I tried the $330 Almond Cow Starter Setwhich includes the milk machine and some accessories, such as a nice branded glass milk jug and a cleaning brush. The process to get milk from your electric cow is simple: add water to the container (about 5 to 6 cups), place the dry ingredients in the filter cup, twist it on the bottom of the lid so that the blender arm is inside of the materials. , put on the cover and press the button. Then, the Almond Cow grinds and mixes everything, a process that lasts a few minutes. When it’s ready, the light on top will turn blue and the milk is ready. The pulp is stored in the filter cup, which is removed and cleaned by hand. A collection container is included that fits over the filter container to prevent dripping everywhere. The container should also be rinsed between uses.
I found the milk produced by the Almond Cow to be delicious. The high-speed blender with multiple blades meant that the almonds were well blended and there was little to no granulated plant material left. The milk came out a little frothy, like a pint of albino Guinness. However, the foam settles quickly and the 5 cups Almond Cow produces should be enough for a family breakfast or a day of coffee making. After using Almond Cow, there is a lot of cleanup: clean the filter cup, rinse the top (milk splashes into the container while mixing), and wipe down the container. Not surprisingly, the starter pack I tested also included a flexible scrub brush that helps remove dirty plant pulp from the filter.
I also found that with coarser ingredients like almonds, you need to push up on the filter cup quite hard to ensure it is properly locked in place when placing it on top. This is because the blender blades sit right at the bottom of the cup and a nut can get stuck under the blades, preventing the twist lock from engaging properly. If the glass comes loose during blending, it makes a mess and could damage the blade. I found the easiest way to avoid this was to gently shake the cup while placing it on top to keep the materials moving. I also discovered that when you pour the milk, the top of the Almond Cow has a habit of falling off as you tilt the whole thing to get the last of the milk out of the container. There is no locking mechanism that keeps the lid in place, only gravity.
Still, the Almond Cow does an effective job. It produces well-mixed milk in decent quantities and quite quickly. What it doesn’t do, however, is handle the variety of other types of milk that some machines can handle. You are limited to raw milk such as almonds, cashews and oats. —Richard Baguley
Specs | |
---|---|
Jug included? | N/A |
Do you need to soak nuts? | No |
Pulp in milk? | Yeah |
Does it heat the milk? | No |
Maximum net milk per cycle | 5 cups |
Time per cycle | 5 minutes |