MORE Home Bar Gifts for Men: 5 Kinds of Home Bar Cabinets and Units
It’s not easy to buy gifts for men, let alone the perfect gift, but home bar cabinets (or unit) is pretty close to perfect.
I decided to focus just on the cabinets in this post.
So if you would like more home bar gift ideas for men ideas then check out my main post 7 Home Bar gifts for Men for Christmas or His Birthday…He Will Love!
If your man is anything like me then he loves adding to his collection of bar tools, equipment and liquors.
But where does he currently put his alcohol stash and all his bar tools?
In the cupboard?
On the counter?
No fun.
That is why you should look at the variety of home bar cabinets to give him a place to display and store everything…and to impress his friends.
Here is a picture of mine…
I store all my bourbons, tequilas, red wines, vodka, spirits for mixed drinks, recipe book and bar tools here on my ladder style home bar cabinet.
Yes, it’s small, but I’ve just started to build up its stock and that’s all the room I have in my apartment for now.
“What Factors Should I Consider When Shopping for Home Bar Cabinets?”
First and foremost know choose a space in your home and measure its width and depth. Then from there you should consider the style, color and what type of material you want the cabinet to be made of. Then factor in how much he likes wine to determine if you should search for a wine rack. And finally how much storage space you want the cabinet to have for holding glassware, bottles and bar equipment and tools.
Here’s a list:
Material
Metal, glass, wooden
Style
Ladder, bartender style including foot rail, fold-out, corner full bar with bartender stand, tiki, patio/pool, hide-away, wrap around
Design
Contemporary, old-fashioned, traditional, Tuscan, etc.
Color
What color of unit will match with your room’s decor?
Includes Wine Rack
Do you want it to include a wine rack or not?
Storage and Surface Space
How much shelf, drawer, cabinet and hanging glassware space will you need?
Counter Top and Bar Stool Height
If you choose a home bar cabinet that includes counter top to serve drinks that you must choose the appropriate bar stool height too. You don’t want the stools to be too short or too tall. I’d recommend stools that leave at least 12 inches of space between the seat and the top of the counter top.
You’ve got many factors to consider; therefore, it makes more sense to look over many home bar cabinets online at least a couple months in advance if you can in order to choose the right one and to allow enough time for shipping.
Other Questions to Ask About Home Bar Cabinets Before Making a Final Purchase
Choosing among the best gifts for him is no easy task to begin; therefore, I assume then that you don’t want to have to go through the trouble of shopping and purchasing something with any hidden surprises.
Plus consider the financial side.
A home bar unit needs some stock of glassware, tools, syrups and alcohol to get him started. Therefore, factor in the total price of everything. You do not need to overdo it and buy a zillion different brands of spirits and types of glasses, but at least get a starter kit going.
Because of all that it makes sense to research this before making your final decision.
Warranty
After you click through the links on this page please look for the warranty in the event you receive a defective piece.
Cleaning Products
If you purchase one of the wooden bar cabinets then consider purchasing the recommended polish and cloths. The posting for each unit should show which polish and cloths work best.
What accessories and other bar tools will he need?
Take note of what bar tools he already owns. If he doesn’t have any than a simple bartender cocktail starter kit will more than suffice (shaker with built in strainer, stirrer, muddler, jigger for measuring the alcohol, mixing pint). I know that would mean that you spend more money, but what fun would his new home bar be if he cannot make mixed drinks?
Shipping Cost
Some of these units are pretty hefty and heavy. You should consider the price of shipping unless you have Amazon Prime.
Glassware
What are his favorite kinds of drinks? Are there any he doesn’t care for? In case you didn’t know each drink is supposed to go in a certain kind of glass to enhance the experience of drinking it and in some cases it even can affect the taste of them. If he likes wine then at least get a set of durable white and red wine glasses. Start with the glassware from his favorite drinks. AND consider if the home bar unit that you buy has the space for them.
Here is a diagram of the different kinds of glassware to add to your collection.
These are some of the basics to consider when shopping for home bar cabinets for your man. If he already has some of the basic items to stock on his bar then you are a step ahead of the game. But if not then you might consider combining a few items to go with the bar unit or he will not be able to begin enjoying his bar or invite his friends over yet.
In this post we have not even gotten into the basic kinds of spirits and other ingredients to make mixed drinks.
For now I just want to focus on the piece of furniture itself and some of the basic tools.
So let’s now take a look at the different kinds of home bar units.
Cocktail Recipe Book
By all means check out free recipes online- I do, but I also own a few cocktail recipe books so that I can have a complete resource to reference at anytime. If I want a hundreds of recipes organized by the type of spirit or I just want to brush up on mixing techniques then I can access this information much more quickly without having to sift through several different websites, just to forget which ones I went to later.
Here is the one I started with.
This book has provided the basic bartender techniques, mixed drink recipes and lists of apertifs, cordials and liqueurs I needed to start off with.
What I like besides the list of recipes is the basic background on the different kinds of spirits , basic bartender techniques and the lists of apertifs, cordials and liqueurs. Next to each recipe it even adds an image of the proper glass to serve it in.
Gifts for Him: 5 Home Bar Cabinets to Consider for Your Home
1. Ladder Style Shelves with Wine Rack
Ladder style home bar cabinet
[Click here] for more details and variations of styles of ladder home bar cabinets.
2. Contemporary Glass Counter and Showcase
Glass home bar cabinets
If you like see-through bar cabinets then a glass unit might serve you better. This one has four shelves and even a wine glass rack.
[Click here] to see more images and more details.
3. Traditional Waist-high Closed Cabinet, Open Wine Rack with Marble Top
Marble Counter Top Bartender Style Home Bar Cabinets with Foot Rail
Here’s a more upscale unit which serves as an elegant piece of furniture as well as a bar. The cherry wood finish, marble counter top and closed cabinet doors add to its “old-world” look. Plus it holds up to twelve bottles of wine which is a more than sufficient to serve your guests or enjoy after a long day at work.
[Click here] for close-up images and more product details.
4. Ornate Bartender Style Bar with Patron Foot Rail and Marble Counter Top
Decorative Complete Bartender Home Bar Cabinets
This image above shows the back side of the unit where you would stand to serve your guests. From the front side you can add your bar stools and it even includes a foot rest rail. When the party is over turn the unit around again to adorn your living, dining room or den with this elegant wooden piece of furniture.
[Click here] to view more details and some suggested bar stools to accompany the unit.
5. Complete Corner Home Bar with Separate Bartender Serving Counter Unit
Large Corner Home Bar Cabinets (bartender unit sold separately)
Here’s the most complete piece on this list of bar cabinets. It holds the most space for the bottles of spirits, bar tools and glassware. The bartender serving unit seen in the image above is a separate item which holds 20+ wine bottles, has a shelf for more spirits and even a light to illuminate the shelf. This separate bartender piece is not ideal for sitting at like the previous unit.
[Click here] for more details and close-up images.
Summary of Home Bar Cabinets
I am working on creating a series of inter-linking posts regarding home bars to help you in your quest for the perfect gifts for men this coming Christmas, holiday season or even for his birthday. What I think will benefit you by choosing home bar items as gifts for him you will be able to add to his collection year after year, as this become a hobby and center piece of his man cave.
Of course, we both know that you will also benefit from this collection personally. Look forward to many romantic evenings together cuddling up to watch a movie and to enjoy a glass of your favorite cocktails or wine.
For more gifts for him ideas check out my post 7 Home Bar Gifts for Him
