How to steam milk at home: silky microfoam every time

This guide is the step-by-step Coffee Parts technique guide for steaming milk on an espresso machine's steam wand — the only way to produce genuine microfoam. The article walks through the two-phase technique that all good steaming follows: phase one is "stretch" (the first 5 seconds, where the steam tip sits just below the surface and introduces air into the milk, growing volume by around 30% for cappuccino-foam or less for flat white); phase two is "texture" (the next 15-20 seconds, where the tip drops below the surface and the steam creates a vortex inside the jug, spinning the milk and breaking the bubbles down to invisible microfoam size). The guide includes the temperature target (60-65°C), the audible cues (hissing during stretch, silent rolling during texture), the visual cues (the milk should be moving, glossy, paint-like), and the common mistakes — going too deep too early, too shallow throughout, going too long. It covers brand-specific notes for major machines (Breville auto-froth bypass, single-boiler two-cycle technique, the LM paddle on the Linea Mini). The article addresses plant milks honestly — barista-formulation oat and soy steam beautifully; non-barista versions don't. Cross-sells include milk jugs, thermometers, espresso machines with serious wands, and Cafetto milk cleaner for the daily cleaning routine.