Milk Frothing Techniques
How to froth milk at home without a steaming wand
If you want to make latte at home, but don’t have an espresso machine with a milk steaming wand, you may be wondering how to get a foamy texture in your milk. Or you may simply want to experiment with frothing milk without a milk steaming wand. Here we describe 4 milk frothing techniques which don’t require a steaming wand.

Alternative ways to froth milk at home
4 ways to froth milk without a steaming wand
Is it possible to froth milk without a steaming wand?
Yes, you can and it’s easier than you think! You can froth milk without a steaming wand by using:
- French press
- electric milk frother
- handheld foam maker
- stick blender
- mason jar, insulated flask or shaker
Either of these frothing methods will produce a decent milk foam. However, if you want to draw latte art patterns, you will need to transfer the foamed milk into a metal pitcher to pour latte art.
4 easy ways to froth milk without a machine
Frothing milk with French press
How to foam milk with French press?
To froth milk with French press follow these steps:
- heat up the milk on a stove up to maximum 152°F or 67°C (less than that is fine, if you enjoy cooler coffee)
- fill the French press with milk up to ¼ (remember to warm up the jug before)
- pump it up and down with the plunger until it becomes foamy
- give it a swirl and a tap to get rid of bigger air bubbles
Foaming milk with electric milk frother
This is the easiest and most convenient way to froth the milk at home. Most electric milk frothing jugs warm the milk up and foam it at the same time. Some also have an automatic switch-off function preventing the overheating of milk.
Do electric milk frothers produce a good foam?
Depending on the model, you may get very different results. Some will give you a consistent, smooth milk foam without large bubbles, excellent for latte art. Others will produce a huge amount of froth which may be too much for latte art, however you can adjust it with some practice.
How to use an electric milk foaming jug?
All you need to do is to fill the frother about one-third full with milk, close the lid and turn the frother on.
Foaming milk with hand milk frother
How to foam milk with a hand milk frother?
If you want to draw latte art, you can warm the milk in a latte art pitcher and froth it in the jug with hand frother. Otherwise you can use any tall pot or jug.
To foam milk with a hand milk frother:
- Pour milk into the jug
- Warm the milk on the stove or in a microwave
- Foam it with a hand milk frother. At the beginning keep the end of the frothing spiral close to the surface to get as much air as possible. Then submerge the frother at an angle to create a whirlpool.
How long does it take to froth milk with a hand frother?
It takes about a minute to froth milk with a hand stick frother.
The foam produced this way is quite stable, but it’s not high quality. Although you can draw latte art with it, it’s not very creamy and has quite a lot of large bubbles.
Tip: if you heat the milk on a stove, you can also warm the milk at the same time as frothing it to speed up the process!
You can foam milk in the same way with a stick blender.
Frothing milk with mason jar
How to foam milk in a mason jar?
The big advantage of foaming milk in a jar is that this is the most economical option from all methods mentioned here. It’s also very easy.
To foam milk using a mason jar follow these steps:
- warm up the milk
- warm up the jar in hot water and dispose of the water
- fill the jar up to ¼
- close the jar
- give it a good shake for about 30 seconds
- add the milk foam to your espresso
Alternatively, you can foam cold milk first and warm it up in a microwave later (remember to remove the lid before putting the jar into the microwave).
Regarding what you can use for milk frothing, think what you have at home, it may be anything with a lid. An insulated flask you use for trips, maybe a shaker or anything else, it really doesn’t matter!
Here is a short video showing how to foam milk in 3 ways with no machine required:
Questions about milks frothing answered
Can you froth cold milk?
Yes, absolutely! You can froth cold milk. Cold milk frothing will produce a nice foam which is perfect for cold brew and iced coffee. Also, non-dairy milk will froth more easily when cold.
Should you heat milk before frothing?
Yes, it’s better to warm up the milk before frothing, if you want to use hot milk for your coffee. Although you can warm it up after frothing as well, it will lose a lot of air bubbles and its foamy texture during the heating.
How long should you heat milk for frothing?
It depends on how much milk you need to warm up and what you use for heating.
If you use a microwave, heat 1/4 cup of milk for 20-30 seconds, and 1 cup for 30-45 seconds.
If you heat your milk in a jug or a saucepan on the stove, it will take two to three minutes, but it depends on the heat grade. Always remember to watch the temperature to avoid overheating the milk.
Is frothing milk the same as steaming milk?
No, it’s not. Here is what the difference is:
What’s the difference between steamed milk and frothed milk – answered.
Steamed milk vs frothed milk
The difference between steamed milk and frothed milk is that steamed milk has less air and smaller bubbles. Frothed milk has a larger volume as there is more air in it and the air bubbles are larger, well… it’s more frothy. Frothed milk can also be hot or cold, while steamed milk is always hot.
Regarding the technique, steamed milk is heated by using a steam wand just below the surface of the milk. Frothed milk can be aerated with a steam wand placed just above the surface of the milk, or it can be produced without a steam wand with French Press, hand milk frother and other tools.
Is steamed milk the same as boiled milk?
No, it’s not. Boiled milk is milk heated up to the boiling point This can be done on a stove or in a microwave and there is no airing or frothing done in this case. On the other hand, steamed milk is never heated to the boiling point, its maximum temperature is 152°F (67°C). Steamed milk also contains a microfoam. During the steaming process air is pulled into the milk, this creates small bubbles in the milk making it foamy.
Is there a difference in taste between steamed and boiled milk?
Yes. Steamed milk tastes sweeter in milky coffees, while boiled milk may have an unpleasant, burnt taste in coffee.
Why is the milk used in latte steamed and not boiled?
We use steamed and not boiled milk for latte for two reasons:
- To get air bubbles into the milk
This creates a stable, velvety foam and brings out the sweetness in milk. - Not to overheat the milk
Stemmed milk has a lower temperature than boiled milk. The maximum temperature for latte should be 152°F (67°C), above this temperature milk changes its flavor. As the milk boiling point is at around 203°F (95°C), it means that your coffee with boiled milk won’t taste good!
Does it make a difference in the flavor of my latte if I boil the milk, instead of steaming it?
Yes, boiling the milk changes its flavor. When milk reaches its boiling point it changes its structure and so the flavor changes to burnt and unpleasant. Another difference is that steamed milk has air bubbles in it, which enhances the flavor sensations and you can taste more sweetness in milk.
Share the coffee love:
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)