There are so many plant-based milk alternatives on the market right now and most coffee shops offer one or more varieties alongside cow’s milk.
If you’ve dabbled in all of the most popular kinds (like almond, soy, coconut, and oat) you’ll have noticed that they don’t all react the same way to being frothed for espresso beverages.
Oat milk has become one of the most popular options in recent years because it is often thick and creamy enough that it steams or froths really well.
You might be wondering how you can make your own dairy-free lattes and other creamy beverages at home. Well, let me tell you that it’s not difficult! All you need is a reliable milk frother.
There are three different types of milk frothers that you can get (electric, handheld, and manual) and any of these types will work well with oat milk. Among the many options for all three types of the best oat milk frothers are:
- Breville BMF660XL Milk Frother
- HIC Milk Creamer Frother
- Powerlix Milk Frother
- Ninja Coffee Bar Milk Frother
- Secura Milk Frother
If you’re on the hunt for a milk frother to make delicious dairy-free beverages, I’ve got you covered! We will be taking an in-depth look at the options I listed above and also discussing the types of oat milk that are best for frothing.
Which Type of Oat Milk Is Best to Froth?
Cow’s milk contains fats and proteins that help build up the bubbles that form when you froth it. Plant-based milk, such as oat milk, contains less of those proteins and cannot form as stable of a foam.
For this reason, most plant milk manufacturers add stabilizers, gums, or fat to thicken the milk and enable it to froth a lot better. Oat milk that does not have any of these additives will likely be too thin and watery to create foam.
The best types of oat milk contain a good balance of natural thickening agents (such as guar gum and gellan gum) so you will find those ingredients in most types of oat milk.
Most of the thickening agents are derived from plants but it is smart to avoid anything that might have synthetic polydextrose or other chemical additives.
These are my top three picks for the best oat milk to use for frothing:
Chobani Oat Milk, Extra Creamy
Chobani is a well-trusted brand of decadent dairy products so it’s no wonder that they managed to create perfectly creamy and luxurious oat milk.
I would definitely name this the indulgent option because it is slightly thicker than many other types of oat milk. However, that just means it’s perfect for when you need a beverage that doubles as a dessert!
Planet Oat Original Oat Milk
Plant Oat has a variety of flavors for their oat milk (such as vanilla and dark chocolate) but their original flavor should not be discounted.
Many people love this brand’s oat milk because of its delicate texture and balanced sweetness. It’s also got the perfect consistency for frothing!
Oatly Original Oatmilk
This is the first oat milk I ever tried so I may be biased, but there are many other reasons it deserves a spot as one of the best types of oat milk to use for frothing.
It has a smooth and creamy texture that results in terrific foam and it’s no wonder that many coffee shops use this brand as a go-to.
What Should You Look For In a Milk Frother?
There are three types of milk frothers, so, if you’re on the hunt for one, it is important to start with identifying the type that will best suit your kitchen and personal preferences.
Electric milk frothers are probably the easiest and most effective option for non-dairy milk. They can froth your milk in seconds without any effort on your part. All you have to do is plug it in and press a button!
Handheld milk frothers are popular because they are generally much cheaper than electric milk frothers but still have a motor that whips your milk up quickly and easily.
This type of milk frother requires you to hold the base while you immerse the frothing wand into your milk.
A manual milk frother resembles a french press and typically comes with a glass container to hold your milk and a plunger with a mesh screen attached to the bottom.
This option is the one that requires the most physical effort on your part but it also allows you to control the level of foam you are creating.
Once you’ve decided which type of frother best suits your home, you should consider a few more factors before choosing the perfect model.
The first thing to note is that price and durability are often connected (especially if you’re looking at electric models). The materials with which a milk frother is made affect how well it is able to froth.
If you’re buying a milk frother on a budget then an electric model might not be the best option. You can get a high-quality manual or hand-held frother for a fraction of the price of a good electric one.
The second thing to consider is how much milk you need your frother to hold at one time. Hand-held and manual frothers are best for frothing milk for beverages for one to two people but electric frothers can have a capacity of up to 8 ounces.
The final detail you should keep in mind is how easy is the milk frother to clean? Hand-held frothers are very easy to clean because you only need to wash or wipe the wand (and it’s usually removable).
Some electric and manual frothers contain parts that are dishwasher safe, however, manual frothers are often made of glass and are quite delicate.
The 5 Best Milk Frothers For Oat Milk
Now that you’ve taken a moment to decide what you require from your milk frother, let’s look at a list of 5 of the best options available for frothing oat milk. I’ve included at least one option in each category so there should be something here for everyone!
1. Breville BMF660XL Milk Frother
This is, without a doubt, a crowd favorite when it comes to electric milk frothers. It definitely comes with a significant price tag but for many people, the features will be worth it.
The Breville Milk Cafe uses induction heating and spinning to create bubbles in milk. It comes with two different disks (the latte disk and the cappuccino disk) for two different foam consistencies.
It has an adjustable temperature dial so you can heat your milk to whatever temperature suits you and you can even make hot chocolate directly in the frother! It also has the capacity to make up to 3 cups of frothed milk.
The Milk Cafe has a removable jug that is dishwasher safe so clean up is very easy.
The only downside of this model is the price, but for those who value convenience and ease, this is definitely a smart investment to make.
2. HIC Milk Creamer Frother
This manual milk frother is a perfect choice for those who need something affordable and durable. It’s made out of stainless steel and is unlikely to break even if you drop it.
Both parts of the HIC frother are dishwasher safe (for use on the top rack) so clean up is very easy.
It takes about sixty seconds to get your milk perfectly frothed with this device and you will have to heat up the milk beforehand using your microwave or stovetop. For those who prefer something that will eliminate those extra steps, this might not be the best option.
3. Powerlix Milk Frother
The Powerlix handheld frother is a perfect compromise if you don’t want to splurge on an electric milk frother but would prefer not to have to froth your milk by hand each morning.
The Powerlix is battery operated so you can use it anywhere without having to worry about cords or electrical outlets. It also comes with a stand for easy storage.
The wand on this one is not removable but, because the frother doesn’t have any cords, it’s very easy to wipe down with a cloth.
4. Ninja Coffee Bar Milk Frother
To me, this is the most classic type of milk frother and my personal top pick. It is very similar to the HIC model because it is a manual frother with two parts but the main vessel is made of glass as opposed to steel.
This design allows you to easily monitor how much froth you are creating. It may be a bit more delicate due to the glass but it is still dishwasher and microwave safe, meaning that you can microwave your milk directly in the frother (which you cannot do with the HIC frother).
5. Secura Milk Frother
Finally, we have the affordable Secura electric milk frother. This one isn’t as fancy as the Breville Milk Cafe but it also sells at a significantly lower price.
The Secura milk frother still has the main components of convenience that people look for in an electric milk frother. It can heat up your milk and froth it at the click of a button. It has the capacity to froth 125 ml of milk.
Is Oat Milk Harder to Froth?
If you’re vegan or avoid cow’s milk for any reason, you probably know that plant-based kinds of milk have a very different consistency to dairy milk. Almond milk tends to be a lot more watery and coconut milk is usually thicker and heavier.
With all the options out there, I’ve found that oat milk is the kind that most resembles regular milk. However, it still has its own unique texture and flavor and does not froth exactly as dairy milk does.
This also highly depends on the manufacturer and what additives they put into their oat milk. You can easily make your own oat milk at home by blending oats and water and then double straining the mixture to get rid of any grittiness.
Homemade oat milk is perfect for adding to smoothies, cereal, and iced coffee. It’s slightly less perfect for adding to warm beverages and for frothing because oats don’t naturally contain a lot of fat.
That’s why, in its simplest form, oat milk is not at all suitable for frothing, but with the right balance of thickening agents, it becomes the ideal alternative to cow’s milk.
What Makes Oat Milk Froth?
As I mentioned above, oat milk in its basest form is not suitable for frothing. Its ability to do so comes from the addition of thickening agents.
The most common ones you will find in the ingredients of store-bought oat milk are gellan gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, and soy lecithin. All of these are derived from plants so they are naturally occurring.
Oat milk with a high fat content is also good for frothing even if it doesn’t contain any gums or stabilizers. However, because one of the benefits of plant milk is that it contains less fat than cow’s milk, this type of milk might not be appealing to some people.