Opening a new thread as the old ones are too dated to post in. New to this device, well a month with it and having terrible results. I've steamed perfect milk countless times over the last decade with different machines however this one has been too difficult for me to dial in. I've tried different placement for the steam wand and nothing but enormous bubbles form immediately and do not dissipate despite proper method for steaming milk. Any tips or hacks you guys have would be GREATLY appreciated as I'm about to pull my hair out!

Ok. I'll try again. This morning I filled the water up considerably higher but not too high and couldn't produce any foam despite insane power! I've steamed milk perfectly thousands of times but I can't figure this one out.

I'm interested but can't contribute meaningfully because I've only used my Bellman once so far. Have you seen Prima's video overview? Here's the link in case it might help at all: https://prima-coffee.com/equipment/bellman/50ss

Yes I contacted them and they sent that as wel. There is something I'm missing with this steamer.

I have had a Bellman for many years and have used occasionally at home, only when I had been in between espresso machines and used the EspressoForge as daily pitch hitter; otherwise it gets put into service for daily cappuccinos when camping/moteling it.

Fill no more than 1/2 full (at or below the seam line). I use distilled water for cleaner running and typically whole milk. Get the thing heat soaked and/or until the pressure relief valve is purging excess pressure. I only steam about 100ml of milk at a time otherwise it takes too long ... and for individual cappas that's more than we need anyway. And, like any steam arm, purge the hot water before putting the tip to milk.

Due to lower steam volume and pressure, compared to any of my boiler machines, I typically spend more time steam-foaming the milk with the steam tip just below the surface of the milk. Then deeper if the bubbles are getting larger than micro-foam. But I can get wonderful micro-foam with the Bellman with little effort.

When camping, where morning ambient air temps are cool to cold I will heat water to boiling in my Jetboil or pour over kettle and then pour into the Bellman to give it a head start. The base of the Bellman is not large enough diameter to be an efficient heat conductor.

Make sure the gaskets under the lid and top cap are not pinched and/or otherwise leaking pressure before it gets to the steam arm.

You said something that was key for me
But the grammar or autocorrect butchered it.

The deeper the steam wand the bigger bubbles??

thomasben wrote:You said something that was key for me
But the grammar or autocorrect butchered it.

The deeper the steam wand the bigger bubbles??

Rephrase: I, with the Bellman and its relatively weak steam power, start with the tip at/near the surface of the milk. Then, during the steaming process, when the milk bubbles start to appear larger than micro-foam bubbles, I will move the steam tip deeper into the milk. Whereas with my boiler fed machines I never spend any time with the steam tip at the surface of the milk. The process with the Bellman, at least what works for me, is starting at/near the surface.

Wondering if units vary. I will try that, my unit is explosive as soon as the valve is open.

^ can you post a video of your routine?

That's my next move, will do this when I'm able