The moka pot makes surprisingly good espresso, and I highly recommend for anyone looking for an economical way to get espresso. However, it is also good to get a milk frother with it.

I am currently unsure of the correct frother to get, given the variety of available products. Personally, I want one that is very similar to my espresso maker being that it must not require an outlet and it must be relatively portable. I’d like to take it camping. That’s right.

The cheapest item I found is available from Ikea, and can be found used for as little as $3. It takes 2 AA batteries. There are a bunch of these types of frothers around, and they’re pretty much all alike. Some come with metal stands. Woohoo!

 Next up are the glass and metal press-pitcher models, available for $9+ These work similar to french press coffee makers.

The last type of frother I’ll be covering is the stovetop steamer you see here on the left, available for $60+. The premise of this is really simple. You put water in it, put it on the stove, it makes steam, you put the tip of the wand into a cup of milk, you get hot foamy milk.

Tip: When choosing a milk, skim milk froths the quickest, but whole milk is the traditional choice among coffee aficionados.

All of these milk frothers can be had within your budget. With a combination of a $5 moka pot and a $3 frothers, you can rival the quality of a $300 espresso maker and far surpass the quality of any cheap-o steam-driven espresso machine. You’ll have rich and delicious espresso and moist, foamy milk, and a couple extra bucks to buy a coffee grinder with.