I have recently been thinking about more get togethers and parties to have at my home (Bunco anyone?) and have been trying to stock up my bar cart so that my guests will have everything they need to have a good time. I created this list of 10 bar cart essentials so you can get some ideas for your own bar at home!  

(1) Jigger In order to measure the correct parts to make the cocktail taste right you need to know how much you are adding! This OXO Steel Double Jigger has 2 sides. 1 side measures a jigger which is 1 1/2 oz and the other measures 1 oz and shows measurements in 1/4 oz increments.

(2) Glasses Well you need something to pour those drinks in! Libbey has sets of glasses you can buy. This Bar in a Box 18-piece set has the cocktail glasses and this Entertainment 18-piece set has wine, beer and martini glasses.

(3) Copper mugs Adam bought me these Moscow Mule Copper Mugs for Christmas this past year. They are pure copper with no chemical lining and include a copper shot glass to match. I would suggest you buy some copper cream to clean them with because the copper can get tarnished easily. You can wow your guests with a true Moscow Mule!

(4) Cocktail shaker I bought this Oggi Dial-A-Drink Cocktail Shaker for my bar cart and it is perfect because it tells me exactly what I need to add to make the perfect drink without needing to flip through a book or search on my phone.

(5) Ice Bucket No one wants a warm cocktail and no one wants to go back and forth from the kitchen to the bar cart to make their drink so this Oggi Double Wall Ice Bucket would be good to have on your cart so guests can quickly scoop their ice, make their drink and be on their merry way!

(6) Bottle opener This Waiter’s Wine Opener has everything you need to open a bottle of wine or beer and is small enough that it won’t take up too much room on the cart.

(7) Wine aerator Always try to let your wines breathe for 1-2 hours before serving (less if the wine is older), but if you don’t have time this Vintorio Wine Aerator Pourer  is just a spout that you add to the wine bottle. All you have to do is pour the glass of wine and it doesn’t take up extra room on the cart. 

(8) Wine Try to have the simple favorites like Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio for the whites and Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds. Champagne would be good to have for a celebration or NYE and rosé for those who can’t decide between red or white. Try out a Club W membership to have the wine delivered to you. They have really cool wines to choose from which could turn into a conversation piece with your guests!

(9) Liquor Whiskey, Vodka and Rum are the most popular liquors in the US so I would suggest you go for these if you don’t have a mixed drink preference yourself. Otherwise buy what you like or try to stick to the theme of your party. If you are having a Mexican Fiesta go for tequila or a hot chocolate party go for some Kahlua. Triple Sec is a popular liqueur that is in many popular mixed drinks as well.

(10) Cooler No this does not have to fit on the cart, but I suggest you have a cooler nearby to keep the white wines, beer, mixers and water cold for your guests. Keep lime juice, simple syrup, orange juice, cranberry juice, different types of sodas including soda water and any other mixers that your drinks may call for in this cooler. I think this Party Tub is great because it is aesthetically pleasing and is raised so your guests don’t have to bend down to get a drink. I also thought this Copper Party Bucket  was awesome because it has a wine rack included (but is on the expensive side) and this Wicker Ice Bucket  would be nice for your guests outside!

MY BAR CART SUGGESTIONS

• For $284.58 you can get this Rustic Mobile Kitchen Bar Serving Cart which is the most similar to what I have only this one has more room, but no wine rack.
• A cheaper option at $56.10 is this Coaster Serving Cart
• And lastly this Trolley with Wine Storage Rack is small cart with a large wine rack that comes in at $142.92 

EASY COCKTAILS VIDEO

This video attached below shows how to make 18 different drinks using simple ingredients to make bartending your party at your bar cart easier.