Got froth? We test tools for latte lovers

GETTING out of bed isn’t always easy. OK, it’s never easy. For some people, it helps to visualize a tall mug of coffee topped with billowing clouds of hot foam. In the not-too-distant past, the only way to get that kind of froth was by driving to your favorite barista or by investing in an espresso machine with a gizmo for steaming milk.

Clearly, plenty of sleepy souls want their lattes at home, because stand-alone milk frothers have been gaining in popularity. The newest , the electric Nespresso Aeroccino, has been flying off store shelves since it appeared last November. It seemed like the moment to put the latest generation of milk frothers to the test.

There are several types on the market. Some simultaneously heat the milk and froth it. Others just froth; you have to heat the milk beforehand or after. And frothing, which is simply putting as much air as possible into the liquid, can be achieved either via a whisking motion or by injecting steam. There are low-tech whisking wands and vessels with built-in heating mechanisms and whisks. One looks like a French press coffee maker; another sits on the countertop like some impressive attachment on a fancy espresso machine.

I tested six frothers, including all of the above types, ranging in price from $20 for a manual pump to $90 for that Nespresso Aeroccino. In assessing the machines I considered the quality and volume of foam they produced, speed, design, ease of use and ease of assembly and cleaning.

When it comes to froth, I looked for a fairly dense foam with plenty of volume and bubbles that had staying power in the cup. Experts say less fat equals more volume, so I used nonfat milk in all the tests.

While none was perfect, one stood out above the rest: the Froth au Lait. This gadget, which looks like a cross between an electric kettle and a blender, transformed one cup of cold milk into more than three cups of hot froth in four minutes. And what froth! It looked like mounds of clouds atop the coffee, with a velvety texture somewhere between meringue and whipped cream.

The only downside was that the Froth au Lait was a little tricky to clean, and it took up more space on the countertop than most. Though it didn’t seem like something I’d use on a daily basis, it would be great to have to make lattes for my book club.

The Nespresso Aeroccino definitely is a cool new tool, because it can heat and froth the milk in one step in less than a minute. The problem? It can froth only half a cup of milk at a time, not enough to fill my mug. The quality of the foam was good, but the $90 price tag seemed high for a single-serving frother.

I was curious about the frothXpress from Capresso, a company known for its coffee machines and burr grinders. But it was extremely challenging to assemble. I went into panic mode as I studied the instructions, which included scary words like “upper red O-ring” and “siphon.” When I finally connected the parts, the result was a lovely mass of hot milk and froth. And then it was almost as difficult to clean as it was to assemble.

Cleaning was an issue with all the models tested; it’s essential to wash them immediately, before the milk residue hardens. Easiest to clean are pumps, because they can be submerged in water. Electric and battery operated machines are tougher to wash because they have components that shouldn’t get wet. Inevitably, I managed to get water on parts that were supposed to stay dry.

Until the day the frother geniuses invent a compact, preassembled machine that quickly makes plenty of voluminous, luxurious foam, is easy to clean and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, I may just keep two in my kitchen. To bestow billows of foam on guests, I’ll use the Froth au Lait, keeping it tucked out of sight in a cabinet most of the time.

For daily, single-serve frothing, I’d reach for the Bonjour rechargeable wand. It’s sleek, well-designed, easy to use and in 30 seconds doubled a cup of heated milk into two cups of dense foam, which held up well when it hit the coffee.

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food@latimes.com

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Turn up the volume

The Froth au Lait Froth ‘n Sauce, which looks like a cross between an electric kettle and a blender, has a 500-watt, 120-volt motor and a pitcher that holds 8 to 12 ounces of milk. It comes with two sets of whipping blades, one for froth, another for making sauce. Unlike the original Froth au Lait, whose pitcher is lined with nonstick coating, this pitcher’s interior is stainless steel at the base.

What’s the difference: Heats and aerates simultaneously. Two whips rotating in opposite directions aerate the milk. The heating/frothing cycle takes about three or four minutes, depending on the milk used. Shuts off automatically.

What we thought: Makes a lot of wonderful, creamy froth with incredible staying power. Assembly and operation of the machine is easy: Insert the whip, pour in the milk and push the “on” button. Cleaning is tricky: You have to wash the pitcher without getting the underside wet. Also, the countertop footprint is pretty big.

How much: About $65 on Amazon.com or directly from Froth au Lait, (310) 212-5345.

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Constant companion

The BonJour Rechargeable Primo Latte Frother is a cordless wand-type frother; a sleek base holds the wand and serves as a charger for the enclosed batteries. The whisk rotates at about 14,000 rpm.

What’s the difference: You heat the milk, then insert the wand for about 30 seconds. (Or froth first, then heat.)

What we thought: The BonJour performed consistently, doubling a cup of nonfat milk into thick foam, with just enough liquid below. Its ease of use and small countertop footprint make it a good choice for daily frothing.

How much: About $30 at Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma and Amazon.com.

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Mug shot

The Nespresso Aeroccino is a small electric machine -- it looks like an oversized mug -- with a chrome-finish exterior, a nonstick interior and a plastic handle. The unit attaches to an electric base. It comes with two whisks, one for making frothed milk, the other for hot milk.

What’s the difference: This model, which simultaneously heats and froths, is designed to make individual portions. It froths half a cup of milk in 50 seconds or heats one cup of milk in two minutes.

What we thought: Though it’s a handsome gadget that gets the job done, and the foam had a nice, full texture, there wasn’t enough of it to top off my morning cafe au lait. And it seems expensive for a single-serve frother. It’s tricky to clean without getting the underside of the milk jug wet, and the nonstick interior means you can’t use a metal spoon.

How much: About $90 at Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma and Amazon.com.

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Bargain buzz

The Aerolatte steam-free frother is a wand-style tool that operates on two AA batteries.

What’s the difference: There’s no option for recharging, and no base. You can heat the milk, then froth it, or vice versa. Either way you’ll get good results.

What we thought: This affordable wand doubles the volume of one cup of milk in about 30 seconds, producing froth equal in quality to more expensive frothers. The battery cover is somewhat difficult to insert, and you have to avoid getting the battery compartment wet. Though a good value, it’s not ideal for frequent frothers because it’s not rechargeable.

How much: About $20 at Bed Bath & Beyond and at Amazon.com.

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Steam engine

Capresso frothXpress is a 1,220-watt electric steam frother that looks like the milk-steaming portion of a full-size espresso machine. It has a removable water tank and a thermostat.

What’s the difference: Unlike the other devices, the frothXpress uses a pump and heating system to create hot steam that aerates the milk. Fill the water tank, then wait for the machine to heat up. After about two minutes a light goes on, letting you know it’s ready. Place a cup under the frothing sleeve and hold down the safety steam button. Hot, foamy milk comes out of the dispenser. You can froth about 30 ounces of milk at a time.

What we thought: The frothXpress made a good volume of thick, bubbly foam that did not survive well on top of coffee. The machine is tricky to assemble, and the nozzle must be cleaned after each use, which was problematic: I followed the instructions, but some milk residue remained. You also need to “decalcify” the frothXpress several times a year. There are easier ways to create froth for your coffee.

How much: About $70 on Amazon.com.

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Pump it up

The newly redesigned Bodum Chambord milk frother is a manual pump frother with a glass carafe; it resembles a French press coffee maker.

What’s the difference: You place the lid with whip attached onto the glass carafe, then move the pump up and down about 60 times, which doubles the milk volume. Directions on the box tell you to heat the milk, then froth it. The reverse order is suggested on the Bodum website. I tried it both ways and got better results by frothing cold milk, then heating it for a minute in the microwave (but keep an eye on it, because frothed milk expands when heated). It can froth three-fourths cup of milk.

What we thought: This low-tech frother is easy to assemble, use and clean. It makes a lighter foam than the other frothers tested, with more liquid than you get with a wand. If you favor looser bubbles and more hot milk, the pump is a good choice. The glass carafe seems less fragile than some.

How much: About $20 at Sur La Table, Crate & Barrel and Amazon.

-- Emily Dwass