Hawthorn Strainers

[hobbess]

What's the best hawthorne strainer?

It seems like Oxo seems to be a popular choice, but I seem to remember that Imbibe chose something else for their favorite hawthorn strainer?

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

I got a very good one from barproducts.com as part of a set of vinyl-coated shakers. It has a good strong spring, holds up well to professional use (I should know, it's the one I use when tending bar), and unlike the Rosle, it's only 4 bucks.

[StriperGuy]

That is an insane web site. Great stuff cheap.

I have been meaning to buy a bar strainer. Is it the 2 prong one, or the 4 prong that you like?

http://www.barproducts.com/index.php?link=/media/2prongvw.html

http://www.barproducts.com/index.php?...

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

I use a 4-prong. I think which one to use is largely personal preference. A benefit of the 2-prong is that it fits inside the shaker for easier travel.

[StriperGuy]

I'm strictly an amateur drink maker with no need to travel so the 4 prong it is.

Okay there are a dozen things I could buy from that web site without even thinking. Thanks.

Nevermind that they have bitters, olives, etc etc etc.

[GraydonCarter]

You can buy the silverplated strainer from Ercuis' "Saturne" line for only $239 (tax and shipping extra), but it doesn't seem to be much different from the ones that are $1.50 -- buy two.

I've never used a strainer, always just strained ice with my boston shaker. But the other day I was trying to make Juleps and lots of bits of mint got into the drink, so I guess I'll need a Julep strainer if I'm going to try those again.

[yarm]

The Bonzer one is rather nice. I'd put the WMF and the Oxo right after that (of the two, OXO is much better priced and WMF is more attractive), and fourth are the cheap $4-5 ones which are rather functional.

The only one I can deter you from is the Ubertools one which is very expensive and poorly weighted.

Rosle makes one that is also rather pricey. Never really handled it but their other stuff is stylish and functional.

http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/

[davis_sq_pro]

I have the Rosle strainer. It's nice looking and has a big and tightly-wound spring, which gives it a snug fit in every shaker I own. But it's also rather bulky and has a large handle on the end that serves no practical purpose. I usually use my OXO instead.

[yarm]

The only complaint I've heard about the OXO is that the spring isn 't great. Some bartenders (like at Drink here in Boston) double spring it by putting a larger spring off of a cheap Hawthorne over the OXO one. Keeps ice shards out better and makes a better seal on the Boston shaker tin.

[hobbess]

Overall, I like the Rosle brand- you touch their stuff and you can feel that quality. But, in that Imbibe article, even though I can't remember their winner I do remember that they weren't fans of Rosle hawthorne strainer. I specifically remember that because I saw Rosle strainers on sale and was thinking about getting it till I read that Imbibe article.