In order to take your cocktail making beyond just pouring a few liquids into a glass, you'll need some "tools of the trade". You may be able to substitute some equipment with alternatives you already have, but below you will find my recommended list

Glasses - Sounds obvious but lets face it, without these, you're not going to be making many drinks. There are many different types of glasses used in cocktail making from the distinctive Cocktail glass (aka Martini glass) to the Collins glass and the similar Highball glass to the tropical cocktail favourite, the Hurricane glass. Then there's the Lowball (aka Old Fashioned or Short Tumbler), the Margarita glass, the shot glass, the Brandy glass, the Wine glass, the Champagne flute, the Beer glass and several more besides. Whatever glasses you want to use for making drinks, where possible ensure that they're suitable for the drink that they will contain and that they will give the best possible presentation and style for your drink.

Cocktail Shaker - There are several types of cocktail shaker available. Some are more gimmicky than useful, but ultimately what you should chose, will most likely be based on personal preference.

Classic Three-Piece Stainless Steel - Consisting of a cup-like base for holding the ingredients; a tight fitting top with a built-in strainer and a cap, that sits on top of the strainer.

The Boston Shaker - Consists of a simliar base to the Classic Three-Piece Shaker and has a similar sized glass top. This style tends to be preferred by many Bar Tenders.

Personally I use the base from a classic three-piece, along with a strong glass that fits snuggly inside the shaker.

Spirit Measures (Jigger) - There are generally two types of jigger, the little metal measures used in the bars and the cheap two-cones-stuck-on-a-handle measures distributed with most home cocktail kits. Both are usable, but the bar ones are easier to work with, come in various measures (25ml, 35ml, 50ml, 125ml), generally have a ¼ measure on the underside of the jigger and look a lot better.

Pourers - The simpler the design the better here. Freeflow pourers, with a rubber seal will fit in most bottles and can be used in conjunction with a Jigger for a controlled measure or, when you've mastered the timings of free pouring, give you the freedom to pour the measures you want to use.

Blender - An indispensable item, the best blenders are the simplest in design. A metal or glass jug with a tight fitting lid, an attached blade, easy to clean and several speed settings. Look for those that specify the ability to crush ice, as you will mostly use a blender in conjunction with ice based "frozen" cocktails.

Ice Crusher (Electric or Manual) - Anyone looking to make Mojito's or Caipirinha's will find an ice crusher a must. Unlike most blenders that will turn your ice cubes into a Slushy (Frosty in the US), an ice crusher will break the ice cubes into smaller pieces, giving a greater surface area for the cocktails to mix with. Manual ice crushers are driven by turning the blades with a handle and can be hard work by the end of the night. Electric ice crushers take all the hard work out, but depending on the size may be more likely to jam on occasion.

Citrus Juicer - Available in Electrical, Manual Press and Manual Handheld varieties, whichever Juicer you choose to use this is an essential item for extracting the juice from Citrus fruits.

Muddler - Looking like a small early 20th century police truncheon and generally made from wood. Like the ice crusher, muddler's are commonly used when making Mojito's or Caipirinha's, allowing you to squeeze the juice from the limes, while also mixing the juice with any other ingredients in the bottom of glass.

Bar Spoon - Used to add powdered ingredients such as sugar or for pouring liquids slowly over the spoon, into either shooters or cocktails, allowing layers to be created.

Strainer - A required item when making martinis or other cocktails that require the drink to be devoid of non-liquids. Strainers for bars come in two varieties

Hawthorn Strainer - Consisting of a flat handled piece of metal shaped similar to an old fashioned hand mirror, with a coil of metal wire in ¾ of a circle on the top. It is held over the top of the glass/shaker where the coil will trap larger items such as ice and fruit pieces.

Sieve - Used to collect smaller pieces, such as ice shards and other small unwanted particles, you can use any form of wire mesh sieve.

Sharp Knife - While it may seem obvious, a good sharp knife is a must for not only cutting fruit and other solid ingredients, but also breaking the seals on packaging and bottles.

Bottle Opener - Let's face it, not all of your guests may want a cocktail, so make sure that you can open those bottles of beer that they may have been good enough to bring with them.

Corkscrew - In a similar fashion to the above mentioned bottle opener, it's worth having even a basic cockscrew up your sleves, for those occasions when you need to open a bottle of wine.

Lighter - Or matches, for both flaming cocktails and for flaming citrus juices onto cocktails, such as the Cosmopolitan. Where possible though I would recommend a standard lighter. Please ensure that any lighter used contains either butane or lighter fluid (aka naphtha) and not gasoline or petrol as apart from anything these fuels will impart an unwanted taste into your drinks.

Drinking Straws - Easy to overlook, but essential for some drinks. Generally available in sizes that matches different types of glassware. Ideally, you will want Bendy straws and Short Bendy straws and if you plan on making drinks in Coctail glasses, then the small, thin Coctail straws would not go amiss.

Drink Stirers - Or Swizzle sticks. Stirrers will allow your guests to evenly mix their drinks in their glasses. Also along with a straw, they provide a basic and simple finish to a drink.