Slim, Lined and Double-Sided: The Best Japanese Jigger

A Japanese-style jigger is the slim, tall double measure you see in most cocktail bars now: two cones joined at a narrow waist, with lines scored on the inside walls so one tool pours a quarter ounce, a half, three quarters, an ounce and a half and two. It is narrower than a bell jigger, so it sits deeper in the fingers and pours in a tight stream, and the inside lines mean you rarely need a second jigger for the odd measure in a margarita or a paloma.

Our guide to the best jigger compares every style, from bell to angled to stepped. This page narrows it down to Japanese-style doubles only, and it deliberately recommends different models from that guide, so if you already know you want the slim shape, here are seven more worth a look and what separates them.

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Quick verdict: which Japanese jigger to buy

Below, five standouts side by side, then all seven reviewed in full.

Five Japanese-style jiggers side by side

One pick for each kind of home bartender, with the measures and markings each maker or listing states. All seven jiggers are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Capacities and markings are as stated by each maker or listing; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best Japanese jigger

These seven are all slim, double-sided Japanese-style jiggers with lines on the inside, from barware makers that publish model numbers and specifications. They differ in cup sizes, finish, grip and care. The A Bar Above Japanese Style Jigger, the plain Barfly Japanese Style Jigger and the Viski glass Makoto are already reviewed in our main jigger guide, so they are left out here; nothing below repeats a pick from that page.

What makes a jigger Japanese-style

The name describes a shape rather than a country of manufacture: most Japanese-style jiggers sold in the US, including several here, are made in China. The name points to the slim measuring cups associated with Japanese bartending, which is why makers such as Yukiwa still call their jiggers measuring cups.

Three things define it. The cones are tall and narrow, so a small change in volume shows as a bigger change in height, which helps accuracy. The waist is slim, so you can hold the jigger between two fingers and tip it with a small movement. And the inside walls carry lines, so one jigger gives you four or five measures instead of two. A bell jigger is wider and steadier on the counter; a Japanese jigger is quicker in the hand.

How to choose a Japanese jigger for margaritas

Cup sizes. The 1 oz/2 oz pattern covers most American recipes, including a two-ounce tequila pour. A ½ oz/¾ oz is a good second jigger for lime and syrup. Metric sizes such as 28/43 ml suit recipes written in millilitres.

Interior lines. Look for a ¾ oz line (the usual lime measure) and a ¼ oz line if you use agave syrup. Lines that are engraved or scored last longer than printed ones. Check the listing photos, because not every listing spells out its marks.

Finish and care. Plain stainless steel is the easiest to live with and is usually dishwasher safe. Copper, gold and gunmetal plating look good on a bar cart but are typically hand wash only.

Grip and rim. An etched or textured body is easier to hold with wet hands. A flared or rolled rim helps the liquid leave cleanly and cuts drips.

One jigger or two. If you make drinks for a crowd, two jiggers mean one can be rinsed while the other is in use, or two people can mix at once.

Measure to pour responsibly. A jigger is also how you know what is in the glass. The NIAAA’s standard drink guide counts 1.5 ounces of 40 percent spirits as one drink, so a margarita with 2 ounces of tequila plus orange liqueur is more than one. Measure, serve water alongside, and plan how everyone gets home.

How we picked these seven jiggers

We started from the brands that make Japanese-style jiggers for the bar trade, including Cocktail Kingdom, Barfly, Viski, A Bar Above and Yukiwa, and looked at every Japanese-style double they sell on Amazon. We kept only listings that were in stock when we checked, came from an identifiable maker, and described a slim, double-ended jigger with lines inside. We left out models already recommended in our main jigger guide, anonymous Amazon-only brands, and listings whose details contradicted each other. One Cocktail Kingdom listing was dropped because its title gave 1 oz/1.5 oz while its part number matched the 1 oz/2 oz model. Uber Bar Tools’ ProMegJig was considered and left out because it is a different, trilobal design rather than a Japanese-style double.

Specifications come from the makers’ Amazon listings, and in one case from a specialty retailer, all recorded in our research notes. We did not handle these jiggers ourselves, and we did not use prices or ratings. We also checked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall listings for these brands and did not find a jigger recall for any of them.

Japanese jigger questions, answered

What is the best Japanese style jigger?

For most home bars, the Cocktail Kingdom 1 oz/2 oz, because its brim and interior measures cover nearly every common recipe. For dishwasher-safe stainless with a firm grip, the Barfly Diamond Lattice Etch.

Is a Japanese jigger more accurate than a bell jigger?

Not by design alone. A narrow cone makes small differences easier to see, which can help, but accuracy depends on filling to the line or brim at eye level. A bell jigger is steadier on the counter and quicker to fill. Our jigger guide compares the styles in more detail.

What size Japanese jigger should I get?

Start with a 1 oz/2 oz. Add a ½ oz/¾ oz if you make a lot of margaritas and sours, where the lime and sweetener measures matter most.

Can Japanese jiggers go in the dishwasher?

Plain stainless ones often can: Barfly and the Cocktail Kingdom ½ oz/¾ oz say so. Plated finishes in copper, gold or gunmetal are usually hand wash only, so check the listing.

How do you hold a Japanese jigger?

Pinch the waist between your index and middle fingers, or between your thumb and index finger, fill at eye level, then tip it with a small turn of the wrist over the shaker tin. Pour the cheapest ingredients first, so a spill costs less.

Our pick for a Japanese-style jigger

Start with the Cocktail Kingdom 1 oz/2 oz if you want the measures most recipes are written for, or the Barfly Diamond Lattice Etch if you want stainless that goes in the dishwasher and stays in a wet hand. Add the little Cocktail Kingdom ½ oz/¾ oz when you want every margarita to taste the same.

A jigger is one tool on the bar. For the rest, see the best cocktail shaker, the best muddler for mint and fruit, and cocktail tool sets if you would rather buy everything at once. Our home margarita bar guide covers the full kit.

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