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Sometimes, the difference between a cafe-quality drink and one you can make at home is the little details, like a special syrup or cold foam. If you’re trying to kick your Starbucks habit, it might be time to invest in a handheld milk frother for all of your coffee creations. The best handheld milk frothers act like a mini electric whisk giving you perfectly fluffy milk foam with a push of a button. Some can even blend protein powders into shakes!
I teamed up with Meggan from Culinary Hill to put together this list of the best handheld milk frothers, starting with her own from Zulay Kitchen. Together we combed through buying guides and reviews from trusted publications, recommendations from other food bloggers, and Amazon reviews to find the best products out there to help you achieve a cafe-quality frothy drink at home.
Table of Contents
Our Top Picks
- What’s in Meggan’s Kitchen: Zulay Kitchen Milk Frother – $12.99 at Amazon
- Best Budget Handheld Milk Frother: ElitaPro Powerful Milk Frother Wand – $9.99 at Amazon
- Best Speed Range: Keurig SimpleCafé Essentials Frother – $26.99 at Amazon
- Best Attachments: FoodVille MF05 Rechargeable Milk Frother – $15.99 at Amazon
Reviews of The Best Handheld Milk Frothers
1. What’s in Meggan’s Kitchen: Zulay Milk Frother
The Zulay Milk Frother is a great tool for beginners because it’s cheap and easy to use. Powered by AA batteries, it won’t need recharging between uses. And when you’re done, a quick hand-wash of the wand and you can store it on its included stand. And you won’t mind having yours on display: It comes in 45 colors to go with any decor.
This powerful frother also works great for mixing other morning beverages, like matcha powder or protein powder. “I love this frother because it gets the job done,” Meggan says. “We don’t go to Starbucks, so this makes our home hot drinks feel special.”
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 10 inches by 2 inches
- Weight: 5.3 ounces
- Power Source: Two AA batteries
- Motor Speed: 12,500 RPM
What I Like:
- Inexpensive
- Comes with a stand
- Cordless
- Comes in many colors
- Limited lifetime warranty
What I Don’t Like:
- Some reviewers say it wears out with heavy use
- Colors may appear different in person
What Others Are Saying:
The Zulay Milk Frother has more than 223,000 ratings and 4.4 stars on Amazon.
Buy the Zulay Milk Frother:
2. Best Budget Handheld Milk Frother: ElitaPro Powerful Milk Frother Wand
The ElitaPro Powerful Milk Frother Wand is affordable, especially for what you get. The tool has a double whisk head for faster, fluffier frothing. It comes with an egg beater attachment for whisking up the rest of your breakfast, as well. Also battery-powered, this frother offers a multi-functional tool for less than some of the high-end brands.
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 8.5 inches by 2.5 inches
- Weight: 5.6 ounces
- Power Source: Two AA batteries
- Motor Speed: 19,000 RPM
What I Like:
- Double whisk head
- Included egg beater attachment
- Stand included
- Available in many colors
What I Don’t Like:
- Doesn’t come with batteries
- Doesn’t last forever
- Not enough power to beat eggs
What Others Are Saying:
This milk frother has earned 4.1 stars from over 30,000 reviews on Amazon. It’s also recommended as the best overall milk frother by Real Simple and Food & Wine and the best budget buy by The Spruce Eats.
Buy the ElitaPro Powerful Milk Frother Wand:
3. Best Speed Range: Keurig SimpleCafé Essentials Frother
For those at-home baristas who want to take their caffeinated creations to the next level, this luxe handheld milk frother from Keurig offers three speed settings: manual, cappuccino, and latte. This means you can achieve the perfect frothing for whatever coffee drink you’re making. The speed variety can also help achieve that creamy texture when frothing oat or almond milk.
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 10.61 inches by 1.54 inches
- Weight: 3.7 ounces
- Power Source: USB
- Motor Speed: 8,000 RPM
What I Like:
- Lightweight
- Offers three speeds
- Comfortable, ergonomic handle
- USB charging
What I Don’t Like:
- Expensive
- Button is awkwardly placed
Buy the Keurig SimpleCafé Essentials Frother:
4. Best Attachments: FoodVille MF05 Rechargeable Milk Frother
If you’re willing to spend a little more for a more versatile appliance, it’s worth upgrading to the FoodVille MF05 Frother. This milk frother has two speeds, both of which are more powerful than others on this list, and comes with a double-coil head attachment for frothing and a balloon whisk attachment for mixing. You’ll also get a stand and some fun latte art templates to take your at-home cafe creations to the next level.
The rechargeable battery means you have to remember to plug it in, but you don’t need to keep spare batteries on hand.
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 9 inches by 4 inches
- Weight: 12 ounces
- Power Source: One rechargeable lithium ion battery
- Motor Speed: 19,000 on low, 23,000 on high
What I Like:
- Two attachments
- Two powerful speeds
- Rechargeable battery
- Stand included
What I Don’t Like:
- Awkward button design
- On the pricey side for a handheld frother
What Others Are Saying:
With more than 7,000 Amazon reviews and 4.5 stars, FoodVille’s MF05 Rechargeable Milk Frother was also named the best rechargeable milk frother by Real Simple.
Buy the FoodVille MF05 Rechargeable Milk Frother:
Other Handheld Milk Frothers to Consider
Subminimal Milk Foamer
This Subminimal Milk Foamer comes highly recommended by Food & Wine for its design that features screens instead of a spiral whisk to create fine, silky foam. However, for its sky-high price and questionable longevity, we’d recommend skipping this one. The Subminimal Milk Foamer is available at Amazon for $57.
Bean Envy Milk Frother
Recommended by Epicurious and with more than 18,400 ratings and 4.4 stars on Amazon, this $10 milk frother is a simple option. Unfortunately, some reviewers found the tool too flimsy and weak to be worth even its low price. The Bean Envy Milk Frother is available at Amazon for $9.99.
Peach Street Milk Frother
Recommended by Smitten Kitchen, this milk frother is another solid choice if you’re looking for a basic tool at a cheap price with lots of color variety. The Peach Street Milk Frother is available at Amazon for $14.92.
Why You Can Trust Us
Hi, I’m Grace! I write about everything from kitchen appliances to budget-friendly travel. I’ve tested quite a few appliances in my time as a commerce writer, including coffee machines, rice cookers, electric kettles, and more. And I’m the proud owner of not one but three handheld milk frothers, including Meggan’s favorite, the Zulay Milk Frother.
For this guide, I joined forces with Meggan, the chef and writer behind Culinary Hill. With her years of expertise in creating drink recipes, from cocktails to coffee, we found the best handheld milk frothers for every budget and need.
First, we started with the milk frother that Meggan and I personally use, dissecting what it’s good for and why we like it. From there, we sourced recommendations from trustworthy publications and food bloggers, narrowing our list by selecting products only with the best customer reviews.
Everything to Know Before Buying a Handheld Milk Frother
What to Consider Before Buying a Handheld Milk Frother
While a handheld milk frother may seem like a pretty basic tool, you’ll find a range of features and designs available when you begin your search. Here’s everything Meggan and I considered while looking for the best milk frothers, so you can have some guidelines for narrowing your search.
Speed: Most basic handheld milk frothers will just have one speed, but if you’re looking for something fancier you can find frothers with powerful dual-speed functionality. These motors are often listed with their speed in RPMs, or revolutions per minute. Most good frothers will have a speed higher than 10,000 RPM.
Attachments: Some handheld frothers offer a separate whisk attachment for more basic mixing. This is great if you plan to use your frother for mixing matcha, powdered greens, protein powder, or hot chocolate in addition to making milk foam.
Power Source: The tools on this list either use disposable AA or AAA batteries or an internal battery that’s rechargeable. Unless you’re using your milk frother multiple times per day, the batteries or charge should last you a long time. It’s just a matter of whether you would rather run to the store for batteries or wait for your milk frother to charge when it’s out of juice. Rechargeable milk frothers tend to be more expensive up front as well, though the cost of batteries can quickly add up if you use your battery-powered frother regularly.
Price: A handheld milk frother can cost anywhere from $10 to $50, depending on its construction and added features. If you’re new to milk frothing, it’s worth opting for the cheaper tool and upgrading with time. If you’re on your way to being an amateur barista, you might as well splurge on a model with extra attachments, speed settings, and more.
How Do You Froth Milk Without a Frother?
If you don’t own a milk frother, you can still get delicious, foamy milk at home. All you need is a pot or microwave-safe dish and a whisk. Heat your milk of choice on the stove or in the microwave—150 degrees Fahrenheit is a good target temperature. Then whisk! It will take longer and may not be the exact consistency of foam made with a handheld milk frother, but it’s better than nothing.
What Can You Make with a Milk Frother?
While a frother may bring to mind milk foam for topping a coffee drink, it has so many other uses, from whisking matcha to powders. “A frother can be great for mixing protein powder with water or milk—but not as great if you have chunks of fruit or vegetables in the shake,” Meggan says.
How Do You Use a Handheld Milk Frother?
Milk frothers, particularly electric, handheld ones, are very easy to use. “Insert the frothing tip into your beverage or liquid, then turn it on,” Meggan says. “Swirl around if necessary depending on the size of your vessel. Do not insert a frother if it’s already turned on unless you want a big mess!”
Can You Froth Almond Milk?
Whether you can’t drink dairy or prefer the taste of alternative milk, almond milk is one of the best options for frothing. However, you need both protein and fat to make a good froth, so low- or non-fat almond milk may not produce the same results as whole dairy milk or half and half.
The Best Frother Recipes
Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, a milk frother can help you make everything from cocktails to eggnog. Here are some of Meggan’s favorite recipes to whip out her milk frother for.
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
