I would give it a little more time before switching wands. I usually foam very small amounts of milk, and it took me a while to get the process down. Are you opening up the valve most of the way? If you don't you get heat but not froth. Try angling the pitcher so that the milk swirls in a whirlpool. Also, a tall, narrow vessel really helps - a shallow portion of milk in the bottom of a large. wide pitcher is a recipe for overheating. I've used tall narrow jars with success, provided I had a thermometer. I like to use metal so I can judge by hand, but again it took me a while to get proficient enough to steam a little milk in a larger pitcher. Good luck,

PC

P.S. Grong -- any chance you could provide a (pictorial Very Happy ) step-by-step on how to lower the p-stat on the Lusso? It would be a very nice addition to the forum, especially for new lever owners who have not done this sort of thing before.

Perhaps, but in the meantime, here is a brief description. Of course, the machine is unplugged when it is being worked on!

First, here is the pressure stat. The slotted screw on the end is what is used to adjust the pressure--counter-clockwise to lower, clockwise to raise. I like to start with adjustments in 10-minute increments, if the screw were a clock dial. After I make an adjustment, I plug in the machine, fire it up, and see what changes were made.


Here is a photo of the Lusso with its case removed. The case is held on by the two outer bolts at the bottom of the machine. The steam valve knob and water valve knob must be removed before the case can be wiggled free. You ou can see the pressure stat, behind some wires, as it is screwed into the side of the boiler.


The case is a little laborious to remove and install. However, if you simply lift off the cup warming tray, you can look down the left side of the boiler and see the pressure state. If you remove the steam valve knob, by first removing its slotted screw and then pulling the knob straight out, you can peak through the hole in the case side and view the pressure stat's slotted adjusting screw. I use a little ratcheting right-angle screwdriver that I bought at the hardware store to reach down inside the machine to make the adjustment. The handle isn't long enough, so I tape it to a pencil to make the handle longer. It takes a little patience to get the slot lined up, but it is not too hard to do with the aid of a flashlight. All in all, a bit quicker than removing and installing the outer case.


The adjustment range of your particular pressure stat should be stamped on its plastic casing.


Best wishes.

Thanks guys,
I am steaming 8oz of 2% milk in a 20oz pitcher and it gets to 150 degrees in 45 seconds. No way am I increasing my volume by even 1/4. When I free pour my latte, there is only about 1 cm of microfoam. I open my wand up all the way. Eliminated the big bubbles by purging first, but am still way to fast (it seems) to get any decent foam.
Maybe a 12oz pitcher?
Peacecup's idea of a longer, narrower one?
C

carrie kennedy wrote:Thanks guys,
I am steaming 8oz of 2% milk in a 20oz pitcher and it gets to 150 degrees in 45 seconds.
C

Wow, that is a powerful steamer! I learned to froth (and still do) on a single-hole 'steam-toy' that takes 50 seconds for 100ml (3.4oz).

Have you tried plugging one or two holes on your tip?

Henry

The time sounds about right. I general stop when the thermometer hits 140, because there is a slight lag, and the temp hits 150. If you're only getting a little foam on top you must still need to adujust the angle/depth of the tip - maybe you don't need to open it quite all the way. I've read elsewhere that its easier to learn with more milk, so you might try 12 oz of milk for learning. Again, I'm no expert on frothing.

BTW, my Export has a three-hole tip.

PC

BTW, some milks seem to work better than others, so you might try that as well...

carrie kennedy wrote:Thanks guys,
I am steaming 8oz of 2% milk in a 20oz pitcher and it gets to 150 degrees in 45 seconds. No way am I increasing my volume by even 1/4. When I free pour my latte, there is only about 1 cm of microfoam. I open my wand up all the way. Eliminated the big bubbles by purging first, but am still way to fast (it seems) to get any decent foam.
Maybe a 12oz pitcher?
Peacecup's idea of a longer, narrower one?
C

Based on some recent hands-on experience, I can say that when the Lusso's manometer reads between 1.1 and 1.2 kg/cm² you will have mucho, mucho steam. There is no need to open up the wand all the way. In fact, opening it up a crack will suffice. With the pitcher slightly tilted, try positioning the wand tip against the side of the pitcher to create the swirl, and avoid making bubbles if you can. Start out with the tip only partly submerged, listen for the PFFFFFT sound of air being sucked into the milk (good) and when you see the milk volume begin to increase, submerge the tip deeper.

Regards
Timo

Carrie- a lot of advice here from the group- but you will end up frothing with your ears. The tip just below the surface etc.. But Tim and others described it - Thwpppppt! That is it! Listen for the sound..It will get sloppy if you introduce big bubbles.

You will move the pitcher down as you grow the foam volume - in order to maintain the sound you are using as your "depth monitor"

I brace the lip of my pitcher against the wand tip -so I can be more steady . then I can slide along as the foam grows.

A cold pitcher, good cold fresh milk, 2% is a good choice to start with. Whole milk is a little more difficult to work with as your are learning.

One last thing ----you mentioned that at first the steam wand blows bubbles , then it settles down to a Jet engine sound- that is perfectly normal.


Have a good weekend !

Oh beautiful gloss....
And the latte art is getting better too!
I almost made a rosetta today.
Thanks for all your suggestions, I think I just needed some time with the wand.