Five Misc Items for Your Home Bar

These are five miscellaneous items, plus one bonus, that I consider fundamental to my home bar.

They’re a bit niche, but I find them incredibly useful because they all check the same three boxes:

• They're economical 

• They save space

• They're effective and simplify a specific task 

If you’re looking for a more standard list of bar tools and barware for your home bar, that’s coming soon :) 

Without further ado, lets jump into the list.

1. Barfly 9" x 6" Cutting Board: This 9” x 6” cutting and prep board is perfect for an at-home bar. I love it because the material sits right in the middle between those thick plastic boards you see in restaurants and the cheap wooden ones most people have at home. Except this one’s better than both. It’s made from eco-friendly materials (no moldy wood, no microplastics), it’s NSF-approved, and it’s incredibly easy to clean - yes, it’s dishwasher safe. It runs about $15 online (on sale ocasionally), comes in two colors, and there’s even a larger size available if you want more surface area. Link here: https://a.co/d/4v6dFTy

2. Senbon 440A Chef Foldable Knife: This is my go-to for fruit and garnish prep. It’s super sharp, easy to clean, and the foldable design makes it perfect for travel and compact storage. The steel is solid for the price and holds an edge well. It just asks for a bit of care like any good knife - it’s not dishwasher safe (the blade can rust), and being mindful with cleaning and sharpening will keep it performing beautifully over time. Link here: https://a.co/d/bgu7e6i

3. Kegco 12" Drip Tray: While traditionally designed for draft beer or keg systems, I love using this in tandem with a bar mat for cocktail building. Anything that’s more likely to drip, spill, or get sticky goes on the metal tray, while the actual drink stays on the mat. This approach comes straight from restaurant cocktail making, where you typically build over a drip tray and finish the drink on a clean, dry mat for garnish. Think of it as creating drink “stations” - it keeps your workspace cleaner, more organized, and way more enjoyable to work in. This one is slightly pricier than the rest of the items on this list, but pairing a drip tray with a bar mat is a game changer. No more syrup stuck between rubber mat dots. Just let the mess happen on the metal, which breaks down into two pieces and cleans up faster and more thoroughly. Link here: https://a.co/d/3N5TzZb

4. 32 oz. Wide Mason Jar with Airtight Lid: These are true workhorses behind my bar. I use them for everything - infusions, syrups, and just about anything dry or liquid. You'll want to avoid extreme heat or highly carbonated, pressurized contents, as pressure can cause them to break. Outside of that, they’re incredibly versatile, easy to work with, and simple to clean. A four-pack runs around $22. They’re not the most compact to store, but that tradeoff is worth it. I prefer these over jars with metal screw-on lids, which are prone to rust and harder to clean thoroughly. These fully come apart, so you can clean them properly every time. Link here: https://a.co/d/35A14Bt

5. Bodum Battery Milk Frother: Continuing the trend of using tools behind the bar that were originally designed for something else, this milk frother is a staple for me. While it’s commonly used for coffee drinks, I use it to dilute or mix anything that needs agitation - protein shakes, supplements, syrups, and even cocktails with egg whites (you can skip the dry shake). I love that it’s quiet, battery-powered, and small enough to live behind the bar. It’s one of those tools I didn’t expect to use as much as I do - and now I wouldn’t want to be without it.
   Link here: https://a.co/d/bJPL8MR

6. BONUS: Borosilicate Measuring Glasses (Pack of 3): This three-pack of high-borosilicate measuring glasses with pour spouts is easily one of my most-used tools for batching and even cocktails sometimes. The set includes 60 mL, 120 mL, and 250 mL sizes, all clearly marked in ounces and milliliters. They’re fragile, but that’s the tradeoff for precision - you can measure accurately down to 5 mL, which honestly makes them feel very “mad scientist” in the best way. Traditional measuring cups jump in odd increments, get stained with residue, and take up too much space. These stack easily, look great, clean easily, and just feel good to use.
   The three-pack runs just under $20. Link here: https://a.co/d/4n3dSs8

That's all of them.

If you have any underrated bar tools you swear by, I’d love to hear about them.