Do you enjoy a delicious latte?
Or, maybe, you fancy cappuccino, a macchiato, or a flat white?
There is one thing that unites all of these drinks - they're overpriced at almost any coffee shop.
You can make any of these drinks at home with the help of a quality milk frother.
Want to enjoy a barista-grade drink at home?
I reviewed the best milk frothers for lattes you can buy.
Image | Product | |||
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My Top Pick | My Top Pick | Zulay High Powered Milk Frother Handheld Foam Maker for Lattes
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| View on Amazon |
Bean Envy Milk Frother Handheld
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| View on Amazon | ||
PowerLix Milk Frother Handheld Electric Foam Maker
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| View on Amazon | ||
VAVA Electric Milk Steamer
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| View on Amazon | ||
Elementi Milk Frother with Stand
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| View on Amazon |
Top 5 Milk Frothers For Lattes
What is a Milk Frother For Lattes?
So you want to treat yourself to a smooth latte or a frothy cappuccino, you need a milk frother to make your milk of choice into delicious foam.
A good milk frother can do the job of an expensive espresso machine, for a fraction of the cost. To be able to find the best milk frother, you need to understand what frothers are and how they work.
A milk frother is a tool used for foaming milk to be added to coffee and other drinks.
The mechanism of milk frother operation is based on milk aeration.
During the aeration process, tiny bubbles of air get into the milk texture and make it lighter and larger in volume, almost like a cream!
The milk "froth" creates the smooth, delicious foam in cappuccinos and gently incorporates milk into espresso with light foam in lattes.
What Types of Milk Frothers For Lattes Can You Buy?
There are three types of milk frothers you can buy for lattes:
- manual
- handled electric
- automatic
A manual milk frother is similar to a french press in its appearance and performance. There is a handle attached to a mesh screen. It sits tightly in a cup. To make foam, you need to move the plunger up and down in the cup. You need about twenty seconds to double the volume of milk you started with. Manual milk frothers are easy to use and wash so that's a plus. You can also use them to make coffee.
A handheld electric milk frother is similar to a small electric mixer. It's handheld and froths milk by spinning a whisk attachment. Handheld milk frothers froth milk better and faster compared to manual devices. As a rule, they have a one-button operation and an automatic power-off feature. With the help of a handheld electric milk frother, you can also beat eggs or make whipped cream. Whipped cream on top of your homemade latte with a side of merengue, anyone?
An automatic milk frother is the most modern and powerful type of milk frothers. Such a device runs on electricity and operates hands-free. An automatic milk frother consists of a power base, a carafe and a frothing disk. There are different types of automatic frothers with a wide range of features. Such frothers can prepare multiple beverages and cream-like drinks. It goes without saying that they provide excellent foam, much better compared to manual and handheld electric milk frothers.
With the help of a milk frother, you can even create latte art for you and your family. Check out the video to learn how you can easily master latte art at home:
What to Look for in a Milk Frother?
When shopping for a milk frother unprepared, you are very likely to be puzzled by the offering. To be able to find the best product for your needs, consider the following:
- Your budget. There are tons of different milk frothers for every budget. Decide how much you are willing to and are able to spend and search for products within your price range. Let us assure you: thanks to great market competition, you can get a good quality item for a very reasonable price. When choosing a product, pay attention to its features and customer feedback rather than the buzzword brand name.
- Brand. Even though I just recommended you not to chase an expensive brand just for the logo, I would also like to warn you against purchasing a no-name brand tool without reviews. You risk wasting your money if you do. Some poor quality milk frothers can pose a threat to human health as well.
- Features. Decide what you need your milk frother to do. The choice of a perfect product will differ greatly based on whether you need a simple device to aerate one cup of coffee each morning or a multi-purpose tool that can make barista-grade wonders on its own.
- Handiness. When shopping for a milk frother, don’t get too excited about an abundance of features. The handiness of use should never be compromised. In case you would like to take your milk frother with you on vacations, compactness is another thing to consider.
- Time consumption. Choose a frother that takes as little of your time as possible. Opt for a product that does the job right quickly and at the first attempt. I also believe that you wouldn’t like to spend a lot of time cleaning and maintaining your device.
- Flexibility and cleaning. When buying a milk frother, pay attention to the materials you are getting. Check out the cleaning and maintenance recommendations as well. Make sure a frother is not hard to wash. Always choose high-quality materials.
Now you know how to choose a milk frother for your needs. Take a look at the roundup of the top five products we’ve carefully selected to help you with the buying process.
Products Reviewed
These are my top 5 picks for milk frothers for lattes in 2019:
- All-in-one device
- Robust and durable
- Quiet and powerful
- Easy to operate, clean and store
If you are looking for an all-in-one device, this milk frother could be exactly what you are looking for. This high-powered device can froth milk for a latte, mix hot chocolate, matcha tea, chai tea and bulletproof coffee. What’s more, you can use it to mix protein powder, green powders and whip egg whites. No matter what milk you prefer, this device can froth it well in just a few seconds for you. The frother comes with a stylish stand, which takes away the storage problem. You can also keep the frother in your kitchen drawer easily, as it’s dimensions are only 9.9 x 2.9 x 2.8 inches.
Benefits:
- Multifunctional (fit for milk, coffee and tea drinks and more)
- Built with premium materials (18/10 food safe stainless steel)
- Quiet yet powerful motor (200 rotations per second)
- Compatible with any milk
- Easy cleaning - simply flush with hot water
- Easy to store - comes with a stand
- Sturdy construction
- Lifetime guarantee
Drawbacks:
- Not meant to work with thick substances like honey
- Operation slows down as the batteries weaken.
- No on-off switch. You have to hold down the power button throughout the operation.
- Not the most powerful milk frother you can find.
- Barista-grade creamy froth
- Multifunctionality
- Durability and rust resistance
- High-powered motor
- Easy to use, clean and store
Bean Envy Milk Frother is a premium handheld device that can help you get that perfect cup of latte in the comfort of your kitchen. This milk frother comes with a stainless steel stand for your convenience. It is easy to operate, clean and store. It’s very compact as well. The dimensions are 10 x 3 x 3 inches. It comes with an unconditional satisfaction guarantee and lifetime warrantyб so you can be sure about the quality of the product you are getting.
Benefits:
- Fast performance. It froths milk in under fifteen seconds.
- Portability: you can use it at home, take it to your office or on a trip.
- Suitable for mixing cold drinks, hot drinks, blending cocktails and whipping eggs in small quantities.
- Durable built quality. This frother is made of 304 rust-resistant stainless steel.
- Quiet yet powerful 1900 rpm motor
- Ergonomic silicone rubber handle
- Stable and non-vibrating shaft
- Includes a stainless steel stand for comfortable storage
Drawbacks:
- No on-off switch. You have to hold down the power button throughout the operation.
- Not suitable for chunky products and dense substances like honey.
- Inconvenient battery replacement
- Speedy performance: perfect froth in 15-20 seconds
- Compatible with cold and hot liquids
- High-quality stainless steel
- Lightweight and ergonomic
PowerLix Milk Frother is a stylish and powerful handheld device. One of the best features of this milk frother is that it is made of stainless steel which will not rust over time. The manufacturer supports their product with a 100% money-back guarantee. This tool can be used for mixing milkshakes, fruit drinks, cocktails, soups eggs and dressing. You can choose red or black color to match the style of your kitchen.
Benefits:
- Multifunctional. Suitable for hot and old milk and mixing other liquids
- A powerful yet quiet battery-powered motor(19000 rpm)
- Easy to replace the batteries, no tools needed
- Simple clean-up and storage
- Comfortable ergonomic handgrip
- Lightweight and practical to store due to a stand
- Affordable price
Drawbacks:
- No on-off switch. You have to hold down the power button throughout the operation.
- You need to hold down the firing button a certain way to ensure consistent frothing.
- The body of the milk frother is not waterproof.
- Double-wall protection
- Silent operation
- Ergonomic grip
- Temperature control
- Automatic switch off
This electric milk steamer for hot and cold milk comes at a slightly higher price than the models I described above. Yet, it’s a great value for the money. With the help of this milk frother, you can make hot dense foam, hot airy foam, hot milk and cold froth. This milk frother has a non-stick brush stainless steel interior which makes operation and cleaning so much easier. With VAVA Electric Milk Steamer, you can turn your regular cup of coffee into luxury within minutes!
Benefits:
- Powerful (400W)
- Automatic frothing and heating
- Metallic non-stick interior
- Solid and well-built
- Elegant interior
- Enough for all: 40ml capacity
- One-button operation
- Non-stick and scratch-resistant surface
- Four functions (hot dense foam, hot fluffy foam, heating and frothing cold milk)
Drawbacks:
- 0.65 m power cable might be too short for some kitchen counters
- Frothing cold milk takes about one minute.
- Maximum non-stop working time is limited to 220 seconds.
- Wouldn't work in 220V rated countries
- Food-grade stainless steel material
- Simple yet powerful
- One-button quiet operation
- Convenient stand
- Consistent dense froth with every use
A battery-powered milk frother from Elementi can get you a cup of perfect milk froth in less than a minute. This simple one-button device does the job well without overwhelming you with any operation and maintenance complications. This frother is a good choice for coffee lovers who are searching for a cost-effective solution with a good reputation.
Benefits:
- Affordable price
- Multifunctional
- Easy to use and clean
- Food-grade stainless steel shaft and whip
- One year warranty
- 30-day refund policy
- Quiet operation
- Suitable for matcha tea
- Comes with a measuring spoon and a stainless steel stand
Drawbacks:
- You need to hold down the firing button a certain way to ensure consistent frothing.
- Not safe for a dishwasher
- Not the most sturdy construction in the market
- Bamboo whisk requires careful handling.
My Top Pick: Bean Envy Milk Frother
As you can see, there is a milk frother for every need and for every budget. A clear winner of my roundup of milk frothers for lattes is Bean Envy Milk Frother. This handheld device is simple, sturdy and powerful enough to deliver a perfect frothing experience to you every day. It’s an affordable device, but not the cheapest one you can find.
Built of rust-resistant stainless steel, it will last you for years if you handle it as intended. Suitable for frothing regular and vegan milk, mixing drinks and liquid cocktails, this tiny device can be a great helper in every household.