Portable milk frothing device for travelling

[Jonathon]

I'm travelling over Christmas and while I'm happy to just drink espressos from my Rok, life just isn't worth it if my wife doesn't have a latte when she wakes up.

So, any suggestions on the best tool to buy to froth up milk? I'll have access to power and a microwave.

Thanks
Jonathon

[Cicarda]

Jonathon, my suggestion, most places have a plunger (or you can take your own make sure it does not have too much metal on it. Microwaves don't like metal!) Add your milk, warm just a little in the microwave. Then use the plunger to froth your milk, then place back in micro to reach required temp. Add to your coffee shot for your Latte. Done Easy! Works a treat! With just a little practice you will be able to make reasonable microfoam rather than bubbles. Remember less is more
Cicarda

[Seeya_Latte]

Hi Jonathon
I've used my bellman cx25 for milk for times away but it needs gas (a portable butane burner will do if no mains gas is around)
It's got heaps of steam enough for two milk drinks easy

[Jonathon]

Thanks for the ideas. I took a look at the Aldi Expressi today, but negative reviews put me off. Having read a little more, I reckon I'll pick up one of the whizzer things that spins a coil.

[Gavisconi007]

I use an Aerolatte (cheap on EBay) and find it to be very effective for trips away. Very small and portable and does a great job.

[Gavisconi007]

The Aerolatte is AKA "one of those whizzer things that spins a coil"...

[TampIt]

Frothing with a plunger and microwave

Jonathon, my suggestion, most places have a plunger (or you can take your own make sure it does not have too much metal on it. Microwaves don't like metal!) Add your milk, warm just a little in the microwave. Then use the plunger to froth your milk, then place back in micro to reach required temp. Add to your coffee shot for your Latte. Done Easy! Works a treat! With just a little practice you will be able to make reasonable microfoam rather than bubbles. Remember less is more
Cicarda

Hi Cicarda (and OP)

Firstly, select a decent glass plunger. FWIW, I use a "metal caged" Bodum, without the "fine plastic filter disc" which does awful things to hot milk flavour (or hot coffee for that matter).

Using only the all glass section of the plunger, I microwave the milk once up to just below boiling point: depending upon the milk that is somewhere between 67 and 73 Celsius. Using gloves(!), place it back in its metal cage and then give it a few pumps of the plunger: it is close to a true "firm microfoam" latte texture, but usually without the extra sweetness that a steam wand can deliver.

If you heat it again after frothing, both the texture and the sweetness tends to go away (as far as my taste buds are concerned, anyway).

It is still my preferred "camping frother" as "one of those whizzer things that spins a coil" is not even close to a proper latte texture IMO. They are only for frothy cappo's, not lattes.

Have a safe trip.


TampIt

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Sorry....I just can't help but think of Baldric's coffee making exploits on Blackadder Goes Forth.....

[DesigningByCoffee]

Sorry....I just can't help but think of Baldric's coffee making exploits on Blackadder Goes Forth.....

"Make mine a milky one, will you" - Captain Darling

[Yelta]

When traveling/camping most things are a compromise.

The Aerolatte or similar does a reasonable job.

[Jonathon]

When traveling/camping most things are a compromise.

The Aerolatte or similar does a reasonable job.

I agree, I've just ordered an Aerolatte to give it a go, although I'll also be dusting off my plunger to try that method.

[43bean]

HI everyone
Welcome to my world at the moment.
My machine died so if i do not want to get in the car and drive off down the road heres what i do.
Heat my milk in the pot, when boiled i use one of two methods, 1 use the frothy thing on the bar mix ( not to bad ), 2 put it back in the empty milk contaner and shake vigorously being careful not to build up too much pressure, use tea towel it get hot.

[Thunder240]

In the past I used an Aeroccino Plus before I got an espresso machine that could froth effectively. It's reliable and makes pretty d___ good fake foam.

[bswm.harris]

My wife got an aerocinno and I think it does it pretty well???

[ravster1]

Obviously Christmas has passed now so i'm sure you had something suitable, but for future reference check out this completely new idea of texturing milk, which should definitely be cheap. Haven't tried it yet myself but quite intrigued by it.

All you need is warm milk and a coffee plunger!

Check out the polish barista championship winner Agnieszka Rojewska's routine, who used the technique as part of her World barista routine in Seattle 2015.

You can watch the technique specifically on this link 2015 WBC Round 1, Day 1 on Livestream

she basically heats the milk and then uses the coffee plunger - plunging around 20 times to create what i assume is a microfoam consistency. Pretty out there, so fair play on pushing the boundaries