RCR Combo

First work out whether you only need the mixing glass or the complete set. If you already own a bar spoon and a strainer, the glass on its own will do; if you are starting from scratch, the four-piece set is the logical choice. With a mixing glass, pay particular attention to the thickness of the base: a heavy base keeps the glass steady while you stir and takes up the cold more slowly, so the ice melts less quickly. Other sizes and models are with the mixing glasses, and the brand's full range is under RCR. If you often work for more than two guests at a time, a second mixing glass is more practical than a larger one.

Fill the mixing glass about two thirds with large ice cubes, add the ingredients and stir for twenty to thirty seconds with the back of the spoon along the wall. You are not stirring to mix but to chill and dilute, so the sound should stay even. Then strain into a pre-chilled glass. That is how you make a negroni or an old fashioned: drinks made entirely of spirits, which is why they are stirred. As soon as juice, egg or cream is in the recipe, reach for the shaker instead.

The mixing glass is made of Luxion, RCR's lead-free crystal glass, which stays clear and handles the dishwasher. Stand it upright in the bottom rack and not upside down against other items, because its weight can make it shift during the cycle. The metal parts of the set are better rinsed by hand and dried straight away, otherwise water marks form. Store the strainer separately so the spring does not deform.

For individual pieces you can turn to the bar spoons, and to the cocktail shakers if you also want to shake rather than stir. The complete overview of the kit, with an explanation of each piece, is on the page with bar tools. If you are looking for glasses to serve the drink in rather than mix it in, those are the cocktail glasses, where the coupes and tumblers are grouped by shape.