The best lattes and cappuccinos are as good as their signature foam tops. Even with a high-quality espresso machine, French filter press or drip coffee machine, frothy milk is an important element of coffee taste and art. This is why the milk frother is a must-have for serious coffee and hot chocolate lovers. 

Related: According to reviews, 9 top coffee machines in 2020

We found some of the most popular milk frothers, including some favorites that we often use at home. Read on for all the details about which milk frother to buy, and the best in each category. Your latte game is about to get a major upgrade.

Your favorite coffee shop will always use a tool to heat and froth milk to create the ideal foam and consistency required for classic drinks. Like any useful kitchen utensil, you want the milk frother to be easy to clean, even in the dishwasher if applicable. Not enough kitchen sockets? You need a bubbler powered by a normal battery or a rechargeable battery. Need a bubble for the whole family? A larger size is a good idea. No storage space for other devices? The hand-held aerator can be easily placed in the cutlery drawer.

Nowadays, foaming agents are no different from blenders in terms of portability and capabilities. A hand-held frother is like an immersion blender: beautiful and fast, but it can't heat soup for you like the powerful Vitamix, or in the case of a milk frother, Breville or SMEG. As mentioned above, the milk frother can play a role in terms of technology, size and power. 

The hand-held milk frother is a low-maintenance and value-for-money option. It is a fast tool that runs on batteries and works best when frothing preheated milk. There is a manual bubbler, which works very similar to a French press, and the electric option is smaller than a large capacity tool with a kettle attachment. Automatic tools are great for setting up and letting them run to optimal temperature and foam consistency. It all depends on your budget and how well you want the foaming system to actually operate. Read on for all the details of our favorite foaming machine.

This small electric milk frother reaches all the high notes. It is easy to use and has four simple settings for hot fluffy foam, hot thick foam, heating milk and frothing cold milk for iced drinks. It is not oversized, so it can be easily put into the cabinet, and the non-stick interior makes cleaning a breeze. Although it recommends whole milk, I have used this tool with skimmed milk or even protein shakes and it works well. For less than $40, it is a great choice for tools that you use more frequently than you think. It has also received perfect reviews from nearly 10,000 Amazon reviewers. It can be made into up to 4 ounces of foam, which is perfect for making two cups of latte at once. 

Purchase: $40 at amazon.com

Attention hot chocolate lovers! This kind of frother only needs to add powder, flakes or syrup to the heated milk, and the hot chocolate can be whipped in a few minutes. The Breville tool can make up to three cups of frothed milk at a time, and because it works by induction, the kettle itself can be cleaned in the dishwasher, which means it's easy to clean. It is also automatic, so once you set the dial, it will automatically turn off when the milk is at its optimum temperature. Equipped with two frothing trays to meet all your beverage preferences.

Purchase: $130 (original price $150) at amazon.com 

Zulay is a small bubble that can be. Amazon's top-selling milk frother is exactly the same as advertised, only $20, and there is almost no precious kitchen cabinet space for an ounce. Just heat the milk in advance and stick this tool in the cup to get the foam you like. One benefit: it basically has various colors in the sun. Use it to stir protein shakes, matcha drinks and all types of milk. Just insert two AA batteries and you are ready to go. 

Purchase: $20 at amazon.com

Using a manual milk frother that works like a French press makes things easy. This Ninja tool is completely dishwasher safe, and the glass can be heated in the microwave, so you don’t need to pour in and out the glass to get the pure white you like. It's usually $44, but now it's only $20, which is stolen from such a premium brand (and the manufacturer of our trusted air fryer).

Purchase: $20 (original price $40) at amazon.com 

When it comes to coffee, you may not stick to the life of the pod, but Nespresso's milk frother is as efficient as its coffee machine. It is quiet, portable, and fully dishwasher-safe. It can heat milk to 160-170 degrees (higher than lower-priced competitors). It can make up to 4.4 ounces of cold milk in just 60 seconds, and it can heat 8 ounces of milk in two minutes. If you like your home coffee bar, this is the ideal accessory.

Purchase: $120 at surlatable.com

The PowerLix milk frother has the same functions as Zulay, with a powerful motor and stainless steel, which can make milk in 60 seconds, but it is also equipped with a stainless steel milk tank and a stainless steel coffee art template. Latte art, anyone?

Happy shoppers shared their praise, “No need to deal with wires. No counter space is needed next to it, and it looks elegant and can be omitted between uses. Simple to use, the result is as good as my electric Keurig for more than $70.”

Purchase: $26 at amazon.com

As far as the electric bubbler is concerned, this is one of the most highly rated tools on the market. Use a nearly silent motor with two mixers to froth hot or cold milk to achieve ideal heating and frothing. The handle makes the kettle easy to pour, and the inside is coated with a non-stick coating, making cleaning a breeze. 

As one reviewer said, "I can only say wow! I have never written a review on Amazon before, but this product exceeded my expectations. It is beautiful, well structured, and looks expensive."

"I can easily recommend this foaming agent because I own two other brands, but I didn't stick to it over time," another happy shopper pointed out. "Compared to the coffee shop version, We prefer homemade latte."

Purchase: $48 (original price $70) at amazon.com

This milk frother is the ultimate treat. It can heat a full 20 ounces of milk or more than 8 ounces of foam at a time. The kettle is made of removable and washable stainless steel. So yes, it can make all styles of foam and special hot chocolate, but it also has the look of an old-fashioned Monaco sports car. It has six classic colors suitable for Vespa, and at 500 watt hours, it may be able to power one.

Purchase: $200 on verishop.com

If you want a complete espresso machine with a bubbler, you can use the Breville luxury coffee machine with advanced brewing technology to walk a full 9 yards. The steam wand on this device can heat and froth milk like the best coffee shops. This is an investment worthy of being used for wedding gifts, housewarming celebrations, birthdays, and any special occasions in between.

Purchase: $300 at williams-sonoma.com