If you love a frothy, milky coffee, then you need a milk frother to upgrade your morning coffee.
I’ve covered kitchen appliances for years now on T3, so I’d like to say that nothing surprises me anymore. However, an appliance that I never thought would need to be ‘upgraded’ was a milk frother.
A ‘traditional’ milk frother is a handheld gadget that looks similar to a whisk. Its controls are pretty simple with just an on/off button that whips up your milk in a minute or so. But now, today’s milk frothers are much more advanced, and can be tailored to specific milks, and even make hot and cold froth and foam.
Most bean to cup coffee machines have steam wands built into the design so you can grind your beans, brew your coffee and froth your milk all in one appliance. Some pod coffee machines have this too, but not all of them have this capability, so if you’re a milky coffee drinker, you’ll want an additional milk frother to make hot milk for your lattes, cappuccinos and even hot chocolates.
To help you find the right milk frother for you, I’ve rounded up five of the best milk frothers on the market, including models from De’Longhi, Smeg, Nespresso and more.
1. De’Longhi LatteMix Cold and Hot Frother
(Image credit: De’Longhi)
Best milk frother overall
Starting off strong, the De’Longhi LatteMix Cold and Hot Frother ticks all the boxes when it comes to a modern, upgraded milk frother. It makes both hot and cold foam, and can be used to whip up dairy and plant-based milks.
The design of the De’Longhi LatteMix is quite unique as it looks more like a kettle than a milk frother. It’s simple to use with three buttons that select different milk types, and cold foam. It also has precise temperature controls for each milk type, and has a stunning stainless steel design with an ergonomic handle and pointed spout.
As of writing, it’s only available in the US and is priced at $179.95.
2. Smeg Mini Milk Frother
(Image credit: Smeg)
Best high-end milk frother
Smeg’s latest milk frother is the Mini Milk Frother, and in true Smeg style, it has a retro-inspired design. Available in multiple matte and glossy colours, the Smeg Mini Milk Frother is similar to the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser (more on this below) as it uses a 500W motor and removable whisk to whip up hot milk froth, cold milk froth and hot milk.
The Smeg Mini Milk Frother can be used to make milk for tea, coffee, matcha and hot chocolate. Despite its high-end cost (prices start at £129.95) and looks, the Smeg Mini Milk Frother has one multifunction button which has temperature and size settings to choose from.
3. Nespresso NanoFoamer
(Image credit: Nespresso)
Best traditional milk frother
As mentioned above, ‘traditional’ milk frothers are typically handheld and are like a motorised whisk – which is exactly what the Nespresso NanoFoamer is. The brand’s smallest and most compact milk frother yet, the Nespresso NanoFoamer is designed for cold foam and comes with two texture settings – light or dense.
As a great addition to any Nespresso pod coffee machine, the Nespresso NanoFoamer makes smooth, velvety foam for iced coffees. It has a small, lightweight design, and at just £40 / $49, the Nespresso NanoFoamer is the most affordable milk frother on this list.
4. Jura Automatic Milk Frother
(Image credit: Jura)
Best milk frother for hot and cold milk
Another Velvetiser dupe, the Jura Automatic Milk Frother is designed for both hot and cold foam, and it can even make chocolate milk. It has one of my favourite milk frother designs, with four buttons running up the centre of the jug, so you can select pre-programmed settings.
The Jura Automatic Milk Frother can be used for dairy and plant-based milks, and it takes up minimal space in your kitchen with its compact 21cm height. It has a conic base that works as a stand so it can sit nicely next to your Jura coffee machine.
5. Dualit Milk Frother Max
(Image credit: Dualit)
Best large milk frother
If you’re making large amounts of coffee or matcha, the Dualit Milk Frother Max is a large capacity milk frother, based on its original Milk Frother. It has a capacity of 540ml for milk frother and 580ml for heated milk so it can make up to five cups at a time.
The Dualit Milk Frother Max can be used for heated and frothed milk, cold froth and hot chocolate. Its Hot Chocolate function can use chocolate flakes, buttons, powder, bars or grated chocolate to make hot chocolate – and it’s only £99.99.
BONUS: Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser
(Image credit: Lizzie Wilmot / T3)
Best milk frother for hot chocolate
I’ve included the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser in this list as a bonus entry as it’s not ‘technically’ a milk frother, but as many of the frothers in this guide also make heated milk for hot chocolate, I had to include it.
If it’s velvety hot chocolate you’re after, the Velvetiser makes delicious hot and cold chocolate drinks. The new version which we gave five stars in our Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser review has a sleeker design and smart features, and it really is hard to beat if you want a hot chocolate maker.
