I know that *this* should not be the item causing buyer's frustration, but I need help!

I'm a newbie, and thanks to some excellent help I got here, I'm the proud new owner of a Gaggia Classic and Baratza Vario. I'm slowly getting better at all of the variables that go into my espresso making, but I have one really stupid frustration that just seems too basic to be real: the steam wand of the Gaggia is so LOW that maneuvering the milk pitcher under it, especially once I have made foamy goodness, is impossible without tilting it so much it spills. It seems like the only way this wand could work for anyone would be on the end of a counter, and I can't do that.

I have a 20 oz standard pitcher, so I'm looking for something shorter, but preferably not too much smaller (16 oz would be fine.) I can't find anything shorter than 4.25"

Or....can I bend the wand somehow without breaking it?

Anne

Have you considered upgrading your steamwand to a silvia wand? Other members have done this with success.

I too would suggest a 12 oz pitcher. You will probably have better success with it.

I have one like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Rattleware-12-Oun...0016CBMYY/

That Cafelat pitcher sure does look nice though!

I don't make many milk drinks so it took me a good year of playing around with my Anita to get really good whirlpooling of milk and pourable microfoam. I used a standard 12 oz pitcher.

I recently purchased an Espro torroid 12 oz pitcher and its so easy to get good milk I can't believe I had to spend so much time to learn good technique with the old one. It's not cheap but it really makes producing good microfoam MUCH easier.

I have 2 questions, Anne. First, how big of milk drinks are you making? It doesn't make a lot of sense to get a 12 oz. pitcher if you're making big lattés that will only just fit in such a pitcher. Second, are you using a "pannarello" wand attachment (without the sheath that gives you dish soap foam)? I found that thing works for latté art just fine, though it's most certainly easier for a 12 oz. pitcher. You could also use the longer one that Whole Latté love sells as mentioned and discussed here. If you have trouble getting the pitcher UNDER the wand at the beginning/end, you may wanna put the machine out on the edge of the counter so that the wand has more clearance under it.

GC7 wrote:I recently purchased an Espro torroid 12 oz pitcher

Yep.

I've got both the 12 and the 20 oz.

The 12 oz is perfect for one double cappuccino.

Surprised me how well the design works, plus it's harder to do the smaller amount in something else - to get good microfoam and have little excess left over.

The 20 oz is perfect if you're doing a couple of doubles at the same time.

I can't speak from experience with the Toroid. I have a 16 oz. Rattleware pitcher with a vaguely resembles the toroid, and for me (a macchiatto and cappuccino guy) it gets most of its use as a vessel for soaking my baskets in cafiza--I favor my 12 oz. and 8 oz. pitchers. I didn't find the Rattleware to be anything worth writing home about, but YMMV. In any case I wanted to direct readers to the site's previous discussion of the Toroid. Anne, you may find this helpful as the initial poster also writes from the perspective of a Gaggia user.

As a general rule, I use a pitcher that is twice the volume of the milk I am steaming. so 4-6 ounces of milk gets a 12 oz pitcher. I do have a 20 oz if I am making multiple drinks. I can do 2-3 cappaccuino's with 12 oz of milk and my machine will steam roll right through 12 oz without batting an eye. On your machine, I would not do more than 6 oz at a time. The machine will get low on steam by the end if you are doing more than that, it will be difficult to get that swirl action going.

I have to agree with Geoffrey on this one. I could have saved myself a lot of money buying different pitchers if I had bought the Espro to start with. I have the small one as well and will be buying the next size soon. I bought a Motta initially but didn't use it. I have been using it more and it's a nice pitcher as well. However the Espro consistently produces nice froth.

GC7 wrote:I don't make many milk drinks so it took me a good year of playing around with my Anita to get really good whirlpooling of milk and pourable microfoam. I used a standard 12 oz pitcher.

I recently purchased an Espro torroid 12 oz pitcher and its so easy to get good milk I can't believe I had to spend so much time to learn good technique with the old one. It's not cheap but it really makes producing good microfoam MUCH easier.