3 Ways To Get Perfectly Frothy Milk Without A Steam Wand

There's nothing quite like a cup of coffee with frothy milk. Since the milk is aerated, it adds a light yet rich and creamy texture to your beverage. Baristas have special equipment — mainly a steam wand — to produce this foamy milk, but if your espresso machine doesn't have one (or you don't even have an espresso maker), then you might think you're out of luck. Truth is, you're not, and to find the best alternative ways to froth milk, Daily Meal spoke with Kat McCarthy, Specialty Coffee Association authorized specialty coffee trainer at Lavazza. McCarthy tells us "the best three ways I would suggest [experimenting] with [frothing] milk if you don't have a steam wand would be to use a french press, an immersion blender, or a handheld milk frother."

She likes to heat her milk first on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. "Any hotter and you risk scalding your milk," she notes, recommending keeping non-dairy milk alternatives closer to 140 degrees Fahrenheit because they burn easier.

McCarthy also advises that patience is key because frothing milk "can take practice to get the results you're looking for, and to get them consistently." Fortunately, she offers some detailed instructions and tips for each of her suggested milk-frothing methods.

The humble French press is one of the best ways to brew coffee because the grounds steep for a while, producing a more flavorful cup of joe. But Kat McCarthy tell us that "it's also one of the easiest ways to froth your milk, and the only one that doesn't take up an outlet or require a battery."

To use this method, she explains that you simply pour the heated milk into the canister of a French press — such as the Secura French press coffee maker — while leaving plenty of room at the top for the milk to expand as it foams up. Then, McCarthy instructs, "Place the plunger into the press, submerging it into the milk, and begin to plunge it up and down with some vigor."

She says it should only take about 10 to 15 seconds for the milk to froth up well and, with practice, produce quality foam. She likes this method because the frothed milk is "already in a container with a spout to neatly pour it."

Blending milk will make it frothy, but hot liquids are one of the foods you should avoid putting in a blender because steam can build up pressure inside the container and cause a pressurized explosion and subsequent mess. Additionally, hot ingredients can damage the container and accessories. An immersion blender is a better alternative for frothing hot milk — like the KitchenAid variable speed corded hand blender.

Kat McCarthy warns that this method "can get a little messier and may produce a slightly different quality." An immersion or stick blender is a powerful kitchen tool that will create a whirlpool of hot milk that could spray out of the mug or pot you used to heat it. To avoid the mess and possible skin burns from the hot liquid, she recommends putting your hot milk "in a narrow container with plenty of space at the top so there won't be as much potential for spraying." If you use a container with a spout, such as a steaming pitcher, she adds, it will be easy to pour the foamy result into your coffee.

When you're ready to start the frothing process, McCarthy instructs you to "submerge the blender in the milk, and raise it toward the surface so the blades can whisk air into the milk and produce foam." Keeping the blades in the milk, "You can raise and lower it gently to get the right amount of foam, then submerge the blender briefly toward the end of the process to mix everything together." She says the result should be slightly bubbly but relatively stable foam similar to what a steam wand produces.

If you want near perfect foamy milk without spending a fortune, a battery-powered handheld milk frother — such as the SIMPLETaste battery-operated handheld milk frother — can produce great results for a lower price. Plus, you can use a milk frother to make whipped cream in a flash or make soup extra thick and creamy, so it's a fantastic multi-use tool that doesn't take up lots of space in your kitchen. Kat McCarthy explains that frothing milk is the intended purpose of this device, operating "similarly to an immersion blender but with a small wire whisk at the end instead of blades."

By comparison, she notes that a milk frother won't create as much of a mess and will produce "a tighter, less bubbly foam than the blender," but you'll use it the same way. She adds, "With practice, this will give you a very good result, close to the quality of milk from a steam wand, with microfoam and a stable texture."

After pouring your hot milk into a container with plenty of space for the bubbles to expand, "place the frother into the milk, a little below the surface. Turn on the frother, lifting it to the surface gently to inject air into the milk," McCarthy instructs. She notes that the higher you lift the whisk, the more air you can introduce into the milk and the more movement you'll see. However, you don't want to lift the frother completely out of the milk or it too will splatter.

Although it can take a little bit of practice to create the ideal froth for your coffee with these methods, Kat McCarthy notes that skill isn't the only factor. The best foam and stunning latte art comes down to the type of milk you use, too. That's because the various molecular compositions of milk and milk alternatives affect the results. A higher fat ratio produces a creamier texture, and more protein creates a thicker and more stable foam.

With this science in mind, McCarthy recommends using whole or 2% milk "for the best results closest to the coffee shop-style creamy, microfoamed milk." Nonfat or skim milk, she says, produces a stiffer foam that may be slightly bubblier. That's the same reason it's the standout milk for delicious frothy cold foam; it won't come out as creamy.

If you use a non-dairy option for dietary reasons or just for preference, McCarthy warns that it "will always be a little harder to get a good quality [froth]." She explains that these alternatives tend to lack the fat or proteins necessary to create a creamy, stable foam. She suggests using barista-style milk "for the smoothest texture and longest lasting results," adding that "oat and soy will naturally froth better than almond milk."