Which Milk Pitcher is Best for Latte Art?

This is it: your official guide to all things milk pitcher-related. We’ll be comparing some of our top selling milk pitchers to get you thinking about which one will be the best choice for you based on what you’re wanting to accomplish with your latte art.

Latte art is no easy feat (trust me, it took me at least three months working a full-time barista position before I could do anything closely related to a heart). But, knowing how to choose the best tools can get you a bit closer to what you’re looking for, plus a couple extra tips to keep in mind as you’re going through the process. Remember: our goal is always to create a cup of coffee that is perfect for you, and that can be accomplished whether or not you have a fancy design on top. 

To answer your question, “which milk pitcher is best for latte art,” the answer is a bit nuanced based on a few different factors.

1. What’s your experience level?
2. How much milk are you dosing out?
3. What kind of latte art are you wanting to do?
4. What kind of additional equipment are you using (espresso machine, cups/mugs, milk, etc.)?

So, without further ado, let’s get into it. 

#1 What’s your experience level?

From beginner barista to experienced coffee connoisseur, there’s a milk pitcher out there for everyone. When I recommend people their milk pitcher, I see it more on a spectrum from most forgiving to increasingly getting more and more precise. 

For the “I-literally-just-bought-my-espresso-machine” barista, I’d recommend something similar to the Motta Europa Milk Pitcher. A wide, U-shaped spout is perfect for packing in easy latte art, like hearts and the odd tulip every now and again, and the ability to get a larger pitcher size (17 - 25oz is perfect) allows for lots of possibilities for milk dosing to ensure you’re steaming just the right amount, while preventing the inevitable milk bubbling over catastrophe that happens to every. Single. Barista. Everywhere. I particularly like the depth of the spout, as it incorporates the microfoam better, giving you a smooth pour every time. 

For the semi-comfortable barista (i.e. “I’ve-had-my-espresso-machine-for-a-few-months), you may want to think about an upgrade! You can switch up your routine in two different ways depending on your coffee preferences: if you prefer to focus on really dialing in your microfoam to milk ratio, try a smaller pitcher size to get silky smooth milk and see how much that changes the profile of your morning latte. If you’re wanting to work on more precise latte designs like rosettas and swans, consider swapping your pitcher for a smaller, V-shaped spout. I recommend our own Coffee Addicts branded one in sizes smaller than 17oz. A pointer spout gives you more precision when attempting smaller designs, so one can anticipate another learning curve when moving over to these pitchers! Once you start nailing your rosettas though, you’ll notice how much easier it is to accomplish these designs seamlessly. 

For the professional baristas, each person has their own preferences. For myself (although I am FAR from a professional), my go-to is the Barista Basics Latte Art Pitcher in the 12 oz size, usually dosing 8oz of milk out at a time for my morning cortado/flat white. This kind of spout allows me to do everything from a heart to a swan, and it’s the perfect amount of milk for what kind of beverage I’m looking to enjoy!

Which leads us to our next question…

#2 How much milk are you dosing?

I’ll be the first to admit that I thought every barista filled the milk pitcher as full as possible and steamed their milk from there (I was so, so wrong and wasted so, so much milk). Dosing your milk prior to steaming allows you to control how much milk you’re using in your cup, manages your waste level, and also gives you metrics for how much volume you’re building in each cup based on steaming pressures and your own techniques.

Dosing your milk can come in a lot of different varieties: you can weigh your milk, you can use the dosing reference lines on the inside of your pitcher to guide you, or you can simply fill up your milk jug until it’s just below the start of the spout and see how much volume you build! 

Typically, we can expect our milk volume to increase about ⅓ when you finish steaming. It is much more difficult to steam smaller quantities of milk than to steam larger, so I always recommend over-estimating your room for error in all the areas (think about purchasing a milk pitcher one step up than you’re thinking, purchase larger cups to give more surface area when making lattes, etc.) Expect your first couple of lattes to look more like cappuccinos when you’re finished with them!

It is worthwhile mentioning that while I do recommend larger pitchers all around for beginners, it all depends on the kinds of drinks you’re looking to enjoy. If your go-to is a large latte, a milk pitcher that’s 16oz and up accommodates for more room for error! If you’re a traditional cappuccino or flat white lover, you’ll be likely looking for a smaller pitcher and looking to really focus on your technique when you first start out to mitigate any messes (and frustrations!) I’d still recommend getting a wider spout to help you along, but purchasing the pitcher that will help you reduce waste and make the coffee you want to enjoy is definitely the biggest factor here!

#3 What kind of latte art are you wanting to do?

When considering your latte art, different pitchers allow you to focus on different aspects of your technique and create various designs. For example, a pointer spout will help you with more detailed, precise designs, whereas a wider spout will help you with more rounded shapes (makes sense, right?) For more info, revisit point #1 for this one.

#4 What kind of additional equipment are you using?

This could potentially be an entirely other blog post because as it turns out, the additional equipment you use definitely plays a part into how your latte art turns out. I’m sure every Gaggia owner will agree with me that it takes quite a bit of time to steam a 20oz pitcher full of milk (and ensure you have the right amount of texture and everything!)

So, let’s take it step by step

• Espresso machine: depending on if you’re using a single boiler, dual boiler, or heat exchanger, the steam power varies depending on the boiler size and the amount of steam pressure you’re able to generate. If you’re a busy household making more than 2+ drinks every day – and have someone who loves an extra large latte! – a single boiler machine may not be the best choice for you (more on that in another post)

• Your coffee mug: ah yes, the final destination for your perfectly crafted beverage; the coffee mug. I filmed a video here on how the depth of your mug affects your ability to do decent-enough latte art, which might resonate with some folks. TL;DR: your favourite grocery store mug might be holding you back from pouring your favourite latte art due to the surface area and cup depth!

• Milk: milk matters! When you’re getting started and just want to pour something decent, the higher the fat content, the better the milk frothing will go! More fat content and proteins in your milk allows the microfoam to better integrate into the rest of your milk, whereas skim or 0% milk creates a higher microfoam volume – is it impossible? Absolutely not! Just anticipate a higher than average learning curve compared to other milks.

• As for my oat, almond, and soy milk lovers, a quick tip is to aerate your milk longer than you would for regular milk, and you should be enjoying some pretty sweet and silky art!

So, there you have it! An ultimate guide from my perspective (: if I missed anything at all or you have additional questions, feel free to pop them down in the comments below, or send me an email at info@coffeeaddicts.ca!

Happy Coffee-ing!