You Should Use a Frother to Mix Your Protein Powder

Protein shakes can end up chunky or lumpy if you don’t mix them right. That’s why a shaker bottle does a better job of mixing whey into milk than simply stirring with a spoon. A blender works even better, if you’re up for cleaning a blender when you’re done. But there is a better option: a handheld frother.

To be clear, this is for drinks where you are mixing a powder into a liquid. (If you want ice and fruit in your protein shake — a smoothie, rather than a simple drink — you’ll still need a blender. But you knew that.) As far as I can tell, it works with any powder and any liquid. I’ve tested the frother, and found it gives excellent results with:

• Collagen powder and coffee (or tea)
• Whey powder and water
• Clear whey and water
• Hot cocoa and milk
• Various supplement powders in, well, anything

Embarrassingly, I didn’t think of this on my own. Supplement companies might include a handheld frother in their starter packs.

How to use a frother to mix your protein powder

First, get yourself a frother. These are simple handheld gadgets that are priced about the same as a shaker bottle, about $10 on the low end, and going up to roughly infinity since these are fancy coffee accessories. The cheap ones will do fine for our purposes. Get one that is powered by AA batteries or that you charge over USB.

Next, get your liquid ready. The first time you do this, use an oversized container. One cup of liquid in a 450 g container will avoid a surprise mess.

Then, add the powder to the liquid, insert the frother, and turn it on. (Unless you’re using clear whey, which tends to gum up the frother; better to insert the frother first and then add the powder.) If you hold the frother in the centre of the cup, you’ll get a whirlpool effect that sends the liquid up toward (or over) the container’s rim, hence my warning. Once you’ve done this a few times, you’ll figure out how to do it with less mess. Angling the frother and holding it against the side of the cup tends to keep the waves down. You can also pulse the frother a few times instead of having it on continuously, which cuts down on the waves even further.

It only takes five to 10 seconds to mix yourself a smooth, creamy protein shake — or hot cocoa, or whatever else your smooth-beverage-appreciating heart desires. Take a few more seconds to wash the business end of the frother; a brief swish with a soapy sponge under running water is usually all you need. And then enjoy your perfectly mixed drink with nothing besides your cup to clean up later.