It is currently iced coffee weather, which means one thing: my Instant Pot MagicFroth 9-in-1 milk frother is getting a workout.
I am grateful to live within walking distance of two really nice coffee shops, but when you’re trying to cut down on spending, a $6 coffee is usually the first thing to go. Getting coffee concentrate—or even going all the way and making my own cold brew—is a much less expensive option than going to the coffee shop every day. But the nice thing about having someone else make your coffee is 1) someone else is making your coffee, and 2) you get a little treat. My own shitty coffee cannot compare to whatever magic they do behind the counter at the shop.
Enter my milk frother. I have shopped around for a milk frother and have gone from a handheld wand style frother (you have to heat the milk separately, which is annoying) to a cheap frother that could heat milk but broke down after around nine months. Eventually I ended up purchasing the Instant Pot MagicFroth 9-in-1 after reading a ton of user reviews that stated that while it takes a long time to heat up milk, it froths beautifully. It claims to have nine functions because it offers three temperature settings (cold, warm, hot) and three frothing settings (stir, foam, extra foam). Although I only really use three of these settings, I am still happy with my purchase. But really, who wouldn’t ever opt for extra foam?
Add my take to this pile: While you’ll never get the density or heat that you get from steaming milk traditionally, this frother does exactly what I want it to do beautifully. Namely, now whenever I want a nice foam-y top for my matcha or my coffee, I can have one. While different milks froth differently—the foam from almond milk was almost too stiff, and if I want my oat milk foam hot, I’d have to settle for a looser foam than I’d get at a coffee shop—the end result is consistent enough to turn my perfunctory homemade coffee into a delightful little cup of joy.
What’s most tremendous is the ability to add foam to iced drinks, something that a milk steamer wouldn’t be able to help me with. Right now I am drinking an oat milk latte with a little bit of cinnamon on top of the foam, and it’s simply a delight. Now that strawberries are close to being in season, I’m also really excited to make my own iced strawberry matcha. Sorry to my favorite coffee shops, but that’s $6 that’s staying in my pocket.
