The 5 Best Milk Frothers, According to Chefs

Going out for fancy coffee drinks gets pricey (not to mention time-consuming) when you do it daily. But with the right kitchen gadget, you won't need to sacrifice the milky foam topping you'd get from a coffeeshop.

Take a look at this list of the best milk frothers, which will help you make a cafe-level hot chocolates, lattes and more in your home kitchen.

To figure out the best frothers on the market, we went straight to the experts — we asked professional chefs and restauranteurs what picks they use in their professional and personal kitchens. They made their recommendations based on a variety of factors, including:

• Versatility
• Portability
• Cleanup

Additionally, these chefs shared special features that their frothers came with, along with a few special tips for using them.

‌At-a-Glance Details: Capacity:‌ 4.1 ounces of cold milk and 8.1 ounces of hot milk | ‌Temperature:‌ Froths hot and cold | ‌Auto Shut-Off:‌ Yes | ‌Power Source:‌ Electric cord | ‌Cleaning:‌ Hand wash

Milk frothing is easy with the Nespresso Aeroccino3 Milk Frother, which is part of the reason Erica Barrett, chef and owner of SOCU Southern Kitchen & Oyster Bar and author of the cookbook ‌Shuga and Seoul‌, recommends it.

"One of the things that I love best about this milk frother is its rapid one-touch preparation for hot or cold milk froth," Barrett says. "This consists of one button for all preparations, one-second button pressure for hot milk or hot milk froth and a two-second button pressure for cold milk froth."

Barrett also loves that this frother can add in different syrups and milk alternatives for experimentation. Plus, cleanup is easy, thanks to the small frothing ring that snaps off and easily snaps back on afterward.

‌At-a-Glance Details: Capacity:‌ Up to 8.4 ounces | ‌Temperature:‌ Froths hot and cold | ‌Auto Shut-Off:‌ Yes | ‌Power Source:‌ Electric cord | ‌Cleaning:‌ Dishwasher-safe

One of the reasons Larry White, owner of Phoenix restaurants Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles, Brunch & Sip and Monroe's Hot Chicken, loves this Secura milk frother is because it can produce rich milk froths for not only lattes and cappuccinos but also hot chocolate.

There's also the convenience factor: "This has a removable milk jug, which also has a spout, which is great for pouring without the mess," White says. "It's also the perfect size — not too small or too big."

Just make sure you monitor the milk in the frother carefully, as whipping it too long can result in foam that collapses, White says.

‌At-a-Glance Details: Capacity:‌ Any | ‌Temperature:‌ Froths hot and cold | ‌Auto Shut-Off:‌ No | ‌Power Source:‌ Batteries | ‌Cleaning:‌ Hand wash

Need a frother that's easy to carry from place to place? Gocha Hawkins, owner and head chef of Gocha's Breakfast Bar, which has two locations in Georgia, recommends this Peach Street frother because it is small, portable and battery operated — no need to worry about plugs and cords. "It works extremely fast; you can make froth in 20 seconds once the milk is heated," Hawkins says. "It also comes in a wide array of colors that you can choose from."

The frother is made from top-quality stainless steel and runs with a high-powered motor. But be aware that with everyday use, it might not last beyond 3 to 5 years, Hawkins says.

‌At-a-Glance Details: Capacity:‌ Any | ‌Temperature:‌ Froths hot and cold | ‌Auto Shut-Off:‌ No | ‌Power Source:‌ Batteries | ‌Cleaning:‌ Hand wash

This Aerolatte frother combines both portability and versatility. It doesn't look bad, either.

"What I love most about this is that I can travel everywhere with it and its incredibly chic," says Ebony Austin, owner of Atlanta-based Nouveau Bar & Grill. "It's compact and extremely convenient to have. Aside from hot and cold drinks, it can be used on a wide array of food items including sauces, dressings, gravy and more. Its shaft and head is made from durable stainless steel."

One thing to note: Austin says the batteries the frother comes with are not the best, but replacing them with rechargeable batteries will give you more power and efficiency.

‌At-a-Glance Details: Capacity:‌ Up to 8.4 ounces | ‌Temperature:‌ Froths hot and cold | ‌Auto Shut-Off:‌ Yes | ‌Power Source:‌ Electric cord | ‌Cleaning:‌ Hand wash

If you're thinking about the way your frother looks, this Illy design might be the one for you. "I love the modern and sleek design. It adds to the design and vibe of your kitchen," says Lemont Bradley, owner of Clutch Restaurant in Georgia. And it's just as functional as it is stylish, with an easy-to-use, 360-degree wireless connection system with a heating element.

"I love that it's simple to operate and can easily froth and warm milk within a few minutes," Bradley adds. "This is for the person who loves making coffee at home but still wants something similar to a latte."

Be careful when filling the frother though — if you get to the maximum level line, there's a chance milk will spill and make a mess.

All these frothers have their perks and quirks — and that's not a bad thing! As these chefs explained, some frothers can make much more than simple milk foam. Some might be powered by electric plug and function great in a kitchen space, while others run on batteries and can be carried easily from place to place.

To determine the right frother for your own personal needs, ask yourself these four questions:

Some frothers work great with almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, soy milk or whatever other kind of plant-based milk you're using. Others are suited simply for dairy milk. If you're somebody who doesn't do dairy milk, you don't want to pick up a frother that can't froth plant-based milk.

If all you want to do is create milk foam, any of these frothers will work. But if you have a specific drink you'd like to make at home, like hot chocolate or a collagen coffee topped with foam, consider whether this frother is up for the task.

Some frothers, for instance, are ideal for hot chocolate while others aren't, and some can be used to make gravies and sauces (going far beyond milk-related tasks).

Some of us just don't feel like charging batteries (or buying disposable batteries). If that's the case, you want a frother that plugs into an electric socket. But some of these plug-in frothers don't have the compact size and portability of a battery-powered model.

Look at your space and consider what is most convenient for you.

Frothing milk can be messy business. If you're somebody who doesn't want to spend a lot of time washing up afterward, make sure you're getting a frother that's easy enough to pop in the dishwasher — or, at the very least, doesn't require a lot of disassembly or scrubbing in nooks and crannies to get perfectly clean.