- Availability: Common
The steam wand draws steam from the espresso machine's boiler and injects it into the milk pitcher through a multi-hole tip. The barista controls the wand's position and angle to do two things at once: introduce air to the milk (foaming) and create a vortex that breaks down bubbles into uniform microfoam (texturing). Modern machines have purge buttons and auto-cleaning routines to keep wands sanitary and free of milk residue.