Ikea Frother:
This frother when placed into the milk and turned on frothed the top layer of the milk. In 15 seconds of frothing, there was a noticeable increase of volume of the milk. This frother completed the task it was advertised to do. The device has only one button which can only move in one direction, making it simple to know how to use. Overall the Ikea frother is simple and effective. The device, however, does not appear durable because of the nature of its casing (part 1). The product could have more power, it only frothed part of the milk. Finally, it is not aesthetically pleasing, so might not attract consumers to pick it up from the shelf.
Through disassembly I gained a better understanding of how every object in a product has a very explicit purpose. I also learned a little bit more about how things are put together when manufacturing. I thought it was really interesting to see the simplicity of a fully functional product. It also helped me to see the discrepancies clearer between the Ikea frother and the higher end one.
High end frother:
This frother doubled the milk in size in 15 seconds of frothing. The motor is clearly more powerful than the Ikea frother. However, while it was more powerful it did splash the milk out of the container. Again, this frother fulfilled its advertised task. The frother has what appears to be three buttons, but only one of them actually does anything. This affordance confuses the operator because they might be pressing buttons without getting a response. The frother is more aesthetically pleasing than the Ikea device, making it more exciting to purchase. The cover has a comfortable hand grip making it easier to use. The frother is quiet, which could be an asset while using so it does not disturb. One drawback of the frother is it is hard to turn on and off. The button is difficult to press, so depending on someone’s finger strength it could be improbable to use. It also vibrates which makes it hard to hold, especially if someone has wrist problems.
I believe the cost differential is in because of the motor and the casing. The motor in the higher end frother is stronger than that in the Ikea one. In addition, the casing is bigger and sturdier on the higher end frother. The additional plastic and the screws costed more. If I were to buy a milk frother I would probably buy the higher end one because it seems more durable. It also created more froth and worked faster.
Own device:
Our frother is designed to create milk froth. The vessel is designed so the user can pour hot water around the milk. We created a stick of Lego gears that are connected to a straw. The gears are meant to be inserted into the milk as the user rubs the straw between their palms to agitate the milk. We also made a whist like object out of plastic forks to stir the milk. Lastly, we had a straw to blow air into the milk. When put to the test, our frother mostly created bubbles as opposed to actual foam. The Lego stirrer is confusing because it is not apparent how to stir it from looking at it. Our frother can hold a lot of milk. If the goal is to make bubbles, this frother will fulfill that task. However, it is not durable, the base weakens when exposed to water. In addition, the container is large and hard to store. To improve the device, I would edit the Lego stirrer. I would have more intricate patterns of gears for the milk to pass through. Our stirrer was primarily vertical. Horizontal parts would have increased the surfaces the milk could pass through.