A MORNING LUXURY OFFERS A HEALTH BOOST

I love it when something you can scarcely imagine being significant ends up having a big impact on your life and even on your well-being.

Such was the case with me and the humble Aerolatte milk frother.

I’m a huge coffee...enthusiast. I don't even want to tell you how many jumbo mugs of the jumping java I consume each day. To give it a boost, I got this device called the Aerolatte. It’s basically a quarter-size loop of whisk on the end of a shaft, driven by a motor and powered by two AA batteries. The official Aerolatte costs about $20, but you can get knockoffs at Ikea and elsewhere for just a few bucks. You use the Aerolatte to whip milk into a firm froth to which you then add your coffee (or other hot beverage).

I've now used this device religiously for years, and it turns out that it might actually be good for my health and my wallet.

On top of the caffeine consumed, each of those mugs of coffee used to include a splurge of half-and-half and two teaspoons of sugar. Because it creates such a thick milk, I use probably as much as 30% less coffee per mug and use milk instead of half-and-half.

At first, I just cut back on the sugar, then I cut it out altogether—the coffee tastes sweet enough as is. So, less coffee, less milk fat, no sugar.

And I swear I get a bigger jolt than with unfrothed java (though that’s probably due purely to the froth in my head). Over the course of several years of daily use, I can only imagine how much caffeine and calories (not to mention lunch money) this device has saved me.