Whether you’re preparing a latte or want to take your hot chocolate up a notch, a milk frother can help you produce a drink with a smooth, creamy texture. Quality frothed milk is the hallmark of a good latte or cappuccino, but milk frothers can also be used to prepare drinks such as a caffe misto or a London fog tea. We’ve picked out some of the best stand-alone milk frothing options to add to your kitchen arsenal, with different options for your varying needs.
Miroco Milk Frother
The Miroco Milk Frother is a great milk frother at an excellent price. Place the stainless steel pitcher upon its base and fill up to the desired line to begin. The Miroco has three separate modes for frothing cold milk, frothing and heating cold milk, or only heating cold milk. If you aren’t heating up and frothing milk for a hot latte, you can top a cold latte with cold foam using the non-heated frothing setting. Miroco also includes two replacement whisks in the box, so you always have an option available when you need it. The Miroco Milk Frother can hold up to 3.9 ounces of milk for frothing or up to 8.1 ounces for heating; the device can reach a maximum temperature of 149 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nespresso Aeroccino3 Milk Frother
Nestle’s Nespresso brand has been enabling espresso drinkers to get their fix for quite some time, but if you want to add some frothy goodness to your drinks, some of the company’s machines demand a stand-alone milk frother. Of course, just because Nespresso designs the Aeroccino3 Milk Frother, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it on its own or with machines from other brands. While the Aeroccino3 is a more expensive option, some espresso fans may simply want it because it matches their Nespresso unit’s design. Either way, the device works well when both frothing and heating milk, supporting up to 240 milliliters of liquid at 158 degrees Fahrenheit.
Zulay Original Milk Frother
If you don’t want a milk frother taking up space on your countertop, consider this small handheld unit, which can help supply your latte and cappuccino needs. Powered by two AA batteries, the unit still manages to be powerful enough to help you whisk up your drinks. We also appreciate that Zulay includes a stand with the unit, so if you want to keep it on your counter, you have a nifty way to keep it standing. The Zulay is also great for whipping up other types of drinks beyond lattes, including protein drinks, cocktails, and matcha teas. Just remember that this gadget is only a milk frother; it does not heat the milk, so you will need to do that ahead of time using a microwave or other kitchen appliances.
Secura Electric Automatic Milk Frother
Here’s another excellent option for preparing your espresso drinks or hot chocolate. The Secura Electric Automatic Milk Frother features a handy stainless steel milk carafe with a jug spout. One of our favorite features is that the jug can be easily detached from the base and cleaned in the dishwasher — no more scrubbing over the sink. The Secura also sports three different modes for hot frothing, cold frothing, and milk heating. The stainless steel jug has a maximum milk capacity of up to 250ml, so you can prepare multiple drinks with the single press of a button if needed.
Bodum Latteo Manual Milk Frother
If you’re seeking a non-electric milk frother, our favorite pick is from a company that knows its way around tea and coffee — Bodum. The Latteo is a manual milk frother that looks similar to a French press. Fill the frother with up to 8 ounces of milk, and push the plunger up and down to create airy foam in less than 30 seconds. We love the Bodum, as it also makes an excellent option for those looking for a quick way to produce cold foam. The entire unit is also dishwasher safe, so cleanup is one less thing to worry about. As we would expect from Bodum, the Latteo uses safe Borosilicate glass and feels like a premium product.
HadinEEon Milk Frother
The HadinEEon Milk Frother first caught our eye thanks to its angular design, but it isn’t only easy on the eyes; it works great, too. In only one to two minutes, the frother can produce milk foam perfect for a latte or cappuccino. Different modes are easily selectable via the controls on the front of the unit and allow you to froth hot milk, froth cold milk, or merely heat milk. The HadinEEon features a maximum milk frothing capacity of 130ml and a maximum milk heating capacity of 300ml. Milk heats up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which may be a bit too cool for some, but we find it sufficient. The HadinEEon Milk Frother also features a 3-year warranty just in case something happens to go wrong.
Souvia Automatic Milk Frother and Steamer
The Souvia is a more expensive option than some milk frothers, but we’re huge fans of the unit’s built-in selectable temperature control. While most milk frothers shut off when reaching a pre-programmed temperature, the Souvia allows you to select your ideal milk frothing heat level between 120 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The unit’s ability to reach 180 degrees also makes it one of the hottest milk frothing options on our list. The included milk jug can heat up to 700ml of milk or 350ml of foam. If you so desire, you can even turn the heating setting off to produce a large jug of cold froth for your favorite iced drinks.
