Hand-Held Milk Frother
Heidi Haxhiu
Professor Elisabeth von Uhl
Abstract: What is a technical description? A technical description allows the writer to explain and show how a product functions. Though it does not fit into a genre such as nonfiction or science fiction, it can be described as a technical piece of writing. My purpose was to help the audience understand Direct Current motors because it’s something used in nearly all home appliances. Why not learn about something that might be all around you in your kitchen?
Outline of Contents
- Introduction to Hand-Held Milk Frothers
- Components of Hand-Held Milk Frothers
2.1 Exterior Look and Function
2.1.1 Body of the Frother
2.1.2 The Button
2.1.3 The Wand
2.2 Interior of the Hand-Held Milk Frothers
2.2.1 The Battery
2.2.2 The exterior of the motor
2.2.3 The motor’s lid
2.2.4 Inside the motor
2.5 How these components work together
- Conclusion
1. Introduction to Hand-Held Milk Frothers
Many coffee drinkers understand the importance of adding warm-frothed milk to your cup of coffee unless you prefer black coffee. Its practicality is appreciated by many users since it allows for the quick and simple creation of foam in coffee. The popularity of hand-held frothers became more apparent during the pandemic when a homemade “whipped coffee” trend spiked. The whisk adds the perfect foamy top layer to every cup of coffee (without the mess) in just a matter of seconds.
The idea originated in 1938 in Italy by Achille Gaggia who updated his espresso machine by allowing it to warm up milk (counter coffee, 2024) . Throughout the years milk frothers are now electric and hand-held aside from the one that comes with most of our espresso machines. The inventor of the electric frother is unknown, however, it has been patented by Jorgen Bodum who has created many other kitchen appliances (Justia, 2022). Aside from being practical, hand-held frothers are also significantly cheaper than using a coffee machine.
Figure 1: Hand-Held Milk Frother Sold on Amazon
Source: [Bean Envy Milk Frother Handheld for Coffee, Amazon]
2. Components of Hand-Held Milk Frothers
How milk frothers work is relatively easy to understand; its development has come a long way since using espresso machines for foamy coffee.
They have been overly simplified in not only how they function but also how they look.
The exterior: which only requires the push of one button and the carefulness to avoid a mess, the interior; which utilizes energy and magnets to create a circular motion, and general design; which is practical.
2.1 Exterior Look and Function
As previously shown in Figure 1 above, the frother has a plastic body that is connected to a high-grade stainless-steel wand that has two springs on the tip (bent into a circle). It is interesting to see how the design of an appliance adds to the general experience of usage.
2.1.1 Body of the Frother
One of the more interesting parts of the design of this frother is the crevice that
has been created for one’s hand; the user’s hand can effortlessly wrap around the machine. The body of the device is curved making it easier to use when pressing the button at the top; it can feel like an instinct.
2.1.2 The Button
Since the button is located at the top, it is easier for your thumb to be placed to activate the movement. Each time that the button is pressed, the wand will consistently move in a clockwise motion.
2.1.3 The Wand
The wand is made from stainless steel which is a highly durable material meaning its life span is long. At the end of the wand, there are two springs that have been bent into a circle, these springs are used to mix the milk (like any other kind of mixer). Many forthers only have only spring but the one depicted in this image has two. Though there isn’t much information about why this is useful, it can be assumed that having two springs might mean double the power (this has not been proven). When the wand moves, it makes a “vrrrrr” sound that starts quieter and becomes louder as it is placed in the cup. When the wand makes contact with the glass it makes a “cling” sound and may result in loss of stability.
Figure 2: An opened Hand-Held Milk Frother
Source: Photograph by Heidi Haxhiu, April 6, 2024
2.2 Interior of the Hand-Held Milk Frothers
The motor rests behind the battery port and is a three-inch long cylinder with a radius of two inches. This motor is called a Direct Current (DC) motor which are electric motors that are dependent on force, specifically, magnetic forces (Herman, 2010). The internal mechanism of DC motors works in intervals to change the direction in which it moves. The speed at which a DC motor moves relies on one of two things, its voltage, or the strength of the current. Direct Current Motors are often found in a large variety of at-home appliances especially because of how compact they are.
2.2.1 The Battery
The battery is the most important component when it comes to how energy is produced for the wand to function. The body of the frother has a port where the battery is placed; there it has a spring that connects the button that signals the start to the positive end of the battery. The other end of the body has another opening where the springs of the motor connect to the negative end of the battery. Together these springs allow for the energy of the battery to pass through the battery and enter the motor for it to function properly. Hence, the battery is an extremely important part of this device.
2.2.2 The Exterior of the Motor
The exterior of the motor looks like a plain cylinder with no real design except a clear distinction between where the lid starts. Additionally, there is a long piece of stainless steel that is attached to the motor which can be removed with force to disconnect the wand and motor.
2.2.3 The Motor’s Lid
The design of the motor’s lid is simple, it has two pieces of copper that are parallel as if they are two hands preparing to hold the stainless steel that is inside. The significance of these pieces being copper is that it is an excellent electrical conductor so when there is a battery in the decide and the motor is turned on, the copper allows for an effective gain of energy.
Figure 3: A lid removed from the motor
Source: Photograph by Heidi Haxhiu, April 6, 2024
2.2.4 Inside the Motor
Now for one of the most interesting parts of the entire device, the actual inside of the motor which is split into two pieces. One is called the stator, which is a part that does not move, and it holds the magnets. These magnets are the ones that create a magnetic field that moves charges. The second piece is the rotor which rotates and has pieces of wire that are called armatures. With the rotor is a commutator which is a ring that has copper sections, this commutator is part of the rotor (Lescis, 2015). There are also the brushes press against the commutator and help the current go through the source of power (in this case battery) to the rotor (Lescis, 2015).
Figure 4: The stator with the rotor removed
Source: Photograph by Heidi Haxhiu, April 6, 2024
Figure 5: The rotor removed from the stator
Source: Photograph by Heidi Haxhiu, April 6, 2024
2.5 How these components work together
Now knowing these important pieces, it is easier to understand how the motor works. When voltage is applied, there is an electromagnetic field in the stator. These fields then work with the magnetic field to help the motor turn. The rotor and commutator then turn together, the brushes stay in contact with the sections previously mentioned and alternates the direction in which the current in the coils move in which lets the rotor stay consistent in the direction it turns.
Figure 5: The rotor placed in the stator
Source: Photograph by Heidi Haxhiu, April 6, 2024
- Conclusion
In conclusion, the hand-held milk frother can be simplified into three parts, the motor, wand, and battery that work together to create a motion stimulated by currents. Though these are especially important to the device, the general design has also allowed for it to be an effective tool. The quality of frother is not quite like that of a real espresso machine however, it is a reasonable alternative. It is important to understand that even the simplest products, have been engineered with extreme patience and care.
Works Cited
- Industrial Motor Control, 6th edition: Stephen L. Herman: 9781435442399: Amazon.com: Books. (n.d.). https://www.amazon.com/Industrial-Motor-Control-Stephen-Herman/dp/1435442393
- Aug 31, 2022 – ZHUHAI CHEER TECHNOLOGY CO. (n.d.). Electric milk frother. Justia. https://patents.justia.com/patent/D990223
- The history of Espresso Machines. Counter Culture Coffee. (n.d.-a). https://counterculturecoffee.com/blogs/counter-culture-coffee/history-of-espresso-machines
- YouTube. (2014, September 23). DC motor, how it works?. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAtPHANEfQo
