Who doesn’t love a good cafe-esque coffee made from the comfort of your home? If you’re not quite ready to spend a big sum of money to invest on a fancy coffee machine to achieve that, you can get a little closer to getting that by using a milk frother. It’s an important piece of equipment to be able to make those fancy cappuccinos, lattes and even a nice cup of hot chocolate. It’ll help elevate your homemade coffee in an instant.
There are a few different milk frothers out there, depending on what you’re wanting to use it for, and if you’re wanting to use it for purposes other than frothing milk.
- Electric milk frother – These are great, especially if you want to be able to heat up your milk for your coffee. Electric milk frothers generally have the ability to heat up your frothed milk if that’s what you’re after. Some of them also have the ability to work with cold milk.
- Manual milk frother – If you prefer to have complete control over your frothed milk, a manual milk frother might be the option for you. It generally works via a plunger that you manually pump up and down, allowing you to customise how much you froth your milk. You also have better control over the temperature of your milk as you can just pop it in the microwave to heat up.
- Handheld milk frother – Compact and portable, handheld milk frothers are a great option if you want to avoid cluttering your kitchen space. Many of these handheld milk frothers are also multi-functional, so you can use them not just for frothing milk but also whipping eggs or cream. Some also come with additional attachments to cater for that.
Let’s go over our selection of the best milk frothers currently in the Aussie market, covering the different types and for different budgets.
1. Breville the Milk Cafe
Uses induction heating that helps to achieve small bubbles
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Breville the Milk Cafe is our choice for the best electric milk frother in Australia as it’s quite a versatile machine. It comes with two different frothing disks, one designed for lattes and the other for cappuccinos. This is great especially if you’re living with people who like different types of coffee or if you just fancy switching it up sometimes. With induction heating technology, you also get small bubbles in your frothed milk as a result of the even heat distribution.
If you’re looking for a milk frother that’s more suitable for frothing smaller amounts of milk, the Breville the Milk Cafe milk frother may not be the best option. It has quite a large capacity, generally more suited to making at least two cups of frothed milk and can make up to three cups. It’s a great option if you’re wanting to make enough frothed milk for multiple cups of coffee. This one’s probably a better if you have a house full of coffee lovers to whip up some cafe-style coffee for.
2. Lavazza MilkUp
Easy to operate with one-button functionality
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A straightforward-to-use electric milk frother that doesn’t take up too much space is the Lavazza MilkUp. It features a single button to operate the machine. You’ll just need to press the button for a different period of time to either heat up and froth the milk or froth cold milk.
However, if you’re really particular about the temperature of your frothed milk, then you might want to consider a different milk frother. The Lavazza MilkUp heats up the milk at a fixed temperature and does not have the functionality to adjust the temperature of your frothed milk. Having said that, it’s great if you prefer a fuss-free option that doesn’t require much customisation.
3. Sunbeam Café Creamy Automatic Milk Frother
Compact and easy to clean
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The Sunbeam Café Creamy Automatic Milk Frother is a great one to consider if you’re wanting something that is compact and doesn’t take up too much space on your kitchen countertop or in your cupboards. It’s relatively small, sleek-looking and the additional attachments it comes with can be stored in its base - an additional bonus because that means you’re less likely to misplace them.
With the included attachments, the great thing about this milk frother is that you can make cold coffee drinks on top of using it to make frothed milk for your hot beverages. Some of the reviews do mention that the Sunbeam Café Creamy Automatic Milk Frother isn’t very fast. However, it shouldn’t be too big of a deal if you’re not usually needing to whip up coffees in a short amount of time.
4. Bialetti Tutto Crema Milk Frother
Double froth screen produces creamy frothed milk
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The Bialetti Tutto Crema Milk Frother is a great option if you’re considering a non-electric milk frother. It can be used with most stove tops - electric, gas and ceramic.
Do note that if you have an induction stovetop, you’ll need to purchase a Bialetti induction adapter plate separately. It features a unique double froth screen, resulting in consistent and creamy frothed milk.
As you can expect with a Bialetti product, the Bialetti Tutto Crema Milk Frother has a great build quality. Made of aluminium with a non-stick teflon coating on the inside, the Bialetti Tutto Crema Milk Frother is easy to clean as the milk residue won’t cling onto its walls. It also has a matte black finish on the outer walls, making it a sleek-looking piece of kitchen equipment.
However, if the thought of having to watch over your frothed milk puts you off, then this one probably isn’t the one for you as it requires a stovetop to function.
5. Newoer Electric Milk Frother and Warmer
A great fuss-free milk frother
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The Newoer Electric Milk Frother and Warmer is a great machine if you’re looking for something that doesn’t require much effort. You have the option of four settings - cold milk froth, hot milk froth, milk heating and hot chocolate. You can just fill it up and leave it to do its thing as it has a strix temperature controller. That means it will turn off once the optimum temperature is achieved based on the chosen setting.
Made of stainless steel, it’s easy to clean and doesn’t require too much excessive scrubbing to get the frothed milk stains off. It also has a quiet motor, emitting less than 65dB of noise - great for those early mornings when everyone is still asleep.
Something that some reviewers have mentioned though is that the Newoer Electric Milk Frother and Warmer doesn’t heat the milk up to higher temperatures. However, this is a subjective drawback and probably is only relevant if you tend to like your frothed milk on the hotter side.
6. Bodum Latteo
Achieve your preferred consistency with a manual plunger
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If you’re quite particular about the consistency and temperature of your frothed milk, a manual milk frother might be one to consider. The Bodum Latteo is a great option. It is made of heat-resistant borosilicate glass that is microwave and dishwasher-safe.
As it’s manual, that means you can adjust the consistency of your frothed milk by increasing or decreasing the number of times you pump the plunger. You can then just pop it in the microwave to achieve your desired temperature. Of course, with a manual milk frother, it is more time-consuming as you can’t just turn it on and leave it like you would with an electric milk frother. Having said that, with a manual milk frother, you get a lot more control over the end result.
As with anything made of glass, the Bodum Latteo can also be fragile, so you’ll need to handle it with care. Its spout is also not covered, so if you’re pumping the plunger too vigorously, milk could spill out of its spout. However, we think these are minor downsides compared to the benefit of being able to adjust your frothed milk to your liking.
7. Avanti Milk Frother
A no-frills manual milk frother
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The Avanti Milk Frother is a decent option if you’re leaning towards getting a manual milk frother that won’t hurt your wallet. It’s got the usual features of a manual frother that allows you to adjust the consistency and temperature of your frothed milk to your liking.
It also has a non-slip base ring that would come in handy to keep the carafe in place while you’re frothing your milk. Just something to note that the ring does come loose over time, but it’s easy to pop back on. The glass of the carafe is also on the thinner side, but as long as you handle it with care like other glassware, all should be good.
Best For Almond Milk
8. Noosa Life Milk Frother Stick
Multi-functional milk frother stick
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If you’re looking for a milk frother that can handle multiple liquids such as dairy milk, alternative milk and even eggs, the Noosa Life Milk Frother Stick is a great option.
The Noosa Life Milk Frother Stick is a handy little machine that can also be used to make up matcha drinks, whip up cream and even whip up egg white foam. It’s one of the best milk frother for alternative milks, working well with milk alternatives such as almond or coconut milk. It’s also a great option if you’re wanting a multi-functional machine that doesn’t take up too much space.
Its whisk is made of stainless steel, so you know it’s durable and easy to clean. If you’re looking for a portable milk frother, this is also a good contender. As it’s compact and battery-operated, it can be easily brought with you on trips if you want to make cafe-style coffees with frothed milk on the go.
One of the drawbacks mentioned in some reviews is that the battery compartment is slightly tight, making it difficult to install the batteries. However, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue once you’ve gotten the hang of it.
9. Roccar Milk Frother Handheld
Milk frother with three speeds to choose from
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The Roccar Milk Frother Handheld is one of the best handheld milk frothers in Australia. It comes with two different attachments - one milk frother and two stainless steel whisks. It also has three different speeds. This makes it quite versatile, as you can use it for your coffees or for cooking as well.
The great thing about the Roccar Milk Frother Handheld is that it has a built-in with a 1200mAh rechargeable battery that you can recharge using a USB. You can either charge it via a power outlet or a power bank, particularly handy if you’re on the go.
The included attachments are a bit flimsy though, so you’ll need to take extra care when switching between either attachment.
10. Remeel Handheld Milk Frother
Easy to use and store
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The Remeel Handheld Milk Frother is a compact and lightweight milk frother that will take up little space in your kitchen. Its handle also doubles up as a stand if you prefer to have it upright instead of lying flat. Just make sure not to stand it up that way if the mixer head is wet as it may drip down towards the handle where the motor is and cause it to malfunction.
As it’s battery-powered, you don’t have to worry about having to charge it before using it. That also makes it quite convenient if you’re planning to use it on the go - AA batteries are generally easy to get your hands on wherever you are.
There are a few reviews that mention that the Remeel Handheld Milk Frother may not work too well on thicker liquids. Just something to note if you were planning on using it for that purpose. Otherwise, if it’s just frothing milk you’re after then it shouldn’t be an issue. It also gives great value for money, so you don’t have to worry about having to splash out on a milk frother.
How to choose a milk frother
There are quite a few options you can choose from when it comes to milk frothers, ranging from higher-end electric milk frothers that heat up your milk as well to manual milk frothers that give you more control over the end product.
If you’re mainly looking at getting a milk frother to achieve cafe-standard coffee, your choice should be generally quite straightforward. However, if you’re looking for a frother that is a bit more versatile and can be used for more than just frothing milk, look out for ones that have additional attachments or have specific functionalities for the uses you’re looking for.
Check out our overview on some of the things you should think about before deciding on a milk frother to spend your money on.
Versatility
Some milk frothers give you the option to use it for other purposes that also require some sort of mixing or whipping action. This could be whipping up cream or eggs or even making a matcha beverage. There are models that even come with additional attachments that you can switch to, making it even more versatile for your kitchen. The more versatile milk frothers tend to be stick or handheld versions, so those are ones to look for if that’s something you’re wanting to achieve with your purchase.
Type of milk
If you’re mainly wanting to froth up milk like dairy milk, then any milk frother should do the trick. However, if you tend to use milk alternatives, look for a milk frother that specifically mentions that it works on your milk of choice. Some milk frothers don’t work too well with milk alternatives like oat or almond milk. You’ll want one that can work with the different consistencies of alternative milk.
Capacity
If you tend to serve up more cups of coffee, then make sure to keep that in mind when you’re choosing a milk frother. You’ll want to consider generally how much milk you think you’ll need to froth so that you can choose the right milk frother for the job that has a suitable minimum and maximum capacity.
If coffee for one is your usual serving size, then you’d probably want to look for a milk frother that handles smaller volumes. Handheld milk frothers or electric or manual ones with a smaller pot work great if you don’t intend to prep frothed milk for multiple cups of coffee. This is so that you don’t have to froth up an unnecessary amount of milk that you won’t end up using as some milk frothers have a larger minimum volume required.
Ability to customise
The beauty of manual and handheld milk frothers is that you get a lot more flexibility when it comes to frothing your milk. You can froth your milk for as short or as long as you like. You also can achieve the exact temperature that you’re wanting.
With some electric milk frothers, the temperature and amount of froth is fixed. If you prefer to have more control over the end product, then look out for one where you can specifically adjust the temperature if you’re looking for an electric milk frother.
Ease of cleaning
As this is a piece of equipment you’re likely to use quite often, it’s important that it’s easy to clean. Look for a milk frother that is simple to pull apart to wash or is dishwasher-safe.
Handheld milk frothers are typically a lot easier to clean as you can just run the whisk under water once you’re done with it. Some of them can also be detached, so that you don’t run the risk of getting the motor wet.
Some milk frothers may also need to be hand washed, depending on the material it’s made of and whether it’s dishwasher-safe. Make sure to check the product listing to make sure.
If a milk frother has a heating function, it might be worth considering one that has a non-stick layer. Heated milk may leave residue behind on the interior of the container, so a non-stick surface will definitely help make your life a bit easier when it comes to cleaning.