Looks like the steaming arm for the common Olympia machines, the Cremina and Maximatic, are the same as for my Caffarex... short! I have an 8-ounce steaming pitcher which has worked great for every other machine I've used, and with the longer steaming arms, I've been able to go deeper into this pitcher and steam just a couple ounces of milk. Not so with the Olympia.

With only 2 ounces, I can't get the short Olympia arm deep enough to get an effective swirling of the milk. Yes, I know the obvious answer is to steam more milk, but 2 ounces is all I need, and I hate to waste milk. What I'd like is a shorter, small-volume, steaming pitcher. If you know of one, or have experience with steaming on an Olympia, I'd appreciate your input.

Thank you!

Thanks Chris,

The size and shape look good, but I'm trying (rather pathetically!) to get some latte art going, so a pouring spout would be good. I did find a 10-ounce bell-shaped pitcher on EPNW that looks good - and it's 3 1/16" tall, so that may be right.

Espro Toroid Stainless Steel Frothing Pitcher (Orphan Espresso)

I've got the larger one of these. Using it with my vivaldi.

It works great, but is too big for the cremina. The shape actually dimples up in the center, comes up more in the center than it appears to in the pictures

These things are killer for making microfoam.

I was using a bumper pitcher previously, really surprised me as to how much better, quicker and easier it is to get great microfoam with the espro toroid

I am somewhat skeptical of such advertising, etc, and I bought the pitcher to get a different size. When the microfoam came out so much better and easier, it was more so than would have believed if you had told me they were good.

I just ordered the smaller one (12 oz) for the Cremina

added link

http://www.espro.ca/toroid.php

I also got it to cut down on waste, and probably will use it with the Vivaldi also.

Even so, if you want good microfoam it's going to take a certain volume of milk, and I suspect you're going to have to decide to whether you want great foam, or less waste. Every time I try to go below a certain point it screws up the attempt.