I get it, not everyone has the space for a large, semi-automatic coffee machine on their kitchen counter. Between the built-in burr grinder, the steaming wand, the water tank, and the grouphead, things can get a little cramped. But my main vice with small coffee makers and manual espresso makers has always been the lack of good milk steaming options. You're either sacrificing quality, or you're paying a lot of money for yet another large appliance on the counter. The answer? I just learned about a stovetop milk steamer.
Flair's Wizard Stovetop Milk Steamer (which I found on Coffee Friend) is a small, sleek, and streamlined device designed to produce professional-grade, silky microfoam for cappuccinos, lattes, and cortados. Rather than being an electronic frothing system (like most coffee frothers), this one uses a custom pressure gauge and the heat of your hob to warm it up. As far as coffee machine accessories go, it feels excitingly analogue, yet still high-tech — and in my opinion, the coffee-making process is always more fruitful when you have a little time to invest.
