Best Milk Frother: Aeroccino 3 vs 4 vs Breville Milk Cafe vs Zulay

An espresso machine with a steam wand makes lovely milk foam, but it is a big purchase to make just for a latte. A standalone milk frother gets most of the way there for far less. They come in three styles: countertop jugs that heat and froth at the push of a button, battery wands that work like a tiny immersion blender, and manual plunger pumps that look like a French press.

The plunger pumps are easy to rule out. Pumping a jug of milk with one hand is tedious, and the other two styles do the job better. The real choice is between a heated jug and a wand, and then which jug. This guide covers the two kinds of foam, temperature, fill lines, plant milk and cleanup.

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Quick verdict

• Best countertop frother: the Breville Milk Cafe Frother (BMF600XL). It shuts off and alerts you when it's done, lets you pick the temperature, has a cold setting and goes in the dishwasher. It is the priciest option here.
• Best Nespresso jug: the Nespresso Aeroccino 4 Milk Frother. Four settings, smoother foam on its lower setting, a pouring spout and a dishwasher-safe jug make it worth the step up from the Aeroccino 3.
• Simplest one-button jug: the Nespresso Aeroccino 3 Milk Frother. One button, hot or cold, done in a minute or two. The foam is dense, there is only one texture, and the jug is hand-wash only.
• Best handheld wand on a budget: the Zulay Kitchen Milk Boss Frother Wand. Light, comfortable, quick to respond, and it makes a very stable foam. You heat the milk yourself.

The frothers side by side

Frother	Shop	Style	Heats milk?	Foam settings	Capacity	Cleaning
Breville Milk Cafe Frother (BMF600XL)	Buy on Amazon	Countertop jug	Yes, temperature you choose, plus cold	Latte and cappuccino frothing discs	Check the listing	Dishwasher safe
Nespresso Aeroccino 4 Milk Frother	Buy on Amazon	Countertop jug	Yes, about 150 to 160°F, not adjustable	4 buttons: cold froth, hot milk, cappuccino, latte macchiato	4 oz and 8 oz fill lines	Dishwasher safe
Nespresso Aeroccino 3 Milk Frother	Buy on Amazon	Countertop jug	Yes, about 150 to 160°F, not adjustable	1 button: tap for hot, hold for cold	About 4 oz to froth, 8 oz to heat only	Hand wash only
Zulay Kitchen Milk Boss Frother Wand	Buy on Amazon	Handheld wand	No	You control it by technique	Any cup or pitcher	Rinse the whisk
Aerolatte Steam-Free Milk Frother	Buy on Amazon	Handheld wand	No	You control it by technique	Any cup or pitcher	A few seconds under the tap

Latte foam vs cappuccino foam

A good frother has to make two different foams. Latte foam is silky and pourable. It blends into the espresso instead of sitting on it. Cappuccino foam is taller and more stable, a light head that rests on top of the steamed milk and espresso.

This is where the styles split. The Breville handles both with swappable discs. The Aeroccino 4 gets there with its buttons: the higher settings spin the whisk faster and build denser, taller foam, while the lowest setting gives a smoother microfoam. The Aeroccino 3 makes one tight, small-bubble foam that suits a latte but can't be dialed up or down. A wand makes whatever your hand makes, from airy to tight, which is more control but more skill.

Heated jug or handheld wand?

Why a countertop jug

Countertop frothers are the easiest to use, by a wide margin. Pour milk to the fill line, close the lid, press a button. A heating element warms the milk while a magnetic whisk spins it, and the machine shuts itself off when it's done. Your hands are free to pull the espresso or warm the cups. They also make cold foam for iced drinks.

The trade-offs: jugs cost more, they take up counter space, and the capacity is small on the Nespresso models. Despite how they look in photos, the Aeroccino is not cordless. The jug lifts off a powered base that stays plugged in, and the footprint is about as wide as a thermos.

Why a wand

A battery wand is a handle with a button and a small whisk on the end. It's cheap, it fits in a drawer, and you can froth right in the mug you'll drink from, or in a larger cup when you're making drinks for several people. Cleanup is a quick rinse under the tap.

The catch is heat. A wand doesn't warm anything, so for a hot drink you heat the milk first, then froth it. That makes it slower than a jug. A microwave gives more control and needs less watching than a stovetop. Move the wand up and down through the milk as it runs. Milk with some fat froths faster, and half-and-half takes about half the time. Wand foam also holds up well, staying on top of a drink long after it's poured.

Temperature limits and fill lines

Both Aeroccinos heat milk to about 150 to 160°F (around 70°C), then shut off, and the temperature can't be changed. A cycle runs about a minute to a minute and a half, depending on how much milk is in the jug. Milk poured straight from the fridge can come out of the Aeroccino 3 warm rather than hot, which disappoints anyone who likes a hot latte. It also won't start a second cycle right after the first, so there's no running it again to add heat.

Starting temperature changes the foam. Cold milk takes longer to froth and comes out denser. Milk left out on the counter for a while foams less on the same setting. Rinsing the jug with cold or warm water before adding milk shifts the timing the same way, which is a simple way to fine-tune a jug with fixed settings.

Inside both Nespresso jugs are two lines: 4 oz at the lower line and 8 oz at the upper one. Less milk means more froth, since a smaller amount gets more air worked into it. On the Aeroccino 3, the upper line is for heating only; froth no more than about 4 oz. Overfilling it with whole milk and frothing on high sends a blob of foam over the top. The Breville's jug holds far more, which makes it the better pick for two or three drinks at once. Breville lists its capacity and settings on the Milk Cafe product page.

Dairy vs plant milk

Different milks froth very differently. Whole, skim and oat milk each come out with their own texture on the same setting, which is the best argument for a frother with more than one setting. Whole milk on a strong setting tends to come out as one big blob of foam on top. Oat milk does well on the Aeroccino 4's lower setting, giving a smoother foam.

The Breville Milk Cafe and the Zulay Milk Boss both handle dairy and almond milk, warm and cold, for latte and cappuccino foam. That's a good sign for anyone who switches between milks. Expect to adjust the fill level or setting the first few times with a new milk.

The picks in detail

Breville Milk Cafe Frother (BMF600XL)

The Breville is the most capable countertop frother here. It sounds an alert and shuts itself off when the milk is done, so there's no hovering. A dial sets the temperature, from a cold stir to hot, which neither Aeroccino offers. It comes with separate latte and cappuccino frothing discs, and a measuring cap lets you add chocolate or other ingredients once mixing has started. The stainless jug goes in the dishwasher.

It is the most expensive frother in this group, and it's bigger than the Nespresso jugs. For daily milk drinks, or for more than one person, the features justify it.

Breville Milk Cafe Frother (BMF600XL)Check today’s price on AmazonBuy on Amazon →

Nespresso Aeroccino 4 Milk Frother

The Aeroccino 4 is the better of the two Nespresso jugs. It stands about 8 inches tall and 4 inches wide, with a stainless exterior, a handle and a spout that makes pouring much cleaner. Four buttons cover cold froth, heated milk, cappuccino and latte macchiato, and the foam changes noticeably between them. The lower setting gives a smoother microfoam that suits lattes, and it keeps up with whole, skim and oat milk.

There are no screws holding the base onto the jug, which is why it's dishwasher safe. Rinse it right after each use, then run it through the dishwasher once a week for a deep clean. It costs more than the Aeroccino 3. For daily lattes, the extra settings and easier cleaning make up for it.

Nespresso Aeroccino 4 Milk FrotherCheck today’s price on AmazonBuy on Amazon →

Nespresso Aeroccino 3 Milk Frother

The Aeroccino 3 is about as simple as a frother gets. Tap the button for hot froth, or hold it for about two seconds for cold. It finishes in a minute or two. The foam is tight and dense, good on a latte, and with no spout it pours out as one mass. Milk tends to pour first and some foam stays behind, so keep a spoon handy.

The magnetic whisk has a removable spring. Take the spring off and the bare ring makes a much lighter froth, but that is the only other option, and it's very light. Cleaning takes care: the jug is not dishwasher safe, and the heating plate in the bottom leaves a thin milk film that looks clean after a rinse but isn't. Rinse right away, then wipe the bottom with a finger or sponge. The lid's cap never touches the milk. A lot of these come bundled with Nespresso machines; if one came free, it does the job.

Nespresso Aeroccino 3 Milk FrotherCheck today’s price on AmazonBuy on Amazon →

Zulay Kitchen Milk Boss Frother Wand

The Milk Boss is the best wand for most people, and among the cheapest frothers you can buy. It's light, the handle is comfortable for large and small hands, and the power button responds right away. It's a little gentler on the milk than other wands, and that's why its foam is so stable: it holds its shape on a cappuccino. Heat the milk first for hot drinks.

Zulay Kitchen Milk Boss Frother WandCheck today’s price on AmazonBuy on Amazon →

Also worth knowing: Aerolatte

The Aerolatte Steam-Free Milk Frother is a satin-finish wand. Compared with the Aeroccino 3, it makes better all-round foam, from airy to tight, and it isn't limited to 4 oz. It also cleans in about three seconds under the tap and fits in a drawer. What it gives up is convenience: heating, then frothing, takes longer than pressing one button on a jug.

Who should buy which

• Daily lattes and cappuccinos, several drinks at a time, or a specific temperature: the Breville Milk Cafe (BMF600XL).
• A Nespresso owner who wants different foams and an easy clean: the Aeroccino 4.
• One-button simplicity, one drink at a time: the Aeroccino 3, especially if it came with your machine.
• The cheapest good foam, a small kitchen, or drinks frothed right in the mug: the Zulay Milk Boss, or the Aerolatte.
• Still choosing the espresso machine: start with the beginner espresso machine guide. Many of those machines have a steam wand.

Not an espresso drinker? A frother works on regular coffee too. The drip coffee maker comparison covers the brewer, and the gooseneck kettle guide covers the kettle for pour-over.