Hawthorne Strainer Lumian, Plated Stainless Steel, 5 Finishes

For bartenders who match their tools to the rest of the station. On an open bar the strainer is one of the few pieces the guest sees in the bartender’s hand for the whole build, and a finish that clashes shows more than you would think.

• Silver: bare-looking steel, the most discreet and the one that ages best
• Black: the most striking, and the least forgiving of scratches
• Gold: for bars that already have gold details
• Copper: the warm tone of a wooden bar counter
• Bronze: dark and matt, the closest to vintage barware

The spring lets the strainer fit mouths of different diameters, so it works on tins and on mixing glasses without swapping tools mid-service. On a station that alternates shaken and stirred drinks, that means one strainer within reach instead of two. With no prongs, the Lumian hawthorne is held with the forefinger resting on the rim, which is the standard grip for this tool.

What plated means

A thin layer of another metal over the steel: it changes the colour, not the structure. Underneath is the same alloy as an unplated strainer, with the same rigidity and the same spring. The layer is measured in microns, though, and wears where it rubs: on the edge that sits on the tin and where the thumb presses. That is why the dishwasher is ruled out.

One or two strainers on the station

One is enough to work with; two change the pace. After a drink with egg white, pulp or a thick syrup the strainer needs a rinse, and rinsing it in the middle of a round of orders means stopping. With two, you alternate and wash at the end, as you do with tins. Bartenders using the Lumian hawthorne usually pick the second one in plain steel for the messy work, and keep the plated one for drinks made in front of the guest.

Care

Wash by hand in warm water with a mild detergent and dry straight away. Use a soft sponge and no chlorine-based products. Store it apart from plain steel tools in the drawer, so the plating keeps its colour for longer.

The check that applies to every hawthorne

Take the spring between two fingers and check that it springs back tight against the body. When it stays loose, small ice chips start to get through and the drink is no longer clean: that is the time to replace it, however good the finish still looks.

FAQ

How many finishes are there? Five: black, silver, gold, copper and bronze.

Does it work on a mixing glass? Yes, the 360-degree spring adapts to different diameters.

Is it dishwasher safe? No, plated finishes are washed by hand.

Does it have prongs? No, it is held with the forefinger on the rim of the tin, like every classic hawthorne.

What metal is under the plating? Stainless steel, the same as the unplated models.

How does it differ from a strainer with prongs? Here the forefinger holds it in place; with prongs it rests on the rim by itself.

Dispatched from Rome, Italy. The three types of strainer are compared in the strainer category.