The Muddler is one of the most important tools for home bartending, especially if you’re a fan of fresh-tasting and herby cocktails like the classic Mojito. The tool itself looks like a small wooden baton and is used to extract juices and essential oils from your herbs, berries and fruits by gently crushing them inside of your mixing vessel.

The kind of muddler you choose should be entirely up to taste. However, there are a few things we think you should keep in mind when you make your choice. First of all, we recommend that you get a tall muddler with a wide bottom. A longer handle means less scratches on your knuckles as you use it. The second thing to keep in mind is material. Here, we prefer an unlacquered wooden muddler. Metal muddlers run the risk of destroying your glasses, and lacquered muddlers often get scratched, leaving bits of lacquer in your drink.

Start by adding ingredients to your mixing container, and crush them with your muddler until all juices and oils have been extracted. The trick here is to press and twist in one fluid motion. This technique is especially important when you’re muddling herbs, as over-muddling leads to torn leaves and bitter-tasting chlorophyll ending up in your drink.