Best Jiggers for Home Bartenders & Pros: Our Top Picks

A jigger has a pretty simple job: Measure your cocktail ingredients accurately.

But once you start shopping for one, you’ll quickly discover that this very simple tool comes in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and designs with various measurement markings. Japanese jiggers, bell jiggers, angled measuring cups, even jiggers you roll over to pour. Apparently there are quite a few ways to measure an ounce of gin.

I’ve spent years behind the bar and used more jiggers than I could possibly count. Some are easier to read, some feel better in your hand, and some give you far more measurement options without constantly flipping the jigger back and forth. (*Cough* The one I designed *Cough*)

So rather than tell you there’s one perfect jigger for every bartender, I’ve broken down some of the best options based on how you actually like to make drinks.

And yes, A Bar Above makes jiggers. I’m obviously going to tell you why we designed ours the way we did and which one I personally use. But there are also some other really good options out there, and they deserve a spot on this list. I’m biased, but I also know there are other good choices out there.

Best Jiggers for Home Bartenders at a Glance

*Prices shown are current as of October 2026 and may change. For products available in multiple finishes or configurations, we’ve listed the starting or standard stainless steel price.

 

Best Overall: A Bar Above Japanese Jigger

Best for: Cocktail lovers and professional bartenders who want one jigger that handles practically every measurement they’ll ever encounter.

Okay, yes. I’m putting the A Bar Above Japanese Jigger first on a list published by A Bar Above.

But let me explain why. I mean, I did design this myself to fix the issues I had with others on the market, so it’s going to be my favorite. I worked to solve a problem, not just make a replica of what was already available out there.

A lot of standard 1 oz/2 oz jiggers give you the obvious measurements and stop there. That’s fine until your cocktail calls for 1/4 oz of something and suddenly you’re eyeballing half of a 1/2 oz line. Sorry, but that’s annoying, especially when working as a professional in a busy bar.

 

Our Japanese jigger has the standard 1/2, 1, 1 1/2, and 2 oz measurements, but we also added a bar spoon (1/8 ounce), 1/4 oz, and 3/4 oz on the smaller side and 1 1/4 and 1 3/4 oz on the larger side. Those additional markings are a bigger deal than they sound, especially once you start making recipes that use smaller amounts of liqueurs, syrups, or other strongly-flavored ingredients.

It’s also made from food-grade 304 stainless steel, with a rolled lip designed to reduce drips and a reinforced weld at the center. We have literally chucked these things at cement floors repeatedly to make sure they don’t break apart. So not only is it super convenient, but as a small, family-owned company who takes pride in our products, we’ve tested them ourselves to make sure they last.

At the time of writing, the stainless-steel version is $16, with other finishes available at slightly different prices.

 

Why I Use This One

I’ve used a lot of different jiggers over the years, but our Japanese jigger is still the one I reach for most often. The narrow center fits naturally between my fingers, I prefer the rolled lip when I’m pouring, and the measurement lines cover the amounts I actually use when I’m making cocktails.

I don’t want to stop and think about which side I need or to grab another measuring tool for a smaller pour. It’s a little thing, but when you’re making drink-after-drink, those little things matter. That’s really the difference for me.

It’s not that every other jigger is difficult to use. It’s that having more useful measurements on one tool removes a tiny bit of friction every time you make a drink.

For a home bartender who wants to buy one good jigger and be done with it or a professional who doesn’t want to have to stop and grab another tool mid-service, this is our overall pick.

 

Best for Beginners: OXO Steel Angled Jigger

Best for: Newer home bartenders who want extremely easy-to-read measurements.

OXO took a very different approach to the traditional jigger, and it’s honestly a smart one.

Instead of making you look down inside a tall, narrow cup for a measurement line, the OXO Steel Angled Jigger has a patented angled surface that allows you to read its measurements while looking straight down into it. That means less bending down, lifting the jigger toward your face, or pouring and hoping you stopped at the right little line.

The stainless-steel jigger includes both ounce and tablespoon measurements, is dishwasher safe, and currently sells for $11.99.

Why we like it: It’s approachable.

If you’re just learning to measure cocktails accurately and don’t care about having a more typical bartender-style jigger in your hand, being able to clearly see what you’re pouring is a pretty compelling feature.

Its shape is quite different from a Japanese or bell jigger, so someone who eventually wants to practice a faster, professional-style measuring technique may prefer a traditional double-sided design. It also doesn’t have as many measurement lines as I would personally like, and it is harder to clean. (Here’s a video of me from way back when with a tip of how to drain this particular jigger. Please don’t laugh too hard.)

But for making cocktails at home? There’s a lot to like here.

 

Best Selection: Cocktail Kingdom Jiggers

Best for: Bartenders who want a particular capacity, metric measurement, finish, or visual style.

If you’re shopping for cocktail jiggers and want options, Cocktail Kingdom gives you a lot of them.

Their lineup goes beyond the familiar 1 oz/2 oz configuration, with different capacities, metric options, materials, finishes, and designs. Their stainless-steel Japanese jiggers currently start at $13.49, while some of the more decorative and specialty jiggers cost considerably more (in the $30-40 range at time of publishing).

That’s where Cocktail Kingdom earns its spot on this list. Their standard 1 oz/2 oz Japanese-style jigger measures those capacities to the top, with interior markings for 1/2 oz, 3/4 oz, and 1 1/2 oz. That’s perfectly workable for plenty of cocktails, although it’s one of the differences that makes me prefer our A Bar Above jigger for everyday use. If I need 1/4 oz, for example, I want a line for 1/4 oz rather than having to estimate it.

Cocktail Kingdom also offers different capacities and a much broader family of jigger designs. Its collection includes everything from Japanese styles to the more rounded Leopold line, with stainless steel, copper-plated, gold-plated, and gunmetal black options among the current selection.

So if you care less about all the little measurements as you care about finding a specific size or finish, that’s where Cocktail Kingdom does a really great job. They’re a big company that can offer a lot of variability, but the small details of convenience aren’t quite there, which is why it’s not my overall pick.

The major appeal: choice.

 

Best Ergonomic Jigger: A Bar Above Bell Jigger

Best for: Bartenders and cocktail lovers who prefer a wider, rounder jigger and classic bell shape.

Not everyone loves the tall, narrow shape of a Japanese jigger. A bell jigger has shorter, wider cups with a rounded profile. For some people, that simply feels more comfortable.

Our A Bar Above Bell jigger is made from food-grade 304 stainless steel and has measurement lines all the way down to a bar spoon, just like our Japanese style. The 1 oz side includes 1 bar spoon, 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 oz markings, while the 2 oz side includes 1, 1 1/4, 1 1/2, and 1 3/4 oz markings. It also has an extra-wide opening, unrolled edge, and reinforced center weld.

 

And despite the fact that I personally reach for our Japanese jigger more often, this isn’t a case of one being objectively better than the other.

I prefer the slightly wider center grip and rolled edge of the Japanese jigger in my hand, while Julia and our content coordinator, Mel, both prefer the bell jigger. The bell jigger has a very narrow but short grip and straight edge, so the pouring experience feels different. Some bartenders genuinely prefer that, and I think it works well for smaller hands.

If you like the vintage bell shape and wider mouth, or if you simply find a shorter jigger more comfortable to handle, the bell jigger gives you those features without sacrificing the smaller measurement increments that make a great jigger truly useful.

The stainless steel version is currently $18.

 

Best Unique Design: Tipsy Jigger

Best for: Cocktail lovers who want a genuinely different way to measure drinks and don’t mind paying for it.

I’ll admit it: Most novelty bar tools make me nervous. If your jigger looks fantastic sitting on a shelf but makes it harder to measure 3/4 ounce of lime juice, we’ve lost the plot. Plus, they’re often made really poorly and just seem cheesy to me, but I won’t judge if you’re super attached to your T-rex jigger you got in Arizona. You do you.

But the Tipsy Jigger manages to be unusual without giving up the whole reason you own a jigger in the first place.

This isn’t just a traditional double jigger dressed up to look interesting. Tipsy’s design is based on vintage roll-over and bottoms-up jiggers, so you’re getting a genuinely different style of measuring and pouring rather than just an unusual-looking version of the same basic tool.

And that’s why it earns this category for me. Someone might genuinely discover that they prefer using this style of jigger, rather than buying it solely because it looks cool or silly on the bar.

Tipsy currently offers two versions named Nick and Nora (like the glassware). Both are handmade and serial numbered, with their own distinctive shapes and details.

But then there’s the price. Each currently sells for $85.

If you’re simply looking for an accurate way to measure cocktail ingredients, you absolutely do not need to spend $85 on a jigger. There are excellent options for a fraction of the price. But that’s also not really the point of the Tipsy Jigger.

This is for the cocktail person who already has the basics and wants something beautifully made, unusual, and genuinely different to use.

Why we like it: It’s the most fun jigger on this list without sacrificing function. The unusual shape isn’t a gimmick pasted onto an ordinary measuring tool. The roll-over design is the whole idea, and it’s effective as well and cool to look at.

The downside: That $85 price puts it firmly in treat-yourself or cocktail-gift territory. I wouldn’t recommend it as someone’s first and only jigger unless they specifically love the design and the way it works. But for the cocktail nerd who seemingly already owns everything? This is a pretty great way to surprise them.

 

What to Look for in a Cocktail Jigger

The best jigger isn’t necessarily the fanciest one. It’s the one you can read easily, accurately pour with, and comfortably use over and over again.

There are a few things I’d pay particular attention to:

Measurement Markings

Look beyond the total capacity. A jigger might say 1 oz/2 oz, but that doesn’t tell you which measurements are actually marked inside the cups.

For basic cocktails, 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/2, and 2 oz will cover plenty of recipes. But once you start making drinks that call for 1/4 oz of liqueur, syrup, or another strongly-flavored ingredient, those additional markings become extremely useful.

This is one of the first things I’d compare between two otherwise similar jiggers.

 

Easy-to-Read Lines

Having every measurement imaginable isn’t particularly helpful if you need a flashlight and reading glasses to identify them. The markings should be clear enough that you can quickly tell where you’re pouring.

That’s also where something like OXO’s angled design has a legitimate advantage for newer home bartenders.

Shape & Grip

Japanese jiggers are generally taller and narrower, while bell jiggers are shorter and wider. Neither shape automatically makes better cocktails. What matters is how the jigger feels between your fingers and whether you can comfortably fill and pour it without fumbling around.

And then there are plenty of other options like Cocktail Kingdom’s Hoffman jigger or your dad’s favorite skull-shaped jigger he got in 1987. Some might look cool but be harder to hold. It’s ideal if you can try different styles in person before committing; that way you really get something that feels right in your hand.

And then once you know that a Japanese-style jigger, for example, is your ride-or-die, you can always order the one you want.

 

The Rim

A rolled lip can help guide the pour and reduce dripping, while other jiggers use an unrolled, harder edge for a quick, clean release.

This is one of those details you might not think about while shopping but absolutely notice once you’ve made a few rounds of drinks. Again, it’s kind of a personal choice based on feel and how you pour.

Material & Construction

For regular cocktail making, stainless steel is hard to beat. It’s durable, food-safe, relatively lightweight, and easy to clean.

Also look at the center connection on a traditional double-sided jigger. A strong weld matters, particularly if the tool is going to see frequent use. You don’t want to buy something only to have it break in half 2 months later.

Japanese Jigger vs. Bell Jigger: Which Is Better?

Like I’ve already mentioned, this largely comes down to personal preference.

A Japanese jigger is tall and narrow, with a slim waist between its two measuring cups. Bartenders often like the shape because it’s easy to hold between the fingers and lends itself to a smooth fill-and-pour motion.

A bell jigger has shorter, wider cups and a very slim but short center. Some people find that shape more stable and comfortable, particularly when they’re first getting used to measuring drinks or if they have smaller hands.

I’d say capacity and markings matter more than the silhouette alone. A beautifully-designed Japanese jigger with only a few markings will be less useful to you than a well-marked bell jigger and vice versa.

If you’re deciding between the two, I’d pay attention to how you like to hold the jigger, which measurements you use most often, and which type of rim you prefer.

 

Which Jigger Should You Buy?

For most bartenders and cocktail makers, I’d choose a double-sided jigger that measures up to 2 oz and gives you plenty of clearly marked increments in between.

Of course, my personal preference is the A Bar Above Japanese Jigger because of its comfortable grip, rolled lip, and extreme range of measurement markings.

If seeing your measurements as clearly as possible is the priority, the OXO Steel Angled Jigger is a smart design.

If you’re looking for a very specific size, smaller capacity, or finish, Cocktail Kingdom gives you a particularly broad selection.

And if you prefer the feel of a wider, shorter jigger with a really thin grip, our A Bar Above Bell Jigger gives you that option without giving up those smaller measurement increments.

Then there’s the Tipsy Jigger, which is in a category of its own. It’s expensive, yes, but it’s also the only jigger on this list that offers a fundamentally different roll-over design. If you’re shopping for someone who already owns all the standard bar tools, this is the one I’d look at when you want to give them something they probably don’t already have.

But the really important thing is to choose a jigger that makes accurate measuring easier, not one that turns every cocktail into a tiny geometry problem.

 

Measure Twice, Drink Once

A jigger is one of the simplest tools on your bar, but it’s also one of the most important. You don’t need the most expensive one, the fanciest finish, or a drawer full of different sizes. You need one that’s comfortable in your hand, gives you the measurements you actually use, and lets you pour them accurately without thinking too hard about it.

For me, that’s our Japanese jigger. For you, it might be a bell jigger, an easy-to-read OXO, one of Cocktail Kingdom’s more specialized options, or something completely different like the Tipsy.

Whichever one you choose, measure carefully. Your cocktails will taste better for it.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Cocktail Jiggers