A milk frothing jug is essential when making certain types of coffee such as latte or cappuccino or for drinks such as hot chocolate. Ideally these should be used along with a thermometer so as you can easily read the perfect temperature.
Now, and in the opinion of most experts, a good quality jug or pitcher really needs to be made from stainless steel. You can buy these jugs at many shops such as Argos, Tesco and Amazon in the UK.
If you want to be able to try any form of latte artwork, then the jug will absolutely need to have a beak or spout style on it as well. This allows you to be able to create a constant stream that pours easily.
Quick Answer - Best Jug for Frothing Milk
Below you will find a lot of detail on what to look for when buying a frothing jug.
However for those of you who just want a straight answer, or don't have time to read my full article, then the best one out there at the moment, in my opinion is the Anpro Milk Jug
This jug is the highest rated at 96% buyer satisfaction by actual online buyers and costs just under £8 so very good value for money. This size (350 ml) is good for one large latte or two smaller ones.
It also easily fits under the steamers on most coffee machines. That would be my number one choice. It is available at Amazon and you can go there by clicking here.
Below you will find a lot more information about how to use these jugs and a wider selection of good quality choices.
Ideal Temperature for Frothing Milk
For frothing or foaming as it is often referred to, you never want to overheat it. The ideal temperature should never exceed 70 degrees Celsius.
You want to have it somewhere between 65-70 degrees because at that temperature the milk retains its goodness and will not break down. Milk that has been prepared properly will always be foamed.
This simply means adding air (bubbles) into the milk and that helps sweeten the taste. As a general guideline for a latte the volume of milk should expand by approximately one-third due to foam. For a cappuccino it will have approximately doubled.
Below you will find a video that shows you how to avoid the most common mistakes when it comes to frothing milk.
What Type of Milk Works Best for Creating a Great Froth?
Non-fat or skimmed milk (0.1% fat) will always make the largest foam bubbles, but it is really hard to texture. Higher fat or whole milk 94% fat) is easier to froth and will also be tastier.
According to the many UK forums the recommendation seems to be Tesco Pure or Cravendale which is slightly more expensive.
Milk can vary from region to region. I would suggest that you try them out until you find a milk that works for you as that is the only way you will ever really know.
When you find your favourite one, then incorporating foam is very important. You do not want to have foam just sitting on the top with steamed milk underneath.
The foam needs to be brought into the entire pitcher of milk. When you steam your milk, you always want to foam for properly textured foam; that is what makes plain ordinary milk extraordinary.
Frothing Jug Buyer's Guide
Milk Frothing Jug Size
As you can imagine these frothing jugs come in different sizes. The most popular two choices are 330 ml and 660 ml. So clearly it will come down to how much milk you want to froth at any one time, as to which size you should buy.
It is easier I think to buy the bigger one as you can always use less milk, and they are not really that much more expensive.
Metal vs Stainless Steel Frothing Jugs
I mentioned earlier that these should be made from stainless steel rather than some of the other metals that are used.
Stainless steel can resist heat better, do not flavour or taste the milk and are super easy to clean afterwards. Aside from that they look better and are suitable for most kitchens.
Top 5 Milk Frothing Jugs by Buyer Rating
There are plenty of these to pick from so I have selected the top 5 by actual buyer rating. These are not that expensive and they range between £5-15, depending on the grade of steel and the brand name.
- Anpro Milk Jug
- KitchenCraft 650 ml"Le Xpress" Milk Frothing Jug
- Genware 68601 Conical Jug
- Andrew James Milk Jug Stainless Steel for Frothing and Coffee Machine
- Cooks Professional Milk Frothing Jug & Thermometer
No 1 - Anpro Milk Jug
94% buyer satisfaction based on 5,000+ online buyer reviews
Ideal for latte and frothing milk
It has a mirror finish - stainless steel (0.7 mm thick)
350 ml size (also available in 400 and 600 ml)
High quality stainless steel grade 304
2 Year warranty
11.4 x 10.9 x 8.1 cm
Weighs 181 grams
Maker - Anpro
This size is good for one large latte or two smaller ones. Easily fits under the steamers on most coffee machines.
No 2 - Kitchen Craft Le'Xpress Stainless Steel Milk Frother Jug
86% buyer satisfaction based on 100+ online buyer reviews
Ideal for frothy cappuccinos, hot chocolate and even milk shakes
Mirror finish
660 ml size
Extra wide pouring lip
Suitable for steam wand machines, hand held and coffee machines
12.7 x 12.7 x 10.2 cm
Weighs 299 grams
Maker - Le'Xpress
This jug is rated at 8% buyer satisfaction and costs around £10 depending on where you make your purchase. It has a broad base and narrow body, ideal for the perfect frothing conditions. It can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Makes enough for two large lattes.
No 3 - Frothing Jug by Genware
- Best Seller at Amazon UK
- Open top jug
- 330 ml size
- Stainless Steel 18/10
- Lowest price at £5-6
- 10 x 9.2 x 7.6 cm
- Weighs 222 grams
- Maker - Genware
This jug is rated at 86% buyer satisfaction and costs around £5-6 depending on where you make your purchase. It gets a 90% buyer satisfaction rating.
The video below is well worth a watch if you are beginner to all of this frothing process. This video shows you the right way to go about getting the perfect results on a consistent basis.
No 4 - Frothing Jug by Andrew James Brand
- Very popular brand
- 330 ml size - ideal for 2 drinks
- 202 grade of stainless steel with 0.7 mm thickness
- Prices at £8.50-10
- 12.2 x 11.4 x 11.4 cm
- Weighs 499 grams
- 2 year warranty
This jug is rated at 90% buyer satisfaction and costs around £8 depending on where you make your purchase.
No 5 - Frothing Jug & Thermometer by Cooks Professional
- Includes the jug and the thermometer
- Available in 350 and 600 ml size
- Priced at £9-10
- Barista style
- Easy to view and read thermometer
- Maker - Cooks Professional
This jug and thermometer is rated at 90% buyer satisfaction and costs around £9-10 depending on where you make your purchase. Just be a little wary of the ratings as this is a new product to the market. That said buyers who have bought it clearly like it.
So that is my top 5 list of the best frothing milk jugs in the UK market right now. As you can see you will pay anything between £5-10 for one of these. As they are made from stainless steel they are easy to wash, dishwasher friendly and pretty easy to keep clean.
They come in the 2 cup (330 ml) and 4 cup (600 ml) sizes and they have been designed to easily fit under the steaming nozzle of a standard coffee machine.
