A Nice Cuppa

I currently own three different milk steaming pitchers. Given that I’m the only one in my house that really drinks coffee, this may seem a bit extreme. But in reality, I have three because I am on a quest to find the perfect pitcher to help compensate for my poor art pouring abilities. Let me start out by saying that with the right machine and the right technique, you can get perfect microfoam in anything. This little video of foaming milk in a McDonalds cup proves that. However, the barista in the video is using a fancy-schmancy pro-level machine. As much as I love my Solis SL70, it just doesn’t have that kind of power. And, as I’ve recently learned, what you need for great microfoam is power. Power gives you speed and speed, used properly, gives you heavenly, velvety microfoam.

The good news is that there are alternatives. What the home barista lacks in speed, they can make up for in technique, and the pitcher is one part of that. You need a pitcher with the right shape and the right size for the type of foam you are trying to achieve.

Most baristas recommend a straight sided stainless steel 20 oz pitcher for your basic latte-art friendly foam. You can pick one up in most kitchen supply stores, or even just order a good one on Amazon. The trick is finding one that has a spout as well as straight sides (the Krups pitcher, for example, is a great shape but doesn’t have a spout). You also want to make sure that you measure your clearance of your steam valve and counter. Some pitchers are fairly tall, and you want one that will fit well with your machine.

“20 Oz. Espresso Steaming Pitcher & Thermometer Combo” (Update; Component Design)

While you are browsing for pitchers, you might also see some that have a bell or a modified bell shape. They get a bit wider in the middle, and then narrow at the top and bottom. I picked up one of these at a thrift shop for two bucks, and thought I’d give it a shot. So far, I’ve found that I tend to get foam more suited for cappuccinos than for latte art. And, from what I can find online, others have confirmed that the bell shape tends to give you airy foam better for spooning than pouring. So, if you want your cappuccinos bone dry, you might prefer one of these. Otherwise, it’s best to stick with the straight sided pitchers.

Size is another important factor. It’s hard to steam a small amount of milk in a big pitcher, and steaming milk for multiple drinks in the same pitchers is a definite no-no. So, if you just need a little foam to top a macchiato, you’ll want to use a 12 oz pitcher or even smaller, or you’ll end up wasting a lot of milk. I found a little 5 oz stainless steel espresso brew pitcher that is perfect for steaming just a couple of ounces at a time. Like with the straight sided pitcher, you just want to make sure that it has a good spout for pouring.