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Here's What It Means When Your Nespresso Milk Frother Starts Blinking Red

A Nespresso milk frother is an awesome investment if you love foamy coffees full of body, like cappuccinos, or you dream of cozy hot chocolates. The nifty appliance is also useful for making cold foam that sits on top of frappuccinos, cold brews, and iced lattes. All you need to do is pour your milk of choice (dairy and plant-based both work) into the canister until it reaches the maximum fill line for either foam or steamed milk, press the button on the front or the base, depending on the model, and wait a few seconds for it to heat up and produce an aerated froth. The button turns red for hot foam and blue for cold foam. However, if your Nespresso milk frother starts blinking red, you need to take notice as it means it's got too hot and may switch its heat cycle off automatically.

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One reason the gadget can start flashing red is if you're using it again and again without allowing it to cool off in between froths. For example, you might be trying to quickly prepare a series of foamy coffees for friends, instead of making your usual single cup of Java in the morning. The solution is to rinse the canister out with cold water after each use to lower its temperature. If you use it repeatedly without cooling it, the safety thermostat will be triggered, which will stop the whisk at the base of the attachment from spinning and whipping air into your milk.

Milk residue can cause a Nespresso frother to overheat

Milk residue left at the bottom of a Nespresso Aeroccino can also cause it to flash red. This is because the remnants on the base can burn when the appliance begins to heat up, again resulting in triggering the thermostat. In this case you should rinse your frother out with water but also use a non-stick scourer along with some dish soap to dislodge any residue that is stuck to the surface. To make this easier, you can remove the whisk attachment at the bottom of the canister for better access. Simply attach the whisk onto the lid of your frother for safe-keeping once you've washed it. Give your machine a very good rinse to remove any traces of soap and you can use it again safely.

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Cleaning your Nespresso Aeroccino in the proper way is also vital if you want your froth to have a clean taste. Any impurities left inside, particularly if they burn, can affect the flavor of the milk you're using and create an unwanted odor. Bear in mind that your choice of milk could also be damaging your Aeroccino and causing the base to burn. For this reason you should never use sweetened milk products in your frother as the sugars inside can stick to the base and burn.

If you feel like an electronic milk frother would improve your daily coffee-making process, they're available online, starting at around $70 for a Nespresso Aeroccino 3, although other brands sell for less, like this Liksiy hot and cold frother for just under $40.

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