You can only use Stove top milk steamers to make froth or steamed milk if your espresso machine does not have a wand or if your espresso maker is a stove top unit. With these milk steamers, milk is steamed into a cream or dry froth consistently in order to make proper cappuccinos or lattes. The necessary consistency need for espresso drinks can not be achieved by simply using a pan to heat milk. Froth produced from the frothers is not as good as that from the milk steamers. Many people who like the natural sweetness and velvety texture of coffee from coffee shops usually get disappointed when their homemade coffee doesn’t come near to this quality. However, it is not just the quality of the coffee that sets it apart, how the milk is prepared makes a very big difference too. To achieve that perfect flavor, the milk has to be steamed to perfection. Some recipes for coffee such as cappuccino, espresso, macchiato café latte among others require additional steamed milk to make them delicious. Although the addition of steamed milk is not very important in the preparation of coffee, it will decide what quality of flavor your drink will have. This is because steamed milk has a sweeter, better taste than that prepared using other methods. You will have to agree that a cup of coffee prepared with freshly steamed milk is what people need after a long day’s work. Nowadays, the market has several milk steamers that can make this kind of quality coffee from your home.

Milk is frothed or steamed by milk steamers through the application of just the right combination of temperature and pressure. The objective of this process is to make the most delicious foamed milk possible that is to added to creamy lattes and cappuccinos

How to Use a Milk Steamer

Nowadays, a wide variety of drinks can be found in coffee shops. Not only are espresso or coffee based drinks prepared in these shops but also other drinks such as hot chocolate with steamed milk can be found too. One trend whose popularity is rising is that o using the flavored milk steamer. To get the perfect steamed milk from the milk steamers, it is a must that you use a milk steamer instead of just warming up the milk in the microwave.

For your steamed milk, choose two percent or whole milk. The major difference is the fat content; whole milk has about 3.5% fat. Pour approximately two cups of milk o=into your pitcher and prepare the wand. Take care that the tip of the wand is clear to allow steam to be ejected smoothly.

Take the cup of coffee you intend to use steamed milk in.  You should then pour your preferred flavoring at the bottom of this cup. Steam the milk and ensure that as little frothy as possible is formed at the top, you intention should be heat it to just below its boiling point. As the milk approaches the desired temperature, it becomes more airy and fluffy. At this point pour it into the prepared cup and ensure that the steamed milk properly mixes with the flavoring as you pour it. Depending on the flavoring you used, lace the top of the drink with garnish and design. If you used creamy chocolate as your flavor, you can sprinkle a little cocoa and garnish with a sliver of chocolate.

How to Steam Milk Using a Steam Wand

There are basically two concepts involved in the process of steaming milk, spinning and stretching and these are the very principles employed by these milk steamers. The steam wand is used to introduce air into the milk during the stretching process. This air makes the milk increase in volume. The milk is then whipped into the required consistency during the spinning process. That lovely velvety texture you so love in the cappuccino you drink at coffee shops is achieved through spinning

A steam wand is the device used to the steam used in frothing milk. The wand’s tip is dipped into the milk and steam ejected through it and in no time, frothy milk to be used in making a coffee drink is produced. To steam milk, place a stainless pitcher full of skimmed milk into the refrigerator and allow it to cool as much as possible. Once both the skimmed milk and the pitcher are really cold, take it out and dip the steam wand’s tip into it and switch on the steamer. Remember to fill the pitch around halfway since the milk will expand during the frothing. Dip between a half and a quarter inch of the tip of the wand into the milk. After some time, fluffy foam will be seen in the milk.

Keep in mind that all you want is to steam the milk so don’t allow it to boil since boiled milked will have that burnt taste that isn’t liked by many people. Touch the pitcher’s sides to help you determine when the milk is ready; a warm temperature will be perfect for making your coffee. Take care not to lift the steam wand to the milk’s surface since it will spurt milk all round messing things up. To obtain the frothy, fluffy steamed milk you desire from the milk steamers, keep the wand under the milk’s surface during this process.

Since the tiny holes in the milk steamers wand get blocked easily, cleaning it can be quite irksome. To unblock these holes easily, allow some steam to blow through them after cleaning the wand with a clean piece of clothe. Wait a few seconds after closing the valve then dip the wand up to two or three inches into a jug full of cold water. After this, open the valve, lift the wand out of the water and allow it to spit out the cold water, this will ensure that all solids are ejected and the next time the wand is used, it will give out a lot of steam.