Cobbler Shaker
A cobbler shaker is a three-piece cocktail shaker, a tin, a lid with a built-in strainer and a cap; ours is 550ml and Urban Bar’s own three-piece Coley 50cl. It shakes and strains in one tool, which suits making a drink or two at home. Sours, daiquiris and long rum drinks such as the Singapore Sling and the Rum Runner can all be made in one.
About the Cobbler Shaker
We Make One
Our 550ml three-piece shaker in polished stainless steel, with the strainer built into the top.
Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker, 550mlThe Lid Holds the Strainer
A cobbler has three parts. The tin holds the ice and the drink. The lid fits over it and has a strainer built in. A small cap seals the top, and on many shakers it doubles as a rough measure.
Because the strainer is built in, a cobbler needs no other kit to shake and pour. That is why it is the usual home shaker.
Shake Hard for 10 to 12 Seconds
Fill the tin about two-thirds with cubed ice, add the drink, and fit the lid and cap firmly. Hold the cap with one hand and the base with the other, and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Take off the cap, not the lid, and pour through the strainer, over fresh ice where the recipe calls for it. Long drinks like the Singapore Sling and the Rum Runner come to just over 200ml, which a 550ml cobbler takes with its ice.
Cold Air Pulls the Lid Tight
Shaking chills the air trapped in the tin. Cold air contracts, the pressure inside drops, and the lid is pulled down tight. A well-shaken drink sticks most.
Do not lever it with a knife. Hold the seam in your hands for a few seconds or run it under warm water; the metal warms, the pressure evens out and the lid comes off.
Cobbler, Boston and Parisian shakers compared
Cobbler
- Pieces
- Three: tin, strainer lid, cap
- Strainer
- Built in
- Suits
- A drink or two at home
Boston
- Pieces
- Two tins, or a tin and a glass
- Strainer
- Separate Hawthorne strainer
- Suits
- Bars and rounds of drinks
Parisian
- Pieces
- Two metal pieces, no cap
- Strainer
- Separate strainer
- Suits
- Home or bar; seals easily
| Shaker | Pieces | Strainer | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobbler | Three: tin, strainer lid, cap | Built in | A drink or two at home |
| Boston | Two tins, or a tin and a glass | Separate Hawthorne strainer | Bars and rounds of drinks |
| Parisian | Two metal pieces, no cap | Separate strainer | Home or bar; seals easily |
A Boston Suits Rounds of Drinks
The built-in strainer clogs with mint, berries and citrus pulp, and a full-size cobbler holds one or two drinks. For rounds, or anything heavily muddled, a larger Boston shaker with a separate strainer is quicker.
Using the Cobbler Shaker
Usage
Shaking and straining a drink or two at a time without a separate strainer: sours, daiquiris and juice-heavy long drinks. Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds, take off the cap and pour through the built-in strainer.
Pro Tip
Put a few cubes and cold water in the tin before you start measuring, and tip them out when the drink is ready to go in. A cold tin chills the drink faster and the ice melts less.
Professional Tips
- Fill the tin two-thirds with ice, then add the drink.
- Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds, holding the cap and the base.
- If the lid sticks, warm the seam in your hands for a few seconds.
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer as well when the drink has mint, fruit or egg.
Alternatives
Budget Alternative
A plain stainless three-piece from a kitchen shop works, provided the lid seals without leaking.
Premium Option
A heavier, precisely made cobbler whose lid seats evenly and comes off cleanly. It sticks less; the cocktail comes out the same.
Specifications
Material
Stainless steel
Capacity
550ml (our shop’s shaker); 50cl (Urban Bar’s own three-piece Coley)
Details
Three pieces: a tin, a lid with a built-in strainer, and a cap
More to explore
Common Questions
Is a cobbler shaker better than a Boston shaker?
Why does my cobbler shaker get stuck?
Do I need a separate strainer with a cobbler shaker?
What size cocktail shaker should I buy?
How long should I shake a cocktail?
What is a stainless steel cocktail shaker?
Can a cobbler shaker go in the dishwasher?
What are the three parts of a cobbler shaker called, and is the cap a measure?
Sources.
Checked between 18 October and 19 October 2026.
- Jerry Can Spirits shop, “Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker, 550ml” (three pieces: the 550ml body, a top with a built-in strainer, and a cap).
- Urban Bar, “Coley Three Piece Shaker Polished 50cl”.
- Google Patents, “US patent 300,867, Shaker for mixing drinks (Edward J. Hauck)” (primary source: Letters Patent No. 300,867, 24 June 1884, Edward J. Hauck of Brooklyn: vessel, cup, strainer, cap and vent).
- The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails (David Wondrich), “cobbler shaker” (secondary source: a nineteenth-century term for any cocktail shaker, first in America in 1873, chiefly British; tied to the three-piece type by DeGroff in 2002).
Master the Technique
Made with the Cobbler Shaker
Used In These Cocktails
Related Equipment
Related Ingredients
Guide by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 19 October 2026