I don't use milk in my espresso

however Im curious as I have a new Alexia PID and K3 which i got for that very reason vs a HX or double boiler

I doubt that 'steaming' has all the intricacies of the coffee parts of the machine so would like to ask those who use milk regularly to compare their steamed Machine milk w microwave milk thats been 'froth-ed' up with those little battery operated whisks $19 at your coffee shop, 6.95 at IKEA

I use them to make non-fat whipped 'cream' flavored with a little vanilla and a little brown sugar very nice on ice cream

cheers

They make bubbly milk, not micro-foam. The missus preferred the Bodum frother to a whipper. Neither give the same taste and texture of steam.

that's very interesting

that might imply that some sort of push-pull device (think Milipore filter, but larger pores, the kind used in bacteriology) might be even better

just a thought

I suggest this only because the steamer portion is if you will a 'historical' accident: that was the only way to heat up milk 'back when'

so much technical people here should come up with a Push-Pull Millipore item.

Why Not?

cheers

Robert,

You are not drinking "whipped" milk in a cappuccino, you are drinking steamed milk. The heat changes the chemical composition of the milk. It makes it sweeter. Using a mini-whisk might change the texture, but not the flavor . . .

rotuts wrote:I suggest this only because the steamer portion is if you will a 'historical' accident: that was the only way to heat up milk 'back when'

Mmmm, no. You could heat the milk over an open flame (no one ever said you had to use the steam from the espresso machine's boiler). If all you wanted to do whip the milk, prior to the invention of a mini-whisk, you could shake it vigorously, put it into a blender, and so on . . .

Cheers,
Jason