Cocktail & Bar

Jigger

The measuring tool that makes a recipe repeatable

Serve stage
Jigger — illustrated reference plate3D model available
Specification
What it doesMeasures spirit and modifier volumes so a recipe can be repeated. Free pouring is faster but drifts; a jigger is what makes a drink the same twice.
SizesThe classic is 1.5 oz / 0.75 oz (a jigger and a pony). Metric versions are 25/50 ml or 30/45 ml.
Internally markedA jigger with internal lines for 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 measures is far more useful than a plain one — you can hit 0.25 oz without a second tool.
MaterialStainless steel. Glass and plastic jiggers chip, crack or stain.
Cone or bellCone jiggers pour accurately and stack; bell jiggers sit flat on the counter and are easier to read at a glance.
Reading the meniscusFill to the line and check at eye level. A jigger read from above looks fuller than it is.

Overview

A double-ended measuring cup, usually 1.5 oz one way and 0.75 oz the other. Cocktails are ratios, and a jigger is how you hit them.

Cold Brew
Safety

Alcohol is a drug and a poison in quantity. Measure deliberately, never top up a drink you have already poured, and keep the jigger where a guest cannot mistake it for a glass.

Technical parameters

At a glance
Classic sizes1.5 oz / 0.75 oz
Metric sizes25/50 ml · 30/45 ml
MarkingsInternal 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 lines preferred
MaterialStainless steel
StyleCone or bell
Accuracy±1–2 ml when read at eye level

What actually goes wrong

  • Learn two or three ratios rather than a hundred recipes — most classics are one of them.
  • Rinse a sticky jigger between syrups or the next measure is short.
  • A jigger with a 1/4 line is worth more than a prettier one without.

What it has to match up with

  • Boston shaker
  • Bar spoon
  • A recipe with a stated ratio
See it in 3D

The Cocktail Mix Simulator models this in three dimensions and shows the numbers changing as you adjust it. It is a teaching simulation, not a substitute for the equipment’s own instructions.

This guide is an independent educational reference. It is not a substitute for the instructions supplied with your own equipment, and nothing here is sold, sponsored or endorsed by any brand.

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