NanoFoamer Pro 2 Review: Milk froth WITHOUT an espresso machine?

Latte Art foam instead of bathtub foam, that's the goal of the NanoFoamer Pro 2. Because it enables creamy cappuccino for everyone who doesn't have a steam wand on their espresso machine and also decorates mocha with hearts and tulips. We put the NanoFoamer Pro 2 from Subminimal through a professional test and share our experiences in this video review. And one thing first: the small frothing jug with a warmer enthused our barista trainer Michel Indelicato.

Highlights in a nutshell

✔️ 3 different settings for foam thickness and temperature

✔️ Ideal for alternative milks (soy, oat, etc.)

✔️ Easy to use, somewhat more complicated to clean

✔️ Compact design for home or on the go

How does the NanoFoamer Pro 2 work?

The NanoFoamer Pro 2 fundamentally differs from conventional milk frothers because it delivers fine-pored latte art foam instead of airy "construction foam". Professional baristas often disdainfully call "construction foam" what is produced when too much air is drawn into the milk. This is something that many auto-steamers in some fully automatic coffee machine gastronomy still do today.

This allows you to pile up bathtub-like mountains, but not pour creamy latte art. The idea of the NanoFoamer is: both should be possible here. In addition to the frothing process, the milk is heated in the frother.

As a standalone device, it offers precise control over foam consistency and temperature – two crucial factors for perfect latte art. With three different setting options, coffee enthusiasts, home baristas, and beginners can create the ideal foam texture for their preferred coffee specialties.

• Rubber wings in black (slow, cow's milk), green (fast, milk alternatives), and blue (medium, milk alternatives), which are magnetically attached in the jug.
• Frothing mode acceleration 1 - 5 + 0 for cold milk
• Depth of the frother

So much for theory. And indeed. In practice, we also tick two boxes for these tasks. Thin and thick foam succeed, depending on the goal, milk, and setting.

Frothing recipes for different types and quantities of milk

The NanoFoamer Pro 2 offers different inserts (Slow, Medium, Fast) and levels (1-5) for foam production. Additionally, for all recipes, you should especially note that the frother beeps at around 59 degrees. We use this to stop it shortly afterwards. For most milk varieties and cappuccinos, temperatures between 58 and 63 degrees Celsius are very delicious.

General tips & tricks

Temperature development:

• For cow's milk: temperature increase of approx. 0.3-0.4°C per second after the beep
• For larger quantities: Slower increase (0.2-0.3°C per second) after the beep

Cold variant:

• Works well with 130g and slow insert
• Frothing time: approx. 1:25 minutes
• Results in good latte art foam

Troubleshooting:

• Foam too liquid: Increase level or change insert
• Foam too thick: Reduce level
• For oat milk: Prefer fast insert

Best results for cow's milk: Organic Pasteurized

For small drinks (130g milk), optimal setting for latte art:

• Quantity: 130g milk
• Insert: Slow
• Level: 2
• Expected frothing time: approx. 2 minutes
• Target temperature: 61°C (wait approx. 3 seconds after the beep)
• Result: Perfect consistency for latte art

For medium drinks (180g milk)

Optimal setting:

• Quantity: 180g milk
• Insert: Slow
• Level: 3
• Expected time: approx. 2:10 minutes
• Target temperature: 60°C (approx. 2 seconds after the beep)
• Result: Ideal texture for latte art

For large drinks (220-250g milk)

Optimal setting:

• Quantity: 220-250g milk
• Insert: Slow
• Level: 4
• Expected time: 2:50-3:00 minutes
• Target temperature: 59-59.5°C (stop at the beep)
• Result: Perfect latte art foam

Special instructions for oat milk

Small portions (130g)

Best setting:

• Quantity: 130g oat milk
• Insert: Fast
• Level: 3
• Expected time: 1:25 minutes
• Temperature: 59.5°C (stop at the beep)
• Special feature: Produces the best foam with fast insert!

Medium portions (180g)

Optimal setting:

• Quantity: 180g oat milk
• Insert: Fast
• Level: 4
• Expected time: 1:55 minutes (stop at the beep)
• Result: Optimal foam quality

Large portions (220g)

Best setting:

• Quantity: 220g oat milk
• Insert: Fast
• Level: 5
• Expected time: 2:20 minutes
• Temperature: 60°C (stop at the beep)
• Result: Even, stable foam

Summary of the most important findings:

• Cow's milk works best with slow insert (black)
• Oat milk achieves best results with fast insert
• Larger milk quantities require higher levels
• Optimal temperature is between 59-61°C
• Frothing time varies between 1:25 and 3:00 minutes depending on the quantity

Does it also froth oat milk and alternative milks?

The device's performance in processing alternative milks is particularly impressive. Many home baristas struggle with frothing oat milk and the like. With a little experimentation, the right recipe for every oat milk consistency can be found. Important: each milk is slightly different, so a recipe must be developed accordingly. The demands on foam density also vary. For the Swiss organic oat milk Gutsch, we used the following settings:

Gutsch Milk Foam Recipe

• Gutsch oat milk 130g
• Room temperature
• Fast insert
• Level 3
• 1:25 frothing time; stop at 59.5°C at the first beep.
• Absolutely top foam!!!

Focus on user-friendliness

The handling of the device seems intuitive and simple to us.

• Temperature setting
• Simple foam consistency regulation
• Quick and effective cleaning, although unfortunately not in the dishwasher
• Perfect for on the go

Thanks to its compact size and independence from an espresso machine, the NanoFoamer Pro 2 is also ideal for mobile use. Whether in the office or when traveling – professional latte art becomes relatively easy everywhere.

Cleaning and care

Proper care is an important aspect for the device's longevity. You should clean the NanoFoamer carefully after each use.

• No cleaning in the dishwasher
• Regular manual cleaning after each use
• Careful maintenance of the frothing components