Subminimal Founder Dominic Symons unveils the NanoFoamer PRO, a device that allows users to prepare premium microfoamed milk for coffee at the touch of a button.
Author Malcolm Gladwell states in Outliers: The Story of Success that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to reach perfection. Subminimal Founder Dominic Symons says he most likely put that many hours into creating the NanoFoamer PRO to ensure it precisely calibrated the perfect microfoam.
“The NanoFoamer PRO is a first-of- its-kind appliance for preparing premium microfoam milk at home or in your café. It’s the easiest and most satisfying way to create premium textured foam. And it does it all by itself in the same amount of time it takes you to pull an espresso. What more could one possibly ask for?” Dominic questions.
“Speed up your workflow by synchronising your milk heating and foaming alongside your espresso preparation so both are ready simultaneously. This ensures your espresso crema is still intact when your microfoam is ready. Pour yourself a satisfying latte art masterpiece, then enjoy it at leisure.”
In a nutshell, the NanoFoamer PRO creates premium microfoam milk in three stages. It starts by pre-heating the milk to a given temperature while mixing slowly. It then intensifies to dizzying speeds to incorporate air into the milk. Finally, it slows down to find the ideal balance by pulling down and pulverising the incorporated bubbles through spinning NanoScreens. The entire process is completed within one to two minutes based on the initial volume and temperature of the milk used.
“Maintaining a balanced vortex to ensure a homogenised mix without incorporating more air is no small feat. This balancing act makes the NanoFoamer PRO seem so magical and fantastical,” Dominic says.
At its core, the NanoFoamer PRO operates on the same principles as the NanoFoamer Lithium. An impeller, working in combination with Subminimal’s unique NanoScreen, runs through multiple stages to aerate and then turn the bubbles into microfoam.
“Our NanoScreens are loaded with an array of powerful magnets in opposing polarities. This creates the most powerful magnetic coupling seen in any milk foamer. It’s this strong bond that allows us to spin the impeller at speeds of up to 8000 revolutions per minute,” says Dominic.
Dominic says the smallest of details were considered to promise perfect foam consistently, such as the impeller’s speed, the coupling’s magnetic force, and the jug’s shape.
“Every tiny change affects the outcome, so we needed to test every possible combination of variables. Still, we persevered, spending thousands of hours designing, modelling, testing, tweaking, prototyping, and experimenting. We did it for over three years until everything was flawless. Now all you need to do is press a button,” he says.
The NanoFoamer PRO with its jug-like structure is small enough to pour latte art directly. For super detailed latte art designs, users can simply transfer the microfoamed milk to a latte art jug.
“The internal jug shape is an integral enables small and large volumes of milk to be foamed to the same high standard. Three magnetic flow controllers calibrate the microfoaming process by adjusting for the different viscosity and foamability of milk or plant-based alternatives,” Dominic says.
“Detailed volume markings on the flow controller allow precise portions to be prepared repeatedly, improving consistency and reducing waste.”
Dominic says the device works just as well with oat, almond, and other plant- based alternatives.
“We recommend using the black flow controller for dairy milks and smaller drinks, and those who like superfine foam. For plant-based alternatives and foamier milk drinks, we suggest using the blue or green flow controllers. Using the NanoFoamer PRO without a flow controller will result in very foamy drinks, not microfoam,” he says.
The NanoFoamer PRO allows users to customise the volume of foam to their desired consistency. Program 1 is for small drinks such as a piccolo. Programs 2, 3, and 4 vary the foam density ever so slightly from thin to thick for most drink styles, and Program 5 is for large beverages. There is also a program function that produces cold foam.
“We tested the NanoFoamer PRO in thousands of scenarios, fine-tuning the exact speeds of the impeller at every moment of the foaming process. This systematic approach means we can offer a comprehensive range of options and optimal microfoams for any drink type and size,” says Dominic.
“A notable difference in the programs is the length of the aeration, which dictates how much air is incorporated into the milk. Aeration times start at just one second, going up to 20 seconds in an exponential curve.”
The capacitive touch button doubles as a display, showing the various stages of heating, aerating, and microfoaming as they run. A double-walled design always keeps the outer surface cool to the touch.
“Users deserve café-quality premium microfoam. With NanoFoamer PRO, we’re saying goodbye to the need for expensive, high-maintenance equipment and specialised skills,” Dominic says.
“A premium café-quality cappuccino is now within reach regardless of how you prepare your espresso: handheld, lever, pod machine, automatic, AeroPress, moka pot, or whichever espresso maker you love.”
The NanoFoamer PRO is an electrical appliance that uses a Strix kettle connector to operate. Dominic says these connectors are not waterproof, so care must be taken when cleaning.
“The NanoFomer PRO has a silicone polyester-based non-stick internal coating, making it easy to wipe down with a cloth or sponge. At the same time, the other components can be rinsed under running water,” he says.
The NanoFoamer PRO is scheduled to hit Australian shores in Q3 2023, thanks to Australian distributor Coffee Tools Distributing.
“We have the NanoFoamer PRO on display at our stand at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo and I have entered it in the 2023 Product Innovation Awards,” says Coffee Tools Distributing Director Curtis Arnold.
Curtis says in the years he’s distributed products in the Australian coffee market, he’s been asked time and time again by customers for a milk solution, and now, he finally has one.
“[The NanoFoamer PRO] is a gamechanger. People that have at-home espresso machines that find it difficult to use a steam wand or use capsule machines or stovetop espresso makers will be very interested in this. It’s an untapped market, which is really exciting,” he says.
“Many cafés have systems that do similar things, but they’re thousands of dollars. The NanoFoamer PRO will be under $250, which means there isn’t anything on the market like it.”
Curtis has partnered with Subminimal since the release of the first Nanofoamer in 2019. He says the NanoFoamer PRO is the “next level of convenience and high-quality microfoam”.
“Dominic’s products have always been very well received by our customers. The compactness of the NanoFoamers make them so easy to travel with and use outdoors, which I think adds to why they’re in such high demand,” says Curtis.
“If you drink any type of milk with your coffee then this is a really promising new option.”
For more information, visit subminimal.com or www.coffeetools.supply
This article appears in the August 2023 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
