5 Best Espresso Machines With a Milk Frother (October 2026)
The best espresso machines with a milk frother include the CASABREWS CM5418 for learning to steam milk by hand, the Breville Bambino Plus for automatic milk from a compact Breville, and the AIRMSEN Automatic Frother for hands-off milk drinks.
On this page (13 sections)
- The five milk frother machines in detail
- Drinks these machines make well
- Milk frothers side by side: method, size and heater
- Automatic or manual milk frother: which fits you?
- Who a milk frother machine suits
- Microfoam, steamed milk and froth: what the terms mean
- How we picked these five machines
- Tips for milk drinks at home
- Choosing your milk and jug
- Cleaning the milk system after each drink
- Warm-up and time between drinks
- Mistakes to avoid when you buy a milk frother machine
- Choosing an espresso machine with a milk frother
If you drink lattes or cappuccinos at home, the milk frother matters as much as the espresso. This roundup ranks five espresso machines by how they froth milk, from a steam wand you control to an automatic frother that does the work.
Manual wands and automatic frothers both make milk drinks. They ask for different skills, though, since a manual wand teaches you to steam by hand while an automatic one sets the texture for you.
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. For a milk drinker, the frothing method counts most, followed by the footprint and the water tank.
If you're still deciding on a machine type, the home espresso machine guide covers the wider choice first.
Our picks at a glance
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The five milk frother machines in detail
Each card lists the frothing method first, then the one trade-off to check. The order runs from the highest score to the lowest.
CASABREWS CM5418
- Manual steam wand
- 20-bar Italian pump and a pressure gauge
- 1350 W boiler, CASABREWS says
- Removable 34 oz water tank
A narrow machine with a manual wand, so it teaches the steps of steaming and leaves the milk texture in your hands.
Pros
- Manual wand teaches the steps
- 5.5 inches wide
- Pressure gauge shows each shot
Cons
- Milk takes practice
- Must cool after steaming before it brews again
- No built-in grinder
The CM5418 has a manual steam wand, so it's the machine here for learning to froth by hand. It's 5.5 inches wide, so it doesn't take much counter room.
CASABREWS gives it a 20-bar Italian pump, a 1350 W boiler and a built-in pressure gauge, with a removable 34-ounce water tank. CASABREWS suggests cold whole milk, with the wand tip just below the surface.
CASABREWS also says to let the machine cool after you steam milk before you brew again. Steam last, and the order never becomes a problem.
The trade-off is that milk is a skill here. The CASABREWS CM5418 review covers the model in more detail, if you want the full picture before you decide.
Breville Bambino Plus
- Automatic steam wand with adjustable milk temperature and texture
- Auto purge after steaming
- ThermoJet heater, about 3 seconds to brewing temperature, Breville says
- 16 fl oz milk jug and a 2 year warranty
The Breville to pick when you want the milk made for you, with a wand that sets the temperature and texture and a purge that readies the next shot.
Pros
- Automatic wand with adjustable temperature and texture
- Auto purge after steaming
- 2 year limited warranty
Cons
- Costs more than the standard Bambino
- No built-in grinder
The Bambino Plus is the Breville for people who want the milk made for them. Its automatic steam wand lets you adjust the milk temperature and texture, then does the steaming.
Breville adds an auto purge after steaming, so the next shot comes out at the right temperature. The ThermoJet heater reaches brewing temperature in about 3 seconds, Breville says, and the box has a 16 fl oz stainless steel milk jug.
It's 7.7 inches wide and 12.2 inches tall, with a 2 year limited warranty. The standard Bambino has a manual wand and a 1 year warranty, and our Bambino vs Bambino Plus comparison sets the two side by side.
AIRMSEN Automatic Frother
- Automatic milk frother
- Dual boiler, 1350 W coffee and 1000 W milk
- 60 oz water tank
- Touchscreen controls
The machine to pick when you want the milk made for you, with a 60-ounce tank that keeps refills rare.
Pros
- Automatic frother
- Separate milk boiler
- 60 oz tank
Cons
- More parts to rinse after milk drinks
- Taller than the compact picks
The AIRMSEN is the other hands-off option in this roundup. Its automatic milk frother does the steaming, so you pick the drink on the touchscreen and let the machine handle the milk.
AIRMSEN describes two boilers, a 1350 W coffee boiler and a 1000 W milk boiler. The coffee and the milk heat separately, which means you don't wait for one to finish before starting the other.
The 60-ounce water tank is well above the 34 to 45 ounces on the narrow picks, so it means fewer refills in a busy week. It's 7.9 inches wide and 12 inches tall.
The trade-off is cleaning. An automatic frother has more parts to rinse than a manual wand, so plan a few minutes of cleaning after each milk drink.
SHARDOR CM1661
- Steam wand for creamy foam, SHARDOR says
- Touchscreen with single and double cup settings
- 20-bar pump and 1350 W motor
- 45 oz water tank
A narrow machine with a steam wand and a touch panel for the drink settings, a good middle choice for a small counter.
Pros
- Smallest footprint here
- Touch panel for drink and strength settings
- 45 oz tank
Cons
- 15.3 inches tall, so check cabinet clearance
- All controls are on a touch panel
The SHARDOR CM1661 pairs a steam wand with a touchscreen, so you pick the drink and the strength from the panel. SHARDOR says the wand makes creamy, rich foam.
It's 5.1 inches wide and 8.1 inches deep, which gives it the smallest footprint on this list. The body is 15.3 inches tall, so check the clearance under your cabinets before you order.
The 20-bar pump and 1350-watt motor match the CM5418 on paper. The 45-ounce tank is larger than the CM5418's, which means fewer trips to the sink.
The trade-off is that every control sits on the touch panel, and you still guide the steam wand by hand.
De'Longhi Stilosa
- Manual steam wand
- 15-bar pump
- Portafilter with a measuring scoop and tamper
- Single and double filters in the box
A simple machine with a manual steam wand, built for learning the basics of milk and shots.
Pros
- Simple manual setup
- 15-bar pump
- Stainless steel boiler, De'Longhi says
Cons
- Wider and taller than the other compact picks
- Milk asks for patience
De'Longhi's Stilosa has a manual steam wand, so it's the simplest frother on this list. It's built for the basics: you steam milk by hand and pull shots with the portafilter.
The machine has a 15-bar pump, and De'Longhi says its stainless steel boiler is engineered to last for years. The box includes a portafilter, a measuring scoop that doubles as a tamper, and two filters for single and double shots.
It's 9.5 inches wide and 14.2 inches tall, so it's wider than the CM5418 and taller than most of the others here. The trade-off is that footprint, and the manual wand asks for patience, as the Stilosa review explains.
Drinks these machines make well
A latte is mostly milk with a shot of espresso and a thin layer of foam. A cappuccino uses less milk and more foam, so it needs a wand that can make thick microfoam.
A flat white sits between the two, with smooth milk and only a little foam on top. Every machine on this list can make these drinks, but the automatic frothers do the foam for you.
Start with the drink you order most. Pick the machine that makes that drink well, and treat the others as a bonus.
Milk frothers side by side: method, size and heater
The steam wand column tells you whether the milk is manual or automatic, and that is the biggest difference between these machines. Start there, then check the size against your counter.
| Product | Best for | Steam wand | Size (W x D x H) | Heater | Our score |
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| CASABREWS CM5418 | learning to steam milk by hand | Manual | 5.5 x 12.3 x 12 in | 1350 W boiler | 8.3 |
| Breville Bambino Plus | automatic milk from a compact Breville | Automatic, adjustable | 7.7 in wide, 12.2 in tall | ThermoJet, 1560 W | 8.2 |
| AIRMSEN Automatic Frother | hands-off milk drinks | Automatic frother | 7.9 x 10.2 x 12 in | Dual boiler, 1350 W + 1000 W | 7.9 |
| SHARDOR CM1661 | a steam wand with touch controls | Manual, with touch panel | 5.1 x 8.1 x 15.3 in | 1350 W motor | 7.5 |
| De'Longhi Stilosa | a compact manual frother | Manual | 9.5 x 12.1 x 14.2 in | Stainless steel boiler | 7.3 |
The score in the last column matches each card above. Scores run from 7.3 to 8.3, with the top scores going to the machines that combine a good wand with a fitting size.
Automatic or manual milk frother: which fits you?
An automatic frother sets the milk for you and suits a busy morning. A manual wand gives you full control and suits someone who wants to learn.
The Bambino Plus and the AIRMSEN are the automatic picks here, while the CM5418, the SHARDOR and the Stilosa use wands you work by hand. The SHARDOR pairs its wand with a touch menu for the drink settings.
Either way, the steam is hot. Keep your hand clear of the wand, purge it before and after use, and wipe it after each milk drink.
Who a milk frother machine suits
A milk frother machine suits someone who drinks milk coffee most days and wants it made at home. It also suits a household where one person drinks espresso black and another wants a latte.
It's a weaker fit if you rarely drink milk drinks. In that case a simpler machine will save counter space and cleaning time.
If the counter is the tightest limit, the best compact espresso machines roundup ranks small bodies by footprint.
Microfoam, steamed milk and froth: what the terms mean
Steamed milk is heated with the wand and has larger bubbles. Microfoam is the smooth, glossy texture that a barista uses for latte art, and it has much smaller bubbles.
Automatic wands and frothers aim for the smooth texture with less effort. A manual wand gets there too, but it depends on your angle, your timing and how long you keep the tip in the milk.
How we picked these five machines
We compared the specs first, starting with how each machine froths milk. Automatic frothers and manual wands both made the list, because the right choice depends on how much control you want.
Size and water tank came next, since a milk drink adds to the daily routine. Pump pressure and temperature control came after that, because they affect the shot that goes under the milk.
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. A machine with a strong frother but a tiny tank scores below one that balances both.
Espresso machine with milk frother: choosing by the drink you make
If you make one latte a day, a manual wand is fine and the practice pays off within a few weeks. If you make several milk drinks in a row, an automatic frother saves attention on every cup.
Milk jug size matters too. The Bambino Plus includes a 16 fl oz jug, and the De'Longhi DLSC060 frothing jug holds 12 oz if you want a small second jug.
Tips for milk drinks at home
Practice on a small amount of milk first, so you learn the sound and the texture before you make a full cup.
Keep the jug clean between drinks, since old milk residue changes the taste of the next one. Rinse it right after use, and dry it before you start again.
Pour the milk slowly into the cup, and keep the foam on top for a cappuccino. Tapping and swirling the jug helps the foam blend into the milk for a latte.
Choosing your milk and jug
A cold jug gives you more time to texture the milk before it heats. Fill it well below the top, since milk expands as it steams.
Whole milk is the easiest to texture for most beginners, and CASABREWS suggests cold whole milk for its wands. Non-dairy milks often froth differently, so test a small amount before you commit to a carton.
Cleaning the milk system after each drink
Clean the steam wand right after you steam, while the milk is still soft. Wipe it with a damp cloth, then purge a little steam to clear the inside, as your manual describes.
Automatic frothers have more parts to rinse, so check the manual for which parts come apart. Rinsing them the same day keeps milk from drying inside the machine.
Mineral buildup affects the whole machine, the steam system included. Follow the descaling schedule in your manual, and see how to descale an espresso machine for the basic steps.
Warm-up and time between drinks
A fast heater, like the one Breville describes for the Bambino Plus, shortens the wait before the first shot. Some machines need a short pause between a shot and steaming, so check your manual for that step.
Wait for the ready signal before you steam, or the wand may not deliver steam at full strength. A short run of steam before the milk, called purging, clears the tip and gets the wand ready.
Mistakes to avoid when you buy a milk frother machine
- Choosing by wand alone. Check the footprint and the water tank too, since they decide daily comfort.
- Ignoring cabinet height. The tall models need clearance under the cabinets.
- Skipping the purge. Purge the wand before and after each use to clear the tip.
- Leaving milk in the wand. Dried milk is harder to clean and can block the steam holes.
- Skipping the drip tray. Check that the tray is in place and empty before each drink, so spills don't reach the counter.
Choosing an espresso machine with a milk frother
Pick the CM5418 if you want a narrow machine and a manual wand to learn on. Pick the Bambino Plus if you want the best automatic milk from a compact machine and can spare the extra cost.
Pick the AIRMSEN if you want the milk made for you and a big tank, and the counter has room for a 12-inch-tall machine. Pick the SHARDOR for touch controls and a small footprint, and the Stilosa for a simple manual frother in a traditional design.
For a lower cost, the best budget espresso machines roundup covers machines with a steam wand.
Whatever you choose, plan the milk routine before you buy. A milk frother is only as good as the cleaning you do after each drink, and a small habit each morning keeps it working well.
For the accessories that help with milk drinks and shots, see espresso machine accessories for beginners. For the basics of how a semi-automatic machine works, read what a semi-automatic espresso machine is.
Our top 3 picks at a glance
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best espresso machine with a milk frother?
The CASABREWS CM5418 is the top pick here, because it pairs a manual steam wand with a pressure gauge in a narrow body. If you want the machine to set the milk, the Breville Bambino Plus and the AIRMSEN froth automatically, and both need cleaning after milk drinks.
Is a manual steam wand hard to use?
A manual steam wand takes practice, because you control the milk temperature and texture by hand. Expect a few tries, and keep your hand clear of the steam and purge the wand before and after each use.
Do automatic milk frothers need more cleaning?
Automatic frothers usually have more parts to rinse than a manual wand. Follow the manual for taking the parts apart, and rinse the milk path right after each drink so milk doesn't dry inside it.
