Latte Whip – Whip It, Whip It Good

The buzz of this little gadget starts me off each morning. This handheld, battery-operated latte whip costs less than $15 retail but is priceless in my books.

I’ve tried those Bodum-like milk frothers you pump manually. While they create a nice head of foam, they don’t last long in an accident-prone household like ours. Everything will be going along all tickety-boo one day, and the next I’m denied my morning latte because the glass canister cracked in the dishwasher. The worst this whipper can do is splatter milk on the cupboards.

Its secret is this coiled head.

Ah, you say. But does it work? You be the judge. Here is the amount of milk* I use for my daily double latte. I zap it in the microwave for a minute and then whip the hot milk for about 54 seconds (I timed it).

This is the milk post-whipping.

By the time I’ve heated and whipped the milk, my caffettiera has produced steaming hot espresso.

This is my latte.

A few swirls with a spoon and I’ve got a $4.00 caffeine jolt for pennies (providing you don’t factor in all the caffetieras we’ve gone through recently).

Gadget gauge: Devo would be proud.

If you like cappuccinos, lattes or frothy hot chocolate, this handy device is worth the sticker price. It runs on two AA batteries, which last a few months based on daily use. If you feel environmental guilt, I’m sure rechargeable batteries would work just fine. Clean up is a breeze. Just run it under hot water and whip it. Whip it good.

* Standard milk whips beautifully. However, if you use organic milk, like I do, not all brands whip up into a froth. I found Harmony Organic milk whips best. You might have to experiment depending on what brands are available in your area.