Throwing a drinks party? Make sure you’ve got the gear to entertain in style. Thankfully, Phnom Penh offers options to suit all budgets. Bennett Murray surveyed the city to compile a starter kit.

Artisan decanters ($485, $750)

Decanters are useful for clearing up the sediment and allowing the wine to breathe. While your typical decanter should only cost $20-30, ludicrously fancy ones can be bought at Red Apron Wine Boutique. Two were on sale as of this week: the snakelike Mamba Black with a black stripe running down the vessel’s curved narrow body, and the elegant Amado which vaguely resembles a bird. As stylish as they are costly.

Red Apron, #15-17 Street 19.

Wine Glasses ($150)

While ordinary wine glasses are available cheaply at supermarkets around the city, a Riedel Vinum extra large red wine tasting set consisting of three glasses is the way to go to throw an impressive party. Included in the set is a Cabernet Sauvignon glass, Pinot Noir glass and a Syrah glass, all made out of leaded crystal. Dishwasher-safe.

Red Apron, #15-17 Street 19.

Cocktail glasses ($7-10)

Unless you fancy drinking straight from the bottle, glasses are the most essential part of any home bar apart from the booze itself. For a particularly aesthetically pleasing drinking experience, it is important to pair the colour of the glasses with the colour of the drink. A Bloody Mary, for instance, demands more vibrant colours than a more subdued mojito, while sangria would be a bit odd in a lime green glass. I Ching manager Susan Winchester is vocal about pairing glasses with drinks.

I Ching, #85 Sothearos Boulevard.

Cocktail shakers ($3.30-8.80)

In Cambodia’s tropical climate, cold drinks are essential to hosting a decent party. With a cocktail shaker, ingredients can be brought down to a frigid temperature quickly and with style. Three-piece cobbler shakers come in three different sizes at one Mao Tse Toung store: 250ml, 350ml and, for the real party animals, 750ml. Some, however, prefer cocktails to be stirred to avoid breaking the ice down and diluting the cocktail.

Jin Fu Stainless Steel and Hotel Utensil Supply Centre, #44BC Mao Tse Toung Boulevard.

Measuring Jiggers ($2.80-3)

While not necessary for a home bar if you are good at eyeballing or have a handy measuring cup, jiggers certainly add a lot of class to your cocktail preparation. Small jiggers run for $2.80, while large ones are $3, thus offering a lot of style for your buck.

Jin Fu Stainless Steel and Hotel Utensil Supply Centre, #44BC Mao Tse Toung Boulevard.

Ice Shovels ($12.30-16.30)

Cocktail ware is useless, however, without ice, and using your hands to scoop ice is definitely not classy. To remedy the situation, pick up an ice shovel on Mao Tse Toung in small, medium or large to suit your libation needs.

Jin Fu Stainless Steel and Hotel Utensil Supply Centre, #44BC Mao Tse Toung Boulevard.