Best milk frother 2024: Our top tested options
On the hunt for the best milk frother? These are the cream of the crop, based on our testing
A cappuccino without a luscious layer of foam is no cappuccino at all, which is why we’re constantly on the lookout for the best milk frothers around. If you don’t have a fancy coffee machine or high-pressure steam wand at home, it doesn’t mean you have to go without a silky, frothy coffee. In fact, it’s never been easier to achieve barista-style frothy coffee from your own kitchen thanks to state of the art milk frothers from the likes of Nespresso, Dualit, Smeg and more.
We put all five milk frothers featured in this roundup to the test, analysing the differences in foam consistency, usability, design, value for money and how easy they were to clean. Using 200ml of cow’s milk and oat milk (considering alternative milks often perform differently), we followed the instructions for each device and compared the consistency of each batch.
Below our roundup, you’ll find a buying guide covering the most common questions and things to consider before choosing a milk frother. If you already consider yourself a pro, jump straight to our round-up of the best milk frothers you can buy.
Best milk frothers: At a glance
| Best budget hand frother | Aerolatte To Go (~£13) | Check price at Lakeland |
| Best for hot and cold milk | Nespresso Aeroccino4 (~£89) | Check price at Nespresso |
| Best for versatility | Dualit Handheld Milk Frother (~£65) | Check price at John Lewis |
How we test milk frothers
Most milk frothers only do one thing – froth milk – but that doesn’t mean we can’t put them through their paces. With single button frothers, what we look for is consistency. We test each frother multiple times using 200ml of cow’s milk and oat milk straight from the fridge. As plant-based milks tend to froth a little differently to dairy milk, we don’t expect our frothers to achieve identical results with each milk. Instead, we’re looking for consistency between each batch. A good frother will give you a relatively consistent texture and level of foam every time you use it.
We use the same testing method for milk frothers with multiple foam thickness settings, but here we’re looking for a distinct difference between the level of foam on each setting and for this to be consistent with multiple uses. As well as foam consistency, we also take into consideration value for money, design, build quality, and how easy each frother is to clean.
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The best milk frothers you can buy in 2024
1. Aerolatte To Go: Best cheap handheld milk frother
Price when reviewed: £13 | Check price at Lakeland
- Great for… affordability, easy storage
- Not so great for… beginners
The first thing the Aerolatte has on its side is the price: it’ll cost you around the same as three cups of coffee from Starbucks. The second is that it’s easy to store – it comes with its own tube and you just bung it in your drawer when not in use. You can take it anywhere and it also gives you a lot of control. Indeed, by controlling the distance the whisk is from the surface of the milk, you get more influence over the froth, which makes it more akin to a steam wand.
But – and it’s a big but – you need to know, or learn to know, what you’re doing as it’s easy to end up with all bubbles, no froth. The milk also needs heating first and you’ll need two AA batteries to make it work.
Key specs – Type: Handheld; Power: Batteries; Dishwasher friendly: No; Warranty: 2 years (3 at Lakeland); Weight: 99g
2. Dualit Handheld Milk Frother: Best milk frother for versatility
Price when reviewed: £70 | Check price at John Lewis
- Great for… versatility, low noise-level
- Not so great for… no handle/sprout
The new and improved version of Dualit’s previous milk frother, the Dualit Handheld Milk Frother betters its predecessor in style and substance. Tall, slim and matte-black, the Dualit will blend in handsomely with most kitchens and, importantly, won’t take up too much space on your worktop. Inside, the frother has easily readable “millilitre” markings, allowing for precision frothing, as well as a range of handy, dishwasher-safe accessories, which add loads of versatility.
The Dualit’s standard frothing whisk is used for whipping up fine-foamed cappuccinos, while the basket attachment adjusts the process to create heated milk topped with a layer of foam, perfect for latté lovers.
Though it performs impressively on these classics, the standout abilities of the Dualit Handheld Frother come from its flat white cap, which creates delicately textured heated milk that puts most cafés to shame, and makes short work of melting real chocolate pieces to create decadent hot chocolates.
Paired with a solid espresso maker, the Dualit Handheld Milk Frother’s performance and versatility will bring a real touch of café class to your kitchen.
Read our full Dualit Handheld Milk Frother review
Key specs – Type: Jug; Power: Mains; Dishwasher friendly: Accessories are dishwasher safe; Warranty: 1 year (3 at Lakeland); Weight: 850g
3. Nespresso Aeroccino4: Best milk frother for hot and cold milk
Price when reviewed: £89 | Check price at Nespresso
- Great for… versatility, speed
- Not so great for… those wanting more capacity
Whisper-quiet in operation, speedy and stylish, the Aeroccino4 may just be one of the simplest ways to froth milk we’ve found. While it doesn’t have a huge amount of capacity (a maximum of 120ml if you’re frothing milk, or 240ml if you’re just heating), it’s effortlessly reliable at turning out smooth frothy milk with a satisfying amount of microfoam.
Unlike its predecssor, which only had one button, there are four on the base for cold milk, warm milk, medium foam or thick foam. These additional buttons give you the versatility to make a variety of drinks in one jug. All clean-up requires is washing the jug, whisk and lid under the tap. The lid’s seal also pops off, so every so often you can give it a thorough clean, while the non-stick interior of the jug is great at keeping it free from any milk hanging around.
Key specs – Type: Jug; Power: Mains; Dishwasher friendly: No; Warranty: 2 years; Weight: 1062g
4. Lavazza MilkUp Milk Frother: Best overall jug frother
Price when reviewed: £79 | Check price at Lavazza
- Great for… removable jug, capacity
- Not so great for… frothing cold milk
With 120 years of Italian coffee making – and a reputation for luxury – behind it, this company knows a thing or two about the right consistency of milk for coffee. We like the fact that the jug is removable – it means it can be immersed in the washing up bowl or put in the dishwasher after use – and the same goes for the frothing disc. Another handy feature is that you can add things such as chocolate powder directly to the jug. It’s a doddle to use (you just press the button) and it works fast, giving fantastic results every time if you want hot milk. Sadly, the same cannot be said for cold milk, which didn’t stay frothy once poured from the jug.
Key specs – Type: Jug; Power: Mains; Dishwasher friendly: Yes; Warranty: 3 years; Weight: 900g
5. Smeg 50’s Retro MFF01BLUK Frother: Best jug milk frother for speedy results
Price when reviewed: £170 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… speed, aesthetics
- Not so great for… those on a budget
If you need a milk frother that’s both speedy and stylish, this beautiful offering from Smeg is a no-brainer. It might be a bit of an indulgent buy, but it’s so much more than just a pretty piece of kit for your kitchen. During testing, it whipped up 250ml of silky-smoothy milk in around 3-4 minutes – a lot quicker than some of the other frothers on this list.
It uses induction heating to gently warm milk through and has an impressive seven settings for both hot and cold frothing. So whether you want a thick, dense froth or a light, airy foam, this little jug can handle it. There’s no getting away from the price but if you want the best of both worlds (style AND substance), then you’ll need to cough up. For the style-conscious, we think it’s very much worth it.
Key specs – Type: Jug; Power: Corded; Dishwasher friendly: No; Warranty: 1 year; Weight: 1.8kg
How to choose the best milk frother for you
What types of milk frother are there?
You don’t have to spend hundreds to get a gorgeous, creamy foam; you can get a decent milk frother for under £10, while even the best come in at under £100. You can break milk frothers down into three major types:
Handheld: these wand-like devices are basically small motorised whisks that aerate milk by working at very high speeds. The upsides are that they’re inexpensive, easy to pop in a drawer and you can use them anywhere as they’re battery operated. They can be used on cold milk or hot and you simply stop whisking when you reach the required consistency, giving more control than other types.
The downside is that if you want your milk hot, you need to heat it manually first, while there’s a knack involved in using the wand. Plus, if you use them regularly, the cost of batteries can mount up. There’s an alternative to the wand – a glass jar with a whisk built into the lid – but we’ve found these are prone to breaking and lack the power to produce a decent foam.
Jug style: these small jugs, which look a bit like a compact kettle, both heat and froth your milk, using a small induction ring in the base of the jug and a built-in whisk. They’re by far the most convenient and easy to use – once you’ve pressed the button, you can just walk away and let the machine do its job. Many come with a range of temperature settings, as well as the ability to choose the volume of foam, depending on whether you want, say, a flat white or cappuccino.
With some, you can heat milk without whisking it (good for hot chocolate) or make cold foam (good for milkshakes). The downsides are that some only let you prepare the milk to one temperature or consistency and some only work well with a small amount of milk.
Stovetop: these consist of a metal jug and frothing pump. You partially fill it with milk, put it on the hob, heat it up, pop the lid on and pump the handle to produce the foam. The upside is ease of use – there’s no need for batteries or electricity and they’re easy to clean, with most parts dishwasher safe. The downside is that producing froth requires more customisation than with other types.
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How easy are milk frothers to clean?
Ideally, your milk frother will be non-stick, with easy-to-clean parts as dried milk requires serious scrubbing. The good news is that most milk frothers are very easy to clean – some can simply be run under a tap, while others can be popped in the dishwasher. The more you use your milk frother, the more you’ll need to clean it – so the latter option is definitely best for coffee addicts.
