There are many styles of cocktail shakers divided amongst two groups, Boston and Traditional; that are perfect for use in a home bar. The Traditional shaker is made up of metal with a tight fitting top that covers a strainer. A Boston shaker has a dual purpose in that it contains a 16 ounce mixing glass and a larger metal cone. The glass can be use for stirring the drinks over ice or even used having the two pieces are used together for shaking ingredients with the metal part fitting over the glass. The Boston version is primarily used by bartenders and will require the use of a strainer.

Old school shakers of the 1930s, often shaped like a bullet, were much larger than todays shakers many of them available in a 16 to 20 ounce sizes. The art deco style, made from polished stainless steel is a fashion statement in itself. Many had an integral strainer and a drip free spout to filter the ingredients as well as to minimize spilling.

Many mini cocktail shakers fit right in your luggage and are perfect for travel and allow you to take full advantage of your hotel mini bar. Most of the different styles allow about 8 ounces and are only 5 or 6 inches tall. However, despite their relatively small size, you still can conjure up some great cocktails where ever you are.

Other products out there make it somewhat easy to use for novice bartenders by putting the list of ingredients and directions right on the glass itself. In fact, you can even dial in the recipe for a dry martini, Tom Collins, Palm Beach and Between the Sheets.

To make a great here are some directions:

Put ice in the shaker and allow it to chill the shaker. 6 ice cubes for one drink should be ample. If you are making 2 drinks, you can use 4 cubes in the shaker. Make sure you give the ingredients plenty of room to move around. Shake the contents for about 10 to 15 seconds.

For drinks containing eggs and cream, youll need to shake harder and longer as the contents will not mix quite as easily. Shaking in time with music or a song is great entertainment and distracts your guests from the noise. For daiquiris or coladas, you should use crushed ice. Place your fruit to the glass and you are finished.