The steel Hawthorne strainer in two lines
This is the steel Hawthorne strainer: the same tool as the basic model, built to last. Stainless steel, a 360° spring that runs right round the edge, no prongs.
Who it is for
For bars that really use it. In a venue shaking a hundred drinks a night, the strainer goes from hand to tin to sink a hundred times: it is the tool with the shortest life at the station, and the difference between a light model and a sturdy one is measured in months.
A strainer is judged after three months, not on day one
The spring is the part that gives: it opens up, loses tension and starts letting small shards of ice through. From then on the drink is no longer clean, and the bartender often does not notice because the fault comes gradually. On this steel Hawthorne the metal is a heavier gauge, and that is the whole difference: the spring keeps its tension for longer and the body does not bend when pressed hard onto the tin.
Specifications
- Material: stainless steel
- Spring: 360°
- Build: heavier gauge than the basic model
- Prongs: none, held with the index finger
- Use: straining shaken drinks
- Dishwasher safe: yes
The weight, and why you feel it
A more solid strainer stays on the tin instead of wobbling as you tilt, and on a long pour that means one thing: no need to adjust your grip halfway. Fast bartenders notice it on the first day; calmer ones notice after a month, when they realise they have never had to recentre it.
The sum worth doing
A light strainer costs little and has to be replaced when the spring gives; a sturdy one costs a little more and lasts much longer. At a station working every night the sum quickly favours the second, and there is an item that never shows in the accounts but counts: the drinks served with ice shards in them while the strainer was failing and nobody noticed. That is the real cost of a tired strainer.
The technique, and the most common mistake
Set the strainer with the spring facing into the tin and press the body with your index finger to set the gap: the more you press, the tighter the gate and the less gets through. Pouring without pressing lets the shards through, and they dilute the drink beyond the spec. It is the mistake that makes a well-built cocktail taste watery.
Care
Dishwasher safe: it is bare stainless steel with no finish to spoil. Rinse it straight after egg white drinks or thick syrups all the same, so the coils stay clean, and now and then check the spring tension by pinching it between two fingers.
FAQ
How does it differ from the basic Hawthorne? The build: the metal here is a heavier gauge and the spring holds its tension longer.
Does it have prongs? No, it is held with the index finger on the rim of the tin.
Does it work on a mixing glass? Yes, the 360° spring adapts to different diameters, though for stirred drinks the julep strainer is the right one: it sits inside the glass and does not disturb the drink.
How do I know it needs replacing? When the spring stays open and small shards get through.
The more you buy, the less you pay: 4 pieces -5%, 6 -7%, 8 -10%, on the same item.
Dispatched from Rome, Italy. 15-day returns, free of charge. Questions before you order? Message us on WhatsApp on +39 351 929 6937.
The three strainers are compared in the cocktail strainer category.
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