We Tested 20 Milk Frothers To See What Ones Make the Best Lattes—Here Are the Results

Best Overall

Instant 4-in-1 Milk Frother and Steamer

Orig. $50 $35 at Amazon $35 at Walmart $35 at Target

Whether you want a rich latte or a cozy cup of hot chocolate, the Instant Milk Frother from Instant Brands gets the job done. It ranked highest in performance and overall value out of the roughly two dozen milk frothers we tested. All four of the item's settings yielded smooth foam that retained its consistency for a long time. It also worked well with oat milk, making it a viable option for those who prefer milk alternatives. The performance alone makes it a worthwhile purchase, and when you factor in how affordable it is for an automatic milk frother, it’s a great deal.

The machine's four settings are cold foam, warm thick foam, warm light foam, and hot milk. Such versatility opens up more drink options—cold foam, in particular, is excellent for several iced coffee recipes—and the ability to customize drinks to your preference. We found the settings clearly labeled and easy to alternate between. The frothing is also extremely quiet, so early morning coffee won't wake up others in your household. We did find the whisk a bit tricky to attach, but that didn't take away from the overall product.

As far as cleaning goes, the Instant Milk Frother is on par with other automatic frothers. The lid and whisk are dishwasher safe, but the inside should be cleaned by hand.

Capacity: 10 ounces | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.7 x 8.8 inches | Weight: 1.7 pounds

Best Budget

ElitaPro Double Whisk Milk Frother

Orig. $22 $15 at Amazon

There are many affordable milk frothers out there, but the ElitaPro Double Whisk Milk Frother offers the best blend of performance and price, making it our top budget pick. The simple handheld tool consistently produced thick foam throughout our testing process. Surprisingly, it frothed oat milk even better than whole milk, giving it small bubbles and a light, fluffy shape that held together well. That said, the whole milk was still really good, too.

Like most handheld frothers, it's lightweight and small enough to store. Cleaning takes seconds since you only have to spin it in soapy water. We also found the grip extremely comfortable. One nice detail that sets the ElitaPro frother apart is that it comes with a whisk for eggs, so you can use it for more than just beverages.

Note that the item's simplicity leads to a natural drawback: the user must adjust foam consistency on their own, unlike automatic frothers that do it with the touch of a button. Again, this is a shortcoming of handheld frothers in general, not specifically the ElitaPro.

Dimensions: 2.5 x 9 inches | Weight: 5.9 ounces | Batteries: Two AA batteries

Best Handheld

Rösle Dual Speed Frother

Orig. $40 $37 at Amazon $36 at Walmart $40 at Sur La Table

From brewing espresso to blending the milk, making specialty coffee drinks at home doesn't have to require any fancy machines. As long as you have espresso/coffee, a handheld frother can do the rest and requires minimal energy and strength.

The dual speed settings set this super lightweight device apart from many handheld milk frothers, making it more versatile. When we tested it, it fared well with both whole and oat milk and even made light and creamy cold foam. Large bubbles in the whole milk popped and deflated quicker than the small bubbles in the oat milk, but the whole milk was sufficient for a latte or cappuccino nonetheless. Once you're done frothing, simply spin the whisk in soapy water and dry it.

While the Rösle frother drifts toward the pricier end for a handheld model, it's still a cheap investment. Just keep extra AAA batteries handy, as they often need to be replaced.

Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.5 x 10.5 inches | Weight: 3.6 ounces | Batteries: Two AAA batteries

Best Design

Secura Detachable Milk Frother

Orig. $60 $53 at Amazon

The standout detail of Secura's Detachable Milk Frother is the stainless steel milk jug, which can be removed for easy pouring. We found it convenient not only for making drinks but also for cleaning up afterward, as the jug is dishwasher safe.

While there are other detachable milk frothers on the market, this one stands out because of its frothing power. It created such fine foam with whole milk that we could scoop it with a spoon and it still retained its shape. Another advantage is that it has four frothing modes, all accessed by the touch of a button. There's a setting for hot milk foam, cold foam, and hot chocolate, and a separate whisk attachment for plain hot milk.

Unfortunately, the hot chocolate and cold foam functions aren't as effective as general frothing. The cold foam was suitable but didn't hold its shape as long as those made by other devices. We also noted that the hot chocolate powder didn't fully mix. We also found it a little noisier than other frothers we tested. But overall, this is a reliable and reasonably priced milk frother worth purchasing; it just comes with a couple of caveats.

Capacity: 8.5 ounces for frothing; 17 ounces for heating | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 6.6 x 5 x 7.4 inches | Weight: 2.79 pounds

Best for Advanced Baristas

Nespresso Aeroccino4 Milk Frother

Orig. $159 $120 at Amazon $120 at Williams-Sonoma $120 at Sur La Table

For coffee lovers who prefer their milk foam a specific way, the Nespresso Aeroccino4 Milk Frother is an excellent choice. This top-rated device offers a wide range of options for your next latte, cappuccino, and more. It has settings for cold foam, hot milk, hot medium foam, and hot dense foam. We tested each setting and were impressed all around. The foam was rich and had small bubbles that held up for several minutes—longer than the majority of milk frothers tested.

The main downside to the Aeroccino4 is its hefty price tag. It's one of the most expensive that we tested. That said, the performance justifies the price in the end. There are some convenient touches that make it a worthwhile purchase, too, starting with the fact that the jug is dishwasher safe. The grip is ergonomic and sturdy, and the spout pours smoothly. It's also quiet when frothing.

Capacity: 8 ounces if heating and 4 ounces if frothing | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 7.1 x 7.1 x 8.3 inches | Weight: 2 pounds

Best Countertop

Bodum Bistro Electric Milk Frother

Orig. $83 $62 at Amazon Orig. $32 $25 at Walmart $61 at Wayfair

The Bodum Bistro Electric Milk Frother is compact at roughly 4 inches in diameter and simple thanks to the lone power button. But don't let that fool you: The device is sturdy enough to withstand daily use for the coffee lover who makes multiple drinks a day, which is why it earns a spot as our favorite countertop frother.

All you have to do for quick and easy milk foam is hit the power button and you're good to go. The milk heats up as it froths, so users can seamlessly pour it over espresso for delicious lattes and cappuccinos. The frother holds a maximum of 13.5 ounces, but 8 ounces is recommended for best results; there are clear markings inside to indicate proper fill levels

It performed well with both dairy and non-dairy milk and made excellent cold foam and hot chocolate. When you're done, just pop the top part of the frother in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. One of the only criticisms we have is that it's louder than many other electric frothers that we tested.

Capacity: 13.5 ounces | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 4.21 x 8.46 inches | Weight: 1.8 pounds

Best Splurge

Smeg Milk Frother

$230 at Amazon $230 at Williams-Sonoma $230 at Bloomingdales

The Italian manufacturer Smeg is known for making high-quality appliances with a sleek matte aesthetic, and this milk frother continues that trend. It has seven different settings all controlled by a simple dial. The first setting is for hot chocolate and, after testing it ourselves, we found that the cocoa powder blends smoothly into the milk and that the temperature is ideal to drink right away without burning yourself. The other settings are designed for heating milk with no froth, heating milk with froth, or frothing cold milk. The latter is great for iced coffee drinks.

The stainless steel jug is removable and can froth up to 8.5 ounces of milk at once or heat up to 20 ounces. It's also dishwasher safe, which makes clean-up that much easier. One of the only drawbacks is the item's high price tag, but that's expected given the quality of the materials. What we were perhaps most impressed by is how quiet the milk frother is when running. It's gentle enough that you can make a drink in the morning and rest assured you won't wake up other members of your household.

Capacity: 20 ounces if heating and 8.5 ounces if frothing | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 5.6 x 7.25 x 9.9 inches | Weight: 4 pounds

Best Manual

HIC Fino Milk Frother

Orig. $26 $23 at Amazon Orig. $33 $23 at Walmart

Even though manual milk frothers take a little more effort than electric alternatives, the HIC Fino Milk Frother plunged smoothly and created rich, long-lasting foam in under 60 seconds. It's also cheaper than most electric counterparts (although, there are many electric handheld frothers at a similar or lower price). And since it's lightweight and doesn't require electricity, it's portable enough to take with you when traveling or camping.

The pitcher has a 14-ounce capacity, which is fairly large, although you shouldn't fill it up all the way or it will overflow when frothing. The lid has a built-in double mesh aerator that easily creates foam, and the carafe has an easy-grip handle. It holds up to 14 ounces. It's also top-rack dishwasher safe.

The stainless steel parts make it fairly loud, though not terrible. Another small downside to consider before purchasing is that you can't see the milk while frothing it, so you may have to stop and peek to get the foam to your preference.

Capacity: 14 ounces | Heating: No | Dimensions: 5.25 x 3.625 x 4.25 inches | Weight: 0.7 pounds

Best With Temperature Control

Breville Milk Cafe Frother

$160 at Amazon $160 at Wayfair $160 at Williams-Sonoma

The Breville Milk Cafe comes with two attachable discs for different types of froth. The latte frothing disc produces smooth, creamy milk while the cappuccino disc creates slightly thicker froth. The frother also has built-in storage, so you won't lose the discs in a drawer or cupboard.

We found the frother easy to use, partially due to the well-labeled dial on the front of the machine. It lets users select a temperature from warm to hot, and it even has an option for cold foam. Another feature we appreciate is that the Milk Cafe automatically shuts off when the proper temperature has been reached. Heating is done via the induction method, meaning that the detachable jug doesn't contain any electrical components and is dishwasher-safe as a result.

The jug is large enough to hold 25 ounces of milk, which is plenty for lattes, cappuccinos, and hot chocolate. Frothing is a little louder than average but not so intense that it will wake members of your household in the morning. The Milk Cafe is pricier than most milk frothers, but it simplifies the process and consistently produces high-quality, customizable milk foam.

Capacity: 25 ounces | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 6.4 x 6.1 x 10.3 inches | Weight: 1.6 pounds