Thanks to coffee machines, coffee pods, and even coffee bean grinders, it's never been easier to create swanky barista-style coffee in the comfort of our own kitchens. Not only do we not have to leave our front doors, but it really does make a difference when it comes to how much we're spending on our beloved cup of coffee.
One thing that is tricky to recreate at home is the delicious creamy silky smooth milk foam that makes up a large portion of your lattes, cappuccinos, hot chocolates, cold brews, and iced coffees. The finishing touch, shall we say.
However, thanks to a milk frother, you can now make that magic foam and froth at home, saving you so much money in comparison to buying your daily cup of coffee from your local coffee shop.
What is a milk frother?
As the name suggests, a milk frother takes any cup of milk and makes it frothy, soft, and dense. It does this by aerating the milk and making foam through a whisk or rotating blade.
Are you asking yourself what can milk frothers make? Many milk frothers can be hot or cold so that you can make lattes, cappuccinos, cold brews, and cold foam for iced coffees. As well as this, frothers can be useful for those chocolate fans out there to whip up a velvety cup of hot chocolate.
You can even use milk frothers with milk alternatives including oat milk, soya milk, and almond milk. So, vegans and those who are lactose intolerant won't miss out on delicious coffee, either.
If you need a coffee machine to get you started, there are plenty to consider. If it's pure taste you're after, why not got for a bean to cup model? Or perhaps a filter coffee machine, among other budget options. Time to get thinking.
What are the different types of milk frothers?
Manual milk frothers: Often seen in the shape of a large jug, these manual frothers work by using a bit of elbow grease. You just pump the milk up and down with a whisk inside the jug and it will aerate the milk. It's a little bit more hard work and less favourable if you want efficiency.
Hand-held milk frothers: Also known as steaming wands, usually come as a small automatic whisking device that will whizz up your milk. Often battery-powered, you just press the button and pop it into your milk (don't put it in a glass cup though!) and you'll have frothy milk in no time.
Milk frothing machines: Automatic, efficient and does the job for you, these are probably the milk frothers we'd recommend. These come in all shapes and sizes and can have loads of functions to them - think hot, cold, frothy, heated and more!
Best electric milk frother
Best handheld milk frother
AmazonAdd instant oomph to your hot drinks with this whizzy gadget that comes at a mega-low cost. With the touch of a button, this milk frother from KitchenCraft will whip your milk to a silky smooth consistency. This handy gadget is powered by 2 AA batteries (not included) and comes with a 12-month guarantee.
Customer review: "A must recommended product and a very good value for money. I didn't know making coffee would be so easy after using this product."
Pros
- Easy to store
- Not just a milk frother, can be used for egg whites and much more
Cons
- Batteries don't last long
Best milk frother for plant milk
www.hartsofstur.com
Also available on Amazon, we recommend this Moo Frother from Aerolatte. Though it's battery-powered, it packs a punch and tackles your plant milk with ease. We love the funky design and how easy it is to use.
Tried & Tested by Commercial Content Writer for A Modern Kitchen, Piper Huxley:
"I'm so pleased with my Aerolatte Mooo Frother. I bought this milk frother from Dorset-based Harts of Stur and it felt great supporting a kitchen shop based in my home county. I was very pleased with the service and how quickly my parcel arrived, too. As for the frother, I am obsessed with the design. It's so easy to use, too. I was expecting it to be a plug-in, but that's my fault for not reading the listing properly. On the plus side, there's no pesky cable in the way when I'm frothing up my coffee, which makes it so easy to hold. I drink plant-based milk - and it works a treat with my soy coffees too. Now, my hot drinks are light and a little fancy, too. Honestly, I feel like a barista."
Pros
- Funky design
- Easy, straightforward use
- Ergonomic
Cons
- Battery powered
- No stand
Best looking milk frother
Currys www.currys.co.uk
Add extra retro glamour to your kitchen worktop with this Smeg automatic milk frother that comes with 8 functions for optimal frothing - hot and cold. With the clear measurement markings inside the jug, too, you can make sure no milk goes wasted.
Customer review: "Looks amazing, the cup comes off the machine so it is easy to clean, very good foam quality."
Pros
- Large capacity
- Looks great, vintage style
- High quality
Cons
- Frother function isn't overly powerful
- Makes only 250ml using froth option
Best all-round milk frother
Amazon Fancy perfect-frothed milk in just 70 seconds? The Dualit milk frother is capable of frothing and heating milk at the touch of a button with the internal whisk whipping up foam to the perfect consistency. Stylish and a great addition to use with a home coffee machine. Can help make hot chocolate, frothed milk and milkshakes.
Customer review: "I've only really used it for 'hot foam' which it does well, reasonably quickly and is very quiet too.
Cleaning isn't too bad, it just needs a quick rinse and a wipe inside. My only complaint, in line with other reviewers, is that it would be better if it had a spout. But I'm still happy with it."
Pros
- Capacity to make two drinks
- Quick
- Quiet
Cons
- No spout for pouring, which makes things a little messy
Best milk frother for coffee lovers
Amazon www.nespresso.com
Nespresso is a coffee legend and now you can grab its 'Aeroccinos' - a range of Barista frothing devices that usually comes as an add-on with the machine. You can buy them individually to froth any milk of your choosing with your choice of the coffee machine.
Tried and Tested by Commercial Content Editor Natalie Corner: "My Nespresso milk frother came as part of a package with my Nespresso Pod Machine, but I'm glad I added it on as an extra because it finishes off my coffee perfectly. It is well designed and does it's job, I think my favourite part is that it does both hot and cold froth, so in the summer when I want an iced latte I can still get my froth."
Pros
- Nespresso is a coffee brand leader
- Simple to use
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Expensive
Best manual milk frother
AmazonIf a machine isn't for you, you can grab this Bodum manual milk frother which makes a simple frothy coffee extra easy. All you need to do is beat the milk up and down and it will make strong froth in no time.
Customer review: "It's a great and low-tech solution to making milky frothy coffee at home, but the glass jug is fragile as others have noted. Ours has cracked after less than a year of careful use. We are replacing it with the same item, but be aware that it's not long-lasting."
Pros
- Perfect if you don’t want a big machine
- One of the cheapest options
Cons
- Prone to cracking
Best popular milk frother
AmazonComing in at just under £50, this Lavazza easy frother is efficient, stylish, and sleek. With over 3,200 reviews on Amazon, you can froth up to 120ml of milk or heat up 180ml. We also like that the removable parts are dishwasher safe, so you can keep it clean day in, and day out.
Tried & Tested by Commercial Content Editor Natalie Corner: "I bought this as a gift for my mother who loves having a milky coffee and instead of her heating the milk in the microwave. I'm honestly a little bit jealous that she has this one as it's much better than the one I have. The foam option creates a really think dense froth (even better when your milk is fresh) and it is ideal for a cappuccino or latte. The no-foam option means you can heat more milk without foam which is something that my machine doesn't have. The Lavazzo also creates perfect froth with the cold option and makes me feel like I've been out and bought my favourite iced coffee. Can't believe how much money I've saved!"
Pros
- Dishwasher-safe removable parts
- Beeps twice to tell you it’s finished
Cons
- Only makes up to 120ml of foam
- Not the cheapest
Best value milk frother
Argoswww.argos.co.uk
Fancy a frothy coffee, or does the little one like warm milk before bedtime? This Cookworks milk frother can hold 200ml of milk in its stainless-steel cup, which also has a non-stick coating for easy cleaning. Simply press the button and get a foamy coffee in seconds.
Customer review: "It is small and compact and very easy to use and also clean."
Pros
- Simple and effective
- Easy to use
Cons
- Can only fit a small amount of milk in the machine
- Takes a while to froth the milk compared to other models
Lakeland Milk Frother and Hot Chocolate Maker
Best easy-to-use milk frother
LakelandWith Lakeland, you get a three-year guarantee so you're sure to get many uses out of this Milk Frother and Hot Chocolate Maker. It's super easy to use and you can fit up to 250ml in this.
Customer review: "I bought this to use alongside the filter coffee machine and it does exactly what it says on the tin. The jug is sturdy and heavy enough to be stable with an easy roomy handle. Quickly heats and froths up milk, I'm really pleased with this purchase."
Pros
- Easy-to-use touch buttons
- Looks great
Cons
- Only makes 250ml
- Takes up quite a lot of space
FAQs
What can I use a milk frother for?
Amazingly, there are so many different ways to 'froth' your milk, from just warming it up to using it to make thick creamy foam. Here are the most popular drinks to make with your milk frother:
• Hot chocolate
• Latte
• Iced Latte
• Cappuccino
• Iced Cappuccino
• Cold Brew Coffee
• Flat White
• Mocha
• Macchiato
• Matcha
• Milkshake
• Smoothies
• Protein shakes
Are milk frothers worth the money?
If you're partial to popping to a coffee shop every single day when you've got coffee or a coffee machine at home, definitely. You only need to make 20 or even fewer milky coffees at home to get the cost of the machine back. Those who own a bean-to-cup coffee machine may not need to buy a milk frother, as many of the machines have a milk frother wand.
Are milk frothers hard to clean?
You should always thoroughly clean your milk frother after every single use to prevent it from having that horrible gone-off milk smell. Some of the milk frothers are super easy to clean, just pop some washing-up liquid and water in the machine and turn it on for a usual frothing cycle - a great way to ensure you've cleaned every inch.
Hannah Mellin is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for A Modern Kitchen. She has been working in the Journalism industry for over a decade and has written for an array of brands. When she's not writing, cooking, researching or testing products, she's busy baking, renovating her Victorian terrace and chilling in her jungle garden with her three cats and sausage dog Waffle.