This New Countertop Milk Frother Is From a Space Heater Company, but Can It Make Smooth Foamed Milk?
Dreo, a company you may recognize thanks to its home appliances like room fans and space heaters, quietly launched a countertop milk frother that took over all of TikTok. We wanted to see if this machine was really worth its salt (or frothed milk) so we put it through all the same tests that we used to evaluate 23 other milk frothers. After using the Dreo BaristaMaker for the past six months and making near-daily frothed milk drinks with it, we’re thinking maybe Dreo knows a thing or two about propelling air after all.
The Tests
Foam Quality Test: We made milk foam with various types of milk and assessed how well it was able to create velvety microfoam using whole milk, oat milk, almond milk, and soy milk.
Temperature Test: We set the milk frother to its lowest temperature setting and checked it with an instant-read thermometer to test accuracy. We also timed how long it took to reach that temperature and repeated the test with a few of its higher temperature settings.
Cold Foam Test: We tested the milk frother’s cold foam setting and evaluated the quality and quantity of the resulting foam.
Usability and Cleanup Tests: We tested its alternate propeller and noted how easy it was to set up, use, clean, and store. We also used it over a period of six months to test its durability.
What We Learned
The Dreo BaristaMaker Produces Velvety Microfoam
You may have heard baristas talk about the elusive “wet paint” texture that’s the gold standard for all frothed milk. This type of microfoam has tiny bubbles evenly distributed throughout the milk and is neither too thin nor too thick. The BaristaMaker does an impressive job of achieving this wet paint texture in its hot frothed milks and is able to do so with a variety of milks we tested, including whole, oat, and soy. We made smooth matcha lattes using the BaristaMaker and were especially pleased to see plant-based frothed milk, like oat, do so well in the machine.
It’s a Feature-Packed Milk Frother
The BaristaMaker has an impressive range of settings to make frothed milk for lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, and cold foam drinks, plus a stirring function for protein shakes, matcha lattes, or hot chocolate. We especially liked that the LED display identified which propeller should be used based on the milk and beverage choice. Once the machine starts to froth, a helpful countdown timer appears to track progress.
It’s Easy to Use and Clean
This machine is also easy to operate thanks to the simple control panel that toggles through clearly marked frothing options on the display. There are little symbols for the types of milk (a cow for dairy, oats for oat milk, a soybean for soy milk, and so on). The inside of the pitcher also has clearly marked lines that indicate the ideal amount of milk to add.
The pitcher is submersible in water and even dishwasher-safe, making it easy to clean after use. The propellers are also dishwasher-safe, though we found that a quick soapy rinse under warm water cleaned them well.
The Verdict
Dreo BaristaMaker Milk Frother
This milk frother is pricier than our existing top pick, but while it’s on sale, it’s $70 less than our splurge-worthy pick, which it’s able to hold its own against. The BaristaMaker is easy to use and excels at making silky microfoam for lattes or cappuccinos, especially with dairy-based milks. We were impressed with how many drink and milk options it offers and were pleased that each feature produced silky smooth milk foam as intended. It’s also incredibly easy to clean and doesn’t take up much space on the counter.
Key Specs
- Capacity: 15 ounces
- Weight: 2.75 pounds
- Dimensions: 5.31 x 9.65 inches
- Temperature settings: Variable temperature function from 130ºF to over 170ºF; also cold
- Foam settings: Hot cappuccino, hot latte, hot flat-white, cold thick foam, hot thick foam, stir
- Care instructions: The milk pitcher and propellers are dishwasher-safe
FAQs
What types of milks can the Dreo BaristaMaker froth?
It has settings for cow’s milk, half and half, almond, coconut, soy, and oat milk.
Is the Dreo BaristaMaker dishwasher safe?
The milk pitcher and propellers are dishwasher-safe while the body of the machine itself can be wiped clean with a damp towel.
Why We’re the Experts
- An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
- An has been testing kitchen equipment with Serious Eats for two years.
- She loves to put coffee gear through the ringer, but is mostly looking for an excuse to make another cappuccino.
from Serious Eats https://ift.tt/s7FfpTR
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