Milk frothers come in many shapes, sizes and styles and allow you to create a range of specialty coffee drinks in your own kitchen. Learn about the different types of milk frothers from handheld to automatic and how to use them. Skip the coffee shop and create your own customized coffee drinks just the way you like them with the best Milk Frother for your recipes.
Once you’ve mastered the milk frother, learn how to make the best cup of coffee at home.
A milk frother is a kitchen tool used to transform milk into thick and silky foam and microfoam. Frothed milk is usually added to coffee and espresso to make café au lait, cappuccinos, lattes and more. Milk frothers can be powered by hand, battery or electricity and come in many shapes, sizes and styles including handheld, pitcher-style and espresso machine steam wands.
Milk frothers aerate milk, creating tiny microbubbles that lend a light and creamy texture to milk while increasing the overall volume. Various techniques used while frothing result in different kinds of foam from velvety smooth textures for lattes to fluffy foam for cappuccinos. Depending on the type of milk frother, it may aerate through agitation by pumping or whisking milk vigorously, or through rapidly moving hot steam.
The main difference between a milk frother and a steamer is, of course, the use of steam. Milk frothers without steam use agitation to introduce air into milk. Some electric frothers feature a heating element that also warms the milk. The result is usually a light and airy foam. A milk steamer on the other hand, uses heated, high-pressure steam to both heat the milk and aerate at the same time. The foam created by a steamer tends to be finer with microbubbles that create a glossy sheen throughout the milk body.
Frothed milk adds a pleasurable taste and texture to many coffee and espresso drinks. It can balance out the bitter taste and thin texture of coffee with a light, slightly sweet creaminess. Regular milk, on the other hand, is heavier and can overwhelm coffee’s consistency and robust flavor.
Frothed milk itself can be created in a variety of textures to match your tastes or drink recipe. For example, latte milk should be glossy and resemble wet paint when finished frothing. This will create a silky texture throughout the entire beverage, in contrast to something like a cappuccino that features a defined, thick layer of foam floating on top.
The most basic type of milk frother is a manual model which resembles a french press and requires you to rapidly pump a plunger. A milk frother wand is a handheld milk frother that usually features a disc or round whisk on the end and can be electric or battery-operated. An automatic milk frother is activated at the touch of a button and often looks like a compact kettle or cylinder with a heating element and a whisk inside. Steam wands are milk frothers usually attached to espresso machines for an all-in-one device.
For most types of milk frothers, remember to only fill your container about ⅓ full. Frothing milk increases the volume significantly so make sure you leave enough room. Since frothed milk is usually added to hot beverages, you’re probably wondering: do you froth milk hot or cold? The answer is always use cold milk when frothing. When milk is heated, fats and proteins can break down and lead to less stable foam. Since any kind of frothing will add a little heat (even manual frothers use friction), it’s best to start with cold milk as you begin to aerate.
Most battery powered or electric milk frothers are easy to operate, typically starting and stopping at the touch of a button. An espresso machine steam wand is usually activated by switching to steam mode. This type of milk frother can yield silky, delicious results and is a more hands-on method of crafting your favorite espresso drink. Follow the steps below for frothing with a steam wand:
Tap the pitcher on the counter a few times to knock out larger bubbles. If desired, swirl the pitcher to mix in the foam and microbubbles for a uniform result. If you are making cappuccino or another beverage that calls for dry foam, skip swirling to keep the foam on top from mixing in.
If you’re looking for a simpler way to heat and froth milk, the KitchenAid® Automatic Milk Frother Attachment is a great option. It’s compatible with the KitchenAid® Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines and effortlessly heats and froths milk for delicious lattes, cappuccinos and more, all with just a few simple controls. It can be purchased separately, or bundled with the espresso machine.
A smooth and creamy espresso drink is possible with many kinds of milk, including non-dairy plant and nut varieties. Each type of milk will bring unique flavors and textures to your latte as you steam, froth and mix in your favorite ingredients. However, the results will vary depending on a number of factors like fat and protein content, viscosity and technique used.
If you’re using a manual frother, expect to be plunging rapidly for about 30 seconds. A handheld wand will also take about thirty seconds of moving the wand up and down throughout the cup. A steam wand, on the other hand, should take only around 5 to 10 seconds. Stop frothing when milk has about doubled in size. Automatic frothers will stop automatically when milk has reached the selected level of froth.
Create rich and creamy cafe favorites in your own kitchen with a milk frother. Shop KitchenAid® espresso machines with a steam wand to hand craft lattes, macchiatos, mochas and more. Or create light and silky milk foam at the touch of a button with the KitchenAid® Automatic Milk Frother Attachment. Looking for other coffee tools? Shop the entire coffee collection to find whatever you need for your perfect cup from grinders to cold brew coffee machines, or explore gifts for the coffee and tea lovers in your life.
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