How To Froth Milk 5 Different Ways: Make Lattes & Cappuccinos!

Black coffee is still our favorite kind of fuel, but, every once in a while, it’s refreshing to spice up our caffeinated routine by indulging in luscious frothy drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos. Were you thinking the same? Virtual high five! If what’s stopping you is that you’re not too sure how to froth milk at home, you’re in the right place.

Even better: we’ll show you five different methods, from the most obvious to the quirkiest ones, including how to froth milk without a frother.

5 different ways to steam and froth milk at home

1. Buy a coffee maker with a steaming wand 

Let’s start with the obvious one. If you’re only just starting to get into the magical world of home brewing, you might not have a coffee maker just yet, or only have one for black coffee (priorities!). However, the best way to get a barista-style frothy drink is to start with a concentrated shot of espresso rather than a traditional mug of joe.

Buying an espresso machine with a steaming wand will allow you to customize the frothing experience to make several types of hot drinks.

2. Grab a separate milk frother

Already have enough coffee makers? Or an espresso machine that doesn’t include that magic wand? Relax. You can still enjoy a practical and effortless steaming experience by buying an affordable and portable milk frother.

All you need to do is get the espresso short ready with your machine, chuck the milk in the frother, and press a button. Some models will also let you customize the level of froth to cater to more or less foamy drinks.

Pretty awesome, right?

3. ‘Wave it and shake it

Now we’re getting to the craftiest steaming and frothing methods! If you don’t feel like investing in additional equipment or don’t want to make your kitchen counter even more crowded than it already is, here's how to steam milk without a frother: just use your microwave!

Simply pour the milk into a closed container, shake the heck out of it, and pop it in to heat it up. It will come out all nice and foamy. Yum. 

4. Heat it up and whisk it

Looking for a more traditional technique? Make granny proud by heating up the milk in a saucepan. As it slowly warms up, beat it with a balloon whisk, fast and in a circular way (as you’d do with whipped cream).

Or you can always grab yourself a small and budget-friendly handheld milk frother.

5. Up your French press plunging game 

Have you got a French press? We bet you do. Good news: that’s all you need to froth milk at home! That and some elbow grease, to be precise.

After heating it up in a saucepan, pour the milk into the French press and keep plunging up and down as fast as you can to form little bubbles. This will result in creamy, slightly foamy milk: perfect for lattes or flat-whites!

How to froth almond milk:

To froth almond milk, you can use traditional steaming wands as well as any of the methods that we've included in this guide. The texture will obviously be a bit different from dairy, but it'll still work!

Can you froth coconut milk?

Absolutely! You can froth coconut milk just like you would with dairy, almond or soy milk. Because it's a bit higher in fat, it actually froths up really well.

Which of these 5 ways to steam and froth milk at home do you like the sound of the most? The traditional coffeeshop-style steaming wand or the quirkiest methods? Let us know in the comments before you grab the best espresso blend and froth away!