I tried the world’s first all-in-one matcha latte maker

Tea brand Bird & Blend has launched the world’s first all-in-one electronic Matcha Latte maker. It can make hot and iced lattes, and while I was sceptical at first about the bold claims of the ‘perfect matcha latte’, I’m completely won over after trying it.

Matcha is having a moment. But until now, there hasn’t been an easy-to-use equivalent to the best coffee machine for making matcha lattes at home. Enter the Bird & Blend Matcha Latte Magic Whisk.

I’m a long-time drinker of matcha and matcha lattes, I once dragged my friend halfway across Kyoto on a trip to Japan to buy matcha and a bamboo whisk from a particular famous tea shop. After testing the Bird & Blend Matcha Latte Magic Whisk out, I can say this is the appliance I’ve been waiting for to finally make my favourite hot drink a regular part of my weekday morning routine.

The Matcha Latte Magic Whisk went on sale at the start of May online and in store at Bird & Blend Tea Co. Its design is similar to a standard milk frother, and comes in a buttery yellow shade called ‘bamboo gloss’ or brushed stainless steel.

The whisk has been designed by Bird & Blend Tea Co, which has a huge range of flavoured matchas (the new butterscotch matcha is delicious!), and engineered by Dualit to mimic the results you’d get from the traditional whisking method.

It follows in the footsteps of the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser, also made by Dualit, which revolutionised making hot chocolate at home.

The magic of the design is in the ‘magic’ whisk. It has a basket attachment that filters the matcha powder slowly through the whisk coils. You add the matcha powder after the milk has started whisking to get silky smooth results. The whisk then keeps running until it reaches the perfect temperature of 70 degrees.

Making matcha is often referred to as a ritual, a.k.a a bit of a faff. I love getting out my bamboo whisk and bowl and perfecting my zig-zag motion to froth up the matcha, then adding hot milk to the matcha shot on a weekend. Weekdays are another story.

So the fact that the Matcha Latte Magic Whisk will whisk up the perfect drink in 2 minutes while you’re off doing something else is a game-changer. I tested it with cow’s milk and a barista-style oat milk, with results better than most matcha lattes I’ve had in most coffee shops.

I tested the new matcha maker alongside my velvetiser and also compared it to my traditional bamboo whisk. The results were better (and faster in the case of the bamboo whisk) than I could achieve with either.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that The Magic Whisk does look like a regular milk frother, and many of these can produce a nice matcha latte for less than the £99 price tag.

However, if you LOVE matcha, the levelled up results from the Matcha Latte Magic Whisk is worth it. I found it good enough to replace my expensive £4 matcha latte order, and in terms of ROI, it paid for itself within a month.

Alternatives

If your are on a smaller budget or want a gadget that will do more than just make a great matcha latte, then these are the three milk frother alternatives that the Ideal home have tried and tested.

Would you invest in a dedicated matcha maker or opt for a multi-purpose milk frother?