Best Super-Automatic Espresso Machine: Top Models RANKED (Updated For 2023)

Frothed Milk vs Steamed Milk: What's the Difference?

Most amateur home baristas use the terms frothed milk and steamed milk interchangeably, but they're actually different products made by different processes with different profiles and uses.

Frothed Milk

• What it's like: Airier and less dense than steamed milk due to the incorporation of air bubbles. Also called foamed milk, the ideal final product is called microfoam, which is achieved when the air bubbles are so small that they're nearly imperceptible. Badly frothed milk looks like a bubble bath.
• How it's made: The frothing wand simultaneously heats the milk and injects it with air, which incorporates tiny air bubbles to create a milk foam. If using a manual frothing wand, the barista places the tip of the wand at the surface of the milk to work air into the milk. If using an automatic frothing wand, such as a Pannarello frother, the wand sucks air in through the top of the Pannarello attachment and works it down into the milk pitcher.
• When it's used: Recipes such as cappuccinos, which are 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 frothed milk.

Steamed Milk

• What it's like: Much denser, creamier, and silkier than frothed milk. Although the major distinction between frothed milk and steamed milk is the amount of air incorporated into the milk, quality steamed milk still has some air incorporated (albeit a tiny amount), which makes for a more pleasing texture with a hint of sweetness.
• How it's made: The frothing wand only heats the milk, though a small amount of air may be incorporated as well. If using a manual frothing wand, the barista places the top of the wand just below the surface to heat the milk without incorporating additional air. Heat causes tightly-wrapped milk proteins (casein and whey) to unwind and wrap around microscopic air bubbles in the milk, creating silky microfoam. It's important to steam milk to 140-160°F. Below 140°F is too cold for the milk proteins to unwind enough. Above 160°F causes the milk proteins to break down (called denaturing), which introduces additional air into the milk for final product that's too light.
• When it's used: Most recipes call for steamed milk in some proportion with lattes the most popular at 1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed milk.

Now that you know the difference between frothed milk and steamed milk, which do super-automatic espresso machines make?

Well, it depends on which type of milk system a machine uses.

3 Types of Super-Automatic Milk Systems

Most super-automatic espresso machines have one of three different milk systems:

1. Pannarello frothing wand
2. Integrated milk carafe
3. Carafe-less milk nozzle

There are pros and cons to each.

1. Pannarello frothing wand

• Example machine: DeLonghi Magnifica
• What it makes: Mostly frothed milk by incorporating air into a stationary pitcher, though you can manually move the pitcher if you'd like
• How it works: Insert the wand's tip into a pitcher of cold milk. The machine froths the milk automatically depending on which recipe you selected. You combine the milk froth with your coffee.
• Note: Generally found on entry-level machines
• Pros: Easy to clean; more control over your milk foam if you wanted to remove the Pannarello tip and move the wand manually (although that makes it less than "fully-automatic")
• Cons: Can't achieve microfoam, which means the resulting milk foam is airier and less silky or creamy than it should be; better suited to cappuccinos than lattes

2. Integrated milk carafe

• Example machine: Saeco Incanto
• What it makes: Both frothed and steamed milk with the quality of either dependent upon the brand/model used
• How it works: Remove the carafe from the machine, fill the carafe with cold milk, and reattach the carafe. The machine froths the milk and combines the milk foam with your coffee automatically, according to the recipe you selected.
• Note: Saeco and Gaggia call this feature "Milk Island"
• Pros: Don't need to combine milk foam and coffee like with a Pannarello wand
• Cons: Most labor-intensive to clean; no compatible milk cooling accessories like the Jura Cool Control (see milk system #3 pros below)

3. Carafe-less milk nozzle

• Example machine: Jura E8
• What it makes: Both frothed and steamed milk with the quality of either dependent upon the brand/model used.
• How it works: Attach a tube from the milk frothing nozzle and insert it into a container of cold milk. The machine draws the milk from the container into the nozzle, where it's frothed and combined with your coffee automatically, according to the recipe you selected.
• Note: The milk frothing nozzle doubles as a coffee exit nozzle, so you'll place your cup under the milk frothing nozzle to create your compete drink. On many models, this dual coffee/milk frothing nozzle is in addition to a dedicated, coffee-only spot for milk-less drinks.
• Pros: Don't need to combine milk foam and coffee like with a Pannarello wand; usually requires less dedicated real estate on the machine, which means a smaller overall footprint; compatible with milk coolers (like the Jura Cool Control) to keep the milk cool all day, which means no need to empty, clean, and refill your milk pitcher after each use; great for offices
• Cons: Cleaning the narrow tube is a small annoyance; milk coolers are an additional expense