*Today’s post was made possible by Barsys, and features gifted product for the purposes of a candid review. All opinions are my own.

The holidays may be officially behind us, but that doesn’t mean the parties have to be over! I’m excited to plan more get-togethers at our house this year in honor of the fresh start that 2026 has provided. I’m a strong introvert, but I wish that I was more outgoing. Maybe if I invited friends to our house where I’m extra comfortable I’ll feel less anxiety about socializing? At any rate, I’d like to challenge myself to host more at our house, and this smart cocktail machine that we added to our collection last year provides the perfect motivation.

I was hired late last year to photograph and film this cocktail maker from Barsys (Get it? “Bar” and “System”), and I had a blast getting to know the machine. This is their Barsys 360, and it allows you to prep multiple different drinks in just one go, so guests can enjoy a wide variety of tasty libations at your party. There are six individual compartments on the sides of the machine that you fill with mixers and spirits according to recipes found in the Barsys app, and then you can tap a button to prompt the machine to pour and mix your drink all on its own. It’s like magic and having your very own bartender at home! I’m embarrassed to admit that I actually squealed a little when I saw it in action for the first time.

Click here to see the video I put together, which shows this whole magical process in action in our dining room.

After spending some time with the 360 over my holiday break, I have to say that it’s such a neat focal point to have on your bar during parties. Do I think it’s good to use on a daily basis for just one or two people? Probably not since it’s meant for bulk drink-making and takes time to get the machine set up with multiple ingredients, but it’s perfect for five or more people. It’s one of those things that I like knowing we have “in our back pocket,” so to speak, and I appreciate that it will save a lot of time during parties since we won’t have to mix individual made-to-order drinks for everyone.

The other thing I really like about this machine is that it takes the guess work out for a cocktail newbie, like me. I don’t really know the proper ratios for mixed drinks (I’m more of a wine gal), so having the machine pour each ingredient for me according to the app’s recipe makes me feel much more confident in the final product. Every drink I asked the machine to make for me during my photoshoot came out perfectly, and we were able to fill the top shelf of our fridge with tasty cocktails to enjoy throughout the week (perk of the job, I guess!).

Shop the Barsys 360 here if you’ve already got 2026 parties on your calendar, and note that they do have a smaller, less expensive version called the Smart Coaster 2.0 that doesn’t physically pour the cocktails for you, but it does help you craft the perfect drink each time using any of the 2,000+ recipes in the Barsys app. Get more info about the Coaster 2.0 here. Cheers!

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