Has the milk frother on your Keurig machine stopped working? No problem, you've come to the right place.
The good news is that it doesn't necessarily mean it's broken. In fact, there's a few common issues which can cause this to happen and most of them are easy to resolve.
In this guide I'll talk you through the most common issues and show you how to fix Keurig milk frother attachments fast.
Why Is My Keurig Frother Not Working? (Common Reasons & Solutions)
1. Flashing Light On The Front
Espresso machines and coffee makers have all kind of warning lights, and if this is happening to your Keurig K Cafe frother, don’t panic.
It may seem serious, but it’s just because you are trying to froth milk while you brew coffee.
Unfortunately, these coffee makers don't let you do both at the same time and that's why your frother is not working.
Just wait for the brew cycle to finish before you start frothing milk. Once the brew is over, try to froth your milk, and you should have no issues.
2. Misaligned Frothing Wand
Another reason you can’t froth milk with your Keurig device is its wand is poorly aligned.
To check this, you need to perform a steam test. This will also help you determine if there's a more serious problem causing your frother to malfunction.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Use a cup of water instead of milk to test the steam
- Inspect the wand and check for any dirt or misalignment if you think there’s a problem with the steam function
- Clean the milk frother with warm soapy water if you find any dirt, and try to use the steam again
If it still fails, adjust the wand. You can also check the user manual to ensure that you’re adjusting the Keurig Cafe Frother correctly and prevent similar issues from happening in the future.
3. Frother Not Covered With It's Lid
Before you froth your milk, make sure that the device is covered with its lid. Sometimes, users forget to put on the top covering, which stops the device from functioning correctly.
That’s why before you look for other causes, check whether you have covered it with the lid. If not, try putting it on and see if your Keurig Frother works.
4. Milk Is Above The Max Line
The max line in the Keurig frother is there for a reason: to not overfill it with milk. If you’re putting more skimmed or whole milk into it then it might be the reason your frother is not working.
Check the max line and make sure that your fresh dairy milk is not going above it. Then, try making frothed milk again and see if your issue is fixed.
5. Whisk Not Sat Properly
If the components in your Keurig frother are not properly placed, it’s most likely the reason it’s not producing milk froth like it should.
Another good practice before assuming that your device is broken is to check if all the moving parts are placed where they should be.
If one of them is loose, like the whisk or frothing jug, fix the position and use the machine again.
6. Frother Not Sat Properly On The Base
Again, the components of your Keurig Frother must be properly placed.
If the frothing jug is not sitting correctly on the frother base, it won't turn on or function even if there's no physical damage.
Always check the frother properly sits right where it should on the coffee maker.
Otherwise, you might end up spending time figuring out what’s wrong only to find out it was your mishandling all along.
7. Build-Up Of Gunk Due To Poor Cleaning
Like any kitchen appliance, you must know how to properly maintain your Keurig frother. If there’s a dirt of milk residue buildup in your device then you won't be able to use the frother properly.
So whenever you use your frother, clean it properly using warm, soapy water, and ensure that you're not leaving any dirt that may lead to build up.
8. Problem With The Type Of Milk You Are Trying To Froth
Unfortunately, you can’t just froth any milk you have. You need to have the right quality of milk to make it work in your Keurig frother.
Dairy milk works best because of the high milk fat content, but you can use plant based milk too.
Make sure it’s not too warm or not too cold, or else it won’t create the consistency you want to achieve.
Always check is to make sure you’re using the correct milk, and make sure it's fresh milk. If you’re using something apart from skim milk, you won’t get the froth you usually see in cafes.
9. Jug Stops Working Right After Starting The Frother
If you just used the frother attached to the coffee machine then the jug temperature might be a little high. This could cause the frothing whisk to stop working properly.
Before using it again, make sure that the jug’s temperature is cooled by letting it sit for at least two minutes, or by rinsing the inside of the jug with cold water.
Once the jug is back to its normal temperature, try using it again.
10. Frother’s Jug Is Overflowing
In some cases, your Keurig K Cafe frother works, but the jug produces too much milk froth so it overflows. If this is the case, you're probably using your froth wrong.
When using the whisk with a round ring around it, you only need to fill the jug until the bottom line. A common mistake is pouring milk above the line, which results in overflow.
11. Frother Motor Does Not Work
Just like with coffee machines or espresso machines, if you use the milk frother then you should clean it thoroughly. If you don’t, the milk residue will build up on the base and around the whisk.
The machine won’t start if it detects the residue from the milk fats. So, remove the whisk and clean it along with the jug, using warm water with soap and a non-abrasive sponge.
However, if you always clean your milk frother after heating milk then the problem might be from the whisk attachment.
Check if the black magnetic whisk is inserted and if it is, press it down firmly before you add your whole milk.
12. Frother Is Producing Charred Milk
If your Keurig Frother is not producing the milk you want, you might be using it wrong.
The good news is the Keurig machine is functioning properly, and you don't have to worry about replacing it.
However, you're frothing incorrectly, which produces unusable froth. You need to follow the recommended milk dosage depending on the whisk you’ll use.
If you use the whisk with the round ring around it, only fill the milk to the bottom line.
If you want to steam milk using a smaller whisk, you can fill it to the top or bottom of the max line.
Never try to use the milk frother below the max line, or you might run into some problems as well.
Furthermore, not regularly cleaning the machine can cause issues.
If you don’t wash the jug and whisk after every use, there could be a milk residue in it, which can prevent the jug from sensing the temperature.
Just clean the jug and whisk, and check if you're still getting charred milk.
How To Fix Keurig Frother Not Working? (Step-By-Step Guide)
- 1Before you froth your milk, make sure that you put the lid that is shipped with it on top of the Keurig milk frother.
- 2For better froth, always use chilled milk rather than warm milk. This is because cold milk froths much better than hot or room temperature milk.
If you don’t have chilled milk, you can chill the Keurig milk frother cup before using it and dry the external walls before placing it on the base. - 3Next, check the level of the milk in the Keurig milk frother and ensure that it’s not beyond the max line. If it is, pour some of it.
- 4Don’t brew your coffee and froth your milk at the same time.
The Keurig K Cafe coffee machine can only do one process at a time, so wait for the other one to complete before doing the next. - 5Try to froth different kinds of milk using the Keurig milk frother and see which one achieves the right consistency.
Also, try different brands, as they have different formulations with their milk. Some have more proteins, while others have more fats and these types froth differently.
This will also allow you to see which varieties don't froth well with the Keurig K Cafe frother, so you can avoid purchasing them. - 6When you brew your coffee before frothing your milk, make sure your brew selection is the Shot option for cappuccino or latte.
According to some users, the Keurig milk frother attachment rarely works when they don’t press the “Shot Brew” before brewing the coffee. - 7Check whether the magnetic whisk is correctly attached to the Keurig milk frother. If the milk is already poured into the jug, remove it so you can inspect it.
- 8Examine the Keurig milk frother and ensure that the milk frother cup is seated on the base correctly. Then, gently push it to keep it in place.
- 9Make it a habit to clean the Keurig K Cafe frother, its lid, and whisk after every use. Not cleaning it right away can lead to different issues.
Thankfully, the K-Cafe frother whisk and lid are all dishwasher-safe, making it easy to clean them right away.
However, if you don’t own a dishwasher, you can soak the milk frother whisk in warm water with soap and scrub the dirt off with a soft brush.
You should hand-wash the coffee maker's lid and milk frother using a soft lint-free cloth and rinse all parts thoroughly.
Frequently Asked Keurig Frothing Questions
How do I clean my Keurig milk frother?
If you have a K-Cafe frother, its whisk and lid are dishwasher-safe.
But if you have another model and prefer to hand wash it, you can remove the lid and whisk and wash it with warm water and soap.
Dry the parts with a soft cloth before putting them back in the device.
Why does my Keurig shut off when I press brew?
There could be many reasons your Keurig shuts off automatically when you press brew, including a clogged brew needle, misaligned water reservoir magnet, and faulty outlet.
Can you froth almond milk on Keurig frother?
Yes, you can. However, you need to find the right almond milk brand for frothing as not all consistencies will work.
How do I contact Keurig for troubleshooting advice?
You can visit their customer service page or call their toll-free hotline at 866-901-2739, available 7 days a week from 7 am to 12 am EST.
Where can I buy replacement Keurig parts?
The Keurig website sells replacement parts. You can also find parts on Amazon.
Conclusion
There's nothing better than having hot or cold froth to accompany the Keurig coffee brewing process, but finding out that your Keurig coffee maker's frother is not working can be frustrating.
However, you shouldn't let it ruin your day as we've done all the Keurig K Cafe troubleshooting for you in this article, so you can quickly identify and fix the most common issues.
This should get the frothing process working again, and let you enjoy a Keurig K latte or any milky coffee whenever you want to.
Hi Terra! Thank you for your comment. That’s unfortunate about your Keurig frother. It might be time to call Keurig customer service at 866-901-2739. They may be able to help you!
Got this “smart” Keurig for my new coffee bar and the frother quit working after only a few uses. The lights won’t even turn on. Tried resetting it, but still doesn’t work.
My brand new frother on my K-Latte machine won’t turn on. I called customer service and they sent me a new frother. It won’t turn on either. I have owned Keurigs for over 10 years and have loved the coffee maker. The milk frother is a joke….and not a funny one. I’m very disappointed.
My frother is not working. I’ve tried everything suggested. Help!
Frother is the reason I bought it, otherwise any K cup maker would do. The frother worked well (enough to completely spoil me) for a month , now heats milk , spins but won’t froth. Soooo frustrated and disappointed. Any ideas ? Other than the suggestions online that don’t work. Aaaargh!
I cant believe how many negative comments. Of course this is a waste of money. I bought my first Kureg K machine about three months ago and used first time a week ago. After the third use, the frother stopped working. I returned it to Canadian Tire (here I purchased) They gave me another one.(It was already opened. I think it was a return as well: But CSR said, it was never sold. No point of arguing. So, I took it home. Try to use it today. OMG. Another piece of junk. What a waste of money. When I emailed their customer service they (Kurig) says, they cannot accept returns from a third party. I warn customers. don’t waste your money on Kureg products.
Same as above but Ketrig did say they were going to replace frother at no cost, Hope thats true ( they indicated the frothers were out of stocl!)
bought a frother yesterday it was great, tried to use it tonight and it didnt even froth…not impressed at all $60 down the drain and cant even find receipt to return it!!!
Bought 3 weeks ago. Love the ease of the K Cafe. I froth daily, 2% milk, clean the frother completely after every use. Today, same procedure, frother spins, beeps, result: warm milk. Don’t know what to do, read all FAQs and still same result. very disappointed.
Worked a few times , now won’t work at all . Almost $80 down the drain – oh how I hate that things no longer do what they are meant to then one has to spend valuable and aggravating time trying to “ fix “ it . Where do I send this thing BACK !
I have my coffee maker about 5 months.
My frother stop working. Doesn’t light up.
i just bought a k-cafe essentials. i used last night 1st time frother worked great. got up today excited to make a 2nd cup of frothy coffee and frother will not turn on! not happy AT ALL!
Used my new Keurig for less than a month with frother. All of a sudden frother just died. Can still make a coffee- frother just stopped working. Did Live Chat with Keurig- answered several questions that I already told the person I had tried only to be told I should call another line.
Similar problem. Brand new machine. Worked for a week. Now the frother only goes on for about 5 seconds and then stops, frothing the milk a little but barely heating it at all. The only unit is clean and everything is attached properly.
I have had my coffee maker with the frother since christmas. I’ve only used the frother 6 times. It won’t even light up. It’s clean and all parts are in the proper position.
Purchase this machine about 5 weeks ago The frother Does not work Doesn’t even light up.
My frothed won’t even turn on. I bought my Kerrigan last spring and just last weekend tried to froth milk and it won’t even turn on.