everywhere." There is a matching shot glass stored on the pewter lid. A starburst light-reflecting pattern is on the bottom of the stein. The 14 ounce stein and 2 ounce shot glass measure 9" high with shot glass on top. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.

Coleman 40 Quart Cooler. Capacious (67 cans), with can holders in the lid, large wheels, a long tow handle, and a drain plug. The manufacturer says it is sturdy enough to sit on, keeps ice for 6-7 days at ambient temperatures up to 90°F. Oh yeah: You can keep your meats and marinades in it too. For discount pricing on the 40 quart and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here. For discount pricing on the 50 quart and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.

Jigger. You needs one at least 1.5 ounce capacity, that's a full jigger. But it must also have a marking for 1 ounce, a pony. This cocktail measuring beaker has those measures and more, up to 4 ounces when you want to mix doubles.

Cocktail shaker. There are scores of designs of cocktail shakers. I like the kind with a built-in strainer.

Hawthorn-style cocktail strainer. The Hawthorn-style cocktail strainer fits over the top of a cocktail shaker and keeps ice and seeds out of your drink.

Bar spoon. The Rattleware 11.5" twist spoon is a handy tool with a long twisted handle for stirring drinks.

Citrus juicer. You need a way to get the juice from that lime, lemon, or orange and keep the seeds out. Here's a good citrus juicer.

Wine decanter. You want a wine decanter with a wide mouth, large capacity, steady base, and a good pouring lip. Like this.

Corkscrew. There are more designs for this vital tool than grill designs. To discuss their strengths and weaknesses, I have written a separate article just about corkscrews.

Glassware

Here's a link to the huge range of glassware choices on Amazon.

Beer pint glasses. I like having a mug (above) when I'm outdoors, but at the dinner table I prefer a nice pint glass, the kind you might be served in an Irish pub.

Collins glasses & rocks glasses. Here's a link to a 16 piece set of my favorites. They're heavy and clunky, but hard to break, and I love the cool retro look.

Martini glasses. Martini glasses have become an artform. Some are quite elegant, whimsical, even spectacular. I have about 20, no two alike, so people can sit them down and remember which is theirs.

All purpose wine glasses. I buy wine glasses by the case. Nothing fancy, just a nice all purpose tulip with a wider than normal opening so your nose fits in when you sip.

Champagne flutes. As with the martini glasses, I have about 20 champagne flutes, no two alike, so people can tell them apart. Go for clear glass with a trumpet lip so the wine spills gently on your tongue. Sucking the wine out of straight-sided flutes pops the bubbles and makes lovely ladies belch.

Wine glass holds a whole bottle. I need it because it is much classier than drinking from the bottle. Click the headline to order on Amazon.