The Takeaway:
1. Our Pick: Breville Milk Cafe Frother BMF600
2. Runner-Up: Nespresso Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother
3. Budget Pick: DeLonghi EMF1BK Milk Frother
Before we go get into particulars, let’s start with a broad overview of the winner and the other top contenders here in our electric milk frother reviews.
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Our Pick
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4.5
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4.0
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4.0
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$159.95 ($3.84 / Ounce)
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$129.99
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$109.95
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​750ml (hot milk),
500ml (frothing) |
250ml (hot milk),
130ml (frothing) |
250ml (hot milk),
140ml (frothing) |
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Stainless steel
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Stainless steel
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Non-stick aluminum
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6” x 6” 10.2”
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4.1” x 4.1” x 6.7”
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6.7” x 4.5” x 7.7”
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3.6 pounds
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1 pound
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2.5 pounds
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Disc-based system for different frothing consistencies, precise temp control
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3 temp settings (cold froth, hot froth, hot milk)
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3 temp settings (cold froth, hot froth, hot milk)
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500ml (frothing)
130ml (frothing)
140ml (frothing)
The world of specialty coffee drinks can seem vast and confusing when you’re just beginning to explore it. Grinders, espresso makers, super and semi-automatics machines, handheld, manual, and electric milk frothers, lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Sometimes, you can suffer from a bit of analysis paralysis just trying to figure out where to start.
That’s why this article exists. We’ve scoured the internet on a quest to find the best electric milk steamer being sold today, to take the guesswork out of your purchase, and if you’re not sure whether or not you need one, we’ll cover that too!
Our Pick: Breville Milk Cafe Frother BMF600
There’s a lot to like about this model, but two features stand out in particular. First, the Breville milk frother and carafe got a much higher capacity than any other machine on our list, being able to steam and froth three times the amount of milk than our other finalists.
The other big draw is the fact that Breville’s offering provides you with precise temperature controls. As you’ll see, every other model we talk about here has three pre-defined temperature settings. If those settings don’t get the milk as hot as you’d like, there’s just nothing to be done about it.
Another thing that distinguishes this model is the fact that it utilizes a unique, disc-based system to handle the actual frothing. It comes with two: one for cappuccino, which produces thick, creamy froth; and the other for latte, which produces smooth, silky, warmed milk.
Just swap from one disc to the other, and you can control the amount of froth produced! Note too, that the unit has storage space for the disc you’re not currently using.
You’ve probably seen other electric milk frother reviews around the web that have sung the praises of Breville’s cafe milk frother and carafe, and with good reason. It’s a giant, towering above the rest both literally and where raw capacity is concerned, and is well deserving of top honors here. It’s simply the best electric milk frother being sold today.
Having said that, it’s also the most expensive electric milk steamer and frother on our list of finalists and may be more money than some people are willing to spend.
Runner-Up: Nespresso Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother
If you’re looking for a less expensive model, then the Nespresso is your second-best choice. You should be aware though, that you’re giving up quite a bit for a relatively modest reduction in price.
The two biggest losses are raw capacity (750ml to 250ml for hot milk, and 500ml to 130ml for froth), and precise temperature control. Even so, if you’re not a power drinker, or only occasionally enjoy milk-based drinks, it’s an excellent option that will save you money, producing froth and or steamed milk of comparable quality.
Another nice touch is the fact that the Aeroccino Plus only weighs one pound, making it the lightest electric milk frother and heater on our list.
Budget Pick: DeLonghi EMF1BK Milk Frother
We regard this as a niche product, in a niche market, but wanted to include it for the sake of completeness. It’s made of inferior materials compared to the other products listed here and is relatively expensive, so you might be wondering who would ever buy it.
The answer to that question depends on how important aesthetics are to you. If you own other Delonghi equipment and are looking for something that meshes well with the stuff you already own, then this is a good fit, but note that you’ll pay a premium for the Delonghi brand name.
Aesthetics just aren’t that important to us personally, but we recognize that not everybody feels that way, so we wanted to give Delonghi’s EMF1BK a brief mention for people in that slice of the market who must have matching coffee gear!
Like the other runner-up models, it offers three temperature settings and can handle hot or cold froth, steamed milk for lattes, and does a good job with all three.
Also Great
Epica Automatic Electric Milk Frother
The Epica is a great little electric milk steamer machine that will save you even more money as compared to our top pick. It has one important limitation to be aware of though and one hidden strength, so depending on how you use the machine, it may be an excellent choice.
Its limitation is that while it’s great at making thick, rich, creamy foam for drinks like cappuccinos, it doesn’t do a great job at producing milk of a silky consistency for lattes. If cappuccinos are your milk-based drink of choice, this limitation won’t matter a bit to you, and you can save some money with this model.
Its hidden strength lies in the fact that it’s the only electric milk foamer on our list with an insulated carafe. That means it keeps your hot milk hot, and your cold milk cold for a much longer period than the other models listed here. Ideal for those situations where it’s impractical to keep putting the carafe back in the fridge after prepping the milk!
Note: You may have read some Secura automatic electric milk frother and warmer reviews online and wondered why it didn’t make an appearance on our list.
It’s a good electric milk heater, but functionally similar to the Epica, minus the insulated carafe. It can frequently be found on sale, however, and it’s worth comparing prices with the Epica if money’s tight and you’re looking to save a bit of money (provided you’re okay with giving up the insulated carafe, of course).
Gourmia Electric Milk Frother
The little Gourmia is the surprise entry on our list and is hands down the least expensive model here. If you’ve never even heard of the company, you’re not alone, but this is electric milk warmer for coffee drinks with a can-do attitude that fares well when compared against every other model on the list, save for the mighty Breville.
If you’re on a budget and want a simple machine that works, it’s hard to argue against the Gourmia. Kudos to the company for offering a reliable, functional machine at such a bargain price!
So, Why Do I Need One of These?
If you already have a semi- or super-automatic espresso machine, you might be asking yourself why you’d even need an electric milk steamer. It’s a fair question, and in most cases (at least if you have one of the aforementioned machines), you won’t.
The odds are that your machine comes with some type of milk-frothing technology built in, and that should be all you need.
On the other hand though, stuff breaks. Maybe the steam wand on your machine isn’t producing high-quality milk froth like it used to. The machine itself still works though, and it seems a waste to ditch it when that’s the only thing wrong.
Or maybe you didn’t consider the strength or quality of the milk frothing function when you initially bought your machine, and find yourself underwhelmed by its performance. It happens.
In either of those cases, it makes sense to augment what you’ve got with a standalone machine, but those aren’t the only possible reasons. It could also be the case that you’ve purchased a machine that just makes espresso, no milk frothing functionality built in.
All that to say that this isn’t a device that everyone is going to need to run out and buy, but if you don’t have a means of frothing milk, or the one you’ve got isn’t getting the job done to your satisfaction, then a standalone electric milk frother and steamer is a cheap way to remedy that situation.
Electric Milk Frother Reviews 2024 Conclusion
As you can see, having read our electric milk frother reviews, there are more options out there than you might expect for such a specialized machine, but honestly, there’s one model that simply towers over all the rest. It’s not even a competition.
Looking at it purely from the perspective of size, the Breville offers three times the raw capacity as the other top contenders on the market. For most people, that, plus the fact that Breville’s model has a more robust feature set, offering more control, are the deciding factors.
That said, if you can live with the reduced capacity and more limited feature set that the other models offer, there are some compelling reasons to consider them, and we’ll summarize those in brief:
Pro Tip: Even if a model says it’s dishwasher safe, your electric milk frother will last longer if you take the time to wash it gently, by hand.
Do you agree with our top pick? If not, which electric milk heater and frother is right for you?
Sources & Resources
- Breville BMF600XL User Manual.
- Secura Automatic Electric Milk Frother and Warmer User Manual.
- Gourmia GMF225 User Manual.
- Breville USA, Official Brand Website.
- Nespresso USA, Official Brand Website.
- Epica, Official Brand Website.
- De’Longhi USA, Official Brand Website.
- Gourmia, Official Brand Website.
- Milk Based Drinks, 1st in Coffee.