For many coffee drinkers, yes. A basic milk frother is cheap and simple, and it can make café-style cold foam and hot froth in a home kitchen. How useful it is depends on the milk you use, how much you want to clean up and the drinks you like.
Key takeaways
- A milk frother whips air into milk, and it works on cold milk as well as warm milk, which is how cold foam is made.
- The Verge has published a personal account in which a writer names a milk frother as their best gadget purchase of the year.
- Handheld wand frothers, electric jug frothers and espresso machine steam wands do different jobs and are not interchangeable.
- The kind of milk, its fat and protein content, and its temperature all affect how well it foams and how long the foam lasts.
- Before buying a frother, think about cleaning, storage and how often you will use it, not just what it can do.
What is happening with milk frothers right now?
The Verge has published a first-person piece in which one of its writers calls a milk frother the best gadget they bought this year. The publication’s account starts with a trip to Los Angeles in February. The writer went to see art and stayed in Koreatown. Near their hotel was a small coffee shop called Stagger, which the writer says is probably best known for its matcha, and which they also rated highly. A different drink from that shop caught their attention, though, and led them to try making something like it at home.
The source excerpt cuts off before naming the drink or the frother. This guide therefore does not name any brand or model. The headline does make the overall point clear: a small, inexpensive kitchen tool turned out to be more useful than the writer expected, mainly because it lets them make cold foam and similar café-style toppings without going out.
Why is a milk frother in the news now?
The story is a personal recommendation, not a product launch or an industry event. Pieces like this, about the best thing someone bought this year, often appear as the year comes to an end. They tend to be read widely because they cover affordable items that readers can try themselves.
The piece also connects to a wider interest in recreating coffee-shop drinks at home. Cold foam, a thick layer of frothed cold milk spooned or poured over iced coffee, tea or matcha, has become a regular item on café menus. Anyone who orders it often may wonder whether they can make it themselves. The Verge’s account suggests one person decided they could, and found a frother was enough to do it.
What does a newcomer need to know about frothers and cold foam?
A milk frother adds air to milk. The air is broken into small bubbles, and proteins in the milk hold them in place, which gives a foam that is lighter and larger in volume than the milk was. Hot froth for a cappuccino or latte works the same way, but heat changes the texture, usually making it silkier.
There are three main types of frother:
- Handheld wand frothers are small, usually battery-powered, and have a spinning whisk at the end of a short shaft. You hold them in a jug or glass of milk. They are cheap, compact and work on cold milk.
- Electric jug frothers are countertop units with a jug that has a whisk or magnetic disc inside. Many can heat milk as well as froth it, and some have a cold setting.
- Steam wands come built into many espresso machines. They heat and aerate milk at the same time, so they suit hot drinks but are no use for cold foam.
Cold foam needs to be made without heat, so a handheld wand or a jug frother with a cold setting is the practical choice. Many cafés add a flavour such as a syrup or a little sweetened cream to the milk before frothing it, but recipes vary.
Who is affected, and how?
Mostly, regular coffee and tea drinkers who buy café drinks and would like to make them at home. For them, a frother is a small one-off purchase that can replace some trips to a café, although how much anyone saves depends on their habits and local prices, which vary widely.
Matcha drinkers are another group. Traditionally, matcha powder is mixed with water using a bamboo whisk, but many people use a handheld frother to blend the powder quickly and break up lumps. A tool bought for cold foam can therefore cover a second job.
People who drink plant-based milk are affected as well. Oat, soya, almond and other alternatives foam differently from dairy milk, and from one brand to the next. Some manufacturers sell “barista” versions designed to foam more reliably. Anyone avoiding dairy may need to try a few before finding one that works with their frother.
There is also a small effect on cafés. If more people make toppings at home, they may order speciality drinks less often. No figures on this are known, and one writer’s experience shows nothing about the market as a whole.
Where do informed people disagree?
The biggest argument is about handheld wands versus electric jugs. Fans of handheld frothers point to the low price, small size and the fact that you can froth straight in a glass. Critics say they foam less evenly, splash more easily and depend on batteries. Jug frothers usually give more consistent results with less effort, but they cost more, take up counter space and need more careful cleaning.
People also disagree about which milk makes the best cold foam. Some prefer skimmed or low-fat milk because it holds a lot of air and makes stiff foam. Others say whole milk or a splash of cream gives a richer taste, even if the foam is denser and smaller. Neither side is objectively right, as it depends on taste.
Lastly, it is open to question whether it is worth owning a single-purpose gadget at all. A sealed jar shaken hard, a French press pumped up and down, or a hand whisk can all add some air to milk. Supporters of dedicated frothers say these methods are slower and less reliable. Sceptics see no point in buying another small appliance for a job that can be done roughly with things already in the kitchen.
What are the practical implications if you want to try it?
If the Verge’s account makes you want to try cold foam at home, some practical points apply whatever model you choose.
- Start cold. Cold foam works best with milk straight from the fridge. Foam made with warm milk tends to collapse once it is poured onto ice.
- Use a narrow, tall vessel. With a handheld wand, a jug or tall glass that holds the milk in a deep column cuts down on splashing and helps air get in more evenly.
- Do not overfill. Milk grows a lot as it foams. Leave plenty of room, especially in a jug frother, which may have a marked maximum fill line.
- Add flavour before frothing. Stir syrups or sweeteners into the milk first so they spread evenly through the foam.
- Clean straight away. Dried milk is hard to get off. Rinse a handheld wand by running it briefly in warm water, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for a jug, especially whether it can go in a dishwasher.
- Check the power source. Handheld wands often use replaceable or rechargeable batteries. A rechargeable model saves buying batteries but needs charging.
Set a budget before you buy. Basic handheld models are usually among the cheapest kitchen gadgets, while jug frothers range from budget to premium. Specific prices are not given here because they vary by retailer and region.
What should readers watch for next?
Personal recommendations like the Verge’s are useful but subjective, so it is worth comparing them with independent tests before buying. Look for reviews that test frothers with both dairy and plant-based milk, and with cold as well as hot milk, as results can differ a lot.
Look at how jug frothers are designed, too. Removable parts, non-stick linings and dishwasher-safe components all affect how easy a frother is to live with day to day. Manufacturers also keep releasing new plant-based barista milks, and these can change how well dairy-free cold foam turns out.
Finally, check the warranty, and whether you can get replacement whisks or discs. A cheap frother that cannot be repaired may need replacing sooner than a slightly dearer one with spare parts available.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cheap handheld milk frother make cold foam?
Yes. A basic handheld wand frother can make cold foam from milk straight out of the fridge. Results are usually a bit less even than with an electric jug frother, and you may need to move the whisk up and down to work air through the whole volume. Using a tall, narrow glass or jug and starting with cold milk gives the best chance of a stable foam that sits on top of an iced drink.
What is the best milk for cold foam?
It depends on what you prefer. Skimmed and low-fat dairy milk tend to make light, stiff foam because their proteins hold air well. Whole milk, or milk mixed with a little cream, makes denser foam with a richer taste. Plant-based milks vary a lot between brands, and barista-style versions are made to foam more reliably. Trying a few small batches is the most dependable way to find one you like.
Can I use an espresso machine steam wand to make cold foam?
No, not in the usual sense. A steam wand heats milk as it aerates it, so the result is warm froth, not cold foam. Warm froth tends to collapse when it touches ice and cold liquid. For cold foam you need a method that adds air without heat, such as a handheld wand frother, an electric jug frother with a cold setting, or, as a rough alternative, a French press or a sealed jar shaken hard.
How do I clean a milk frother?
Clean it straight after use, before the milk dries. With a handheld wand, run the whisk briefly in a cup of warm, soapy water, then rinse it and leave it to dry. Do not put the motor housing under water. For electric jug frothers, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, because some parts may be dishwasher-safe while the base with the electrical contacts usually must stay dry. Regular cleaning stops residue from building up.
Is a milk frother useful for matcha?
Many people use one for matcha. A handheld frother can quickly blend matcha powder into water or milk and break up the lumps that often form. A traditional bamboo whisk gives a particular texture that some drinkers prefer, but an electric frother is faster and needs less technique. If you drink both coffee with foam and matcha, one handheld frother can do both jobs.
Should I buy a handheld or an electric jug milk frother?
Buy a handheld frother if you want something cheap, small and easy to store, and you mainly make one drink at a time. An electric jug frother suits you better if you want more consistent results, the option to heat milk, and less manual effort. It costs more and takes up counter space. Think about how often you will use it, how much milk you usually froth and how much cleaning you are willing to do.
Sources and further reading
- The Verge: a first-person gadget recommendation describing a writer’s reasons for valuing a milk frother.
- Manufacturers’ user manuals for handheld and jug frothers: guidance on fill levels, cleaning and safe use.
- Consumer testing organisations and product review publications: independent comparisons of frother performance.
- Food science and dairy industry explainers: background on how milk proteins and fats affect foam.
Surfaced from the rss:verge signal “kitchen gadget recommendation”. AI-assisted draft, editorially reviewed.
