Handheld milk frothers are more versatile than they get credit for. They’re perfect for small-batch mixing, whipping, and emulsifying. Here are six satisfying, unexpected ways I use mine almost daily.
I bought my first milk frother during the pandemic after seeing one too many creamy, slow-motion latte pours on Instagram: Tiny pitchers of oat milk swirling into heart shapes, every cup looking like it came from a café. I was back at my childhood home during the early days of COVID and figured if I could make something foamy and slightly glossy, my morning coffee might feel a little more put-together than I was.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
My milk frother is, essentially, a tiny electric whisk with big main-character energy: It’s compact, speedy, and surprisingly effective at mixing, emulsifying, and aerating small amounts of liquid without the mess that usually comes with using larger tools. I have not one, but three milk frothers. Each is the handheld, battery-powered kind—the stick-style version with a circular wire whisk at the end. It’s designed to froth milk by spinning fast enough to create a vortex and pull air into the liquid, producing foam in seconds.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
At first, I used it exclusively to make my coffee a little fancier. Eventually, though, I started using it to do so much more. The frother came in handy anytime I needed to give something a quick mix but didn’t want to reach for a full-size whisk or blender. Below are six unexpected and extremely satisfying ways I’ve come to use my milk frother.
Scrambled Eggs
For eggs that are light, fluffy, and evenly cooked, it’s crucial to whisk them well. That’s because yolks and whites cook at different temperatures, and failing to mix the two thoroughly can result in rubbery, overcooked whites or undercooked yolks. Professional cooks often strain their eggs through a fine-mesh sieve to prevent this from happening, but an easier solution is to just reach for a milk frother if you have one. Using a milk frother makes light work of whisking the eggs, combines the eggs thoroughly, and adds just enough air to give you light and fluffy curds.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Cocktail Foam
Traditionally, bartenders create foamy cocktails by dry shaking: vigorously shaking the cocktail without ice to whip air into egg whites or aquafaba. It works, but it’s also a labor-intensive arm workout. At its most basic, foam is just air dispersed into a liquid, and the smaller the bubbles, the more stable and creamier the foam. The frother is great at creating fine, stable bubbles in seconds.
It’s also a lifesaver if your gin fizz or whisky sour has been sitting in its glass while you plate apps or finish dinner. Just give your beverage a quick buzz to refresh it before serving, and it’ll look as good as new.
Whipped Cream
Our editorial director, Daniel, can whip cream by hand in under 20 seconds. I cannot. And in the middle of summer, I’m not trying to break a sweat in the kitchen. Whenever I want some whipped cream for serving with pie, pancakes, or berries, I pour a few ounces of cold heavy cream into a jar, hit it with the frother, and in 15 seconds, I’ve got thick, fluffy whipped cream. The frother does exactly what it needs to: Whip in air quickly without warming—which can make cream more difficult to whip—or overmixing it into butter. You can sweeten it with a touch of confectioners’ sugar, add vanilla extract, or enjoy it plain. No bowls to chill, no cleanup to dread, and no reason to settle for store-bought.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Salad Dressing
You could mix a vinaigrette using a blender, an immersion blender, a food processor, or just shake a jar. But if you don’t feel like hauling out hefty appliances or don’t have a jar handy, you can just reach for your frother. Just add your vinegar, mustard, aromatics, and seasonings to a jar or measuring cup, then drizzle in the oil while frothing. One of the keys to a stable vinaigrette is creating tiny droplets of oil that stay suspended in the acid. The frother speeds up that process and quickly disperses the oil into small droplets without breaking the emulsion.
Matcha (And Other Powders)
I love drinking matcha. Making it the traditional way, however, involves breaking out my chawan (matcha bowl), chasen (bamboo whisk), and chashaku (bamboo scoop), whisking them together, and then cleaning them, which isn’t ideal on a busy morning. Whisking is crucial as it helps break up fine particles of matcha: Unlike loose-leaf tea, which you brew by steeping and straining the leaves, matcha is made with the entire powdered leaf, which doesn’t dissolve. Those fine particles tend to clump together unless you break them up quickly and evenly—something the frother is excellent at doing.
Just sift your matcha into a mug or jar, add hot—not boiling!— water, and froth until smooth and lightly foamy. The frother blends it quickly and disperses the powder evenly, giving you a consistent cup of matcha each time. This method will also work for hot cocoa mix, protein powders, instant coffee, and anything else you don’t want to clump.
Dalgona Coffee
Like many chronically online people, I went hard for dalgona coffee when it was trending during the pandemic. I practically lived on it, eventually developing a fondness for Café Bustelo to match my West Indian grandmother’s.
Dalgona coffee is made by whisking instant coffee granules with sugar and hot water until it’s pale, fluffy, and voluminous. Most Dalgona coffee recipes call for a hand or stand mixer, but a frother will help you achieve a foam that’s just as thick and velvety. Just combine a tablespoon of instant coffee, a teaspoon of sugar, and a splash of hot water in a jar, and zip-zip with your frother. It’s dramatic, satisfying, and still surprisingly fun to make.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Don’t let the name fool you: It might be called a milk frother, but it’s much, much more than that.
