Tired of your boring old coffee every morning? Trying to find a quick easy way to get that cafe’s taste and feel? Whether you are looking for a manual milk frother or electric, I am here to share with you the 10 best milk frothers on the market, so you can find the perfect frother for you!
One morning, I had a couple of extra minutes to spare, and, like all Americans today, I am trying to save a penny or two. I decided making coffee at home would save me time and money. I do not go for normal coffee. I wanted to upgrade my normal coffee into a cappuccino. I figured it might be simple enough to begin by frothing milk with my handheld blender.
Off to the kitchen I go on a mission of frugal deliciousness. After brewing the perfect cup of coffee in my old fashion hand press carafe, I set out to whip up a deep thick foam to put into my brew, that did not go well. Ultimately I ruined my outfit for the day and managed to be an hour late to work. Oh, and I did stop and buy a proper cappuccino from my favorite coffee drive-thru.
As I told the story to my work wife, she informed me about the low-priced handheld milk frother she loved. In fact, she believed it was the best handheld milk frother she has ever owned. What is that? Where do you find one of those? My outfit was totally adorable today, look at me! I decided that perhaps I could find one that I loved too.
Let the search for the best milk frothers begin, an excellent discovery! Some research (aka shopping on the internet) resulted in learning that there are three basic kinds of milk frothers available today. I thought to myself this will make a great story and help so many fellow coffee enthusiasts. I should keep a record of my findings and I’ll share them with you.
I did quite a lot of research and there are actually many devices to decide from. I started at the beginning with the handheld types my work wife had recommended. I narrowed down the choices by looking at the milk frother reviews on different sites and comparing the price of each type of frother. I ended up with a good list in each category.
I chose to only include the top-rated and that narrowed it down further. Then I decided to go for the highest priced and lowest priced. This made it much more manageable and enabled me to only list my top two best choices in each category above. I figure it saves everybody time and potentially money by limiting myself to two choices.
Many hours of reading reviews later I had narrowed my choices all the way down to these. So I got to go shopping, it is amazing that even during a pandemic lockdown we are still able to shop. Coffee and shopping are still my favorite pastimes.
Types of Frothers
Handheld
Handheld frothers are battery-operated whisks that you simply stick directly into your cup of milk to froth, sort of a mini immersion blender. The whisk spins continuously, and with mixes up and down motion with hand, the air gets whipped into the milk, creating milk foam.
They do not whip the milk to the frothiness as manual frothers or electric ones, making handheld frothers perfect for beginners. You also have to heat the milk after you’ve frothed it. With its low-cost, however, it is definitely worth trying to see if milk frothing is for you. You’ll end up enamored with homemade lattes, which may result in an upgrade later.
Automatic
Automatic frothers are electric-powered jugs with an induction whisk inside that heats the milk and spins to make consistently smooth and even foam. It also has the flexibility to froth cold milk. The electrical kind of milk frothers are costlier than handheld electronic ones or manual ones.
Steam Wand
Steam wands are built into espresso machines. The milk steamer pushes steam through a frother wand into the milk, creating fine and velvety milk foam.
Top 10 Best Milk Frothers
[amazon table=”39629″]
1. Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
[amazon box=”B07PFLM2LK” description=” ” rating=”4.8″]
If you’re trying to find a replacement coffee maker and love you some cappuccinos, this could be the most effective buy ever. Boasts single-serve brewing, five other brew sizes, up to a full carafe. Meaning, I can have my everyday cappuccino, and when my crazy beautiful sister is visiting, she can have her black coffee while the hubby has his espresso and the kids down the milk chocolate.
With this, you can craft many varieties of hot or cold drinks, including brewed coffee, ice coffee, lattes, macchiatos, and my favorite cappuccinos, courtesy of a milk frothing wand that folds away when you’re finished.
Sample customer review… The milk frother on this machine is amazing! I didn’t know that I would value it as much as I do. It folds in and out and comes on and off to clean, it’s quiet and froths quickly. It even comes with a scoop that attaches to the side telling you how many scoops you need for each cup/carafe size you choose. I am so impressed with this coffee maker, we’re excited to make coffee every morning! Buy this! You will not regret it.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
2. Breville BMF600XL Milk Cafe Milk Frother
[amazon box=”B004RCNJ9Q” description=” ” rating=”4.7″]
This is the foremost versatile milk frother I reviewed. it’s also among the biggest at about six inches in diameter and 10 inches tall. Its size is worthwhile if you’ve got multiple coffee drinkers in your world. There are measurement lines for frothing or simply for heating milk. There are two discs for frothing the foam to top lattes or cappuccinos, the discs stow away easily in the built-in compartment on the bottom of the frother.
A tremendous feature is temperature control, allowing you to decide on your perfect temperature from cold to 180ºF. I really like that it’s dishwasher safe. There’s a convenient measuring cup that doubles as the lid and also the machine automatically shuts off if it gets too hot.
Sample customer review…As a former barista, I can say this is my favorite frothing machine thus far. The previous machine either left the milk scorched, watered down from too much steam, not enough foam, or didn’t get hot enough. This little gem heats it to 140 with settings for cooler temperature or even just stirred.
It has two adapters that either create more foam (the cappuccino adapter) or less foam more milk (latte adapter). The maximum froth time creates thick foam. It’s very easy to clean. Simply remove the adapters and clean the pitcher And adapters separately; I use a bottle brush on the cappuccino adapter to get in between the coils.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
3. PowerLix Milk Frother Handheld Battery Operated Electric Foam Maker For Coffee
[amazon box=”B01BY9RTNQ” description=” ” rating=”4.6″]
This handheld frother has nearly 14,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. The whisk is formed of stainless-steel and it requires two AA batteries, making it portable. Battery operation means running out mid-frothing could happen. There’s a nifty kickstand to rest it on. This tiny powerhouse is quiet and can froth milk in about 30 seconds. One reviewer shared: “I LOVE this frother! I use it every morning to mix my bulletproof coffee. It’s super handy and convenient, especially since I don’t want to have to deal with a big mixer in the mornings”
Sample customer review… Use it to froth milk and it performs excellently each and every time. Simple clean-up and storage right on the countertop right next to your espresso machine or coffee maker. It’s well made and comfortable to hold. It feels as if it’s going to last.
Shortly after I received the frother, the owner of the company contacted me to see if I was happy with the product and even gave me some tips on how to use it (hold it at a 45-degree angle!). I was impressed by that and it made me feel even better about buying the product. Great item at a great price!
Read more reviews on Amazon.com.
4. Ninja Coffee Bar Easy Milk Frother
[amazon box=”B016ULW6T0″ description=” ” rating=”4.6″]
This Ninja milk frother is honestly one of my favorite milk frothers on this list. I like this one because it is powered by hand and it is very easy to work with. Frothing milk by hand is surprisingly not that hard and after trying this product, it was a bit hard to go to something else. This is why I consider this to be one of the best milk frothers in the market.
When using this product, you do not have to worry about finding batteries and it makes an excellent coffee topper for you and whomever you’d like to share it with. The ninja milk frother is made from glass and it comes with a rubber attachment just in case you want to microwave the milk for a warmer temperature.
Sample customer review…Perfect! This has the correct mechanism to make a full wonderful long-lasting froth! I use half & half and just a few pumps to make a delicious creamy froth! Don’t waste money on other ones (less expensive or battery).
Highly recommend this! There is a rubber grip around the middle, which is actually nice to hold on to straight out of the microwave when it’s really hot. This version also has markings to show you how high to fill the milk. No more guessing or measuring with another cup.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
5. Breville BES500BSS Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
[amazon box=”B07JVD78TT” description=” ” rating=”4.5″]
I love the thought of this machine, I’m not an espresso person so it’s not the right machine for me. However, it boasts a built-in coffee/espresso maker with a wand that pushes steam into milk to heat it and make foam. That is a rather amazing feat.
This Breville milk frother makes amazing microfoam rather like you’d find at the upscale baristas.Who does not envy the perfect froth of the baristas, and their cute little drawings in foam. This machine even allows you to pick the temperature and amount of froth. Plus, the steam wand automatically purges to clean with hot water after every use. Now that is super valuable to have when it will not fit into the dishwasher. It is a rather large machine so it takes up much of my counter space.
Sample customer review…The milk steamer is perfectly designed and easy to use and clean. So far I’m loving everything about it! It makes me happy to get out of bed every morning to use it. The Breville Bambino Plus is the perfect espresso machine for a beginner like me. I didn’t have to spend a fortune and certainly wasn’t going to spend over $2k for an espresso machine. I recommend this fun toy for the coffee and espresso lover. A+!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
6. Aerolatte Milk Foamer
[amazon box=”B0002KZUNK” description=” ” rating=”4.4″]
Aerolatte created the very first handheld frother. They designed a tiny low but perfect for people with limited space and who travel with appliances. It is lightweight and easy to use, they even include your first two AA batteries.
I prefer the stainless-steel whisk attachment which is simple to wash, just run the frother inside of a cup of hot soapy water, rinse, and dry. It comes with a two-year warranty, the longest of all the milk frothers the longest of those I researched. This Aerolatter milk frother comes in multiple colors, including an amusing cow print.
Sample customer review…Just tried this and it’s so easy. Being a fan of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato’s, I wanted to be able to make a Java treat at home, but was a little skeptical. The Aerolatte Stainless-Steel Deluxe Edition Frother with Stand, Chrome was definitely not a disappointment. It was fast, easy, and created a creamy rich, not watery, tasting froth/latte.
Best of all the frother is ready to use out of the box (after washing) and comes with batteries. Also, the stand is a great convenience to keep the frother accessible and keeps the coffee/beverage area neatly organized and nice to look at.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
7. Zulay Super High Powered Rechargeable Milk Frother & Milk Foamer for Coffee
[amazon box=”B07T8BP32Q” description=” ” rating=”4.3″]
The Zulay Super High Powered Rechargeable Milk Frother is a pretty great milk frother. It is non-battery operated which gives anyone who’s always frantically looking for batteries for their new gadgets a break. This Milk frother is also cool because it is able to froth and foam your milk topping for your coffee with the different mixers that come with the device. Another great feature this frother has is its ability to whisk fast. The fast whisking can help greatly with making your foam and froth tastier.
Sample customer review…I have used this frother every day for over a month. Only charged it twice. It is very powerful, but, the description says “High Powered”. Yes, it does cause the volcano effect…lol. But…I use a 16-ounce coffee mug filled halfway. I use 4 ounces or less… Minimum level on frothing pitcher 100 ml.
I use almond milk. It will triple volume to 12 ounces, which is the normal capacity of the frothing pitcher. I just ordered a medium size 16-ounce frothing pitcher. Perfect! For $16.99 and if you ever have a problem Zulay will “make it right”. I highly recommend this milk frother and this company! Thanks, Zulay!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
I have to admit that having foam on my coffee, cappuccinos and even hot cocoa has now become an obsession. The hand-held devices are super simple to wash and stored easily in my drawer. I could have stopped there but I may have become obsessive about getting the right foam. More research and shopping and these are the most effective frothers found. Time to brew some coffee with froth.
8. Froth Labs Milk Frother
[amazon box=”B08GP9PFWG” description=” ” rating=”4.4″]
This milk frother is one of the best milk frothers that is in the jug category. This frother is meeting all of the criteria of a great milk frother due to it being an automatic whisk, it is easy to clean, and it is easy to use. It also comes with LED buttons on the side of the frother which allows you to adjust the temperature of the froth and what type of froth you want. This machine is also great for anyone looking for a quick froth to top your delicious morning treat. This frother is able to complete everything in less than 90 seconds.
I also adore this frother because of its versatility. It is able to froth different types of milks like; creamer, whole milk, 2% milk, 1% milk, oat milk, and many more. Another plus that this frother has is that it is a sight for sore eyes. This frother is stylish giving your counter space a chic look.
Sample customer review…I rarely write reviews – but this little machine so surpassed my expectations that I feel compelled to share. I was looking for a milk frother to make green tea lattes at home. I did my research and this was the highest-rated machine – still, I had my doubts. I am happy to report that this little machine is perfect.
Every use delivers thick, delightful froth – and my green tea lattes are superior to any that I have ever had anywhere! I have used the machine with oat milk (my favorite) and almond mild (also quite yummy) and every batch is perfect. Even my husband – who doesn’t even like lattes – is now eager to have a little froth in his morning coffee! I am going to try for the perfect chai tea latte next!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
9. Bodum Bistro Electric Milk Frother
[amazon box=”B07CNG6RM7″ description=” ” rating=”4.3″]
The Bodum Electric Milk Frother is my favorite thanks to its performance, one-touch ease, and low price. Many of the frothers at this price range are manual or hand-held, this one is electrical and froths milk in about one minute. It even heats the milk while it froths, exactly what I was looking for to give super foam to my morning cappuccinos. This features a large capacity of 10 ounces, but 8 ounces is suggested for the most effective results. I really like the markings on the inside for measurement.
Sample customer review…I actually saw this product in a video recipe. Someone was making a pumpkin tea latte and used one of these for the steamed and frothed milk. I immediately headed to Amazon to look, and there it was! This gem is perfect for my latte/cappuccino needs. It is a single serving (or double depending on how much milk you put in), it’s small for easy storage, it steams and froths milk really quickly, and it works great! Cleaning is easy too.
I’m sure I could just rinse it out, but I choose to rinse it then put a cup of water in and let it cycle through. Another huge plus is that if you use some of the steamed/frothed milk and don’t get back for a second cup for a bit, this keeps track of the temperature of the milk, and when it cools to a certain point, it will kick back on and steam/froth the milk again. It will do this until you turn it off, by the way, so remember to turn it off if you’re done. I am really happy that you can use almond milk (and others) as well as regular milk.
I’ve even put some of the flavored non-dairy creamers (mixed with the almond milk) in and have not had a problem. If you’re looking for a single/double serve milk steamer/frother, you can’t go wrong with this! So much easier than buying one of the huge bulky machines!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
As you’ll see from above there’s a good difference in price for essentially the identical outcome. I could have stopped here with the jugs and would have been content to not explore further options. I’m this far into the journey so I made a decision to go further on the journey by trying out the built-in wand machines and see what I loved. After more research and shopping these are the most effective milk frothers I found.
10. Mr. Coffee 4-Cup Steam Espresso System with Milk Frother
[amazon box=”B000U6BSI2″ description=” ” rating=”4.1″]
The final frother in this list is a dual machine that is able to brew coffee and create a foam/froth topping for your coffee. This product is able to brew 4 espresso-sized cups of coffee and it also has a nozzle of the side of the machine that allows you to make yourself a frothed drink. The frother on the machine is said in the comments section of amazon it makes great foam for lattes and cappuccinos.
This dual coffee and froth machine is great for anyone who is looking to be a barista or for beginner coffee lovers.
Sample customer review…I was surprised that this cheap little machine had higher ratings than so many more expensive models, so it seemed like a no-brainer. It arrived last week and so far, I’m very impressed. It makes good espresso and I’m especially impressed by how well it froths the milk. Steaming milk tends to be a noisy process, but this machine is the quietest I’ve used.
It’s also fast- I’ve typically started the milk in the microwave to speed up the process, but with this machine, it goes from fridge to frothy in only a couple of minutes. The foam is also robust enough that the caramel sits on top before it settles down, which is more difficult to accomplish with the skim milk I use.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
Buying Guide: Things to Consider When Purchasing the Best Milk Frother
How often will it be used?
Are you looking to make multiple foamy beverages a day or is it intended for special occasions? If you plan on using your frother often, purchasing an electric frother is highly suggested due to them being faster and more convenient. A bonus is that most battery-powered handheld frothers have an extremely long life so of course there is no need to charge or plug in but you do not have to change the batteries often either.
What Features are a must?
Do you mind heating your milk in the microwave before frothing or do you want a machine that does that for you? How much milk do you need to froth at one time? Some frothing machines only hold so much liquid at once. What is your price range? These are things you need to consider. One of the coolest things about milk frothers is they can have multiple uses as well. Do you plan on using them for soups, sauces, and other beverages too? If so, a handheld option is highly suggested.
What type works for you?
Between electronic plug in, battery powered, and manual frothers, you must decide what type best fits your intended usage and budget. Some individuals may prefer manual frothers just for their aesthetic pleasure or cultural preferences. There is of course always the option of picking up two different kinds for different uses and events as well. This is totally possible with their being hundreds of options all at different price points.
How important is style?
Frothers are available as counter machines or handheld. They come in a large variety of colors and styles to fit your kitchen decor needs. One of the most important things to consider when focusing on style is if you want your frother to be displayed or will it be put away when it is not being used. Also, some individuals would prefer functionality over style while some are quite the opposite.
What is your Budget?
After deciding on all the previously mentioned topics, you can begin the exciting journey of finding the frother that meets all of your needs. Luckily, frothers come at all different price points. To make it an even easier shopping experience, every price point, style, and type of frother can be found on Amazon.com. The number one rated frother from Amazon can be purchased for less than $20!
Conclusion
So there they are. I went through all different kinds of froth creation. Thick, thin, bubbly, milk-based, and non-milk based to narrow down the list to the top two in the three categories.
My journey of discovery has led me to the complete truth of my love, my true love of froth. Coffee was made for froth and froth was made for coffee. Nothing tops your perfect cup of brew like the perfect spoonful of froth. The most memorable part of a morning is the first inhale, the smell of my coffee while feeling the warm froth on my top lip.
One important takeaway from this product list is that you don’t need to splurge on the latest and greatest Nespresso frother to achieve cafe-worthy milk froth. There are plenty of milk frother models and options that are both, efficient and budget-friendly.
Now that I have worked with all the choices above and tried several different methods and kinds of froths and frothers, I find I still love the Jug style overall. It’s simple, efficient, and doesn’t take up my much-loved counter space. I hope that sharing my story helps you bring the thrill of froth to your coffee every day. Cappuccinos forever.
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Written by Leanne Kendrick and Michaela Rossman
