Steam wand VS no steam wand: Which is better for your office coffee?

If you’re looking for barista-style coffee at work, you might be wondering whether your machine should come with a steam wand. There’s a bit of mystery around steam wands, they’re often seen as the mark of a ‘proper’ coffee machine. Let’s compare office coffee machines with steam wands against office coffee machines without steam wands and help you decide what’s right for your workplace.

What is a steam wand?

A steam wand is an attachment for a coffee machine that uses pressurised steam to heat and give texture to milk. You’ll typically find steam wands on traditional espresso machines, where they’re used to create the smooth, velvety milk needed for drinks like lattes and cappuccinos.

Are there other options for offices?

Office coffee machines can produce high-quality foamed milk at the touch of a button. The method of milk preparation depends on which type of machine you have. Fresh milk machines will draw fresh milk from their fridge and apply heat and pressure, then dispense it into your cup. You can also get decent-quality foamed milk from powdered milk machines.

As with most things in the coffee world, steam wands have their strengths and their trade-offs. Let’s break down the pros and cons to help you decide.

Pros	Cons
More control	Extra cleaning
If done right, better than machine milk	Requires training
Complete choice over your milk temperature	Big safety risk if used incorrectly
Latte art is easier	Can be intimidating for some people to use
Easier to produce good-textured non-dairy milk	Not as accessible

 

Breakdown of benefits

More control

With a steam wand, you can control how much air is whipped into your coffee. When steaming milk, you hold the jug so you can see and make any adjustments as you need to. This enables you to create exactly the texture that you want every time.

If done right, steam wands produce the best milk

Baristas and those with proper training will be able to use the steam wand to froth the perfect milk for their chosen drink. It takes some practice, but eventually users can tell exactly how much air they need to add to create the ideal amount of foam. As you can see in the photo below, good textured milk foam will sit on top of the surface of the coffee, enabling you to create latte art.

Complete choice over your milk temperature

Having a steam wand gives you a choice over the temperature that you will not get with a bean-to-cup coffee machine. You can steam milk to a lower temperature if you prefer it cooler, or take it slightly hotter than bean-to-cup coffee machines allow. Just be careful because anything above 70°C can scald the milk and affect the taste.

Latte art is easier

Bean-to-cup machines can’t produce latte art automatically. To attempt it, you’d need to dispense the hot milk separately, swirl it, and then pour it into the espresso manually. With a steam wand, the process is much easier. It lets you create the right milk texture and pour directly into the coffee using the same jug, giving you more control and a better chance at a good result.

Easier to produce good-textured non-dairy milk

Non-dairy milks like oat, almond, and soy all react differently to steam. A steam wand gives you more control, so you could use the harder-to-work-with alternative milks. With a steam wand, you can adjust your technique to get the best texture and avoid issues like curdling or separation. Bean-to-cup machines can only be set up for either cow’s milk or oat milk, using a standard temperature setting, so you don’t have the option for soy or almond milks.

Breakdown of drawbacks

Extra cleaning

A steam wand needs to be cleaned after every use to prevent milk residue from building up. It’s another component on the machine, which means more maintenance and more time spent on daily cleaning routines. In a busy office, it can quickly become a chore.

Requires training

Using a steam wand properly takes practice. Getting the milk texture right for different drinks, especially with non-dairy alternatives, isn’t always straightforward. Without proper training, it’s easy to end up with burnt milk, too much foam, or an inconsistent result.

Significant safety risk if used incorrectly

The heat produced by steam wands is enough to cause severe burns. In a workplace setting, this raises health and safety concerns. Staff may need personal protective equipment and proper training to use the machine safely. Even a moment of distraction could lead to injury, which is why many offices avoid machines with manual steam wands altogether.

Messy

Steam wands can splatter milk and create spills, especially if used in a rush or without experience. They also need to be purged and wiped down after every use to stay clean, which adds to the mess factor in shared environments.

Noisy

The sound of steaming milk can be loud and piercing, particularly in quieter office settings or open-plan spaces. It’s a small thing, but it can become a regular disruption.

Can be intimidating for some people to use

Steam wands can feel daunting, especially for those who aren’t trained baristas. The combination of high heat, noise and the need for specific technique can put people off using them altogether. In an office setting, many prefer a simpler, more user-friendly option.

Not as accessible

For people with mobility issues, dexterity challenges, or limited experience with coffee equipment, using a steam wand can be difficult. A fully automatic machine with one-touch milk options is generally more inclusive and easier for everyone to use.

What’s best for you?

For most workplaces, speed, ease of use, and consistency are what really matter. When you’re thinking about milk options, it’s worth asking what’s most important to your team. We offer a range of different coffee experiences for our clients, and have plenty of other resources and interactive tools to help you find your perfect solution. Explore our interactive price configurators for all of our bean-to-cup machines, located on their respective product pages.

Here are some articles which you might find useful:

Fresh milk VS powdered milk
Premium VS standard coffee machines
Best commercial coffee machines
Which coffee beans are best for your office?
What to look for when choosing a coffee machine provider.