We Tested 23 Milk Frothers and Landed on Five Favorites for Lattes, Hot Chocolate, and More

A perfectly executed latte or cappuccino is a sight to behold. But trying to mimic what you get at a coffee shop can feel impossible. While your barista has a few professional tools and tricks at the ready, a simple milk frother can make your morning brew just as luxurious as what you'd shell out $6 a pop for. 

We tested a whopping 23 milk frothers to help you figure out which will best suit your needs, be it cold foam or heating and frothing hot cocoa. We also talked to coffee experts about techniques to achieve the best milk froth, regardless of the type of milk you prefer.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Milk Frother

Instant MagicFroth Milk Frother

$60 $45 at Amazon $54 at Target $60 $45 at Best Buy

The MagicFroth has three temperature settings and three foam settings, giving the user nine combinations to choose from. It whipped up silky, velvety milk foam that held its texture well, and its removable pitcher was easy to pour from.

The Best Splurge Milk Frother

Breville Milk Cafe Frother

$160 at Amazon $160 at Williams Sonoma $160 at QVC

Breville’s Milk Cafe has a custom temperature dial so you can pick exactly how hot or cold you’d like your milk to be. It also has a tapered pitcher that creates a strong vortex for silkier textures and two whisk attachments for different styles of milk foam.

The Best Budget Milk Frother

Instant 4-in-1 Milk Frother and Steamer

$50 $30 at Amazon $30 at Walmart $40 at Target

With a simple interface, two foam settings, and a lower price point, the Instant Milk Frother is an affordable model that produces excellent foam. It also heats up quickly. 

The Best Handheld Milk Frother

Golde Superwhisk

$25 at Golde.co

The Golde Superwhisk was the best-designed handheld frother we tested. It creates great milk foam and can be easily taken apart for cleaning. It's also rechargeable, comes with a USB cord, and has a lid that makes it easier to store or pack for travel.

The Best Budget Handheld Milk Frother

Zulay Kitchen Original Milk Frother Handheld Foam Maker for Lattes

$25 $19 at Amazon

Although slightly less powerful than the Golde Superwhisk, the Zulay did well in all of our tests. It comes with a stand for built-in counter storage, and it's often on sale on Amazon—hard to beat that.

The Tests

• Foam Quality Test: We evaluated how well each milk frother made velvety microfoam using whole milk and oat milk. If models had multiple foam settings, we tested them and compared the amount of foam expansion. 
• Temperature Test: We set each milk frother to its lowest temperature setting and checked what this was with an instant-read thermometer. We also timed how long each milk frother took to reach that setting, repeating this test with each model's other temperature settings (if available).
• Cold Foam Test: We tested each milk frother’s cold foam setting with whole and oat milk and evaluated the quantity and quality of the foams. 
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: We tested any other bonus features or settings and evaluated how easy each milk frother was to set up and how comfortable each one was to use. We also cleaned the frothers after each test.

What Is Foam?

A foam is any liquid (or solid) that has trapped gas. At coffee shops, baristas use steam-powered wands to inject milk with air and heat to create stable and delicious microfoam. To better understand how milk foam is created (and how at-home milk frothers work), we reached out to Dr. Thom Huppertz, a professor of Dairy Science and Technology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and editor-in-chief of the International Dairy Journal.

“What makes milk proteins unique is that they are highly soluble in water and they are surface active,” he said. “The only other substance that can foam like milk is eggs.” Because milk proteins are surface active, they can grab onto whatever’s directly above them. That means they can easily hold onto the air that’s introduced into milk via a steam wand, or the whisk attachments of a home milk frother, to create foam. 

That also means that the protein in cow’s milk isn’t necessarily the same protein in plant-based milk, which is one reason why cow’s milk is able to make luscious microfoam that’s stable for a longer period of time than that of your average almond milk latte. 

Heat also plays a part in milk frothing. When heat is applied to milk, the proteins in the milk will denature, or begin to unfold from the tight coils they’ve formed. As the proteins begin to unfold, they expose their two ends—one of which is hydrophobic (hates water) and the other hydrophilic (loves it!). The hydrophobic ends are grabbing air molecules to also create foam. 

Fat content can also affect the quality of milk foam. Fat tends to slightly inhibit foam creation, which is why nonfat milk crates stiff, meringue-like foams compared to the silky foam of whole milk. For this reason, we opted to assess foam quality with whole milk as our default option. 

How Do Milk Frothers Work?

On an espresso machine, milk foam is created with a high-pressure steam wand that heats the milk while whipping air into it. Home milk frothers work quite differently. They use a circular wire whisk attached to a motor that spins to create a vortex. 

“What’s really happening is that they’re using these high-speed mixers. Air gets whipped into the milk, and the protein stabilizes the milk. Because of the very high agitation, it can also create very fine air bubbles, so you can get quite a nice foam,” says Dr. Huppertz. A slower speed can create bigger, less delicate bubbles, he notes. 

While both use a similar style circular whisk to create foam, countertop and handheld milk frothers work differently. Countertop models will heat the milk through an electric heating element (similar to a kettle), but handheld milk frothers require you to heat the milk separately. Handheld models also necessitate you to hold the whisk at just the right depth and angle in the milk to create the right foam texture while countertop models operate automatically. 

What We Learned

Most Milk Frothers Were Effective at Creating Foam

In all of our testing, most models were able to create good-quality milk foam. While some models were better at creating a silky, homogenized milk and foam mixture (like the Instant MagicFroth Milk Frother and Breville Milk Cafe Milk Frother), most were at least able to produce a stable, velvety foam layer that was good enough for most home lattes or cappuccinos. Since there weren’t many absolute duds in our testing, our winners were mostly chosen for their extra features (like multiple temperature settings) and usability. 

Customizable Settings Were Key

Plain-jane milk frothers with limited settings fell short in our testing. The Spinn Milk Frother and Bodum Bistro Milk Frother only had one setting for temperature and foam, which limited our options. Instead, higher-end models with multiple settings let us customize both our preferred drinking temperatures and foam thickness. Even low-cost basic models like the Instant Milk Frother had numerous settings for foam and temperature, which is key for anyone who wants to make both cappuccinos and lattes at home. And while handheld whisks like the Golde Superwhisk Milk Frother didn’t have built-in settings, their manual operation allowed us to add foam to our heart's desire. 

Unique Whisk Attachments Performed Better

While most milk frothers use a very similar circular wire whisk to create foam, the Breville Milk Cafe offers two different designs for creating two styles of foam. The flatter disk produced a thinner, latte-style texture while the ridged whisk made airy cappuccino foam with ease. We also liked the spiky whisk of the Capresso Froth Select Milk Frother, which was better at keeping foam mixed into the milk for longer periods than a standard attachment. 

Countertop Models Can Be Tricky to Clean

Because countertop models are heating the milk from the bottom as they create foam, most leave a cooked milk film on the bottom of the pitcher. While the sides of the pitchers were easy to rinse out, it was difficult to scrub the bottoms of narrow milk frothers like the Nestle Aeroccino 4. Wider pitchers like the Capresso Froth Select were easier to get into to scrub clean, but we mostly appreciated detachable milk pitchers that were dishwasher-safe, like Breville and Instant MagicFroth. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Milk Frother

The best milk frothers create a silky, velvety microfoam that holds its texture long enough for you to enjoy your beverage. They also have multiple settings so you can customize your preferred temperature and foam levels, and are easy to clean.

Our Favorite Milk Frothers

The Best Milk Frother

Instant MagicFroth Milk Frother

$60 $45 at Amazon $54 at Target $60 $45 at Best Buy

What we liked: The MagicFroth has a sleek interface with three foam and variable temperature settings. It created silky, well-incorporated microfoam at each setting, and consistently hit temperatures of 140ºF and 160ºF for its two heat settings. It was dead simple to set up, had a large capacity to accommodate multiple drinks at once, and its detachable pitcher was dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. It also performed well with oak milk and cold foam. It’s a feature-rich milk frother with high performance and a moderate price point, making it a great choice for most people. 

What we didn’t like: It takes a little longer than other models, with some frothing and heating cycles lasting almost five minutes. 

Key Specs 

• Capacity: 17 ounces
• Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 6 inches
• Temperature settings: Cold, warm, hot
• Foam settings: Stir only, latte, cappuccino
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe milk pitcher, wipe base clean with a damp cloth

The Best Splurge Milk Frother

Breville Milk Cafe Frother

$160 at Amazon $160 at Williams Sonoma $160 at QVC

What we liked: The Breville Milk Frother was the only frother out of the bunch that you could customize the temperature of the milk between 100ºF to over 160ºF (with an ideal range listed around 140ºF). It’s a great option for picky cappuccino drinkers or for people who want to make hot chocolate. It also has two separate whisk attachments for latte and cappuccino milk textures and performed the best at differentiating between the two. We also found that the latte whisk was the best at frothing alternative milks, due to its subtle introduction of air. It has handy cord storage and a magnetic spot on its back for whisk storage, and we also like how secure its lid locked onto the pitcher. It has a 25-ounce capacity which makes it great for crowds, but it performed excellent at its minimum volumes, too. And, finally, its pitcher is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. 

What we didn’t like: It’s expensive, but it’s also the best-performing model we tested. If you’re picky about milk texture and temperature we think it’s worth it. 

Key Specs 

• Capacity: 25 ounces
• Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Dimensions: 7.5 x 6.4 x 10.4 inches
• Temperature settings: Variable temperature dial from 100ºF to over 160ºF; also cold
• Foam settings: Stir only, latte and cappuccino whisk attachments 
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe milk pitcher, wipe base clean with a damp cloth

The Best Budget Milk Frother

Instant 4-in-1 Milk Frother and Steamer

$50 $30 at Amazon $30 at Walmart $40 at Target

What we liked: This model had a simple interface and only four settings: cold foam, warm latte foam, warm cappuccino foam, and hot milk. We thought it did a good job differentiating between latte and cappuccino foam, and it consistently hit 145ºF for its warm settings and 165ºF for its hot settings. It made a solid cold foam, too. If you’re looking for a basic milk frother at a low price, this is a great option. 

What we didn’t like: We wish it had more settings and a bigger capacity, but at this price, we think it covers its bases well. 

Key Specs 

• Capacity: 10 ounces
• Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Dimensions: 4.7 x 4.2 x 8.25 inches
• Temperature settings: Cold, warm, hot
• Foam settings: Latte, cappuccino
• Care instructions: Wash the interior with warm, soapy water and wipe off the outside with a damp cloth

The Best Handheld Milk Frother

Golde Superwhisk

$25 at Golde.co

What we liked: The Golde Superwhisk has a dual-coil head and two speeds which helped us dial in the amount of foam we wanted to create. It was slightly more powerful than the other handheld whisks we tested, creating a silkier foam than the competition. It also has a carrying case for easy travel and a rechargeable battery with a USB cord so you don’t have to fumble around in the morning with a spare set of AAs. Because it’s handheld, it was also useful for mixing in powders (like matcha) or for making whipped cream—something countertop models aren’t always able to do. And when it’s time to clean up, the dishwasher-safe whisk is easily detachable. 

What we didn’t like: Since it’s a handheld model, you must heat the milk yourself. It’s also not as powerful as countertop milk frothers so it struggled to make cold foam. 

Key Specs 

• Weight: 6 ounces
• Dimensions: 7 x 1.3 inches
• Temperature settings: None
• Foam settings: Two speeds
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe whisk attachment; wipe down body with a damp cloth

The Best Budget Handheld Milk Frother

Zulay Kitchen Original Milk Frother Handheld Foam Maker for Lattes

$25 $19 at Amazon

What we liked: The Zulay is easy to use—just press a button and you're frothing. It's well-made and comfortable, and we really liked the included stand. It weighs a touch less than the Golde, and has a longer wand. It's a no-frills model that works really well, and costs around $10.

What we didn't like: If you want two or three-tiered whisks, you'll need to pay for an upgraded model; the heads aren't interchangeable. There's only one speed.

Key Specs

• Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Dimensions: 9.76 x 1.45 inches
• Temperature settings: None
• Foam settings: One speed
• Care instructions: Start whisk under running water

The Competition

• Elita Double Whisk Handheld Milk Frother: This handheld whisk produced some large foam bubbles and ultimately didn’t measure up to our top handheld pick. 
• Rösle Stainless Steel Dual Speed Frother: Despite costing a fair amount for a handheld frother, this model wasn't super powerful.
• Vava Electric Milk Frother: The Vava's frothing and mixing capabilities just didn't cut it compared to our top picks.
• Capresso Froth Max Milk Frother: At nearly twice the price of our top overall pick, this model from Capresso was inconsistent and struggled to produce a tight foam with whole milk.
• Keurig Standalone Frother: The foam generated by this Keurig frother collapsed quickly, and its higher price point was hard to justify given its poor performance. 
• Ninja Coffee Bar Easy Milk Frother: We weren’t 100% convinced that a manual frother like the Ninja Coffee Bar Easy Milk Frother was any different than a French press. The Ninja did froth milk quicker than a French Press, but the froth was like dish soap in texture.
• PowerLix Milk Pro: Although advertised as a different frother, the PowerLix Milk Pro is virtually identical to the Zulay—even down to the box instructions that prompt you on how to activate the frother’s warranty.
• Aerolatte Milk Frother: The Aerolatte runs through batteries quickly, and its case can get grimy over time. 
• FoodVille MF05 Rechargeable Milk Frother: The FoodVille MF05 Rechargeable Milk Frother had three different speed settings and multiple whisk attachments, but overall it was outperformed by our top pick. 
• Nespresso Aeroccino 4: The Nespresso Aeroccino 4 was heavy for its size and had a limited capacity and high price point. It was also outperformed by our winners. 
• Bodum Bistro Electric Milk Frother: This model only had one setting for foam level and temperature, making it less versatile than similarly priced options. 
• Miroco MI-MF002: Our former top pick, this model has consistent stock issues and was outperformed by newer tested models. 
• Miroco Detachable Milk Frother: The Miroco Detachable Milk Frother performed just fine in our tests, but lacked the extra features of our top picks.
• Spinn Milk Frother: With only one temperature and foam setting and a limited capacity, this milk frother just didn’t measure up to our winners.
• Paris Rhone Milk Frother: This model had an odd cage that surrounded the whisk that was difficult to set up properly. It also produced too much foam on the latte setting. It's frequently out of stock.
• Zwilling Effinigy Milk Frother: We liked the way the whisk on this milk frother hung from the lid which meant it incorporated air from the top down. It’s expensive, though, and ultimately didn’t outperform as well as our winner. 
• Capresso Froth Select Milk Frother: This model created really nice foam texture but its price point and lack of settings kept it from being a top pick. 
• Nespresso Aeroccino 3: This model was narrow and a pain to clean.

FAQs

How do you use a milk frother?

This depends on the kind of milk frother you have. With electric milk frothers, you pour milk into the machine (pay attention to what its minimum and maximum capacities are), put the cap on, and then, if the machine has multiple settings, select how you would like your milk frothed before turning it on. If you have a handheld milk frother, add milk to a deep container (like a tall measuring cup or mug), stick the whisk end of the frother into the milk, then turn on the frother, using an up and down motion to froth. Because handheld frothers, unlike electric frothers, can't heat up milk, if you want hot-frothed milk with a handheld frother (like for a latte), you'll have to heat up the milk prior to frothing.

Can you froth oat milk with a milk frother?

Yes, you absolutely can! You can froth all non-dairy milk using a milk frother—just note that some non-dairy milk might not froth as well as dairy milk or may take longer to froth. You can also seek out barista blends of non-dairy milk, which have more fat and are more stable when frothed.

What does a milk frother do?

Simply put, a good milk frother incorporates air into the milk, producing microfoam. Milk frothers can also heat milk, which begins to denature the proteins in milk, contributing to frothing. As Dr. Thom Huppertz explained earlier in this story, when proteins in milk denature, they “begin to unfold from the tight coils they’ve formed. As the proteins begin to unfold, they expose their two ends—one which is hydrophobic (hates water) and one hydrophilic (loves it!). The hydrophobic ends are grabbing air molecules to also create foam."

Is a milk frother worth it?

If you make your own coffee drinks at home, then you'll likely appreciate a milk frother. An electric milk frother (like that of the Instant MagicFroth or Breville) can also be used to heat and froth hot chocolate.

Does a milk frother heat up milk?

Some milk frothers can heat up milk, but not all of them. The main design element that all milk frothers share is a spinning whisk head that incorporates air into the milk to create foam, but only the pitcher-style, electric milk frothers are able to heat up the milk. The wand-style, often battery-powered frothers are designed to create foam in cold milk, or milk that was heated either in the microwave or on the stove prior to frothing.

What are the different kinds of milk frothers?

There are two main types of milk frothers: pitcher- and wand-style. Pitcher-style milk frothers look like a small pitcher with a spout and a handle and include a spinning whisk at the bottom. These models plug into an outlet and most have a warming feature to heat the milk, so you could make, say, hot chocolate in one. Wand-style milk frothers have a spinning whisk attached to the end of a handheld wand. They're only able to aerate cold milk (or milk that's heated up before frothing) and require manual operation.

What is the best milk frother for plant-based milks?

The Breville Milk Cafe is the best milk frother we tested for plant-based/alternative milk, like almond or oat milk. Because it had multiple whisk attachments and precise temperature control, we found we could make small adjustments when frothing non-dairy milk to achieve the best results. However, it is a pricier option, and we found that all of our top picks really did do a solid job with multiple milk types.

Why We're the Experts

• For this review, we tested 23 milk frothers. Since the review originally was published in 2021, we retested our longtime winners against a number of other milk frothers like the Capresso Froth Select Milk Frother and Instant MagicFroth Milk Frother.
• Ashley Rodriguez has been in the coffee industry since 2010, having worked as a barista, shop manager, and coffee trainer. She's written several of Serious Eats' coffee-related reviews, including espresso machines and coffee makers. We also regularly consult her on coffee content and equipment, harnessing her expertise as much as we can.
• Jesse Raub was Serious Eats' commerce writer and spent over 15 years working in the specialty coffee industry. He was our in-house coffee expert and regularly tested coffee gear for this site.
• For this review, we interviewed Dr. Thom Huppertz, a professor of Dairy Science and Technology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and editor-in-chief of the International Dairy Journal.