noahbaker•16d agoOG Member

The $15 milk thermometer that fixed my latte art game

I spent 6 months making awful latte art and blamed it on cheap beans and bad technique. Then I bought a simple digital milk thermometer for like 15 bucks at a kitchen supply store. Turns out I was overheating my milk every single time, hitting around 170 degrees when the sweet spot is 140 to 150. After 3 tries with the thermometer, I actually poured a recognizable rosetta. Has anyone else found one tiny tool that totally changed their coffee routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

leohart16d ago

@wren_rodriguez that's exactly what happened to me with a scale too. I was eyeballing my dose for months and wondering why my shots tasted sour or bitter all the time. Once I got a little fifteen dollar scale and actually weighed out 18 grams, everything changed overnight. It's funny how the cheap stuff does more than any expensive gadget ever could. I tell people all the time, skip the fancy machine and buy a thermometer or a scale first.

wren_rodriguez16d ago

Same thing happened to me but with a cheap little scale. I was convinced my shots were dialed in but turns out I was eyeballing the dose and getting like 20g when I thought it was 18. That tool alone saved my coffee game. I feel your pain about the overheating milk, I did the exact same thing and wondered why my foam was so bubbly and gross. It's wild how one small fix can make everything click into place.