StandardSpoon Napier Jigger

Kicking off this new barware category with a quick review of the Napier jigger from StandardSpoon.

When Cocktail Kingdom introduced their first “stepped” jigger based on a vintage design, it was silver plated and pricey. I bought one anyway, because I could no longer read the markings on my OXO jigger, and I loved the idea of the stepped design.

The stepped design quickly proved itself for my purposes, but then the silver plating also quickly failed. :frowning: So, when I saw a Kickstarter for a stainless steel Napier, I leapt. That eventually yielded the StandardSpoon Napier jigger which can now be ordered on-line:

I went for the handle-less model because I found the handle on the original Cocktail Kingdom model charming, but inconvenient.

Here are the two next to each other for comparison:

The StandardSpoon model is a little taller and considerably lighter (a little over an ounce) compared to the old plated CK model (just under 3 ounces). Both are accurate for my purposes: the respective stepped volumes of both models are consistent with each other, and all their stepped volumes check out with the 1 oz by volume of water ≈ 1 oz by weight test. (These are jiggers, not graduated cylinders!)

Here’s the view from above. The narrower design of the StandardSpoon model and the plating failure of the CK model are obvious.

I’ve been using the StandardSpoon jigger for many months and am completely happy with it.

Meanwhile, Cocktail Kingdom has rolled out a new line of stepped jiggers in various finishes, with and without handles. I haven’t had the opportunity to evaluate them, but they’re less expensive than the original silver plated model and they look promising.

Lovely. Do you miss the finer gradations (1/4, 1/3, 3/4)?

I do not.

I find it easy to estimate the intermediate quantities by sight, particularly since the sides of each section of this jigger design are vertical, rather than pitched. For example, 3/4 oz is exactly halfway between the 1/2 oz and 1 oz features. If I’m pouring tricky ingredients—what I sometimes call “plutonium”—then I’ll break out the measuring spoons.

I only just realized that these StandardSpoon jiggers have lines etched inside for 1/4 oz and and 3/4 oz.

However, the narrower, taller design of these (compared to Cocktail Kingdom’s) makes these lines pretty hard to see, which is why I didn’t notice them before.

Regardless, the stepped design makes eyeballing the intermediate quantities pretty easy.

If I wasn’t sold before, I am now.

My jigger arrived this afternoon and was put to immediate use. Cocktailing successfully achieved.

I also picked up one of their bar spoons as I am congenitally unable to resist sleek, shiny things. If you don’t mind the non-twisted stem, it’s impressively substantial and well-balanced.

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