Why does the milk frother on an espresso machine make such a godawful screech?
In: Physics
The death screech is a sign of poor technique! It should be a sort of churning noise but not offensive. Search for _steam wand screeching_ and you’ll see lots of tips on how to avoid it.
Good question! It’s because the milk is cold and when you put the steam wand in it, it heats up part of the milk wherever the steam wand is inserted, and the temperature difference between the rest of the milk causes the awful screeching. To avoid this, start your steaming by first putting the steam wand directly down to the bottom of the milk, about an inch from the bottom of the container. Then slowly pull the steam wand up through the entirety of the milk. If you practice this first part a few times, you’ll be able to get it so that the milk doesn’t make a sound! It’s a fun little challenge. Then just continue developing the froth and foam to suit whatever drink you’re making 🙂
Hope this helps and hope your day is going well! 🙂
Source: I was a barista at a little Italian coffee shop for years, and steaming milk is my favorite part of making the drinks! 😀
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