Beezer wrote:GC7, you may want to try a different steam tip for your Anita. I had trouble steaming with my Anita's stock tip, but it became much easier (though also somewhat slow) with the two-hole tip from espressoparts.com. Later I upgraded to the four-hole steam wand for the La Spaziale, and the speed and quality of the microfoam both improved greatly. However, for a cheap fix the espressoparts tip is very effective. It's certainly cheaper than buying a new, high-end pitcher, and more likely to give you good results.

I keep forgetting there is an older version of the Anita in the wild. Anyhow, I am a little confused here, I just got my Anita about a week ago [assuming the "new" version ] Anyhow, the tip that came on it has two holes, how does that differ than this one (below) ?

Beezer wrote:http://www.espressoparts.com/product/F_134_2/Two_Hole_Steam_Tip.html

Beezer - thanks for the tip on the 4 hole tip I am eager to try this upgrade although stock tip is decent.

The stock tip on my Anita has slightly larger and wider spaced holes than the espressoparts tip. The smaller holes seem to be less prone to making large bubbles, which makes microfoam relatively easy to create. However, there is also less steam velocity, so it's harder to get the milk to spin properly for texturing, plus the time for steaming is fairly long. As I recall, it took close to a minute to steam around six ounces of milk to 150 degrees. Then again, steaming with the stock tip also takes too long and doesn't always produce good results, at least in my experience.

The four hole La Spaziale tip is nice because it increases the amount of steam being released, thus improving the speed and whirlpool action, but it still has small enough holes to prevent the formation of large bubbles. I can steam six ounces of milk in about 30 seconds, and the microfoam is almost always very smooth and creamy. Note that I'm talking about the tip with the smaller .9mm holes, not the standard La Spaz tip which lets out too much steam for Anita's boiler and heating element to keep up.

http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/repairpartssection3/new4holesteamtip

I made my own toroid

I have a Breville pitcher that had some bell shape. Then I used the round back of a chisel and bang bang bang! I hammered it in the middle from the back Now I have a toroid jeje. I'll try tomorrow and see what I get

Didn't do any difference to me. This was an old Breville frothing pitcher that I didn't use because it was big and wide.

I found my luck by changing milk brands and changing milk volume for a small pitcher. A little over the middle does it for me. I don't put it in the freezer.

Cheers

You may find that the pitcher shape is more critical on smaller machines. I would imagine steam tip design and boiler size/amps will have more of an impact. With the smaller (1.5 liter and below) machines the shape of the pitcher may have a legitimate impact on the steaming action. With big boiler, high pressure commercial machines you have enough oomph behind a big 4 hole steam tip to whip up a vortex in a one gallon bucket.

I might post a bit late but am interested to know if this toroid pitcher works for 3 hole steam tip like the new Silvia v3. From the illustration on the Espro website, it seems the jug is designed for single hole tip.

I use it with a two-hole tip and it's fine. I imagine a three-hole tip would do just as well, as would anything else going down and out.

Best,
David