A Bar Above Gold Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer, 304 Stainless Steel Conical Sieve Review (2026)

Who this strainer suits

This strainer is aimed at home bartenders who care about how their tools look on display as much as how they perform, since the gold finish is designed to coordinate with other gold-toned bar equipment such as jiggers, bar spoons or shakers. A Bar Above is a brand built around tools designed by working bartenders, so the strainer also suits anyone who wants a fine mesh strainer that performs to a professional standard rather than a novelty piece. Buyers who just want a functional strainer without paying extra for a finish, or who plan to run it through the dishwasher regularly, would be better served by the brand's plain stainless steel version instead.

Material and design

The strainer is built from 304 stainless steel with a corrosion-resistant gold finish over the core metal, so the decorative coating sits on top of a durable, food-safe steel body rather than replacing it. The large size measures about 10 inches long including the metal hook, or 9 inches without it, with a mesh cone about 10 centimeters in diameter and a bowl roughly 3.14 inches deep, giving enough surface area to strain quickly even though the mesh itself is fine. The handle uses double welding with both MIG and TIG welds plus a wide collar, a detail the brand highlights for strength during repeated back-to-back use behind a bar.

Using and caring for the strainer

The fine mesh is intended for double straining, meaning it is used after a Hawthorne or julep strainer to catch small ice shards, pulp, herb fragments or citrus seeds that a coarser strainer lets through, producing a clear, polished pour for drinks like a daiquiri or sidecar. Beyond cocktails, the same fine mesh works for straining tea, coffee, kombucha or culinary liquids like stock and clarified butter. A Bar Above states the gold version is dishwasher safe for home and most commercial machines, though light brushing before a machine wash is recommended, and drying it fully before storage helps keep the gold coating from wearing prematurely.

Trade-offs and how it compares

Against A Bar Above's own plain stainless steel fine mesh strainer, which scores slightly higher in the site's ranking, this gold version uses the identical 304 steel body and mesh design, so the performance difference between the two is effectively none, and the gap comes down to finish and price rather than straining quality. Compared with generic silver conical strainers from brands like Homestia or unbranded imports, this strainer costs more, but the reinforced welded handle and bartender-designed cone shape are aimed at holding up to nightly bar use rather than occasional home cocktails. Buyers focused purely on function over form would save money with the same brand's silver version or a generic strainer.

Verdict and who should pick something else

For anyone building a coordinated gold bar cart who also wants a strainer that performs at a professional level, this is a strong pick backed by a bartender-founded brand, matching our score of 8.4 out of 10. It suits both display and regular use. Anyone who wants the lowest price for a functionally identical fine mesh strainer, or who prefers to skip hand washing a decorative finish, should choose A Bar Above's plain stainless steel version or a generic silver conical strainer instead, since the gold coating here is a cosmetic upgrade rather than a functional one.

Frequently asked questions