# Milk pitchers



## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

Advice needed on which pitcher members would recommend for someone making one flat or cappuccino at a time.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

300-400ml capacity would be fine.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Andrew James 370ml can be found for £6.00 plus post. You can pay a lot more for fancy brand names - the Andrew James is good balance between price and quality.


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

Thanks guys.

I'm currently using the one below. And yes it's is or was a tea pot.

Does the shape of the jug and or spout have any effect.


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## Tewdric (Apr 20, 2014)

Yes and yes. The spout is important for getting your latte art up to scratch and the shape of the jug is vital to getting a swirl on to mix your microfoam correctly.

Motta 350 ml with a temp tag is your weapon of choice!


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Tewdric said:


> Yes and yes. The spout is important for getting your latte art up to scratch and the shape of the jug is vital to getting a swirl on to mix your microform correctly.
> 
> Motta 350 ml with a temp tag is your weapon of choice!


Is the jug shape that important? I've successfully steamed milk in cups and all sorts?


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Agree with Jon. I had a Motta jug once. Found it no different to a box standard one that you can get for 1/2 the price.


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

We seem agreed the spout shape has effect. I'd assumed a wider shape at the bottom would aid swirling.

To put it another way. Would my steaming be improved by using a frothing jug, or will my current jug do as as I gain more experience?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Any jug will do but proprietary milk frothing jugs make life a bit easier. A decent spout helps control the pour which is important for latte art. Also, you need to be able to insert your steam tip just below the surface of the milk so the length of the steam arm is also important. You would be wise to switch the Classic's Panarello steam wand to a Silvia one. Easy to fit and will make a difference.


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Any jug will do but proprietary milk frothing jugs make life a bit easier. A decent spout helps control the pour which is important for latte art. Also, you need to be able to insert your steam tip just below the surface of the milk so the length of the steam arm is also important. You would be wise to switch the Classic's Panarello steam wand to a Silvia one. Easy to fit and will make a difference.


Steam wand is on my future additions list, just after a brass shower head.

I can currently reach the bottom of my jug with the standard item.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Honestly? Do the steam wand first. Buya premodded one, it's worth the extra couple of quid to be hassle free.


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## Tewdric (Apr 20, 2014)

I would point out that I'm shit at latte art and need all the help I can get!


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

Tewdric said:


> I would point out that I'm shit at latte art and need all the help I can get!


Tee Hee I hear that


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

Missy said:


> Honestly? Do the steam wand first. Buya premodded one, it's worth the extra couple of quid to be hassle free.


Thing is it makes perfectly acceptable cappuccino milk, my main tipple. But I take your point.


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Wand, jug and any other crap make no difference to texture.

Texture well and you'll pour like a demon.

please excuse any brevity, I'm a moron with a mobile


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Scotford said:


> Wand, jug and any other crap make no difference to texture.
> 
> Texture well and you'll pour like a demon.
> 
> please excuse any brevity, I'm a moron with a mobile


Even the gaggia panarello wand? All I ever managed with it was "would you like a flake with that"


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Missy said:


> Even the gaggia panarello wand? All I ever managed with it was "would you like a flake with that"


Absolutely. I've been known to use a plastic cup (to steam in) from time to time just to prove a point.

please excuse any brevity, I'm a moron with a mobile


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

So it's technique not technology.

Does the technique change with the type of wand or does it stand with all?


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## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

Technique changes with steam capacity, on less powerful machines (like a Gaggia Classic) it takes around 15-20s to steam a small jug (at least it did on mine) so you could easily surf the tip and mix later. On powerful machines with 4 hole tips you have around 10s to steam a medium jug, so the surf / mix kind of needs to happen at the same time.

Good idea is to practice on water with a drop of washing up liquid, you get similar texture, heat transfer, can experiment with wand positions / angles, all without wasting milk.

T.


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## Jonba (Aug 28, 2016)

I can surf the top to produce foam but for the life of me can't seem to get it all to spin roll or whatever the technique is together at end the with my classic lol Good job the kids like frothy milk


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## Brewer in training (Feb 7, 2015)

Raptorex said:


> So it's technique not technology.


It is ALWAYS technique over equipment!!!!!!!

You can own a trowel but that does not make you a bricklayer.......

Consistency is the key...... When the texture is good enough, then it's time to make fancy patterns...........

If you cannot master the texture, start drinking espresso???????


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

Brewer in training said:


> It is ALWAYS technique over equipment!!!!!!!
> 
> You can own a trowel but that does not make you a bricklayer.......
> 
> ...


I take your point. But even the best bricklayer wold struggle to lay a bed, with a garden rake. Or even a trowel that was far too big or small.


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## Brewer in training (Feb 7, 2015)

But he/she would probably be able to give it a go as they would have technique down to a fine art...........

Practice is the key.

Nobody got it right first time.......

It is utterly soul destroying because you think you've mastered it, and it turns out it's a fluke!!!

But eventually it will be acceptable......

Then it becomes good.....

(Then you get cocky and it all goes Pete Tong ........)

But good luck in your quest!

And get the pictures up soon........ You KNOW we're all nosy!!!!!!


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Jonba said:


> I can surf the top to produce foam but for the life of me can't seem to get it all to spin roll or whatever the technique is together at end the with my classic lol Good job the kids like frothy milk


Have you got the wand upgrade? I'm fairly sure it's almost impossible to not be bubbly with a panarello wand, though I know @Scotford disagrees (but as he can steam in a plastic cup his skill is much beyond us mortals!)

I reckon technique is key. But like the rake analogy equipment can make it easier.

Otherwise why PID a classic? Why buy a dual boiler machine? Why buy different V60 papers?


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

Thanks for all the replies people.

To be fair milk is a long way down my list of things to learn, atm.

I've only had my Classic a couple of weeks, I haven't even dialed in basic espresso yet well not completely anyway.

I'll be asking lots of questions, many I will not address for some time.

Even so all comments are enormously appreciated


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

both milk and dialing in are about putting the time in practicing.

as others have said the washing up liquid method is great for practicing foaming.

to help with dialing in, grab a bag of beans and work through settings methodically using one of the many guides around. it might help to use a bean that there are lots of discussions on as that way you'll get plenty of help on ideal settings to aim for as well as an idea on what to look out for.


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

My problem dialing in is I keep changing things

I collected my Classic, came home, flushed it through and started using it. I got it pretty ok. Then things that had never occurred to me, popped up in research.

Backflush, removal and cleaning the shower screen. I did that and started again.

Then my new grouphead seal arrived, so I removed (see my thread) the shower head, replaced the seal, and started again. Then i ran out of beans and the replacements were a different verity.

You see my point?


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Missy said:


> Do the steam wand first. Buya premodded one, it's worth the extra couple of quid to be hassle free.





Raptorex said:


> Thing is it makes perfectly acceptable cappuccino milk, my main tipple. But I take your point.


The thing I found was you get used to using what you have, whether its the standard wand with panarello attachment and a jug with no spout.

I took the panarello attachment off and just used the stubby standard wand. I did get used to that and found after a while I got quite good results.

I stuck with that for some time them done the silvia wand upgrade,, i went backwards







Took me a fair while to get used to that change, but through perseverance I now get better results with that, BUT, I just wish id done it sooner, as it needed a change in technique. I was always going to do the mod, so now see I wasted my time "mastering" the standard wand.

Then I got a supposedly better jug,, tbh i cant be bothered with that and still use the one I know and love.

Moral of my story. Get the jug and wand you will be using going forward now, not later


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

yes i see what you mean, and i'm sure you can guess what the advice is going to be









get some stability in your setup, learn the basics, change 1 thing at a time when dialing in as that will make it easier & reduce the frustration.


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## Raptorex (Sep 10, 2016)

Indeed, no more changes till I do a full service, when I'll change the shower head for brass and possibly the shower screen too. But I plan that next year after I'm really comfortable with the machine.


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## icom102 (Aug 7, 2017)

what size of pitcher would be good for two 8oz lattes?


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

A bucket,haha no only joking 750 size I would say.


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## icom102 (Aug 7, 2017)

Cheers


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