A few members registered an interest in seeing this machine. @OldGregg @MattH @MediumRoastSteam I produced a one-handed video of both dairy and oat milk. Thinking of adding a third video for almond which is my personal favorite. The steam is quite strong (you be the judge) and I very much like the silky microfoam texture that it produces. I certainly get creamier milk with the WPM Steamer than I do with either the Decent or Nurri but bear in mind that while I have completed a latte art course, my milk steaming skills have plently of upside. Someone more adept in the dark art of steaming would doubtless produce a far better result on the Nurri than I can. It took 65 seconds from turning it on to being ready to steam and with 200ml in the jug (which came with the WPM) it took 44 seconds to go from cold to 65 degrees. What I like: It’s hands free and takes only fractionally more time than it does to pour an espresso. That means that regardless of whether you have a single boiler espresso machine, you can pour an espresso and steam simultaneously. It certainly produces a silk smooth microfoam that I couldn’t hope to replicate otherwise. It has a self cleaning function. It’s up and ready to go in little more than one minute. It’s tank size is more than adequate and it’s easy to refill. It’s quite slim. What I don’t like The wand needs more travel so that it’s easier to remove the jug. It’s yet another toy on my espresso bench (or should I have put that under “What I like”?) It’s expensive compared to using the steam wand on an existing espresso machine (AU$749, GBP415, US$514) Here is the video:

Thanks for sharing Tom! Isn’t that a bit too thick for latte art? I like that is fully automated tho.

Petre could be, no idea TBH. Given how shxxx my latte art skills are I’m doing another course in two weeks. Once I’m better informed I’ll have a crack at some art and let you know.

tompoland Thanks for the excellent video, Tom. Just wondering. It seems to do a nice latte foam. Does it do a thicker cappuccino foam? It’s obviously a time saver, which is excellent if you are serving multiple lattes. Or want a faster latte for your self. I guess it’s also good for folks who have lever machines that do espresso only. Beyond that, IMHO we can all make (or learn to make) good lattes and cappuccinos with our machines, especially if we have good steam power. My milk drinks improved substantially when I bought my Lelit E and again when my wife gifted me my Motta milk jug, which retains freezer cold longer, allowing longer frothing time. (I have also used a small circular freezer pack under my milk jug).

JHCCoffee haven’t really played with it much but I imagine that the results are pretty much the same regardless. It’# pricey overkill for almost everyone who already has a steam capable espresso machine. As you’ve mentioned, the market may be for those who want to pair it with the likes of a Flair, Strietman or Meticulous, that have no steam wand.. For example, if the latter sells for around AU$1,900 and you add AU$750 for a WPM then the total of AU$2,650 compares quite favourably to the AU$6,250 for a new Decent. I don’t know if it’s up to the job for commercial use but the handsfree feature could be a time saver for busy baristas.

tompoland I don’t know if it’s up to the job for commercial use but the handsfree feature could be a time saver for busy baristas. Do they actually call putting a jug under the wand and not holding it a “handsfree feature”? Are they really not aware that you can do that on any coffee machine with a wand ? or: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hands+free+milk+steaming

WPM ProSteam Automatic Milk Steamer ms-130T

tompoland

Indeed. With a prop or two. None of my machines will do it without raising the jug onto a platform of some sort but I’m sure there are some machines that will.

Ironically, that link includes a hands free demo by John Buckman which has a WPM sitting alongside the Decent 😁

This one

13 sec mark you can see the top of the WPM.

The main point of using the hands free WPM alongside the Decent is that it allows simultaneous pouring/steaming, which the Decent can’t do on its own, even if you prop the jug up on top of scales. Speeds things up in commercial environments. One set of arms getting the shot ready for the Decent while the WPM steams.

MediumRoastSteam

tompoland Ironically, that link includes a hands free demo by John Buckman

I’m not going to state the obvious, but the cynical in me wonders why he didn’t pour that milk into the cups…

I will never know, but I bet it’s because the milk was **** for latte art purposes.

In my case, the milk was slightly too “thin”.

This video was from a while back.

mobius

I think that hands-free/automatic milk steaming on these products typically refers to the temperature sensor, such that you don’t have to keep watch/check and it will just switch off when ready.

I am impressed with the result, but I’m not sure the price would justify it for me, and I’d likely wonder how different it is from the ~£60 automated milk ‘frothers’. I imagine it’s more accurate, as it’s stretched with steam rather than being swirled, but how noticeable.

tompoland

mobius I think most would agree with you.

This could be a cost effective alternative but we have yet to see how good it will be

I am going to keep playing with it to see what I can tweak, or not. I’ll make a decision on keeping it in a month or so.

But so far, despite its large price tag and commensurately large footprint, I rather like i. Honeymoon phase, cognitive bias and all that. Time will tell.

MattH

tompoland I have backed that - so I will see how it goes in September vs the nanofoamer :)

tompoland

MattH me too, we can compare notes (think it was you who gave the heads up re the nonofoamer pro so thank you).

Doram

MediumRoastSteam This video was from a while back.

Ah, but you had to stop the steaming manually - useless! ;-)

OldGregg

@tompoland Thanks for the update!

Cuprajake

Are these nearly £500?

MediumRoastSteam

Cuprajake Yes. You can get a less fancy version for half of the price.

tompoland It’s expensive compared to using the steam wand on an existing espresso machine (AU$749, GBP415, US$514)

DavecUK

tompoland I know you said the mug was hard to get out and perhaps you needed a smaller one, but it did seem to me that the wand wasn’t really low enough in the water and dragged in loads of air long after it should be further under the surface. Moving the wand seemed particularly awkward and the idea of hands free steaming is probably not well implemented.

I would have liked to have seen something creating done with the platform the just rests on. Even something simple like a turn screw/knob in the front…allowing the platform to have 3 positions….

stretching - Mid
heating - high
removal - low

Or simply variable from low to high…..

stretching - Mid

Just that basic change would make the system much more usable hands free, or with hands. I suspect they have ignored any feedback as a company, or not asked for any from “testers”.

JHCCoffee

DavecUK but it did seem to me that the wand wasn’t really low enough in the water and dragged in loads of air long after it should be further under the surface

You’ve hit the proverbial nail on the head. The wand is in a single position, versus proper technique which involves stretching the milk and then submersing the wand just below the surface (or lower) to create good micro foam or thick micro foam (for cappuccino). To implement this in a handsfree manner, you’d need the platform to be movable up and down, controlled by a motorized gear, commanded by software. A good Kickstarter project. The price would need to be well under $500 US.

And if the platform were cooled, that would keep the jug cool, allowing for longer frothing time and even better micro foam.

tompoland

DavecUK I would have liked to have seen something creating done with the platform the just rests on. Even something simple like a turn screw/knob in the front…allowing the platform to have 3 positions….

Great idea Because at the moment the only practical way the only practical way to make the height adjustment of the milk is to put more in. I’m trying a different jug today so I’ll see if that makes any difference.

Regarding moving the jug, I now lift the jug so that the wand rests in the spout and then pull the jug towards me, which udges the wand up. I then slide the jug down along the wand to remove it. Works well.

DavecUK

JHCCoffee Sure, but then it would cost far too much…perhaps if they started with a simple mechanical system with a knob or lever? Shame the Chinese company (WPM) will never read this or care.

DavecUK

tompoland Regarding moving the jug, I now lift the jug so that the wand rests in the spout and then pull the jug towards me, which udges the wand up. I then slide the jug down along the wand to remove it. Works well.

Sure, but it makes you wonder why their product development guys didn’t pick up on such an obvious improvement?

InfamousTuba

I think WPM probably aren’t investing much in this product line, they are mostly known for milk pitchers that are used by a lot of latte art competitors and world champions. They would have a lot of input from professionals if they wanted to create a better product.

I think the main problem is at that price, at least in the UK, the sage Bambino plus is cheaper, has an auto steaming feature that works well and it is an espresso machine.

The nanofoamer pro could potentially be a great product and maybe the best at home product, I guess we will have to wait for the prototypes to be out in the public.

DavecUK

InfamousTuba They would have a lot of input from professionals if they wanted to create a better product.

Oddly enough my experience over the last 20 years has been that professionals don’t usually give input that ends up in the product being better for the prosumer. Had that been the case, Eureka would have some wonderful grinders now, as would Malhkoneig. La Spaziale would have fabulous prosumer machines, etc.. etc..

InfamousTuba

I do wonder what sort of professionals they are asking and what input they actually give that gets used? Mahlkonig still seems to avoiding going full on into the producer market.

Of course consumers should be more involved in the design process because a lot of products aren’t all that consumer friendly.

For milk steaming I would want the input of latte art experts as far as milk quality and technique, but still prosumers for improvements to useability and features that may not be as important.

I do wonder who the WPM milk steamer is marketed at, whether it is the home user or the professional

DavecUK

I suspect it’s not the professional.

InfamousTuba

A lot of the admittedly sparse information I can find says that it could be used in small commercial environments, I think the price and size would put off a lot of home users. It feels like it fits in a weird space where it isn’t really that good for either use case.

I could see me using it when teaching latte art, if the results are good. It would make steaming milk a hands off experience so teaching would be more streamlined. A niche use case but it would still be a possible one. I think adjustable height would have been a simple feature to introduce when you don’t need to move the jug at all once steaming if it is positioned correctly.

Might be something I look into in the future, would be nice to see the unit being tested thoroughly as far as milk texture and latte art goes