Why the best gadget I bought this year was a $14 milk frother

A coffee habit changes

In February, Elizabeth Lopatto visited Los Angeles and stayed in Koreatown. At Stagger, a coffee shop she says is known for matcha, she became unexpectedly taken with a cream-topped iced Americano.

Lopatto had spent more than 20 years drinking coffee black, first to avoid milk curdling when reheated and later to appreciate the beans. After returning to Oakland, she kept thinking about the drink and bought a Zulay Kitchen frother for $14 during a March heat wave.

A simple handheld tool

The handheld frother works much like a small immersion blender. Lopatto pours milk into a glass and holds down the power button until the foam reaches the consistency she wants.

With fresh disposable batteries, the process takes about 30 seconds to a minute; older batteries make it slower. The tool can also beat eggs, mix protein powder or creatine into drinks, and prepare hot chocolate.

From Vienna to iced coffee

The cream top has roots in the Einspänner, an espresso drink named after a one-horse carriage. Its original Viennese version used hot espresso, with whipped cream helping keep the drink warm for carriage drivers.

The drink later became popular in South Korea in many forms, mostly iced, and then reached the United States. Lopatto describes its topping as softer than ordinary whipped cream but heavier than latte foam, melting gradually into the coffee.

Experiments at home

Without an espresso machine, Lopatto uses concentrated cold brew, whose strong flavor can stand up to the foam. Some recipes, she notes, recommend powdered espresso instead. After making a basic cream top, she tried a cold brew with coconut ube cold foam, inspired by a Starbucks ad, and added toasted coconut flakes. She recommends a simple, inexpensive frother, while noting that outlets including Wirecutter and Bon Appétit have their own preferred options.