Bought a 'pro' milk frother that was just a cheap knockoff

I saw this shiny stainless steel frother online for $45, and the pictures made it look like a cafe-grade tool. It arrived and felt light, like a toy. The motor gave out after maybe 10 uses, just making a sad buzzing noise. I should have checked the reviews more carefully, but the listing looked so legit. Totally wasted that money on something that broke before I even finished my first bag of beans. Anyone have a frother that's actually lasted more than a year?

3 comments

3 Comments

sean_barnes2421d ago

That's super frustrating, I've been there with kitchen gadgets that look great but fall apart. What actually worked for me was getting a simple French press instead of the electric frothers. Found one at a thrift store for like $5, and it's been going strong for three years now. The foam isn't as thick as the fancy electric ones but it gets the job done and you just rinse it out. Also, for actual milk steaming I use a small stovetop steamer pot I got for $15. No moving parts to break so it's basically indestructible. Those cheap electric frothers are such a gamble unless you're willing to drop real money on something from a commercial brand.

fionam1121d ago

Yes the french press trick works. I've had mine five years now.

simonk9821d ago

Actually, that's not quite right about the foam not being as thick with a French press. I used to think the same thing until I figured out the technique. If you pump it slowly at first and then faster once the milk starts to foam up, you can get really thick foam. The key is using whole milk and heating it up first to about 150 degrees before you start pressing. I've gotten foam so thick it holds its shape like commercial foam. The cheap electric frothers usually burn out because the motors overheat, but with a French press, there's nothing to break.