Milk Frothers - Pros & Cons
A milk frother is an efficient utensil used for making milk froths, usually for added flavor to coffee. It aerates the milk, producing a heavy and thick foam. The small bubbles, which areformed while this process is in progress, create the milk's foam texture lighter and greatly increase its mass. This equipment can be powered either by electrical current or hydraulic pressure, but is most often powered by the air pressure of the kitchen.
There are several types of milk frothers available. The most common is the electric milk frother. Electric milk frothers generally produce high quality foam with excellent taste. They are also very easy to clean, requiring only a simple sponge and some warm water to remove all the foam. However, the prices of electric milk frothers have recently gone down significantly, which has made them more affordable for most households.
The next best alternative to electric milk frothers is the high-pressure milk frother. These machines do not need electricity to operate, and do an exceptional job of producing foamy milk froths. Although they do not provide a lot of extra variety when it comes to milk, there are some special drinks that can't be produced otherwise. For example, beer cannot be made out of ice, but milk can easily be turned into beer foam, just by adding some yeast to it. Other drinks such as jello are harder to liquefy with a cold milk frother, but once you do, you will have a creation that rivals those expensive drinks.
Despite their pros, one con that these gadgets have as well is the frothing times. The longer the milk frothers take to produce a tasty coffee drink, the less time you will have to spend waiting in the kitchen. This may mean you have to find a different location in your house to make your coffee. On a positive note, though, if you plan to use one of these machines on a regular basis, you will notice that the longer the frothing times, the better the taste of your coffee will be. Therefore, it may be a trade-off you are willing to make.
The other con of electric frothers is that they can be bulky. They take up a lot of counter space in a kitchen, and in some cases, a large table or two will be needed to accommodate a milk frother. In addition, the longer you have to wait for the milk to be ready, the less time you have to spend in the kitchen. On a positive note, this con can be negated by choosing a smaller model, such as a lower-end electric frother.
Finally, the only con that we could think of that relates to milk frothers being dishwasher safe is that they do take up a fair amount of space in your dishwasher. This may be a slight problem because many people do not bother to find a dishwasher safe model to begin with. However, most professional chefs strongly advise against using milk frothers in a dishwasher, as the temperature used during the heating process can ruin the quality of the milk you are trying to create.
So, based on the pros and cons, does the electric frother have a place in your kitchen? If you are thinking about making espresso for your morning coffee or tea, then I would suggest investing in a high-quality milk frother that has a decent sized design. You can purchase them to fit any size counter or even just about any type of refrigerator. Most will come with a built-in water reservoir and adjustable settings, making them very easy to use.
Also, it is important to know that you can make delicious milk frosts on electric rather than using a regular pot or pan. The electric frother will allow you to add hot milk straight into the warmer without having to go through the mess of turning the water on and off. The best part of it is that the electric version will work perfectly at lower temperatures than any other method. It is important to keep in mind that the electric versions are only good for making low-fat or fat-free milk. If you are looking to thicken your milk, then using a regular pot may be the best choice for you.