So now that you have the best espresso maker, and are making some of the finest shots around, its time you upgrade or add a milk frother to your list of appliances. Frothing milk and adding it to your espresso provides you with a unique and delicious beverage that anyone can enjoy. It really enhances the look of the coffee also and makes for a great dessert. Buy an electric milk frother for the first time can be a little overwhelming. There are literally hundreds out there that vary in price and function. Really what it comes down to is how much your willing to spend and what features you will require. For many, a $20 milk frother is plenty and has all the features required to satisfy. For others that are a little more critical of their espresso, a more expensive higher end model in preferred. No matter what your budget, there is a frother that is right for you. Before we list out our top ten picks, let’s take a look at some things to consider before purchasing.
- is it easy to clean?
- does it heat the milk to your desired temperature?
- will you be using it often – putting a lot of wear on it?
- is it difficult to use?
- how long / efficient / speed levels does the appliance have or need?
- how much are you willing to spend ?
Milk frothers produce a warm, textured, air filled topping, that is added to your espresso. Some can produce the foam in a matter of seconds, with absolutely minimal sounds. Others may require some time to heat up and operate. Below are our picks for 2019.
Top 10 Best Milk Frother Reviews
1. Breville BMF600XL Cafe Milk Frother
This Shiny Chrome Breville Milk Frother looks good and makes good froth yet has a few things to keep in mind. The frother has a nice temperature control to ensure a warm delicious froth. This temperature control is controlled by a nice looking dial in the front of the machine. The machine only takes about three to four minutes to make delicious frothed milk.
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Works with different kinds of milk
Many people enjoy that this machine it makes great hot chocolate and there does not seem to make too much of a difference in what type of milk you put in the machine. The machine can hold up to three cups of milk. This makes this milk frother good for when you have company.
Price factor
The price is a little on higher side, but it will well pay for itself after all the money you save by not buying the fancy drinks at the café. The combination old school look with chrome material makes it perfect to fit in any kitchen. This machine really allows you the ultimate control over temperature and time.
Low noise
The noise level is very low and does not interrupt a conversation. This Breville product is perfect for the working couple who rush around in the morning getting ready for work yet love to start their day with a tasty cup of coffee. There is a one year warranty on the product. The company will work with you to make sure you are happy with the product.
Pros
- Looks good
- Froths all kinds of milk
- Temperature control dial
- Hold three cups of milk
Cons
- A little more expensive than others
- Only a one year warranty
2. Epica Automatic Heater and Milk Frother
More reasonably priced is the Epic Milk Frother, coming in just under $50.00. This milk frother does good job. This particular frother is perfect for one person and two at the most. The frother can froth only one cup of a milk at a time. This machine is able to froth milk within a couple of minutes. This is not a problem, because it ensures freshness every time.
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Hot or cold froth
A nice feature with this frother is you can have frothed milk either hot or cold, depending on your taste. 1/3 to 1/2 of a cup of milk poured into the machine is ideal for making the froth. The temperature of the milk does not go over 140 degrees in the machine. If you like burning hot milk then this may not be the machine for you. Companies do not want to burn their customers so people who like piping hot milk may have to heat their milk at home and use a manual milk frother. A cool froth of milk is ideal for this machine. Cool milk during the summer can make a drudgery day, fabulous.
Warranty
Another nice feature of this Epica frother is that the company stands behind their product and offers a two year warranty. If you should have trouble with this unit the company will help you out with your appliance to solve the problem.
Pros
- Two year warranty
- Stainless steel
- Easy rinse cleaning with a detachable carafe
Cons
- Not as snazzy looking as others
- Froths only one cup of milk at a time
3. HIC Stainless Steel No Electricity Milk Frother
This fashionably designed stainless steel milk frother not only looks good but is very low cost. For under twenty dollars, you can have a tasty milk froth on top of your coffee right in the comfort of your home, no electricity needed. With just under twenty seconds of hand pumping and strong designed frothing technology, you will have a fabulous froth for the top of your favorite cup of coffee. This milk frother is a fan favorite for ease of use and ability to take it anywhere.
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Works with coconut and soy milk
There is low to no noise level with this machine. It is easy to clean. All you have to do is put the parts on the top rack of your dishwasher and the unit is clean. Stainless steel makes it durable, easy to clean, and helps the product last for a long time. You can add many different kinds of milk to this great looking frother coconut, cashew, soy, regular milk, and more actually work in this manual milk frother.
For those who love hot milk
This frother is ideal for those who want create really hot milk on the stove or in the microwave and then pour it in the frother. People who do not like nonstick products would really love this product as well. It is made of stainless steel inside and out.
Pros
- Dishwasher safe
- All Stainless Steel
- No Non Stick material
- Inexpensive
- Makes creamy froth without power
Cons
- You have to put effort into frothing the milk
- If you want hot milk you have to heat it first from another heat source
4. Secura Electric Milk Frother
This detachable based milk frother is a moderately priced electric frother with many different features. This particular frother comes in several different sizes 250ml, 300ml, and 500ml. There is one small secret to cleaning this product and that is the milk that tends to burn on the bottom. The milk just needs to be wiped out with a little water and a paper towel. Cleaning is always a task with any appliance. You cannot submerge this machine in water.
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Makes great lattes
You have the ability to make both hot and cold milk froths and warm milks for lattes and cappuccinos. There is a button that allows for this temperature difference. The stainless steel of the exterior vacuum insulted canister is quality and very durable. This machine has been hailed for its ability to froth all different types of milk almond, soy, and more yet it is warned not to overuse this machine. Secura Frother froths half and half as well.
Recommended for light use
One coffee in the morning and one at night or mid-afternoon is ideal for this machine. Secura is proud of their product and offers a two year warranty with the purchase of all the different size frothers.
Pros
- Great design
- Bright On/Off indicator buttons
- Makes both hot and cold froth milks
- Free Cleaning Brush
Cons
- Does not make a lot of froth at one time
- Can only hold a small amount of milk
5. Nespresso Aeroccino Electric Milk Frother
This modern style milk frother will froth cold milk in about seventy seconds. It has a beautiful chrome outside and state of the art design. Reviewers have noticed that this appliance works really well with as little as 1/3 a cup of milk to make a nice neat milk froth. There are maximum and minimum indicators that come in handy when pouring the milk for frothing.
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Rinse out to clean
This appliance has manageable clean up but you cannot put this in the dishwasher. It is suggested that you wipe the milk out immediately after every use and run some warm water and rinse out after every use. There is no warranty that comes with the product but you can buy a two to three year warranty. This would be good for light use. The frother makes both hot and cold milk froth.
Pros
- Respected brand
- Easy On/Off button
- Modern design
Cons
- Only makes enough froth for one coffee at a time
6. Chef Star Premium Automatic Milk Frother
In a little over a minute this fashionably styled chrome milk frother will make you delicious frothed milk in a little over a minute. Competitively priced at just under fifty dollars this frother has three setting hot milk, hot froth, and cold froth. The appliance holds about a cup of milk. When you want to froth milk you will only put ½ a cup of milk because of the ½ cup takes up one cup of space once the milk is frothed.
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Not for heating water
Just to be clear, this machines are for warming and frothing milk, not water. They are designed for milk only. The Chef Star frother is perfect for a single person who loves their frothy milk anytime of the day. This particular machine you have to wash by hand. The best way to clean these machines is with a rinse with warm water and then wipe out remaining milk residue. At the touch of a button you are set for a nice froth for your coffee. This machine is reviewed as doing the job for simple milk frothing and heating, but it does not work quite as well as other machines in this line-up. This is for light use milk frothing.
Pros
- Froths milk quickly
- Sleek design
- Heats the milk
- Competitively priced
Cons
- Not quite so good on multiple frothing
- For single use a day for best results
7. Nespresso Aeroccino Retro Style Frother
This cool looking Retro style milk frother will not only look awesome in your kitchen but it makes a modern delicious milk froth topping for your favorite coffee. If latte or cappuccino is your favorite this appliance has you covered. With the possibility for making both hot and cold froth, this Nespresso machine will be your early morning best friend.
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Bright Red Color
A nice feature for this machine is the automatic shut-off. You can press the button and only go back to the machine to clean it. Nespresso a well-respected name in coffee backs this particular appliance with a one year limited manufacturer’s warranty. One of the greatest features of this machine is how cool it looks. The bright red color and the ribbed design fits great in Mid Century Modern style or any modern style kitchen. This product is highly recommended as one customer has used it well over a thousand times and it is still working well.
Pros
- Mid Century Modern design
- Auto shutoff
- Makes extremely hot frothed milk
Cons
- Not dishwasher safe
8. Philippe Taglioni Electric Frother Jug
A nice addition to your kitchen appliances is this Philippe Taglioni Milk Frother which serves up a nice froth of milk to save you money and time. This frother has stainless steel outside and a nonstick interior as a modern convenience. Some of the delicious drinks that can be made with this frother are hot chocolates, cappuccinos, and lattes. Of course, it makes a nice milk froth as well. In a minute and a half you will have the froth of your choice ready with this appliance.
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Use ½ cup of milk or less
This frother not only works with non-fat milk and fat milk, but soy milk and almond milk work just as well in here. You can make a cup of hot milk for lattes. It is important to note, when you are making the milk froth then you only add ½ cup of milk so the machine has enough room to create the froth. The milk always doubles in size when making froth. This frother has a push button to turn the machine on.
Manufacturer’s warranty
Cleaning of this froth is the same as most electric frothers, you will detach it from its base and run warm water inside the frother. You can pour the water out and then you will need to clean out milk residue with a paper towel. The Philippe Taglioni Company believes in their great frother and provides 100% satisfaction or your money back. There is also a two year manufacturer’s warranty on this product.
Pros
- Reasonably priced
- Froths milk in seconds
- Money back guarantee
Cons
- It is only stainless steel on the outside
9. Deluxe Kuissential Automatic Milk Frother
Priced a little higher than most average frothers, this milk frother will make you a nice cup of hot milk and/or frothy milk. At around sixty dollars this is a nice choice for a modern kitchen with many satisfied coffee drinkers. This frother is good for froth for two cups of coffee at a time. This machine works well with almond milk, half and half, organic milk works really well and more.
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Detachable Base
There is a detachable base which allows you to be able to clean easier yet you cannot submerge this frother in water or put it in the dishwasher. As with most electric frothers, in order to clean the inside you rinse with a little warm water and then wipe the milk residue out. Cleaning should be done after every usage. This machine has the nice shiny stainless steel exterior that most frothers have and then a nonstick inside. There is also a bright blue easy to use push button to turn the machine on. This appliance is a one touch machine.
One Touch Machine
With one touch it does everything you need to do for frothing and heating milk. Kuissential stands by their products and provides a two year warranty on this particular frother. The capacity is for a ½ cup of milk to make the froth for one delicious cup of coffee. You can make an eight ounce cup of hot milk. The frother is able to make either hot milk or hot froth within one minute. This is a decent choice when it comes to frothers. The price is 60.00 dollars for about the same functions you can buy for between forty and fifty dollars.
Pros
- Reasonably priced
- Makes both hot and cold froth
- Makes froth quickly
Cons
- Not so well brand name
10. MatchaDNA Handheld Battery Operated Frother
With all these great looking frothers, with all their features it may seem funny to include this low priced battery operated frother, but this frother actually works well. It can make milk froth and an excellent latte or cappuccino. To have the milk hot, you will just have to heat the milk on medium on the stove or heat it up in the microwave. For those people who want burning hot milk, this milk frother is for you.
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Low Noise Frother
This frother will not make the stiffest nor the creamiest froth you have ever had, but it will make a good enough froth to satisfy you. These frothers will not last as long as the other frothers, but there is a 60 day guarantee. The part that froths the milk is made out of quality and durable stainless steel. You will have to rinse this frother every time you use it. The frother does not go in the dishwasher. This frother makes froth in less than five minutes. This frother makes barely any noise at all.
Money back Guarantee
At seven dollars and two AA batteries you can have a milk frother anywhere, anytime with the MatchaDNA Milk Frother. Something to keep in mind with this frother is that you will have to find your own container to store this frother. You can put it in a tall jar. Handle side down is the best option. Your 100% satisfaction is guaranteed with this milk frother it comes with a 60 day money back guarantee. You will be pleasantly surprised with this battery operated milk frother t how well it works to create the froth for your favorite coffees.
Pros
- Very inexpensive
- Does the job of frothing milk
- Take it anywhere with you
- Battery operated
- Easy rinse off cleaning after use
- Lightweight
Cons
- Not as stiff of froth as the more expensive frothers
- You have to warm your own milk
4 Popular Types of Milk Frothers
1. Electric Milk Frother
The electric milk frother is the most popular milk frother right now. Electric Milk frothers are another easy answer to milk frothing. They eliminate having to have an extra cup for the milk. You just simply plug the machine in the wall, and pour cold milk into the frother which looks like a small tea kettle. You push the button on the froth.
Less work
The machine does all the work and then you scoop out the delicious frothed milk and add it to your favorite coffee. The whole process takes one to two minutes depending on the machine. You will have yourself café quality frothed milk in no time with an electric frother.
Worth the money
The electric frothers are the most expensive of all the frothers, but they do save you time and you get the best results. The electric frother is suitable for almost everyone. It is probably the most versatile frother, and saves a little bit of time compared to the other frothers.
2. Handheld Milk Frother
Battery powered milk frothers may look small, but you will be very surprised at how well they work. Battery powered milk frothers actually work quite well. They are a very easy to clean up, store, and use.
Easy to use
All you do is place the milk frother in a hot cup of milk and turn the frother on. The spiral metal frother at the end of the handle and stem creates a nice froth that is acceptable for a delicious morning coffee. It may not get as stiff froth as other types of milk frothers, but the froth is acceptable.
Easy to clean
The nice thing is that most are easy to clean. Clean the spiral head right away with a rinse in a little soap and water and then let dry and that is it. You can wipe it off with a sponge if you want and then rinse. These frothers are small and take up very little storage space. These frothers are the cheapest out of all the frothers and work pretty well.
Have two frothers
A battery powered frother is great for those who are not overly picky about the stiffness of their milk froth. It is always good to have a battery operated one handy wherever you are. You can easily buy a battery operated frother and an electric frother and never be without frothed milk.
3. Hand-pump Milk Frother
Manual Milk frothers are excellent for anywhere. They nice thing is they do not require you to plug them in. You just simply pour the milk into the pitcher and then pump anywhere from fifteen to twenty times. The pumping makes the frothing mechanism inside the machine froth up the milk.
You control the temperature
The manual milk frothers work great. You do have to heat the milk somewhere else with the manual frothers. You will either heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave. This milk frother requires extra effort from you to create the froth. You will be doing the pumping action.
Great for everyone
Manual frothing is great for single people. It is also would be great for campers or people with RV’s. Anywhere where electricity is precious or anywhere where there is no electricity, a manual frother would work well. You could put in almond milk or soy milk and have a special coffee wherever you are with a manual frother.
4. Steam Milk Frother
Most espresso machines have a steam frother on the side of the espresso machine. It is usually a thin stainless steel bar that comes out like an arm. You turn a knob that lets out burning hot steam. You can control the steam with the knob. When you go to a café the froth of your coffee whether a cappuccino, latte, or just a stiff froth on top will come from a steam frother.
The heat of the espresso machine
The principle behind the steam frother is basically the coffee machine is already hot when you make the espresso or coffee. The machine will use part of the heated water you add to the water tank, mix it with air, and create the steam to froth the milk.
How does it work?
You will hold a stainless steel cup of measured cold milk under the frother, and the steam does the work to create a beautiful froth. You do not hold the arm all the way in the milk. You put the arm about 1/3 of the way into the milk. The milk will bubble up and your froth is created. It is delicious. Steam frothers are perfect for people who enjoy espresso.
Everybody’s happy
They are also great for people who have a coffee machine that has both a coffee maker and an espresso maker on it. This way if there are two different tastes in a household, everyone is made happy. Most espresso makers will have a steam milk frother on it.
6 Factors When Choose The Best Milk Frother?
1. Cost
How much money do you have to spend is the first thing you want to think about when buying a milk frother. Thankfully with this appliance there is a milk frother for every budget. You could even buy the hand held battery operated one while saving up for a fancier milk frother that makes a stiffer froth.
It is important to note that if it is not a simple coffee where you add your own cream then the cost of a coffee in a coffee shop is pretty expensive with frothy milk. Making your own fancy coffee at home will save you hundreds of dollars. Buying whichever milk frother you want will pay for itself in no time.
2. Design
A nice neat kitchen is always important. Most of these milk frothers have modern designs with mostly shining chrome materials. The Nespresso brings a little pizazz to the table with its retro red frother. It is important to like the look of an appliance you will probably use every morning.
These frothers are perfect to fit any type of kitchen designs. The modern designs fit really well with modern style of course. Almost all of the frothers are rather small. They are comparable to the size of a coffee can. The buttons for pushing and the mechanisms for performing the job are excellent on every single one of these milk frothers.
3. Clean-up
Your options for clean-up vary. There is the frother you can put in the dishwasher. The one you have to rinse out. The hand held battery ones can just be rinsed off, and the manual frother fits perfectly in the dishwasher. Most electric ones you cannot put in the dishwasher, you will have to clean them out after every use. Remember milk can dry stiff and not clean up easy once it is dry.
You definitely have to rinse and then wipe with a paper towel, every time with electric frothers. This is for the safety and longevity of the machine. If you do not like wiping things out and constantly cleaning then a dishwasher safe frother is for you, or the hand held battery operated frother that can just be rinsed off.
4. Does it froth different types of milk?
In a world of organic and many people no longer wanting just cow’s milk in the coffee, it is important to buy a milk frother that has the ability to froth your favorite milk. You may like soy, coconut, almond, hemp, or any one of the others that are made now.
It is important to note that some brands if milks froth betters. The first milk that all these manufacturers guarantee to froth is cow’s milk. Different percent milks produce different effects. If you like a different milk other than cow’s milk, just make sure to buy a milk frother that can handle your type of milk.
5. Temperature
Some like it hot and some want a cool whip of froth on top their warm coffee, it is your preference of course. You want to buy a frothing machine that is going to fit your temperature needs.
Some frothers will not get hot enough for certain people. You may have to make your own hot milk which means you can spend less on a frother, because the temperature control frothers will not get the job done for you.
6. Froth
A stiff froth and a thick froth with less bubbles seems to be the fan favorite. A really good stiff and creamy froth is going too made by the electric frothers.
The next best froth will come from a steam frother on an espresso machines. The next best froth will come from the manual pumped frothers, and the battery operated frothers will make the least stiff froth. If you are super picky about a stiff froth then an electric frother is the perfect machine for you.
Final Thoughts
The best milk frother is all you need to delight your coffee and other frothed drinks.
All these appliances are exciting for making milk froth for your favorite latte, hot chocolate, and more. Remember the first job that the frother is supposed to do is froth milk, everything else is just a bonus.
Your choice of a milk frother will boil down to your specific needs. The choices really depend on how much effort you want to put into milk frothing or how much effort you want the machine to put out.
Many people are pleased with all of these milk frothers and they come highly recommended. It is well worth the money to buy a frother as the price of having a nice cup of coffee with delicious froth on top goes up. However you choose, you are guaranteed that anyone of these milk frothers are one of the best milk frothers on the market.