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Now that cold foam is available on store shelves, I needed to find out which ones live up to the hype and which ones fall flat (literally).
I came into this taste test experiment without any preconceived notions of the products. In fact, this was my first time purchasing a cold foam aerosol canister. Not to be confused with classic coffee creamers, cold foam is a coffee topping that’s even more velvety than whipped cream. I tested each cold foam product on a fresh cup of cold brew coffee. Then I ranked each one based on flavor, texture and consistency.
Here are the brands I tested:
- Coffee Mate
- Dunkin’
- International Delight
- Reddi Wip
- Silk
5. Silk Oat Cinnamon Caramel Cold Foam Creamer
Cold foam creamer products have become so popular that they’re now available made with nondairy milk alternatives. Silk makes one using oat milk and cinnamon-caramel flavor for $5.19. This product is gluten-free, cholesterol-free, dairy-free, and made without carrageenan or any artificial colors or flavors. The Silk oat cold foam creamer came in at the bottom of my list because I found the consistency to be thin and bubbly, not foamy. It felt more chalky on my tongue. I did, however, appreciate the cinnamon flavor. It tasted like a sprinkling of fresh cinnamon on top of my coffee.
4. Coffee Mate French Vanilla Cold Foam Creamer
Coffee Mate offers a variety of coffee creamer options, and now the brand has entered the cold foam game as well. It’s gluten- and cholesterol-free, and is marketed as nondairy (though it does contain a dairy-derived ingredient). For $4.49, the cold foam canisters from Coffee Mate come in a variety of flavor options including vanilla, sweet cream and brown butter chocolate chip cookie.
I liked how the depressor was easy to use on this canister, and it created a really beautiful foam topper over the coffee that looked like light and airy whipped cream. However, this product fell short in terms of flavor. I felt there was a strong artificial aftertaste that reminded me more of a marshmallow than of rich vanilla.
3. Reddi Wip Nitro Creamer
Since all of these creamer canisters are used just like canned whipped cream, it’s no surprise that Reddi Wip has developed a cold foam. This product only seems to come in one flavor, which retails for $4.99. The nitro creamer is a nitrogen-infused cold foam made with nonfat milk and cream. It’s made without any artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives, and is gluten-free. I liked how the Reddi Wip canister came with directions for best use, as well as the ideal ratios for a perfect cold foam latte. It’s important to shake the canister between drinks and rinse the nozzle before storing it in the fridge.
The flavor of the Reddi Wip creamer was rich and creamy perfection without any artificial aftertaste. The only thing that was quite different about this product when compared to the others was the fact that the creamer was quite watery, and that it came shooting out of the canister so fast that it instantly mixed with the coffee rather than floating as a layer of foam on top.
2. International Delight Sweet & Creamy Cold Foam Creamer
The International Delight line of cold foam creamers is available in the widest variety of flavors on the market, as far as I can see. I spied frosted sugar cookie, peppermint mocha, pumpkin pie spice, caramel macchiato, salted caramel mocha, hazelnut, French vanilla, and sweet and creamy varieties retailing for $4.79 each. I loved the flavor of the sweet and creamy option, and thought the texture was lovely. It was delightfully fluffy on top of my coffee without being too water or infused with too much air. There was only one option that I liked slightly better that took the top spot on this list.
1. Dunkin’ Extra Extra Cold Foam Creamer
It should come as no surprise that the company that offers the best fast-food coffee also tops the list of the best cold foam creamers. The Dunkin’ Extra Extra cold foam creamer sells for $5.19 and comes in two flavors: regular and chocolate. Upon taking the first sip, I knew everything here was in perfect harmony. The product is made with real skim milk, cane sugar and cream, and its flavor was spot-on. Nothing seemed artificial, and there was no aftertaste. I liked that it wasn’t too sweet, and that it had a velvety mouthfeel. Dunkin’ does it again!