BonJour Automatic Battery-Powered Primo Latte Frother

Update: 2010

Still going strong; however, I have some reservations about the stand. After several years of use, I now feel that the stand is too easily tipped over (but only because accidents do happen--if you never brushed against it, the stand wouldn't tip over), and that led to a bent "wand" when the frother hit the floor. I just received the Aerolatte as a gift (available also at Amazon.com) and am very pleased with it. However, I've only had it a few days; the reliable Bonjour frother worked well for over four years, and was slightly bent only because of an accident. Still make a fantastic (and relatively inexpensive) gift for the coffee connoisseur or the casual cocoa fan! Still highly recommendedbut you might want to compare this with the Aerolatte on features and price. Happy drinking!

Update: Feb 20, 2006

I've upgraded this from a 4.5 to a full 5* since purchasing it back in December. Initially, it seemed difficult to insert the batteries, but the Primo Frother is still going strong after almost 2 months of daily use!

I've come to appreciate a few other features, as well:

*I measured 3 ounces of milk, used the frother, and poured the froth back into a measuring cup. The foam measured close to 10 ounces; the Primo more than tripled the volume!

*The rather flimsy looking stand actually works very well, holding the frother in place without tipping over.

*It's extremely easy to clean: Just run it a few seconds under water.

*It's very useful for mixing powders (e.g., chocolate) into liquids.

*With just a little practice, you can make all manner of foams, from a light froth to a very dense topping that's almost like meringue! It's all in the angle and the depth of the frother within the drink container.

This is undoubtedly the Holiday gift we use most, and I recommend it enthusiastically. (Also available (for a little over $10 more) as a rechargeable unit, though I don't think that's as important as I originally thought.) The review I wrote after only a few days of use is next:

Original Review

The Bonjour frother, like any frother worth its salt, does an incredibly good job of injecting lots of air into your cup of milk, resulting in a thick foam that can be poured over coffee, milk, or the creative beverage of your choice. That little round wire wisk is powerful, creating a tiny whirlpool as it quietly works.

Operation.

You put the round end directly into a cup, and turn it on by holding down a very large black oval-shaped area on the frother's body. If you let go, it will stop after a few seconds--this can be useful if you want just small bursts of power. However, most people want the full whipping experience, hold it down and about 45-60 second later, a change is gonna come. The milk, previously still quite liquid--although shot through with lots of tiny air bubbles--begins to thicken (as when you make meringue). This induces a small pre-coffee high. After awhile, the foamy milk becomes so thick that the frother slows noticeably. You may be tempted to lift it from your cup to the thinner liquid, but resist this temptation: You could wind up splattering your kitchen.

Uses of Foamy Milk.

There are no hard and fast rules here, but, as stated above, froth can be poured over coffee for the classico cafe latte, over espresso (a subset of coffee, I suppose), over smoothies and desserts and whatever else you can think of. Add some Torani flavored syrup, get or make some biscoti, and enjoy the glory that is Rome. (Fortunately, a brief recipe book comes with the frother to stimulate ideas.) You can even froth your drink AFTER you poured the froth into it, but purists may scoff. I think it's a nice alternative, and it's extremely useful when your chocolate mix won't blend with milk.

Maintenance.

The frother cleans extremely easily, and you can hang it to dry in the enclosed stand. The latter was a pleasant surprised; I expected it to tip easily, but--contrary to some other reports here--it didn't. Of course, you need to place it in with some coordination and balance, but the inexpensive little stand works admirably.

Batteries and How to Insert Them.

The frother runs on 2 AA batteries (need I add that they are not included), and herein lies the single drawback: Closing the frother after inserting the batteries is not as easy as it should be. You have to push a tab on each side AND fit the end of the battery container into a slot at the end of the frother, and it takes patience and practice. If you have opened an electric razor to change the blades, and had difficulty closing it, you'll know what I mean. Suffice it to say that you DO NOT WANT TO FORCE anything, or else the tabs may break. Slowly but surely does it (or ask your clever neighbor); once you "get it," it probably won't be a problem anymore.

Ergonomics and Apppearance.

It fits nicely in your hand, and it's light, but the ergonomic advantages are somewhat overstated by Bonjour. The contrast of matte black and "brushed" aluminum looks good, and the frother is compact.

I give this a small deduction for the battery learning curve, but otherwise, a very useful small appliance. Primo, dude.

Actually, I LOVE this thing and when I got it as a gift, I thought it was pretty hokey. I used to work at Starbucks and I know there's no faking frothy, steamed milk.

But this guy does it!

To clean it I just dab a drop of dishsoap on it and send it spinning under the hot tap.

To change the batteries, make sure to squeeze *both* sides of the case.

This makes giant, fluffy hot chocolates it does an amazing job with the marshmallows! As dorky as it is, I now have it in high rotation in my kitchen!

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I've had three of these already and found that they just don't last long. After being used once a day for about a month or two, it just doesn't spin as well as it did when newer. Yes, I have been changing the batteries when it slows and it no longer makes a difference in the function. It is so slow, that it only makes a couple of bubbles now, no froth. When new it works better than expected and makes mountains of foam and that's the reason I keep purchasing another every couple of months. Maybe some moisture is getting in to the battery compartment?? not sure why the problem.

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We own the rechargeable version of this as well. Both work quite well in making froth. However, this battery version falls short of the rechargeable and so gets 4 stars for two reasons: The switch design placement is very awkward (on the side of the thing) and really does not fall to hand easily. The other version has the power button on the top, so it is easy to hold it pinched upright and press the button with an index finger. Also, the stand is not very stable. Since it hangs, the whole thing is top-heavy and prone to being knocked over easily. The recharger stand is designed to accept the device upside down, so it is bottom-heavy. (The recharging unit seems to use magnetic induction, just like most modern electric toothbrushes.)

Otherwise, for the price and since it still does work well, this battery only version is a good value.

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I've owned almost every frother on the market and this is one of the best when it comes to power, speed and comfort of use. It whips up high quality milk foam in short order (and I'm pretty picky having owned and managed several espresso bars). It is also a very solid device, creating the impression that it will last a while. Unfortunately, due to one distinct design flaw, this impression is false. The handle splits into two pieces to allow access to the battery compartment where other similar products have a door in the top in which to drop batteries into the device. This allows for a smooth, designer-y look unlike the others with their abrupt, flat tops, but eventually, after repeated replacement of the batteries, the two pieces become loose making it impossible to snap the battery compartment closed properly.

It's a shame that, in this case, good design undermines the product's lifespan. If not for this flaw the BonJour Primo would be my frother of choice. I'm going to try the older, less designer-y model Bonjour Cafe Latte Milk Frother, Vanilla White. Perhaps it will provide the same quality with a little more longevity.

PS It always makes my day to know that people find these reviews helpful. So, please vote (the "Was this review helpful to you: Yes or No" buttons) and leave a comment if you'd like, even if it's just to say, "Hi!" I respond to all comments so feel free to ask a question about the product. Also, when you leave a comment, I will go to your reviews and pay you the same courtesy.

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