Whether you’re a home barista or you’re working in a high-volume cafe, milk pitchers are an invaluable tool in your arsenal. They’re essential for making anything from a small cortado, to a large latte, and everything in between. However, when it comes to picking the right pitcher for your environment, there are enough choices to leave you scratching your head. That’s why we put together this article highlighting the three different types of pitchers made by Rhino and why we like them so much.
Where Rhino pitchers truly shine is in the design of their handles. Not only are they weighted and comfortable to use, which puts less strain on the hands and wrists of the barista, but they are also aligned with with spout of the pitcher. This is a characteristic not found on lower quality steaming pitchers, but if pouring beautiful latte art is of any importance to you or your business, this feature can be of tremendous help.
Another unique hallmark of Rhino’s pitchers is the pouring spout. While most other milk pitchers don’t tend to differ much in this area, the engineers at Rhino have created a pouring spout with two separate angles that allow the barista to get closer to the espresso in the cup, resulting in a more precise pour and higher contrast in the resulting latte art. Combine this with the weight of the handle, and you’re left with a pitcher that promotes control and repeatability of rosettas, tulips, and hearts in your cappuccinos and lattes.
Rhino Classic Milk Pitcher
The Rhino Classic is made for the barista who wants something larger than a typical 12 ounce pitcher, but doesn’t want something as large as a 20 ounce jug, making it a perfect in-between option. The Rhino Classic is made from 0.7mm food-safe stainless steel, and the handle is ergonomically-designed for maximum comfort and control during a rush. The Classic comes in a variety of color options if you want to match your environment or simply spice things up on your bar.
Rhino Pro Milk Pitcher
The Rhino Pro is available in 12, 20, and 32 ounce versions and was made with precision and less waste in mind. On the inside of the Pro milk pitcher, you’ll find etched measurements in both ounces and milliliters, taking the guesswork out of the steaming process and results in less milk ending up going down the drain. Unlike the 0.7mm walls of the Rhino Classic pitcher, the Rhino Pro is made from 1mm stainless steel. Not only does this make the Pro a more durable pitcher, but this feature is also incredibly helpful from a heat retention perspective.
Rhino Latte Pro Milk Pitcher
The Rhino Latte Pro Milk Pitcher comes in a 16 ounce size and is ideal for training baristas. Its handle is designed for those who are either left or right-handed, and like the other pitchers from Rhino, it is designed for comfort and control. The Latte Pro steaming pitcher may share the same attributes as the Classic and the Pro, but where it differs is in its ability to showcase a peel-and-stick Accutemp thermometer on either side of the outer walls. This feature is incredibly beneficial for those who may be new to steaming milk as it will allows the barista’s hands to “calibrate” to the desired steaming temperature without using stick thermometers that may cause cross-contamination.
At the end of the day, the quality of the latte art is dependent on the barista, but that doesn’t mean that the right pitcher can’t help immensely. While every pitcher is going to have its quirks, and practice will always make perfect, the highlighted pitchers from Rhino will absolutely help get you started making silky, smooth milk that will yield crisp, clean latte art.