While anyone looking for nothing more than an average cup of joe will be perfectly fine with boiling water and instant coffee, those who want something more interesting and tasty will need frothed milk. Any genuine espresso coffee, such as a cappuccino or a macchiato, will need frothed milk, so professional baristas take a huge amount of pride in their ability to make it. You can also make coffees with frothed milk when you have a coffee maker, but sometimes you'll find that the milk just won't play ball.

You don't need to get rid of your coffee maker when that happens. Just make sure you run through the following four common causes.

1. The Machine is Clogged

Unfortunately, coffee machines can become clogged over time, especially when you're filling them with hard water. In general, you'll find that clogs either form in the frothing wand or from a scale buildup somewhere else in the machine. If there's no steam of water coming out of the wand, the wand is probably clogged. Simply take it apart and clean it out. If some water and steam come out of the wand, but not enough to froth milk, there's probably a scale buildup. Descale the machine, and see if things have been put right.

2. Pressure is Too Low

The boiling element in your coffee machine needs to possess enough pressure if milk is to be frothed, and you should be able to find a gauge that lets you check the pressure. Readings vary between different machines and manufacturers, so get your owner's manual or check online so you can see what's what. If pressure is too low, you should have your coffee machine professionally serviced by a coffee machine repairs company..

3. Parts Aren't Properly Attached

Sometimes a coffee machine can stop frothing simply because one of its parts is no longer properly fitted. After all, coffee machines deal with a lot of pressure, plus frequent vibrations when water is brought to boil. Check all parts of the milk frothing element to make sure everything is still properly connected. It might help to take key elements apart and put them tightly together again.

4. You're Using the Wrong Type of Milk

In the best case scenario, your coffee machine's inability to froth milk might have absolutely nothing to do with the machine itself. Not many people realize that different types of milk froth differently. If you've recently changed the type of milk you put in the machine, this could be the root cause. Switch back and see if anything changes.