
Do Manual
Milk Frothers Work?
It’s a valid question. After all, manual frothers really don’t
look like they should work. They resemble an oversized French Press. But do
they do the job? Can a manual frother really help you make a creamy cappuccino
at home?
Yes, manual milk frothers do work. And they will make a thick,
rich creamy froth in around 30 seconds. You can use the foamy milk a manual
frother makes for anything from a cappuccino to a latte or even a dalgona
coffee.
To be honest the first time I used a manual frother I was
sceptical. With an electric or handheld frother you can see the whisk head and
understand that as it rapidly revolves it will ‘whip’ the milk creating the
bubbles which make the foam.
But a manual milk frother doesn’t have a whisk as such. So how
on earth does it make the foam?
How a manual frother works
If you aren’t familiar with manual milk frothers they are a two-part device. The jug is the receptacle which holds the milk, and the lid which incorporates the plunger that you press up and down to create the foam.These are very simple devices but they work very well. The plunger whips the milk and very quickly makes a thick foam.Of course as the name suggests these are manual devices. They aren’t designed to be labour saving. There’s no plug and you can’t just press a button and sit back. No, they’re called manual milk frothers for a reason.
That said, it isn’t exactly hard work. You pump the
plunger up and down for 30 to 40 seconds to make the foam. It’s not difficult
and it’s kinda fun too.What can you make with a manual milk frotherYou can of
course use hot or cold milk but most of us will be using warm milk for a
cappuccino or latte. A disadvantage that manual frothers have when compared
against electric frothers is that they don’t heat the milk.But don’t let this
put you off. If you use our recommend frother – the Bodum Latteo (review here)
– you can both heat and froth the milk in a few easy steps:Step 1 – Pour the
milk into the glass jar of the frother.Step 2 – Put the jar into the microwave
for two minutes (don’t worry the glass jar is heat proof).Step 3 – Remove the
jar and now hot milk from the microwave and attach the lid of the frother.Step
4 – Pump the plunger for around 30 seconds to make a lovely thick foam.You then
add the hot foamy milk to a coffee base to make a wonderful cappuccino.What about
the milk?As with any type of frother, manual frothers work best with full fat
dairy milk. Semi-skimmed milk also works well but the more fats in the milk the
better.That being said you can use any type of milk in a manual frother, but
the texture of the foam will differ. For the richest foam you need to use whole
milk or barista blend vegan milk.Should you buy a manual milk frother?Manual
frothers are inexpensive and make great foam. So yes, if you’re looking for a
new frother or a way to upgrade your homemade coffees a manual milk frother is
a great solution and I highly recommend the Bodum Latteo frother.By the way, if
you want to compare the different types of frother check out this article;
Handheld vs Manual Milk Frothers.
These are very simple devices but they work very well. The
plunger whips the milk and very quickly makes a thick foam.
Of course as the name suggests these are manual devices. They
aren’t designed to be labour saving. There’s no plug and you can’t just press a
button and sit back. No, they’re called manual milk frothers for a reason.
That said, it isn’t exactly hard work. You pump the plunger up and down for 30 to 40 seconds to make the foam. It’s not difficult and it’s kinda fun too.What can you make with a manual milk frotherYou can of course use hot or cold milk but most of us will be using warm milk for a cappuccino or latte. A disadvantage that manual frothers have when compared against electric frothers is that they don’t heat the milk.But don’t let this put you off.
If you use our recommend frother – the Bodum Latteo (review here) – you can both heat and froth the milk in a few easy steps:Step 1 – Pour the milk into the glass jar of the frother.Step 2 – Put the jar into the microwave for two minutes (don’t worry the glass jar is heat proof).Step 3 – Remove the jar and now hot milk from the microwave and attach the lid of the frother.Step 4 – Pump the plunger for around 30 seconds to make a lovely thick foam.You then add the hot foamy milk to a coffee base to make a wonderful cappuccino.What about the milk?As with any type of frother, manual frothers work best with full fat dairy milk. Semi-skimmed milk also works well but the more fats in the milk the better.@ Read More knowaboutanything
That being said you can use any type of milk in a manual frother, but
the texture of the foam will differ. For the richest foam you need to use whole
milk or barista blend vegan milk.Should you buy a manual milk frother?Manual
frothers are inexpensive and make great foam. So yes, if you’re looking for a
new frother or a way to upgrade your homemade coffees a manual milk frother is
a great solution and I highly recommend the Bodum Latteo frother.By the way, if
you want to compare the different types of frother check out this article;
Handheld vs Manual Milk Frothers.
What can you make with a manual milk frother
You can of course use hot or cold milk but most of us will be
using warm milk for a cappuccino or latte. A disadvantage that manual frothers
have when compared against electric frothers is that they don’t heat the milk.