With my recent grinder upgrade, I've almost completely eliminated any fussing with grind distribution and other fiddling, and I've been able to concentrate on improving my milk steaming skills. I can get luscious, creamy microfoam without much issue in the normal 20oz pitcher.

However, I typically drink much smaller drinks (6oz ACF cups), and use a 12oz pitcher rather than steaming milk for two drinks at once. I find the smaller volume of milk much more difficult to work with. It heats up a lot faster, giving much less margin for error, and the sweet spot for the tip when expanding the milk is very difficult to follow. I can generally make milk that's reasonably microfoamy, and pours fairly well for latte art, but it's not quite right. If I pour a drink and leave it for a minute or two, I get tonnes of little bubbles forming and popping on the surface.

I switched to whole milk exclusively after realizing how much more difficult it was to steam 1% in a tiny pitcher. I've also tried using a lower steam pressure (not opening the valve as much), which was a little better. I'm using a bog standard stainless steel pitcher, just in 12oz. Would it be worth trying one of the Espro, Cafelat, etc. pitchers?

Hi, A couple of tips can help. First, keep your frothing pitcher in the freezer when not in use. Second, pour your milk into the pitcher and put it in the freezer for several minutes. While you are doing this make sure that your steaming wand isn't producing too much water by steaming into a test glass. When steam is dry, froth using a thermometer to guide you as decribed elsewhere on Home-Barista. The more frothing you do the better you will get. Then Latte Art! Carl

I am pretty careful about keeping the pitcher cool (put it in the fridge after pouring milk), but I don't normally leave it in the freezer. I will give that a shot, but I often pull several drinks back to back, so only the first will be cool. How do I assess whether there is too much water, and what do I do if this is the case? I always purge the wand of water and run plenty of steam through until it looks as dry as it can get.

Keeping the boiler pressure up will keep the steam dryer, or so I've been told. I can get smooth microfoam in about three or four ounces of milk in a 12 oz pitcher out of my giant 14 liter boiler, by plugging four of the five holes in the tip of one of the steam wands. The other is still five holes for three or more drinks at a shot. Or pudding, or oatmeal, scrambled eggs, etc. ; >
If you've got more than one hole open, that small amount of milk will be a trick. You can plug the extra hole(s) by inserting a toothpick until it's well seated, and then trimming flush with a razor knife, or other very sharp blade. All of the normal caveats with sharp objects that your mom and shop teacher harped on for all those years still apply.
And as far as thermometry goes, I find that if I can still hold the pitcher comfortably, I'm now yet done. Just about the time I find that I no longer want to hold my hand against the pitcher I've discovered that I'm in the 150 F range, and by the time I turn off everything, it's about 155.

My Duetto has the stock two hole tip, so I will try plugging one of the holes when I get home tonight. It definitely seems overpowered for such a tiny quantity of milk. The steam boiler is set at the stock pressure (1.2 bar?).

I gave up on trying to use a thermometer after about two attempts. They get in the way of positioning the steam wand, especially in a small pitcher, and anything other less than $100 has so much lag in the reading that you have to judge by feel anyway. I can do this reasonably well now, so it's not an issue.

I keep both my 12- and 20-ounce pitchers in the freezer. When making a cappuccino or lattè in the morning, the first thing I do is pour the milk into the pitcher, and return the pitcher to the freezer. Then I'll flush the HX machine, grind and prepare the shot. Before I pull the shot, I'll get the pitcher from the freezer and then pull the shot/steam the milk . . .

Works like a charm for me.

Cheers,
Jason

Plugging one of the holes seemed to help quite a bit with the small pitcher, but it was difficult to control with the steam all coming at a funny angle. Would it be worth trying a single hole tip? What should I get?

I think technique and practice is really what makes the difference here. Sometimes it can require a different technique. On my previous machine, not dissimilar to your own, I had to use two styles for 1 or 2 cups of worth of milk. 2 cups worth, I would have the tip at the side and make a whirlpool. 1 cup in a 12oz pitcher, steam tip totally straight down in the middle of the pitcher. Lower the pitcher for only a couple of brief 'tearing noises' and then no more air. Keep the milk rolling over itself in a standing wave/toroid thing, you may need to back off on the power but probably not. Now on my more powerful machine (4 holes, 2bar, 3.5l) I can still steam small amounts but I do need to back off on the power a little once going. The difference is now I use the same technique on a larger pitcher as well, whereas before I didn't have enough power to get the standing wave/toroid happening with the larger volume.

Every machine is different and can require a slightly different style. Once you get it, it normally clicks... I've never really got the knack of the MCaL, although its meant to be a breeze. I will no doubt eventually have a eureka moment!

Good luck, Chris

Bob_McBob wrote:Plugging one of the holes seemed to help quite a bit with the small pitcher, but it was difficult to control with the steam all coming at a funny angle. Would it be worth trying a single hole tip? What should I get?

Well, on mine the angle is pretty severe, and I counteract with tipping the steam wand over to one side. I'm not that familiar with your machine, so I'll suppose that you can't do that, or you already would have. On my three hole tip for the Gaggia Factory, I replaced it by re-tapping the threads on an old Krups Steam-toy. Whatever else you say about them, I was getting decent micro-foam from mine, so I tried what I had on hand. It worked. Or, you could do as some others have, get an acorn nut that fits your steam wand and drill a 1/16" hole in it.

All other things being equal, and especially if you are frothing smaller quantities of milk at a time, it is easier to froth well and to get good microfoam if the boiler temperature is lower. This is a general comment and not one intended specifically for the OP or for any one sort of machine.

ken