Milk frothers come in many forms - some handheld, some for your kitchen countertop; some cheap, some pricy; some for hot milk, some for cold. So which is best for you?
The best milk frothers you can buy
1. Aerolatte To Go Handheld milk frother
At a mere £10, the Aerolatte is the cheapest frother on this list - and the smallest, too. When you’re not using it, you can simply pop it in its tube and tuck it away in a kitchen drawer. Despite the budget price tag, it gives you a surprising amount of control: the deeper it goes, the frothier the milk. That said, you’ll need to practice a little, otherwise, you’ll end up with bubbles, rather than smooth, silky froth. It runs on two AA batteries, which are included.
Another reasonably priced frother, the Vonshef heats milk to approximately 65C and froths it up in a matter of seconds (something that more expensive rivals struggle to do as well). It won’t deliver the barista-quality drinks you can expect from the higher-end machines on this list, but it does an impressive job. While the frother itself is cordless, it sits on a plug-in recharging unit, so you’ll need a spare socket in your kitchen.
This shiny black machine is easy and well-designed, consistently delivering excellent hot milk, regardless of how much you put in. The glass lid lets you monitor what’s going on, and then a well-designed spout delivers the resulting foam. One slight drawback: although the whisk and lid are dishwasher-safe, the instructions advise you to remove them before the drying cycle.
This machine is as fast as it is stylish and quiet as it is simple. The capacity is small (120ml if you’re frothing milk, 240ml if you’re just heating) but the end result is super-smooth and silky. There’s only one button, which you press quickly for hot milk and hold down for cold frothy milk - all very simple. And the non-stick interior makes it easy to clean.
The Lavazza brand has 120 years of experience to its name, and this gadget does the Italian company’s reputation justice. There is plenty to appreciate here: the removable jug, the removable frothing discs - even the ability to add chocolate powder directly. It’s an absolute doddle to operate and does a quick job to boot.
A milk frother that heats up to 300ml to 60-degrees in seconds, this kitchen gadget from CHINYA has won fans for its ability to create super-thick froth and a gorgeously smooth texture. The results can be used in either hot or cold drinks across the year, and its non-stick coating and included cleaning brush means you won't be left scrubbing at the sink after each use.
Handheld, battery-powered electric frothers can die, letting you down in your hour of need. Not so this old-school milk frother from Judge - all you need is a hob and a spot of elbow grease and you can rustle up some warm frothed milk. It does require a tad more attention than the other frothers in this round-up - don’t let that milk burn! - but provided you pump the plunger for a good 15-20 seconds, it’s pretty straightforward. Its voluminous 800ml capacity means you can produce enough milk for an entire round of coffees.
And here’s the show-stopper in our list. While Nespresso’s Barista doesn’t look a class above the average milk frother, it’s an astonishingly versatile machine. It can produce a mighty 13 different drinks, including iced coffee and hot chocolate. All you need to do is add all the necessary ingredients. There are no buttons: instead, you scroll through an easy-to-use LED touch display. Even better, it can be paired with an app that offers recipe suggestions (Viennese-style coffee, anyone?). Perhaps the one real weakness of the Barista is the noise it makes - but it’s worth it for a top-class brew.
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