The Best Cocktail Muddlers for Proper Juleps, Mojitos, and More

What to Look for When Buying a Cocktail Muddler

Materials

The most traditional type of muddler is made of wood. Some wooden models are coated with paint, lacquer, or other finish, but these can chip off over time, so we'd recommend an unvarnished wooden muddler, which is unfortunately not dishwasher-safe. Metal (usually stainless steel) makes for a durable and dishwasher-safe muddler, but it can scratch glasses. Some metal muddlers solve this problem by attaching a hard plastic head that won't damage glass. Other models—often the lowest-priced ones—are made entirely of plastic.

Size and Shape

In order to work properly, a muddler has to reach the bottom of a shaker or glass to crush the herbs, fruit, and spices inside. You need one that's long enough to muddle while still holding it comfortably. Width comes into play, too: a girthier muddler can crush more mint at once, but won't be able to fit into the narrow highball glasses often used for a drink like the mojito.

Grip design comes into play as well, especially if you're going to be doing a lot of muddling—for, say, a mint julep Derby party. Look for a muddler with an ergonomic handle design and and heavier weight, making it less stressful on your muscles to grind down herbs, spices, and fruits. 

Care

If you purchase a wooden muddler, it needs proper care to keep from cracking or splitting. Always wash a wood muddler by hand, and be sure to dry it well when you're done; soaking up water and then drying out is bad for any kind of wooden tool. Just as you would a wooden cutting board, oil the muddler periodically with grapeseed or olive oil to prevent it from drying out. With metal or plastic muddlers, there's generally less to worry about, as they're typically dishwasher-safe

FAQs

What is muddling?

In cocktail terms, muddling means lightly crushing herbs, fruit, or spices. Muddling is not the same as grinding or pureeing; the goal is to release the ingredients flavors without breaking them up so much that bits end up in the finished drink. With fresh herbs, it's especially important not to over-muddle: mashing up the leaves releases a lot of bitter chlorophyll, which can overpower herbs' delicate flavor notes.

“Your muddling technique should change based on what you're muddling," says Pollock. "Be gentle with fragile ingredients, like mint or basil. No need to destroy them. A light press will do.”

How do you muddle a cocktail?

Muddling is usually the first step of a cocktail recipe. Place the herbs, fruit, or spices in a shaker or glass, and then gently press down and twist a few times. With whole spices like cloves, peppercorn, or cardamom, you need to press hard enough to crack them open, but you don't want to crush them to powder. That's really all there is to it. If you can smell what you're muddling, you're doing it right. Mint-based recipes often call for muddling the leaves with granulated sugar, which acts as a light abrasive in addition to sweetening the drink. After that, add the remaining cocktail ingredients and shake or stir as the recipe recommends.

“I would say the best tip I have for muddling is to always press your muddler down and give a little twist as you make contact with whatever you're muddling,” says Tougas. “I tend to also keep it going in a full circle when I muddle, by which I mean I go around the clock as I pick up the muddler to macerate more, rather than macerating in the center over and over.”

Which cocktails need to be muddled?

The classic muddled cocktails are mint juleps, caipirinhas, and mojitos, which muddle mint, mint and lime, and lime, respectively. That said, any cocktail that requires the addition of herbs and spices, like the raspberry lemon or ginger tea cocktail, could benefit from a muddle to more fully express the flavors of the ingredients.

What else can you do with a muddler?

If you don't own a mortar and pestle, you can use a muddler and a sturdy bowl as a reasonable substitute. It's good for crushing a small amount of spices or smashing garlic into a paste. Heck, making pesto is basically over-muddling basil with pine nuts and Parmesan!

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Kate Dingwall is a seasoned spirits and wine writer, working bartender, and sommelier. She is based in Toronto and holds a Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level III qualification. She has also written about the best cocktail shakers and margarita mixes for The Spruce Eats.

The Spruce Eats commerce writer Jason Horn updated this roundup. He wrote a "Whiskey 101" story as a 21-year-old intern and has spent most of the nearly 20 years since writing about drinks and food. He's a former editor at Liquor.com and spirits columnist for Playboy.