Frothing rich microfoam from non-dairy products is pretty much every barista’s ultimate nightmare. The lower protein and higher water of dairy-free alternatives like almond milk and soy milk prevent them from thickening.
The good news is, non-dairy milk can actually give you a delightfully smooth and silky microfoam. You need three things to achieve that: proper technique, quality plant-based milk with high protein content, and finally, a powerful milk frother.
To ease your way into a luxurious latte, I’ve picked out and reviewed the 6 best milk frothers for almond milk in different budget groups. Choose the one that ticks the boxes for you.
Don’t have the time or patience to read the whole thing? No worries. Choose an almond milk frother that fits both your budget and needs from the list below:
- A Great Handheld Milk Frother: PowerLix Milk Frother
- Automatic Stainless Steel Milk Frother: Breville BMF600XL
- Best Milk Frother for Home Use: Secura Automatic MMF-015
- Best Milk Frother for Extra Hot Foamy Milk: SMF700 Souvia Automatic Stor
- Manual Milk Frother: Bodum Latteo Manual Milk Frother
- Milk Frother for Gifting: HadinEEon Milk Frother
How To Choose The Best Milk Frother
I spent a while trying different milk frothers after my wife wanted to stop drinking dairy products.
Finding a milk frother that actually creates a nice layer of foam that isn’t plain liquid at the bottom isn’t easy.
If you are not sure what you to exactly look for shopping for a milk frother, here are a few key pointers for you to help you pick the right frother for your particular foaming needs:
Choosing the Right Type of Frother
How much portability do you need? If travel-friendliness is your top priority, then a battery-operated handheld device will serve you the best. However, these devices are very basic-level. Manual frothers make much richer foam but they are mostly too fragile to lug around.
If you will be mostly making coffee at home or will have access to electricity while traveling, a stainless steel frother will be your best bet. A quality electric frother makes the thickest and most stable froth out of all the three frother types.
Temperature
Milk temperature is the key when it comes to frothing the milk to the desired consistency. Underheat it and the froth will be runny. Heat it too high and you will destroy the protein structure required for holding and stabilizing the bubbles.
Any electric milk frother worth its salt should offer variable temperature control up to at least 145 degrees F for great taste, texture, and density.
If you want to be precise, choose a model that lets you change the temperature in small increments.
Cleaning and Maintenance
As a rule of thumb, the fewer removable parts means less cleanup. In a handheld battery-powered frother, the only part you need to clean is the whisker head.
Some electric frothers have more parts to clean than others. I suggest looking for a stainless steel model with a super smooth interior surface, preferably Teflon coated, for effortless cleanup.
Ease of Use
Automatic electric milk frothers are by far the easiest to operate. You won’t have to hold down any button for longer to froth up fat-free or alternative milk options. Some devices are equipped with auto shut-off while some emit a loud beeping noise when the milk is ready to keep you from overwhipping the milk.
Reviews of The Best Milk Frother For Almond Milk
Nice of you for wanting to do thorough research before picking up a milk frother. Below I have reviewed the above-mentioned 6 frothers in detail to give you more insight.
1. PowerLix Milk Frother Handheld Battery Operated Electric
- Takes less than 20 seconds to whip up creamy, delicious froth.
- With the right technique and proper timing, you can create high-volume, airy foam for cappuccinos as well.
- The steel whisk is easy to keep clean.
- Super easy to operate, great for beginners.
- Comes with a stainless steel stand for safe storage.
For anaffordably priced electric frother, it packs quite a damn punch.
The 19,000 RPM motor at the heart of this nifty device creates enough torque to produce a strong whirlpool which captures some air from the surface and inserts it into the milk. Voila! You have the perfect amount of aeration in the milk now for lattes.
I loved the quality of the stainless steel whisk on this model. It will hold up well against heavy use.
Cleaning hassle is practically zero. Just hold it under running tap water, rinse, shake, and done. Simply rest in on the stainless steel stand that comes with it. It looks pretty on the countertop like that.
The device features a push-button instead of an on/off switch. You’ll have to hold down the button while frothing which is not exactly convenient.
However, keeping in mind the price tag, I can’t complain much. The frother requires two AA batteries that aren’t included in the box.
Inserting the batteries is a breeze as there are no screws in the battery compartment. In short, it’s a great little power-packed frother for quickly and effortlessly jazzing up your homemade coffee
Coming to the not-so-good parts, the frothing stick feels a bit flimsy. It probably wouldn’t survive a hard drop on the floor. Secondly, the push button acts a bit erratic at times.
2. Breville BMF600XL Milk Cafe Milk Frother
- Made from pure stainless steel.
- Adjustable temperature from 0 to slightly over 60 degrees F.
- Can froth milk for latte art using 2% milk.
- Maximum 3-cup capacity is a great plus, considering how most similarly-priced machines offer only 1-cup capacity.
- Froths 10 oz. of milk in roughly 70 seconds on the highest heat setting.
It’s a very well-thought-out pure stainless steel automatic frothing machine that comes with individual discs for latte and cappuccino foam. The latte disc creates a small amount of silky foam while the cappuccino disc yields bigger volume of delicate, billowy foam.
The amount of froth you’ll get also depends on the volume and type of milk you’re using. I was pleasantly surprised by the texture of foam it whips up out of almond and soy milk. However, the results are decidedly better with whole cow milk, every barista’s best friend forever.
The unit also incorporates a high-quality induction heater at the base to gently heat up milk for stable and consistent froth. The temperature is adjustable up from 0 to 160 degrees F max, so you can vortex up the milk without heating it for your iced coffees and frappes.
I loved the fact that the device alerts you if you’ve put too much milk in the jug, preventing milk waste. If you wish to just heat the milk and not froth, use the latte disc. It evenly heats the milk and creates a very thin layer of foam, making it perfect for a glass of piccolo, cortado as well as a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
I won’t recommend heating or frothing the milk without the discs as it can burn the milk easily. Then good luck cleaning that stubborn buildup off the jug. But in general, it’s a fairly low maintenance frother. All the washable parts are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean manually too.
3. Secura Automatic Electric Milk Frother and Warmer (250ml)
- Quiet and powerful.
- Creates rich, dense, long-lasting foam with very fresh and unsweetened milk alternatives, especially oat and almond milk.
- Teflon coating allows for fuss-free clean-up.
- Large capacity, available in a 500 ml variant too.
- Maximum and minimum level marks to keep you from overfilling the vessel.
The third entry on my list beautifully blends convenience with consistency. The large capacity (150 ml. Max for frothing and 250 ml for heating) of the mug is a clear winner.
The stainless steel jug interior has a non-stick Teflon coating, so you can easily wipe off the milk solids buildup with a wet cloth. It also comes with a small brush for the job.
You can detach the whisker ring from the base and run it under hot water for cleanup. And as for the inside, a periodic thorough cleanup with soap water and sponge will do the trick.
If you’d like to have the added convenience of only stirring and not heating the cold milk for cold beverages, you’re in luck. It comes with two attachments- the heating-only attachment gives evenly heated, lightly texturized milk which is just perfect for café au lait or the good old drip coffee.
The whisker attachment froths the milk to almost whipping cream consistency for espresso-based beverages. For cold beverages, you can simply turn the heater off by pressing and holding the power button for 3 seconds tops. I love how quickly yet quietly it froths the milk, watching the whole process is kind of therapeutic.
For best results with plant-based milk, I’d recommend using fresh unsweetened almond or oat milk. It will create a thick and long-lasting layer of delicious foam.
My only beef with the product is that the bottom gathers burnt milk debris after heating. It’s not a pain to clean but scrubbing it off is an extra step that I could do without.
4. Souvia Automatic Milk Frother and Steamer Machine
- Creates delicate and creamy froth with non-dairy milk if you add a dash of soy creamer to the milk.
- Adjustable temperature. The hottest setting is ideal for scalding milk.
- Made from very high-quality stainless steel.
- Has a magnetic storage for the whisking discs at the back side of the base.
Tried a whole bunch of milk frothers/heater machines before but none of them getting your milk hot enough? Souvia might just be the solution you need. The highest heat setting on this device produces scalding hot milk.
If you like your coffee very hot, you will enjoy that.
However, this level of heat will easily denature all the protein, meaning it won’t be able to create a stabilizing layer of foam. Thankfully, the unit offers precise temperature control, so you have full control of the texture of the froth.
You can further fine-tune the foam for different drinks using the two attachments- one for latte and the other for cappuccino included with the frother. The serrated edge attachment is also great for mixing protein powder and making shakes, hot chocolates, and similar blended drinks.
Note that the discs are basically powerful magnets. You just have to place the attachment right at the center of the pitcher, switch the device on and the magnetic force will spin the disc at high speed.
It attaches securely to the base and removes easily which makes deep cleaning the pitcher a cakewalk. The unit beeps loudly the moment the foamy milk is ready, which is a huge plus if you are a multitasker like me.
Just one caveat.
There’s a bit of a learning curve to it at the beginning. You’ll have to experiment with the milk amount, type, and temperature a couple of times before you find the perfect combination of these metrics.
5. Bodum Latteo Manual Milk Frother
- Ideal for frothing 1% lactose-free milk, skimmed milk, as well as unsweetened almond and soy milk microwaved for 2 minutes.
- Less clean up required as you use only one carafe to microwave, froth, and pour the foamy milk into your cup.
- The handle doesn’t get too hot to the touch.
- Can be used for frothing half and half for cafe breve and similar espresso-based drinks.
- Holds enough milk for two large lattes.
Apart from the ability to yield impeccable froth, the carafe is microwavable too. So you can heat, froth, and pour the milk to your cup using just one device, meaning less cleanup. The handle on the carafe doesn’t get too hot to the touch after heating, so that’s another big plus.
Another standout feature of this frother is the borosilicate glass carafe. It’s not too thin and fragile, which is a big relief. But it isn’t ultra-thicker either, so be careful while tapping the carafe on a granite countertop for resting and polishing the froth.
This manual frother works unbelievably well with non-fat and low-fat milk as well as almond milk. If you notice getting very thin and light foam that’s just disappearing into the coffee, you are probably using milk with very high-fat content. Try with 4% whole milk, or 2% if you are watching your calorie intake, to unleash the frother’s true potential.
Some of you might be wondering if you should microwave milk after the milk is foamed. While it’s not common, a lot of my co-baristas have experimented with it and got success. Don’t microwave for more than 40 seconds, though.
You can diversify its applications by frothing half and half in it for a lesser-known but insanely delicious beverage called breve cappuccino. Similarly, you can make whipped cream with heavy cream for your frappes and shakes.
6. HadinEEon Milk Frother
- Extremely easy to clean up.
- Shuts off automatically when the milk reaches the ideal drinking temperature (140 degrees F).
- Lightweight and easy to operate.
- Food grade Teflon coating prevents burnt milk solids from causing stubborn buildup on the bottom.
- 4 oz. capacity for frothing and 10 oz. for heating milk.
I admire the simplicity of this frothing machine. It’s basically a simple carafe kitted out with a high-grade induction heater and motor. The frothing process is completely automatic. You won’t even have to keep an eye on the temperature or shut the device off manually when foaming is done.
The machine does that itself when the milk reaches about 140 degrees F which is the ideal drinking temperature for latte, cappuccino, and similar drinks. There are two dedicated buttons on the frother, one for hot foam and another for cold foam.
You can control the texture and consistency of the foam by switching between the two whisker attachments included in the box. Make sure to take the milk right out of the fridge for frothing. It will allow enough time for developing the foam before the milk heats up.
As for non-dairy substitutes, the quality of foam entirely depends on the brand of milk you are using. I have gotten stiff, long-lasting foam with homemade almond and oat milk.
The interior of the carafe has food-grade coating, so highly caramelized milk doesn’t badly stick to the surface. Whatever little buildup it forms can be easily cleaned with the tiny cleaning sponge you get with the product.
To prolong the shelf life of your frother and keep the taste of the milk unaffected, make sure to periodically remove and thoroughly clean all the removable parts with warm soapy water and sponge.
FAQs About Milk Frother
1. Which nut milk froths best?
Ans: If you want to try out non-dairy options for your morning cup of Joe, I’d suggest using almond, oat or soy milk, preferably the barista blend. It’s slightly more expensive than the regular stuff but is very worth it. Also, homemade, freshly-extracted nut milk can yield high-density microfoam with the right equipment.
2. What is the thickest non-dairy milk?
Ans: Coconut milk, without a doubt. It has high-fat content which results in pleasantly sweet, creamy-textured foam. However, the same high fat content also makes foaming coconut milk annoyingly difficult.
It prevents the protein (casein to be more specific) from stabilizing the foam. With a milk frother, it could possibly take twice as long as almond, oat or soy milk to foam up.
3. Can you froth almond milk in a frother?
Ans: Yes, you can as long as you use high-quality milk which roughly means more nut milk and less water. Also, make sure it’s super fresh and unsweetened because you don’t want any sweetener or acidity regulators in the milk. Additives affect the foamability of the
Conclusion
Not going to lie. Frothing milk, especially non-dairy options like almond, soy, or coconut milk, to perfection is a rocket science. But with the right kind of milk, strong technique, and a best milk frother, you can totally create Instagram and drool-worthy latte, cappuccino, and a host of other coffee-based drinks without robbing a bank or joining a barista training program.
