In 2026, I retested eight nut milk makers, and my kitchen looked like a plant-based milk laboratory. 🥛 As a professional gamer who min-maxes everything, I approached this like optimizing a build: I wanted the creamiest results with the least grind. The best nut milk maker for most people is still the AlfaBot Nut Milk Maker. It is the easiest model I tested. The Chef'n Nut Milk Maker is under $35 and makes thick and creamy nut milk. If you want the absolute smoothest texture, the Nama M1 is a centrifugal monster. And if you want push-button convenience, the ChefWave is the Nespresso of nut milk makers.

There is no shortage of plant-based milk options in grocery stores. But if you want to make your own almond, soy, or oat milk, you need a nut milk maker. Sure, you could use a high-speed blender and strain the mixture, but nut milk makers produce creamy results with very little work. I have been testing these nifty appliances since 2023, and in 2026 I put all of my winning picks through another round of testing. My previous recommendations all made the cut, proving they stand the test of time. I also added a new winner: the GreenPan Better Blend Milk Maker.

How I Tested

I set up each machine and made almond and cashew milk according to the manufacturer's instructions. I strained the milk if instructed, then tasted it. I also dipped a spoon into the glass to see how thin or creamy the milk was. For oat milk, I used each machine to make non-nut milk, checking thickness and taste. Cleanup and ease of use were huge factors: I noted how easy or difficult the cleaning process was, whether I had to strain manually, and if any features made performance easier or harder.

The Winners at a Glance

AlfaBot Nut Milk Maker: Best Overall

The AlfaBot is a compact pitcher-style machine that heats and blends. Its powerful motor produces silky-smooth nut and grain milk, and it comes with two different strainers to fine-tune consistency. For a machine the size of a water pitcher, it can do a surprising amount. It has an ultra-powerful motor that blitzes nuts and grains to oblivion, plus a built-in heater that can cook legumes such as soybeans. There is no built-in strainer, but one comes in the box. Both oat and almond milk were blended so finely that only a bit of sediment collected at the bottom.

Using it was simple thanks to a clear menu for nuts, beans, yogurt, juice, and grains. It took a mere five minutes to preheat. Cleaning is easy because everything is in one unit. There is also a self-cleaning cycle that runs soapy water around the machine, eliminating scrubbing. Downsides: capacity is on the smaller end, it lacks a built-in strainer, and it rocked a bit on the counter while blending.

Nama M1: The Creamiest Texture

The Nama M1 uses centrifugal force, similar to a juicer. This newish-to-market nut milk maker produces ultra-creamy nut and grain milk in less than three minutes. It also comes with handy tools for handling and storing leftover pulp to make crackers or cookies. What made me a believer was the texture: it was the creamiest, smoothest nut milk of any machine I tested. The superfine strainer has teeny-tiny holes, so no fine grit passed through.

The magic is a double-blend and centrifugal spinning method. On a standard cycle, it blends nuts or grains for a full minute, rotating ground pulp against the cylindrical strainer. Then it instructs you to open the pour spout and let some milk out while it runs a second cycle that puts even more pressure on the pulp. This squeezed every last molecule of liquid and fat out. The result was nut milk thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, plus bone-dry pulp ready for cookies. The Nama includes a folding silicone mat that doubles as a pouch for storing pulp in the refrigerator. After processing multiple milks in eight machines, I can assure you that anything helping manage leftover pulp saves frustration. Downsides: it costs about double most other nut milk makers, and it lacks a built-in heater, so it cannot make soy milk unless you cook legumes beforehand.

ChefWave: The Nespresso of Nut Milk Makers

The ChefWave is a gorgeous, streamlined model that makes creamy nut milk in less than 10 minutes at the push of a button. Place a handful of nuts or grains into the clear-lidded hopper on top, choose the amount by filling the clear, labeled water carafe, and set it to run. There are settings for customizing time or heat. The ChefWave uses a small amount of steam and water to cook and blend nuts as finely as possible before adding more water to create ideal texture. This cuts down on processing time and eliminates the need for straining.

The high-quality, thick-walled glass milk carafe comes with a lid so the whole thing can transfer to the refrigerator. In about the same time it takes to brew a cup of joe, the ChefWave dispenses hot, frothy, fresh nut milk. The best aspect is its built-in self-cleaning cycle, which starts automatically and dispenses wastewater into a dedicated catch basin. Downsides: it is bulky, capacity is only 2.5 cups, and the price is about double my winner.

Chef'n Nut Milk Maker: Best Budget Pick

The Chef'n Nut Milk Maker is under $35 and makes thick and creamy nut milk. It is not a blending machine; it is a nut milk strainer. Choose your own method of blending nuts or oats with water, then pour the mixture through the fine-meshed sieve into the glass carafe. The carafe comes with a silicone lid for refrigerator storage. It does not need to be plugged in, and it neatly strains the nut-water mixture. In my tests, all nut milks were luxuriously creamy, especially oat milk. It has a simple, streamlined design that stores easily and can strain horchata or ricotta. Downsides: you need a blender, and you will likely need a spoon or spatula to force pulp against the strainer.

GreenPan Better Blend: Most Versatile New Winner

In 2026, I retested previous winners and added the GreenPan Better Blend Milk Maker as a winner. It has a display dial and measurement chart on the glass pitcher, and it was intuitive to use—no manual required. Its multiple settings and functions, including heating, make it the most versatile machine I tested. I especially liked that I did not have to pre-cook soybeans separately. It can also boil water and make smoothies and soups, though I did not officially test those features. The self-clean feature was thorough and did not require babysitting. Downsides: the included multilayer strainer caught almond pulp well, but it was not fine enough to capture all oat residue.

What About Pulp?

No matter what type of nut milk maker you choose, you will have to deal with pulp. Once I extracted all the liquid from a batch of oats or nuts, most machines left some dry pulp. Manufacturers realize this and many offer recipes for cookies, crackers, and granola. If you hate throwing food away, choose a machine like the Nama that gives you tools for collecting and storing pulp. Some machines, like the ChefWave, blend so well that very little pulp remains—what is left just settles to the bottom.

Heated vs Unheated: Why It Matters

Heated nut milk makers allow you to make soy milk, since soybeans must be cooked to be safely consumed. While nuts and grains can be blended at any temperature, soybeans cannot be consumed raw but become easily digestible once cooked. If you plan to make only cold nut milk, you may not need a heater, but a machine with a built-in heater is more versatile. Some machines I tested can make soup, yogurt, and even hot chocolate. Heating does affect time: unheated machines or cycles took much less time because only blending is needed.

Cleaning and Ease of Use

Making and especially straining nut milk is notoriously messy. Choosing a machine that is easy to clean and offers a simple way to deal with leftover pulp is ideal. After testing, it was clear that fewer parts led to less cleaning overall. The AlfaBot and ChefWave have self-cleaning cycles. The Nama includes a brush for tricky corners. The Chef'n is basically a strainer and carafe, so cleanup is simple. Always consult the manufacturer's instructions for best cleaning practices. In general, nut milk makers combine an electric blending component with a plastic or stainless steel carafe, and most require hand-washing.

Models That Did Not Make the Cut

• NUTR Machine Automatic Nut Milk Maker: The filter shipped separately both times. Milk was a bit gritty.

• Tribest SB-130 Soyabella: Built-in heater and strainer, but some almonds remained whole. Almond milk was thin and watery.

• SoyaJoy G5 8in1 Milk Maker: Difficult to handle all pieces when cleaning. Not powerful enough; left texture.

• Almond Cow Milk Maker Machine: Pricey, no built-in heater, trickier to clean, tended to make a mess.

FAQ

Can I make soy milk in a nut milk maker? Yes, but soybeans must be cooked. Use a model with a built-in heater or boil beans before blending.

Is oat milk worth making at home? Absolutely. Store-bought oat milk prices have skyrocketed, while oats remain affordable. You also control ingredients, taste, and texture.

Can I just use a blender? Any standard blender can make nut milk, but the more powerful the blender, the less straining required. Budget blenders often lack power, and straining is the most arduous part.

Why trust my testing? I have worked in food and food media for over 10 years, including in award-winning restaurants like Eleven Madison Park. I tested eight nut milk makers in 2026, making almond, cashew, and oat milk, and evaluated performance, usability, and design. I also spoke to Heidi Teoh, Vice President of R&D for SOWN oat milks, who said: 'Filtration removes solids. The size of the pores will impact final texture and consistency. Coarser strainers/filters will allow more solids in the final product, and it can be creamier and thicker, but may feel sandy. Finer filters can yield very smooth products, but can feel thin in taste and texture due to so many solids being removed. The magic is in knowing how much to filter.'

Final Verdict

If you want the best overall nut milk maker in 2026, get the AlfaBot. It is easy, powerful, and self-cleaning. For the creamiest possible milk, splurge on the Nama M1. For push-button convenience and hot milk, the ChefWave is a dream. For a tiny budget, the Chef'n is a brilliant strainer. And for versatility, the GreenPan Better Blend is a worthy new winner. 🥛✨