Cocktail Shakers: Boston vs Cobbler vs Parisian, Which to Buy

Buy a Boston shaker (two weighted tins, 18 and 28 oz) if you make drinks often: the two tins seal tightly and separate easily. Buy a cobbler if you want one object with a built-in strainer. Buy a Parisian if you want a two-piece shaker with a more decorative shape and already own a strainer.

How do the three shaker types compare?

A note on names. Difford’s Guide calls a large metal cone with a glass one a Boston shaker and two metal cones a French shaker. American makers, including Cocktail Kingdom and Viski, sell two metal tins as a Boston set. This page uses the American names.

How does a Boston shaker work?

Two cones, one inside the other. You build the drink in the small tin, add ice, seat the large tin on top at a slight angle and tap it to seal. After shaking, a tap on the side breaks the seal.

Difford’s Guide recommends metal on metal over glass and tin, and notes that a two-piece shaker takes a short period of practice.

Boston shaker tins	Premium pickCocktail Kingdom Koriko weighted tins	Accessible alternativeViski Harrison Staghead Shaker Tin Set
Capacity	Small 18 oz (532 ml), large 28 oz (830 ml)	18 oz and 28 oz
Material	Stainless steel	Stainless steel
Base	Weighted, for stability when pouring	Weighted for balance
Sold as	Tins sold singly or as a set	Set of 2 tins
Detail	Plain	Staghead pattern etched into the steel
Care	See the maker's page	Hand wash recommended

Pay more if

you want tins from a bartender supplier, and the option to replace one tin without buying a set.

Save if

you want both tins in one box, with a decorative finish.

Boston, cobbler and Parisian cocktail shakers

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Is a cobbler shaker easier?

Yes, to begin with. Difford’s Guide describes its three sections: a flat-bottomed base, a mid-section with a built-in strainer and a cap that seals it. The first patent for a cobbler-style shaker was granted in 1872.

The same source gives the drawbacks. The built-in strainer pours more slowly than a two-piece shaker, especially when the drink holds pulp from muddled fruit. Cobblers are also relatively small, which Difford’s Guide gives as the reason Japanese bartenders favor them.

Cobbler shaker	Premium pickUsagi Heavyweight Cobbler Shaker	Accessible alternativeViski Globe Cocktail Shaker
Capacity	500 ml (17 oz), one drink	32 oz
Material	Extra-thick 18/8 stainless steel	Stainless steel with a wood cap
Pieces	3	3
Maker's claim	Leak-free shaking and an easily removed cap	A decorative piece etched with the continents
Care	See the maker's page	Hand wash

Pay more if

you make one careful drink at a time and want thick steel that chills hard.

Save if

you shake for two or more at once and want the shaker to double as decoration.

When is a Parisian shaker the right choice?

When looks matter and you already own a strainer. Cocktail Kingdom describes its Parisian as a two-piece set with a tapered top for easy separation, a two-drink capacity and 304 stainless steel construction. Viski’s Warren version holds 25 oz.

Plated finishes need care. Cocktail Kingdom states that plated barware is not dishwasher safe.

How long should you shake?

Shake drinks that contain citrus juice, cream or egg white. Stir drinks made only of spirits, in a mixing glass. That tool, along with jiggers and strainers, is covered in our bar tools guide.

What else do you need?

• A Hawthorne strainer, if you choose a Boston or Parisian shaker
• A jigger for measuring
• Fresh, hard ice, as explained in the clear ice guide
• A chilled glass, sized as in the cocktail glasses guide

The home bar setup overview puts the shaker in order with the other essentials.

Want an older shaker?

Silver-plated and Art Deco shakers are a collecting field. Our sister site covers them in its guide to vintage cocktail shakers.