Hawthorne, Julep or Mesh: The Best Cocktail Shaker Strainer

A shaker gets all the attention, but the strainer decides what ends up in the glass. Pour a shaken margarita straight from the tin and you get broken ice, lime pulp and a watery drink. Pour it through a good strainer and you get a clean, cold drink with nothing floating in it.

There are three kinds of cocktail strainer worth knowing: the Hawthorne, with a spring coil, for shaken drinks; the julep, a perforated bowl, mainly for stirred drinks; and the fine-mesh cone, used under either one to catch the smallest bits. There are also shakers with a strainer built into the lid. This guide explains which you need, and names the ones worth buying.

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Quick verdict: which strainer to buy

The rest of this page explains why, and which of the seven suits the way you mix.

Five strainers side by side

Our five standout picks side by side, one for each kind of home bar, with the specifications each maker or listing states. All seven are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Fit is as stated by each maker; check that a strainer suits your tin or glass before you buy.

Our picks for the best cocktail shaker strainer

These seven cover every way to strain a drink at home: four Hawthorne strainers, a julep strainer, a fine-mesh strainer for double straining, and a cobbler shaker with its own strainer for people who want one tool instead of two. Each pick explains who it suits and gives one honest reason to skip it.

Choosing a strainer for your shaker

Five questions decide which strainer you need. Most home bars end up with a Hawthorne and a fine-mesh strainer, and add a julep only if they stir drinks.

1. What kind of shaker do you have?

Two-piece shakers, whether Boston tins, a tin and glass, or a Parisian, have no strainer, so you need a Hawthorne. A cobbler has one built in, though a fine-mesh strainer still helps. If you are still choosing the shaker itself, start with our guide to the best cocktail shaker, or see cocktail shaker sets if you want shaker and strainer bought together.

2. Do you shake or stir?

Hawthorne strainers are made for shaken drinks: the coil holds back broken ice and fruit. Julep strainers are the traditional choice for stirred drinks poured from a mixing glass. Margaritas, palomas and most citrus drinks are shaken, so a Hawthorne comes first.

3. How tight is the coil?

The coil is the filter. Cocktail Society’s advice is that a tight coil filters more fruit pulp and ice shards. Makers that state it, like Cocktail Kingdom and A Bar Above, describe their coils as tight or high-density; budget strainers often don’t say.

4. Does it fit your tin or glass?

A Hawthorne should sit across the mouth of the tin without sliding in or rocking. Wide-bodied strainers like the Koriko are matched to particular tins; four-pronged ones like the Buswell and Barfly sit level on a wider range of rims. Check the maker’s fit list against what you own.

5. Do you need a fine-mesh strainer?

Only if you want the clearest drink. Double straining catches the ice chips and pulp that pass a Hawthorne, which matters most for drinks served up without ice and those made with muddled fruit.

How we picked these seven strainers

We started from what a bar asks of a strainer: it must sit securely on the shaker, hold back ice and fruit, pour cleanly and stand up to daily washing. We then narrowed the field to strainers and strainer-equipped shakers sold on Amazon in the United States and in stock when we checked, from identifiable makers that publish their materials and fit. Specifications come from each brand’s own Amazon listing, the maker, or a named retailer, and each review says which. We chose seven to cover every type of strainer, rather than listing near-identical Hawthornes, and we left out multi-packs and kits from sellers with no identifiable maker. How each type works comes from published bar guidance by Cocktail Society. We have not used these products ourselves; where we describe how a type behaves, we say whose information that is.

How to strain a shaken margarita

1. Shake with plenty of ice until the tin is frosty, usually 10 to 15 seconds.
2. Separate the tins and set the Hawthorne on the larger tin, coil side down.
3. Press the strainer forward with your index finger so the coil closes the gap against the rim. The tighter the gap, the finer the strain.
4. Pour into a glass of fresh ice, or, for a drink served up, through a fine-mesh strainer held over the glass.
5. Rinse the strainer under the tap straight away, so lime juice and sugar do not dry in the coil.

The IBA’s standard margarita uses 50 ml of tequila, which is slightly more than the 1.5 fluid ounces of 40% spirit that the NIAAA counts as one standard drink. Measure with a jigger, drink responsibly and never drink and drive. A strainer works just as well for alcohol-free drinks: a shaken limeade or agua fresca poured through a fine mesh comes out clear and smooth.

Strainer questions, answered

What is the best cocktail shaker with a strainer?

If you want the strainer built in, a cobbler shaker such as the Cocktail Kingdom Usagi. If you want the best strain, a two-piece tin set with a separate Hawthorne such as the Koriko works better for most drinks, and is faster for two drinks at once.

What is the best cocktail shaker and strainer combination?

Matched tins and a Hawthorne from the same maker, such as Cocktail Kingdom’s Koriko tins with the Koriko strainer, which the maker says fit each other. Add a fine-mesh strainer for drinks with fresh citrus. Our guide to shakers for margaritas covers the tins.

What is the difference between a Hawthorne and a julep strainer?

A Hawthorne has a spring coil and sits on a shaker tin; it is the standard for shaken drinks. A julep strainer is a perforated bowl held inside a mixing glass, traditionally for stirred drinks.

Do I need to double strain a margarita?

Not if you serve it on the rocks and don’t mind a few ice chips. Double straining through a fine mesh gives a clearer drink and is worth doing for margaritas served up or made with a lot of fresh lime pulp.

Will any Hawthorne strainer fit my shaker?

Most fit standard Boston tins, but not every strainer fits every tin. Four-pronged strainers adapt to more rims; wide-bodied ones are matched to particular tins. Check the maker’s fit list.

The strainer we would hand a home bartender

Buy the Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Hawthorne if you shake drinks in tins and want one strainer that does it well, and add the OXO fine-mesh strainer for fresh-citrus drinks. Choose the Barfly julep only if you stir drinks, the Barfly 4-prong if you want one strainer that fits most shakers and glasses, and the Usagi cobbler if you would rather have a shaker with its strainer built in. For the shaker itself, our guide to the best cocktail shaker is the next step, and margarita accessories covers the rest of a home margarita bar.

Related guide: Best bar spoon.

Related guide: Cocktail strainer alternative.

And if you would rather someone else mixed tonight, see our drinks or call to order.