Guide · Milk frothers
Best milk frother under £50: budget jugs and handhelds compared
You don't need to spend £100 to heat and froth milk at home. We compare UK milk frother jugs and handhelds under £50, with prices checked 3 Oct 2026.
The best milk frother under £50 depends on one question: do you want it to heat the milk too? A heating jug warms and froths in one go, and several now make cold foam for iced drinks as well. A handheld whisk costs far less but only froths, so you heat the milk yourself. There are plenty of both under £50 at UK retailers, and the differences are mostly in capacity, settings and how easy they are to wash. We haven’t tested this in person. This guide is based on retailer listings and maker specs, with prices checked 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.
Best milk frother under £50: the short answer
Get the Melitta Cremio II if you want a heating jug that goes in the dishwasher. Currys lists it as dishwasher safe, with a 250ml capacity and hot and cold froth. It was £46.99 at Currys, checked 3 Oct 2026.
Who it isn’t for: households making several large lattes at once, as 250ml won’t stretch far.
Get the Lakeland Milk and Hot Chocolate Frother if hot chocolate matters as much as coffee. Lakeland lists four settings, including cold froth and a hot chocolate setting, and up to about 450ml of hot froth. It was £44.99 at Lakeland, checked 3 Oct 2026.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants everything in the dishwasher. Check the care instructions before you buy.
Choose the Salter EK6359 if you want the lowest-cost jug with cold foam. It was £24.99 at Currys, checked 3 Oct 2026, prices can change.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants dishwasher-safe parts, as the Currys listing doesn’t say it has them.
Skip a jug altogether if you only want froth on the odd coffee. The Lakeland Foamie Rechargeable is £9.99 at Lakeland, checked 3 Oct 2026.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who doesn’t want to heat milk separately in a pan or microwave.
Heating jugs under £50
- Melitta Cremio II: £46.99 at Currys, checked 3 Oct 2026. Currys lists 250ml, 450W, hot and cold froth and a dishwasher-safe jug, and Melitta mentions iced coffee in its copy. See it at Currys
- Lakeland Milk and Hot Chocolate Frother: £44.99 at Lakeland, checked 3 Oct 2026. Lakeland lists four settings, cold froth, and heating to around 60 to 80°C. See it at Lakeland
- John Lewis Milk Frother: £39.00 at John Lewis, checked 3 Oct 2026. John Lewis lists hot and cold froth plus heated milk, and says it’s hand wash only. See it at John Lewis
- Morphy Richards Brew & Blend: £34.99 at Currys, checked 3 Oct 2026, prices can change. Currys lists 300ml, 550W, four presets including cold milk froth, part foam and full foam, and a two-year guarantee. See it at Currys
- Ariete 2878 Vintage: £29.99 at Currys, checked 3 Oct 2026, prices can change. Currys lists 250ml for heating and 140ml for frothing, hot and cold options and two whisks. See it at Currys
- Daewoo SDA2696GE: £26.99 at Currys, checked 3 Oct 2026. Currys lists 200ml, hot and cold froth and a three-year guarantee. See it at Currys
- Salter EK6359: £24.99 at Currys, checked 3 Oct 2026, prices can change. Currys lists 300ml, with cold foam, hot froth, full foam and part foam. See it at Currys
- Quest 34189: £20.99 at Currys, checked 3 Oct 2026, prices can change. Currys lists hot and cold froth and 300ml. See it at Currys
Capacity figures need a careful read. Some listings give one number for heating and a smaller one for frothing, because froth grows as it fills the jug. The Ariete is a good example, at 250ml heating and 140ml frothing.
Who it isn’t for: if you want café-style microfoam for latte art, a jug frother won’t match a steam wand. Look at an espresso machine with a steam wand instead.
Handheld frothers under £50
- Lakeland Foamie Rechargeable: £9.99 at Lakeland, checked 3 Oct 2026. Lakeland lists USB-C charging and a double whisk. See it at Lakeland
- aerolatte Steam-Free: £10.00 at John Lewis, checked 3 Oct 2026. It runs on two AA batteries, which aren’t included. See it at John Lewis
- Bialetti Cordless Handheld Milk Whipper & Frother Set: £30.00 at John Lewis, checked 3 Oct 2026. It’s USB rechargeable with three speeds and two whisk heads. See it at John Lewis
Handhelds whisk milk in a mug or jug, hot or cold. They’re cheap, small and easy to rinse, but you heat the milk yourself. Our guide to the best handheld milk frother goes into more detail.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants hot froth at the press of a button.
Cold foam on a budget
Most jugs on this list have a cold setting, according to their listings. That makes them handy for iced lattes and cold foam on top of cold brew. Handhelds work in cold milk too. For more on this, see our guide to the best milk frother for cold foam.
Who it isn’t for: if you only drink hot coffee, don’t pay extra for a cold setting.
What about plant milks?
Results vary by milk more than by frother. Barista-style plant milks are made to foam, and standard versions often don’t hold their shape for long. Our guide to the best oat milk for coffee covers this in more detail.
Downsides to know about
- Small batches. Some jugs froth much less than they heat, such as the Ariete at 140ml of froth.
- Washing. Not every jug is dishwasher safe, and the base must never get wet. Check the care instructions before you buy.
- Prices change. Currys prices here were checked on 3 Oct 2026 and can change.
- Handhelds don’t heat. You still need a pan or microwave.
Where to go next
- If your budget stretches further, see our best milk frother guide.
- Want a closer look at a handheld? Read our Lakeland Foamie review.
FAQ
Is a cheap milk frother worth it? For lattes and hot chocolate at home, a jug under £50 can do the job. You pay more for bigger capacity, more settings and longer guarantees.
Can you put a milk frother in the dishwasher? Some jugs can, such as the Melitta Cremio II according to Currys, but the base never can. The John Lewis frother is hand wash only.
Do handheld frothers heat milk? No. They only whisk it, so heat the milk first if you want a hot drink.
Can a milk frother make cold foam? Many can. Look for a cold froth setting in the listing, or use a handheld in cold milk.