Milk Frother Disassembly

Ikea Frother ($2.49)

Features:

• Battery compartment easy to find
• Considerable amount of vibration
• Does not work well when handle held tightly - when held more tightly, the end makes a wider circle, but has a slower vibration
• No frothing when in bottom, must be near the surface = cannot froth the whole cup completely
• Relatively tiring/strenuous
• "wiggly" = not as stable
• Takes about  2:40 min for maximum froth
• Difference between soy milk (less well-frothed) and cow milk (easier to froth)
• Easily wiped clean
• 1.8 Ounces
• Length : 20cm
• Cost: $2.49

Affords the frothing of milk and spraying of people with aforementioned milk by one-handed operation.
Mapping: Laid out in a typical fashion, with a frothing end separated from the handle by a metal shaft. The motor and batteries are located inside the handle and the on-off switch is at approximate thumb location.
Feedback: The frother provides feedback in the form of vibration, noise, and bubbles in milk. When used incorrectly, the frother either does not sufficiently froth the milk or sprays innocent bystanders with milk.

Strengths: Cheap, light, small
Weaknesses: Takes around 2 minutes and 40 seconds minutes to froth the milk to the maximum frothiness that the product can create. This conflicts with the product description and consequently disappoints the consumer's expectations. It also can only be used on the surface of the liquid and thus does not completely froth the milk.


Aerolatte Frother ($19.99)

Features:

• Pulse setting
• Louder
• Stabler handle (less vibration)
• Faster - about 20 seconds to maximum froth
• Less obvious bubbles
• Appears creamier
• Easy to accidentally turn on = More sensitive switch
• Sturdy and stable
• Easily wiped clean
• 8 ounces
• Length: 22cm
• Cost: $19.99
• Can be used from the bottom of the cup of milk
• More powerful
• Prettier (more attention to detail in the painting of the plastic)

Affords the frothing of milk and spraying of people with aforementioned milk by one-handed operation.
Mapping: Laid out in a typical fashion, with a frothing end separated from the handle by a metal shaft. The motor and batteries are located inside the handle and the on-off switch is at approximate thumb location.
Feedback: The frother provides feedback in the form of vibration, noise, and bubbles in the milk. When used incorrectly, the frother either does not sufficiently froth the milk or sprays innocent bystanders with milk.

Strengths: Easy to operate the on-off switch, takes only about 20 seconds to fully froth the milk from surface to bottom, sturdy grip, can be used from bottom of the cup of milk, pretty
Weaknesses: The switch is very sensitive due to the pulse setting and is consequently very easy to turn on accidentally. This then sprays bystanders with milk.

What have you learned through disassembly of this device?

     Through disassembly of these devices, I have learned how a milk frother operates and is laid out in general. I have also learned the difference between the relative cost of the raw materials and the cost of the finished product. I have been able to compare the differences in mapping/pieces and the differences in quality of function between the two differently-priced items.

Compare and Contrast

Affordance: Both frothers afford the frothing of milk and spraying of people with aforementioned milk by one-handed operation.

Mapping: Both frothers are laid out in the same fashion on the outside, with a shaft, spring, handle, on-off switch, and battery compartment lid in approximately the same locations. The basic layouts of the insides of the frothers are similar, as well: the battery compartment is the farthest away from the shaft and the motor is between the battery compartment and the shaft. Even the motors themselves have comparable parts. Once we go deeper, however, there are some noticeable differences between the two frothers. The motor in the Aerolatte frother is larger and has more electrical conductors between the inner motor and the magnets, as well as having more wire coil holders in the inner motor. The two motors have different wire coil end insulators and wire coil end pieces. There are more washers on the central bar of the inner motor of the Aerolatte frother than on the central bar of the inner motor of the Ikea frother. The copper wire coil lengths also vary: in the Ikea frother they are each 73.25 inches long, and in the Aerolatte frother they are each 80 inches long. There are also 2 battery conductors in the Ikea frother and only 1 in the Aerolatte frother. The Aerolatte frother was also much more solidly held together than the Ikea frother, with heat stakes over the screws and with more tension between the pieces.

Feedback: Both frothers provide feedback in the form of vibration, noise, and bubbles in milk. When used incorrectly, both of the frothers either do not sufficiently froth the milk or spray innocent bystanders with milk.

Strengths: The Ikea frother is cheap, light, and small, while the Aerolatte frother is very easy to operate, more stable, more powerful, and prettier.

Weaknesses: The Ikea frother vibrates a lot and is not powerful enough to meet consumer expectations, while the Aerolatte frother is very easy to accidentally turn on.


Cost Differential
   
    I would attribute part of the cost differential to the raw materials and the number of parts used in each frother. This only explains part of the cost differential, though, so I am forced to conclude that the majority of the cost differential comes from having the name "Aerolatte" on the milk frother and the batteries. 

Choice
     
     If I were in the market for a milk frother, I would buy the Aerolatte frother. I have multiple reasons for this choice, but it boils down to this: if I were to be buying an item that is already so non-essential that it is ridiculous, then the quality of the product would matter more to me than its price. 

Spreadsheets