Bodum Shin Bistro 5-Ounce Milk Frother

• Creates a smooth and consistent milk foam without electricity
• All parts dishwasher safe
• Quick and easy to use - just move the plunger up and down until the volume of froth doubles
• Microwave safe glass beaker
• Dishwasher safe

Excellent frother, convenient and reliable:
I have had my Bodum frother for about three years (older model than this one, black plastic top) and have had no problems with it other than my husband hitting the top rim with something and chipping the glass. I smoothed it out with an emery board nail file and it is fine, but that prompted me to look on Amazon to see if they still sold them so that I could order a backup but they are a little pricey now; I think I paid only about $10 for mine. Many people have criticized this product because the glass broke and it seems many people are using metal spoons with it. To me it is common sense when dealing with a thin glass product such as this to use a plastic utensil if you need one. One of those long handled plastic spoons like you get at an ice cream shop work well. I usually just pour my froth out and wait a few seconds with a couple of little shakes which gets most of it out. I always heat the milk (or half & half which I use most of the time) in the microwave first right in the beaker, then do the pumping and have had no problems doing it that way. I actually think heated milk froths better and creates a finer froth. Many people are under the false impression that heated milk won't froth but I think this is because most of the instructions on frothing are for espresso machines where it is always suggested to use very cold milk before steaming and frothing. But this is because of the heating factor with the hot steam. You have to use cold milk or you won't have enough time to froth before the milk reaches the ideal temperature. If you used preheated milk it would quickly overheat using hot steam to froth. So I think because of this many people assume that you need cold milk for any kind of frothing. My Bodum has held up extremely well over the years that I have used it but I am careful with it and never put it in the dishwasher. I always immediately rinse both the wand and beaker, fill with a little warm water and detergent, then pump a few times to disperse the detergent. I then rinse well and air dry. I rarely take it apart to clean. Once in awhile I use a very soft brush to clean the screen. This little frother is both convenient and stress free, no worrying about timing, or temperature, as with the espresso machine wands. You just pump for as long as you want until you're happy with the volume of your froth, which you can easily see because of the clear glass. Laura

The cherry on top was always my favorite:
The cherry on top was always my favorite part of dessert and a beautiful foam is my favorite part of a cup of coffee. This product makes an amazingly thick and delicious froth to top your joe. You can control how think the froth gets by the longer you pump the handle. It is a bit of a pain to clean and since it is made out of thin glass you have to be careful with it. Other than that, it is a great product.

Not worth the hassel:
I found this product really hard to clean. The shape at the bottom of the beaker, the transition from the sides to the base isn't rounded at all. This makes it really hard to get in to the corner and clean properly. The glass beakers also crack easily. I have just gone through my second beaker. The second one lasted a week before heat fractures were evident. I'm sure there is a better design out there.

Great for the price!:
This product works great if you want a quick, inexpensive way to froth milk to add to coffee or even hot chocolate. I'd love to have a $$$ espresso machine with a steamer but I don't drink coffee so much that I can justify that expense. This is easy & cheap, no batteries to replace, and only takes about 30 seconds to use. I've tried heating the milk before and after frothihng (I use 1 or 2% lowfat milk). The milk seems to froth better cold; however, heating it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds often causes the frothed milk to bubble over. The glass jar is very thin and fragile and I actually just broke mine by knocking it over in the sink - no fault of the product, just me being careless. I found a beer glass of my husband's that fits the plunger perfectly, so I'm still good to go.

Best frother I've used so far.:
If you are looking to make really full & creamy froth, this is it, look no further! I have a BonJour Primo Latte Frother & Capresso 121.01 Ultima & Saeco Super Automatic one, nothing compares with this simple design. It's so easy to use, you wonder why can't these $500 machines can't make the same froth as this $20 manual gadget. BonJour Primo Latte Frother - It's nice & easy to use, but the froth dissappears after a few minutes, and doesn't have as much volume or as smooth as this Bodum. Espresso machines with steam, the problem is it's #1 - hard to clean / set up, #2 - it heats up the milk so it's never possible to have cold froth. And because it heats the milk to a boil, sometimes the milk boils before there's enough froth. Resolution - Bodum Shin Bistro. This gadget is so easy to use, just pour milk, pump, and enjoy. cleaning is basically just run it thru water right after use, can't get any easier. If you let it sit there after use and the milk dries, then it might be more difficult to clean. As far as the glass being fragile, I've had no problems so far. It's glass, you can easily see it's glass, so use common sense and be reasonablly gentle with it and it'll be perfectly fine.