Nespresso 3190US Aeroccino Automatic Milk Frother

Cafe quality? No. Easy great-tasting froth? Yes.
Here are the most important things I think prospective buyers should know:

1. The machine does not heat the milk to scalding temperatures. You know how when you get a latte at Starbucks, it burns your mouth at first? Yeah, this doesn't do that. The milk is warmed, but you won't have a hot drink for as long as you would at a coffee shop.

2. Size. This machine is meant to be paired with a single-serve coffee machine. It makes enough milk/foam for a single cappuccino or a single latte. That means 1.5 oz of espresso and 5 or 6 oz. of milk. If you want to make drinks for more than one person at a time, or if you want to make the equivalent of a "Venti" latte, you may need more than one of these or a different machine (Froth Au Lait).

3. Cleanup is EASY. This is one of the most important features, IMO. All you do is rinse it out, wipe the bottom with a sponge, rinse again, and you're done. You can clean it while your Nespresso machine is pouring your...

Aeroccino is an unreliable gadget
When Aeroccino works, it works great. It is quick and quiet, and produces excellent foam. Clean up is very easy. But, there is something inherently unstable about Aeroccino machines. Since August, I managed to kill three of them and I am not sure why. Part of it is the nature of the machine: because it is constructed like a water kettle, one should not submerge it into water. But because it is designed to heat milk, the manufacturer allows putting it under running water as long as the bottom of the machine remains dry. If you get the bottom wet (and you will), the machine either trips (and heals itself after fully drying) or dies. I suspect, my first two Aeroccinos died such deaths. My third one died today. I frothed milk with it, refilled it and tried again (without cleaning in between) and the machine did not work. I tried again and it worked for 20 seconds and stopped. I tried again a couple hours later and it worked for 10 seconds and stopped. I am not sure why it is so, but...

so simple it's ridiculous
I have owned several different espresso makers from krups to capresso to nespresso. I have also had a capresso frother which I had to return because it didn't work. While I have enjoyed the coffee, I have always been "frothingly" challenged- except on the lower end krups- a fact I find mildly interesting. Anyway, this aeroccino is so simple as to make you wonder and the froth is perfect, as is the steamed milk. So far I have not run into the problems of it shorting out and neither has a friend who has also purchased one, but I am glad to know they will replace it. The greatest thing since sliced bread for the consumer who likes gadgets and is willing to pay for them

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