We Tested 24 Milk Frothers and Landed on 5 Favorites for Lattes, Hot Chocolate, and More

A perfectly executed latte or cappuccino is a small miracle for espresso drinkers. But mimicking that silky smooth microform you get at a coffee shop is tricky, even with a good espresso machine. An inexpensive milk frother streamlines the process with no foam wand in sight. It makes it easy to recreate your favorite milky drinks, regardless of your barista experience (or lack thereof).

To find the best milk frothers for creating luxurious milk foam at home, we tested a whopping 24 models. Our recommendations include a few budget-friendly and handheld frothers as well as a splurge-worthy fave. We also asked coffee pros for their best milk frothing techniques, whether you're whipping up cold foam or frothing hot cocoa.

The Winners, at a Glance

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 poured smoothly.

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.

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 Golde Superwhisk made great cold milk foam and comes with a cap for easy storage—and for travel, if frothing on-the-go is a priority. The Superwhisk is rechargeable, too. 

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.

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 it 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 tried any other bonus features or settings and evaluated how easy each milk frother was to set up and use. We also cleaned the frothers after each test.

What We Learned

What Is Foam, Anyway?

Foam is a liquid or solid that has trapped gas inside it. For this review, we focused on dairy milk—and what makes it particularly interesting. “What makes milk proteins unique is that they are highly soluble in water and they are surface active,” Dr. Thom Huppertz, a dairy science professor and editor-in-chief of the International Dairy Journal, told us when we interviewed him for a previous version of this story. “The only other substance that can foam like milk is eggs.” 

But what does “surface active” mean? Basically, milk readily snags air molecules, making it easy to aerate. This is also why dairy milk froths better than plant-based milk—and why its foam holds up longer. It's what allows milk to create microfoam, or foam that is uniformly aerated with teensy, tiny bubbles throughout. Microfoam has a more homogeneous, marshmallowy quality than regular or "macrofoam," and is more stable, making it much better for pouring latte art.

There are two other key factors in frothing: heat and fat content. Heat denatures milk proteins, exposing hydrophobic ends that readily attach to air (foam!). Fat, though, is actually a barrier to frothing, which is why non-fat milk foam is fluffier and more pillow-like than that made with whole milk.

How Do Milk Frothers Work?

When using an espresso machine, milk foam is created with a high-pressure steam wand that heats milk while whipping air into it. Home milk frothers work differently. They use a circular wire whisk attached to a motor that spins it and creates a vortex. This agitation is what makes air bubbles.

While both use a similar style circular whisk to create foam, countertop and handheld milk frothers work differently. Countertop models warm milk through an electric heating element (similar to a kettle) and work automatically, but handheld milk frothers require you to heat the milk separately. With a handheld milk frother, you also need to hold the whisk at the right depth and angle to create optimal foam texture.

Many of the Milk Frothers Made Silky Foam

Most models we tested were able to create good-quality milk foam. While some were better at making 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 at-home lattes or cappuccinos.

Customizable Settings Were Key

Frothers with limited settings fell short in our testing. The Spinn and Bodum frothers only had one setting for temperature and foam, which limited our options. Higher-end models with multiple settings let us customize our preferred drinking temperatures and foam thickness. But even low-cost models like the Instant Milk Frother had numerous settings for foam and temperature, which let you make both cappuccinos and lattes at home.

Unique Whisk Attachments Performed Better

While most milk frothers use similar circular wire whisks, the Breville Milk Cafe offers two whisks for creating different foams. The flatter disk produced a thinner, latte-style texture while the ridged whisk made airy cappuccino foam easily. We also liked the spiky whisk of the Capresso Froth Select Milk Frother, which was better at keeping foam aerated longer than a standard attachment.

Countertop Models Can Be Tricky to Clean

Because countertop models heat the milk from the bottom, most leave a cooked milk film on the base of the pitcher. The best way to avoid a stuck-on layer of crud is to wash right away, or if you're feeling lazy, at least fill the pitcher with hot, soapy water until you get around to cleaning it.

While the sides of the pitchers were easy to rinse out, it was difficult to scrub the bottoms of narrow frothers like the Nespresso Aeroccino 4. Wider pitchers were easier to sponge clean, but we appreciated detachable pitchers that were dishwasher-safe, like the Breville’s and Instant MagicFroth’s.

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, are easy to clean, and work well with dairy and non-dairy milk. Bonus points if they can froth cold milk, too.

Our Favorite Milk Frothers

What we liked: The MagicFroth has a sleek interface with three foam and variable temperature settings. It created silky, well-incorporated microfoam and consistently heated milk to between 140ºF and 160ºF. In addition to easily frothing dairy milk, it also performed well with oat milk and cold foam. It was simple to set up and has a large capacity, so you can make multiple drinks at once. Its detachable pitcher was dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. 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

What we liked: The Breville allows you to really customize the temperature of the milk (anywhere from 100ºF to over 160ºF, though Breville notes the ideal temperature as being around 140ºF). If you want to make a cappuccino, latte, or hot chocolate, it can do it all. The Breville comes with two whisks, and the latte whisk did a great job at frothing non-dairy milk. Thanks to its 25-ounce capacity pitcher, it can froth enough milk for multiple drinks, but also works well with smaller volumes. There are some other handy usability features worth mentioning: The pitcher is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup, there’s cord storage, and there’s a magnetic spot on the back to stash the whisk. 

What we didn’t like: The Breville’s pricey, but it’s also the best-performing model we tested. If you’re picky, 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

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

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

What we liked: The Golde Superwhisk has two speeds, which let you adjust how much foam you want to make. Thanks to its dual-coiled head, it was also more powerful than other handheld frothers, creating silky-smooth microfoam. It has a lid for storage and traveling, and it’s rechargeable. (Its USB cord is included, too.) While this wasn’t an official test, the Golde also did a good job mixing powders like matcha into liquid. The whisk can be removed from the handle and is dishwasher-safe. 

What we didn’t like: Since it’s a handheld model, you’ll have to heat milk first if making hot foam. It’s not as powerful as a countertop frother.

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

What we liked: The Zulay is easy to use—just press a button and you're off and frothing. It's well-made and comfortable, and we liked the included stand. It weighs a touch less than the Golde and has a longer wand. It's a no-frills model that just works well and costs less than $20.

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 to clean

The Competition

• Elita Double Whisk Handheld Milk Frother: This whisk created large bubbles. It appears to be discontinued, too.
• Rösle Stainless Steel Dual Speed Frother: This milk frother was incredibly weak, trickling out a flat foam.
• Vava Electric Milk Frother: This was another so-so frother. It’s now discontinued.
• Capresso Froth Max Milk Frother: This model just couldn’t match up to the comparably priced Instant. 
• Keurig Standalone Frother: This frother produced foam that deflated quickly.
• Ninja Coffee Bar Easy Milk Frother: This French press-esque frother made milk foam with air bubbles that were too large.
• PowerLix Milk Pro: This is fairly identical to the Zulay—so if that’s out of stock, we say go for it. 
• Aerolatte Milk Frother: The Aerolatte is battery-operated and loses its charges fast.
• FoodVille MF05 Rechargeable Milk Frother: This had numerous whisk attachments, but its performance was so-so.
• Nespresso Aeroccino 4: This pricier frother couldn’t hold a lot of milk and didn’t froth as well as our winners.
• Bodum Bistro Electric Milk Frother: With just one temperature and foam setting, this was less versatile than our other countertop top picks.
• Miroco MI-MF002: Our former favorite, this model has consistent stock issues.
• Miroco Detachable Milk Frother: While this performed fine, it lacks features. It’s discontinued, too.
• Spinn Milk Frother: With only one temperature and foam setting and a limited capacity, this milk frother didn’t measure up to our winners. It's also currently unavailable.
• Paris Rhone Milk Frother: This model had an odd cage that surrounded the whisk and was difficult to set up properly. It also produced too much foam on the latte setting. It's frequently out of stock.
• Zwilling Enfinigy Milk Frother: This frother is expensive and didn’t perform as well as our winner. 
• Capresso Froth Select Milk Frother: This model created great foam, 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.
• Smeg Milk Frother: Not only is this milk frother extremely expensive, but its whisk becomes clogged easily.

FAQs

How do you use a milk frother?

Several of our top picks are countertop electric milk frothers. With these, you add milk (the pitchers usually have minimum and maximum lines on them), select your temperature and/or froth setting, and press the power button. The frother will automatically stop once frothing is completed. For handheld milk frothers, you add the milk to a separate pitcher/glass, insert the whisk end into the milk, and then turn on the frother. You will want to move the frother up and down and/or tilt it side to side for best results.

Can you froth oat milk with a milk frother?

You can froth any non-dairy milk—including oat milk—with a milk frother. Some alternative milk might not froth well or take longer to froth. You can also seek out barista blends of non-dairy milk, which tend to be fattier and more stable when foamed. The Breville Milk Cafe is the best milk frother we tested for plant-based/alternative milks, like oat or almond 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.

Is a milk frother worth it?

If you like to make lattes, cappuccinos, cold foam, match, or even hot chocolate at home, a milk frother can be worth it.

Does a milk frother heat up milk too?

Most countertop milk frothers can heat up milk, but handheld ones can’t. If you want to froth hot milk with a handheld milk frother, you’ll need to warm it up separately first.

How do you clean a milk frother?

To clean a pitcher frother, remove the pitcher from the base and clean with hot, soapy water. For narrow pitchers, a bottle brush or dish wand can come in handy.

Why We're the Experts

• Jesse Raub was a writer for Serious Eats 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.
• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director of Serious Eats. She’s worked for the site since 2021 and has been testing gear professionally for more than six years. 
• For this review, we tested 24 milk frothers. Since the review was originally published in 2021, we retested our longtime winners against several other milk frothers, like the Capresso Froth Select Milk Frother and Instant MagicFroth Milk Frother.
• For a previous version of this story, we interviewed Dr. Thom Huppertz, a professor of dairy science and editor-in-chief of the International Dairy Journal. We kept his quotes in here for helpful clarification.