It is common for people to throw festive parties at their home, and the host has to ensure that all guests are well served with drinks. If you like holding parties, and have decided to create or build a bar at home, you should know which appliances you should have in your home bar.
To upgrade your home bar, you should carefully plan the design that you want to create that will fit within your budget and space. Most people think that a home bar is just a cabinet or a shelf that is full of different brands of alcohol.
However, I recommend you get creative and make your home bar more entertaining. Although it is difficult to get all appliances that please everyone, you should stock various types of appliances like bar refrigerator with ice makers to meet the interest of your guests.
Wine Cooler
A cooler is the first appliance that you should have in your home bar. It comes in different shapes and sizes to accommodate your budget and room. If you have a small home bar, you should consider getting a smaller cooler that will only hold a few bottles and vice versa. A wine cooler is a small wine fridge that ensures that your wine is at the right temperature. Most wine coolers have a glass door that displays your wines.
Beverage Fridge
If wine is not your favourite drink, you can consider getting a beer fridge. Like a wine cooler, most beverage fridges often have a transparent pane that allows you to display your drinks. You can also consider getting a beverage fridge that has a dual cooling zone.
The dual cooling zone allows a person to set a different temperature in different sections of your fridge or cooler. You can also opt to buy bar refrigerators with ice makers.
Although the wine cooler and beverage fridge share many features, you can distinguish them by looking at their features. Beer fridges have several shelves for storing bottles and cans while the wine coolers have racks that hold your wine bottles. Both are brilliant appliances that you should have in your home bar.
Kegerator
Kegerators are self-contained mini-fridges that you can convert them back into the regular fridge if you want. Kegerators have a tap on top and a canister of CO2 that are inbuilt. You can have your kegerator have up to 3 taps. Since they have their in-built refillable CO2 supplies, the kegerators ensure that your beer or wine is stored correctly and has the authentic tap taste and feel.
Miniature Refrigerator
Apart from keeping your wines and beers chilled, you might need to keep your snacks cold as well. If you don’t want to purchase a beverage fridge or wine cooler, a mini-fridge can sort you. Apart from storing your snacks, you can chill your beer in this refrigerator. Miniature refrigerators are available in many sizes and shape, and you choose one that suits your needs.
Compact Ice Maker
Compact Ice-Maker is a must-have item in your home bar since you might need ice for your drinks. If you enjoy making cocktails, you might consider getting a mini ice maker so that you won’t run out of ice. Depending on your budget, you can choose between freestanding ice makers or get portable ice makers. However, you can use bar refrigerators with ice makers as an alternative.
A Juicer
A juicer is a useful appliance that helps you make cocktails. Instead of buying bottled juices, you can make your fresh juice at home. Juicers come in different prices and qualities, and you can get one that suits your needs. If you regularly hold parties at your home, you might extract as much juice as you want from your fruits and vegetables. If you like carbonated drinks, I would recommend you to get a soda stream.
Jigger
The word jigger was retrieved from a small man who was dancing in the streets of Scotland. In the world of bar accessories, a jigger is a cocktail set that is used to measure the right amount of your drink before you pour it in the cocktail shaker. This accessory comes in different sizes that measure the exact amount. A Jigger usually looks like two different cones stacked together back to back, just like an hourglass. This appliance is useful if you are in a hurry and you would like to whip up your drink fast.
Brandy Warmer
The word Brandy is a Dutch word that means burnt wine. This appliance works by heating your wine, thus elevating your liquors flavor and aroma. Brandy Warmer has a metallic stand that has a tea-light candle holder that warms your drink. Apart from making you enjoy a warm drink, this gadget makes you feel like a great lord in a castle.
Wine Dispensing Bag
A wine dispensing bag is a small bag that you can put your wine. When you leave the house, and later come back to dispense your drink surreptitiously, your wine will come in purse form. These dispensing bags have a spigot on either side, and you can always duck it under the table of a fancy restaurant, and refill your glass without the stuff knowing. However, you should not lift the bag above your head.
Mixology Set
If you are an excellent mixologist, you need to have a full cocktail set that will help you create craft cocktails and mixed drinks. You should create new cutting edge concoctions and new signature drinks in your home bar.
Whether you a professional mixologist or just an amateur, with all the necessary tools, you can slowly learn to make well-crafted drinks easily. Here are some of the essential mixology set that you should have in your home bar.
1. Bar Cart
A bar cart is a shelving unit that is meant to house essential bar tools, wines and spirits, and other ingredients that are needed at a home bar. A bar cart is a great place to stock your bar tool-set if you have a smaller apartment.
2. Bottle Opener
A bottle opener is an essential mixology tool that is used to open beer bottles with ease. Since they come in different sizes and shapes, you should get one that suits your needs.
3. Cutting Board
You should stock your home bar with cutting boards that will be used to prepare ingredients for your cocktail. Having several cutting boards will give you a chance to alternate cutting boards for a long time without washing them.
5. Cocktail Shaker
A cocktail shaker is a must-have mixology tool since it allows you to prepare shaken cocktails. This appliance is used to mix alcoholic beverages by shaking.
The ice placed in the shaker allows your drink to cool quickly before serving. Typically, a shaken cocktail can be made by putting your desired ingredients such as liquor, syrups, ice cubes and juices in your cocktail shaker. The ingredients are later shaken vigorously for around 15 seconds.
There are at least three known varieties of cocktail shaker that you can choose. When choosing a cocktail shaker, you should make sure that it is made of durable materials like stainless steel.
6. Cocktail Glasses
Cocktail glassware can be described as a stemmed glass that has an inverted cone bowl and is mainly used to take straight-up cocktails. This glassware comes in different sizes ranging from a standard cocktail glass to oversized cocktail glass.
A good home bar should get these bartender kit which is used for taking a variety of mixed drinks. For example, Manhattans and Margaritas are not supposed to be served in cocktail glasses that are of the same style, and that is why it is crucial to get appropriate cocktail glasses for the drinks that are mostly served.
For a start, you can consider getting a decent set of Martini and tumblers.
7. Julep Strainer
A julep strainer is an essential gadget for every home bar. This filter has adorned disc with perforated steel. The edges are slightly inclined, and when placed in a glass, it looks like a full moon.
This metal bar is used to remove broken ice from a mixed drink. The small holes of the Julep strainer only allow the liquid to pass through as the drink is poured. These filters come in different types, sizes and shapes.
8. Muddler Spoon
A muddler is an essential tool that is used to mash fruits, spices and herbs in the bottom of your cocktail glass to release flavor. The muddling spoon has a long handle and a smaller head.
The long handle allows the spoon to reach the bottom of your cocktail glass. The muddling spoon has a twisted handle that allows you to build visually attractive layered drinks. You should choose a muddler that durable and sturdy enough to last longer.
9. Stirrer
Cocktail stirrers are the ideal accessory for your home bar because they allow you to quickly mix stirred drinks without pouring the ingredients on your bar top.
You should stir your drink until you reach the ideal temperature. There are different beverage stirrers, and you can select one that fit your needs.
10. Wine Key
A wine key corkscrew is a useful tool that allows you to open your beer and wine bottles quickly. This little gadget has all its parts tucked into its handle like a Swiss army knife.
When you unfold it, you will see an arm made of metal with several notches. Most wine keys tend to have a little blade embedded that used to remove the foil covering the cork.
11. Pourers
Liquor pourers allow you to measure what you pour without relying on measuring cups. Most pourers have a self-closing mechanism that ensures that you won’t get spills every time. You should choose a wine pourer that is made of durable materials so that it can last longer.
12. Bar Spoon
A bar spoon is a long bartender kit that is used to mix both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The long handle helps in reaching the bottom of the tallest glass. Although the long handle of a bar spoon resembles the iced tea spoon, these bar spoons are more decorated and have threaded shafts.
The threaded shaft allows you to grip and rotate the spoon easily. Roughly, a bar spoon has 0.035 ounces, thus making it suitable for measuring ingredients like flavoured liqueurs and amaros. However, I should remind you that not all spoons are calibrated to 1 ml. If you are not sure, I would recommend the use of a scale to check your spoon’s volume.
13. Carafes
Carafes are a must-have item in your home bar since it makes a big difference in how you present your drink. Carafes are glass containers that have no handles, and they are used to serve wine.
Unlike the decanters, carafes do not have stoppers. I have noticed the carafes come in different elegant options, and all you need is choose the one that suits your needs.
14. Channel Knife
A channel knife is a spoon-shaped knife that is used for garnishing your cocktail. At the end of a channel knife, there is a sharp metal part that is V-shaped and projects downward from the surrounding frame. You can peel long, thin spirals from your favorite citrus fruit.
I would recommend you to add a channel knife in your long list of home bar accessories because it makes your cocktail look beautiful. Different channel knives make different sizes and shapes. Apart from garnishing your cocktail, I have noticed that you can use these professional bartending kits for decoration.
For example, you can cut strips of carrots and cucumbers before slicing to create an attractive design. They are the same knives that are used for carving watermelons for intricate displays. You should choose a stainless steel channel knife because it is durable and will not corrode.
15. Absinthe Fountain
To drink absinthe responsibly, I would recommend you use these professional bartending kits to dilute your drink. Absinthe fountain resembles the 4-legged octopus, and all you have to do is fill the center with ice water, and then pour your absinthe into your glass. Let the water spill slowly over the sugar cube until it dissolves completely. An Absinthe fountain is not the most important of appliances you should have in your bar. Start with the necessities and purchase items such as this when your budget allows.
When you equip your home bar with the above-listed appliances, your friends and family will always be excited when you send them an invitation to a party in your home. You don’t have to buy everything, but you can get as many appliances as you can afford to meet most of your guest’s expectations.
