Keurig K-Cafe Frother not Working (Causes and Troubleshooting)

Some of the problems that you are likely to encounter when frothing with a Keurig milk frother (whether it’s the stand-alone Keurig frother or a brewer attachment) include

• the frother turns on and heats the milk without frothing it
• the lights K-Cafe frother keep on flashing but the frother is not working

Here are some of the likely reasons as to why your Keurig K-Cafe frother is not working

1. You are trying to brew coffee and froth milk at the same time.
2. You have not covered the frother with its lid
3. The milk is above the max line
4. The whisk is not sat properly in the frother
5. The frother is not sat properly on the frother base.
6. The whisk has a buildup of guck due to poor cleaning. The presence of guck can interfere with the whisk’s magnetic properties and hinder frothing
7. There is a problem with the type of milk you are trying to froth

How to Troubleshoot a K-Cafe Frother that is not Frothing

1. Cover the frother with the lid that is shipped with the brewer
2. Chilled milk froths much better than warm milk so ensure you are using cold milk for better results. You can also chill the frother cup and dry its external walls before placing it on the frother base.
3. Check the level of the milk in the frother and pour out some of it if the level is above the CAPP/max line
4. If you are trying to brew coffee and froth milk at the same time, wait for one process to complete before proceeding with the other
5. Try frothing a different type of milk. Some types of milk have been reported to fail to froth. Different companies have different formulations for their milk. For example, the amount of milk proteins varies for different types of milk. Generally, you can froth most of the major brands of milk and coffee creamers in a Keurig frother
6. If you intend first brew your cup of coffee in Keurig K-Cafe and then froth milk, ensure that your brew selection is the Shot option for a latte or cappuccino. Some Keurig users have reported that the frother attachment did not work when they brewed coffee without pressing the “Shot Brew” button
7. Remove milk from the frother and check the magnetic whisk to ensure it is installed properly in the frother
8. Gently push down the frothing cup onto the frother base to seat it correctly.
9. To avoid running into frequent frother problems always clean the frother, the lid, and the whisk after every use. The K-Cafe frother, whisk, and lid are dishwasher-safe. When washing by hand, soak the whisk in warm soapy water and scrub off the dirt with a soft brush. Hand-wash the frother and the lid using a soft lint-free cloth. Rinse all the frother components thoroughly.

These troubleshooting hacks work for both the K-Cafe and the K-Latte as well as the stand-alone Keurig frother. However, bear in mind that the K-Latte frother is not capable of a cold froth.

If you have tried all the hacks for your Keurig K-Cafe troubleshooting without success or you have lost or defaced some of the frother components, you can purchase replacement parts for your frother.

Here is our troubleshooting guide for a Keurig that is not dispensing water.

Keurig K-Cafe Milk Frother Replacement Parts

The K-Cafe frother lid and whisk are available for purchase separately as replacement parts for your lost or broken components.

You can also purchase the K-Cafe frothing cup complete with a lid and a whisk. These replacement parts are compatible with both the Keurig K-Cafe and K-Cafe special editions but you may want to choose a frother cup whose color matches your coffee maker.

Keurig K-Latte Milk Frother Replacement Parts

You can purchase the milk frother for Keurig K-Latte separately in a package that includes a frother, a lid, and a whisk. If you need to replace only the K-latte frother lid or whisk, the two components are also available separately.

The Keurig Frother Whisk: Understanding How it Works

The Keurig frother whisk performs the frothing magic on your milk. The whisk is a magnetic piece that sits at the bottom of the frother and spins to foam the milk.

Slime from the milk fats can build up on the whisk and reduce its magnetism making it incapable of frothing milk. The whisk’s magnetism also reduces on its own over time. The whisk is tiny and easy to lose.

Fortunately, the Keurig frother whisk is replaceable and you can order it.

Wrap Up

When troubleshooting a Keurig-Cafe frother that is not working, start with simple fixes such as avoiding brewing and frothing at the same time as well as checking that the frothing jug and the magnetic whisk are sitting properly. Gradually progress to the more tasking fixes.

Thoroughly cleaning the frother and its components especially the frothing whisk can prevent most of the Keurig frother problems.

Replacements parts are available for the milk frothers in both the K-Cafe and K-Latte.

Here is an interesting read of our handpicked top K-Cups for iced coffee.

FAQs about Keurig K-Cafe Frother Not Working