There are milk frothers and then there are latte art-capable milk frothers. The former simply churns up your milk (and other non-dairy alternatives) into a dry thick foam that sits on top of the milk and doesn’t really improve taste or texture. If anything, it just gets in the way of drinking said beverage.
The other type whips up silky, velvety microfoam that’s fully incorporated into the milk itself, creating a luxurious textured mouthfeel that is delicious all on its own. Professional baristas use this microfoam textured milk to pour intricate designs on top of coffee (or matcha, chocolate, etc.) beverages, and it’s this combination of visual, taste and texture that makes latte art so amazing.
Traditionally, this could only be accomplished with a prosumer-level espresso machine and steam wand, but not anymore. Whether you’re trying to practice your barista skills at home or just want to elevate your kitchen to be able to make café-quality drinks, here are the best latte art-capable milk frothers. Check out the video below for our test results.
Best for Latte Art
Morning Dream: Photo: Akronym
The Morning Dream is the latest brainchild of local coffee industry veterans behind PPP Coffee, Chye Seng Huat Hardware and the Morning Machine. The Morning Dream is a standalone steam wand designed to pair with the Morning Machine, but is really a perfect partner for any Nespresso or other pod-based coffee and manual espresso machines. It produces strong, consistent dry steam with advanced PID controllers so you can adjust both steam power and temperature by the degree. It also has an infrared laser temperature sensor that stops when you hit your target temp so you will never burn your milk by oversteaming.
While it has presets for dairy and non-dairy milk options, you can steam milk manually as well, making the Morning Dream accessible to both beginners and advanced users alike. In our testing, we found the Morning Dream to be the best option for latte art, as steam produces a silkier texture that cannot be reproduced by air frothing alone. The only downside to a steam wand is that you cannot froth for cold drinks. The wand on the Morning Dream could also be longer, and while Morning sells a S$17 jug riser accessory, it should really have just been bundled in the box by default.
Verdict: Nothing beats a steam wand for latte art, and we love (almost) everything about this smart steam wand.
Best Multi-purpose Frother / Mixer
Dreo BaristaMaker. Photo: Dreo
The Dreo BaristaMaker is a jug-based frother that does everything the Subminimal NanoFoamer Pro can, but better. I first saw this at IFA 2024. It features a proper touch panel display for all the various programs for milk type and frothing style. The screen guides the user through the process, informs of the right accessory to use depending on the program selected, and will show you a handy countdown timer. It comes in two parts with a removable stainless steel jug for pouring, so it’s much easier to clean, and water will never touch any electronic components.
The BaristaMaker also has two different impeller attachments you can use depending on whether you want to make delicate latte art textured milk or just general frothing. This makes the BaristaMaker much more versatile as a kitchen tool since you can also use it to mix up drinks such as matcha or a protein shake. It doesn’t just have to be milk. While you can technically do this with the NanoFoamer Pro too, trying to mix dry ingredients like powders will clog up the fine mesh of the impeller.
The Dreo BaristaMaker is also cheaper than the NanoFoamer Pro, but the caveat is that it’s not sold in Singapore, and they only ship within the US, UK, and Canada, so if you want one, you’ll have to go through a dropshipper or forwarder service. The good news is that there is a UK plug version that will work out of the box in Singapore.
Verdict: Milk texture is thick but still pours smoothly. Has the most options for drinks outside of milk frothing, if you can find a way to import it into SG that is.
Notable Options
Subminimal NanoFoamer Pro (Gen 2) – S$205
Subimnimal NanoFoamer Pro Gen 2. Photo: Subminimal
The NanoFoamer Pro is a fully automatic jug that heats and froths your milk with a single button. The Gen 2 that’s sold now features a few quality-of-life improvements over Gen 1, such as thicker heating base to reduce milk scalding, a knob on the lid to fine-tune impeller depth, better water resistance and easier cleaning. Besides heating, it can also produce cold froth, making it more versatile than a steam wand to make various drinks.
During testing, we found the NanoFoamer Pro Gen 2’s microfoam separates too quickly from the milk if it is not poured immediately after the device stops churning. It also disintegrates the fastest among the other options. While the texture is latte art capable, it is quite thick, which makes it hard to pour delicate lines. Of the 5 program levels it offers, only level 1 was usable for latte art. Everything else was too thick for use. Subminimal suggests that these options can be used for milk that is harder to froth such as non-dairy options, but the jug itself is not very intuitive as the single touch screen button doesn’t provide much useful information besides cycling of program, and the colour-coded Flow Controller tabs (also to achieve different milk consistency) is a trial-by-error process.
Verdict: It works and creates microfoam, but it’s not beginner-friendly, and the milk texture is fickle.
Dreo BaristaMaker Air – US$59.99
Dreo BaristaMaker Air. Photo: Dreo
The BaristaMaker Air is the little brother to the BaristaMaker. This one has a unibody design similar to the NanoFoamer Pro so you’ll have to rinse the whole jug when you’re done. While it is splash-proof, you don’t want to soak any electronics in water or soap for long periods of time. It also has a simpler touch panel without an LCD display, but unlike the NanoFoamer Pro, each program setting and option is clearly indicated.
The actual frothing performance of the BaristaMaker Air is similar to the larger BaristaMaker as it uses the same impeller designs. They are not interchangeable beween products however, because the BaristaMaker Air has a smaller jug opening than the BaristaMaker.
Verdict: If you’re going through the trouble to import the Dreo, then you might as well get the full BaristaMaker experience.
Maestri House LunaFro Art – US$49.99
Maestri House LunaFro Art Kickstarter Campaign. Screenshot: HWZ
The Maestri House LunaFro Art is the newest handheld frother in the market. It has a recommended retail price of US$49.99, but this is an ongoing Kickstarter project, so if you back it early, you might score some deep discounts. The Super Early Bird price is only US$29.99.
The unique feature of the LunaFro Art is that it has replaceable tips and adjustable speed. Like the Dreo Baristamaker, there is a dedicated latte art tip and a general whisking tip. The latte art tip design is also different from the NanoFoamer in that the mesh screen is at the sides of the impeller instead of downward facing. Of course, being a handheld frother, the learning curve is the highest. You will also need some way to heat up your milk before frothing, though you can very easily froth cold drinks as well.
In our testing, we have gotten it to work creating silky milk texture, but the very next cup could be a bubbly mess. It takes work to get the technique down. As a handheld frother, it is the most portable, easiest to clean and packed away when not needed.
Verdict: Not automatic, and steep learning curve, but a good option if you lack space for another appliance in your kitchen. Also, as a Kickstarter project, you’ll have to wait quite a while before the final product get shipped.
Special Mentions
These products were not tested, but they are available in the market so we're including them in the list for completeness.
Subminimal NanoFoamer V2/Lithium – From S$48
The OG steam wand-alternative for latte art milk texturing and for the longest time, the NanoFoamer handhld stick frother was the only choice for home enthusiasts. If a hand frother suits you, and you don't want to wait for the LunaFro Art Kickstarter project to complete, the NanoFoamer is still a solid choice today as the V2 goes for just S$48 and is readily available in Singapore.
WPM MS-130-T Automatic Milk Steamer – S$528
WPM is a well-known brand among coffee professionals and enthusiasts for their competition-grade milk pitchers. However, they also sell espresso machines and equipment, and they do have a standalone milk auto steam wand. The MS-130-T is sold in Singapore and is actually on sale (at time of writing) for S$430. This makes it cheaper than the Morning Dream, though its bulk and industrial design fits better at the back of a café counter than in your home kitchen. Still, it is he only other steam wand option I know of for consumers.
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