Originally Posted by
Speedster
My machine, with dedicated steam boiler and 4-hole tip, had way too much output to properly steam small amounts of milk -- i.e., a bit more than needed for 1 small capp (4-5 oz). For the longest time, I skipped capps entirely due to this issue. Eventually, I got a taste for them again, so I wound up buying an expensive La Marzocco sized adapter fitting from the factory then the Foam Knife tip (patented single-hole tip that looks like a 2-blade airplane propeller from the end; hole in middle with 2 smaller width "blades" extending outward a few mm).
Man, it took some serious cash, but I was finally able to produce excellent micro-foam textured milk in my small steam pitcher without wasting milk.
Hopefully, your Gaggia is up to the task of steaming. When I had my Rancilio Silvia (ca. 2003), I used it exclusively for straight espresso. It worked fairly well with an aftermarket PID modification to keep the boiler temperature more stable, but I was too snobbish about milk texture to use its steam capabilities. ;) Funny, since I started off the espresso hobby with a $40 Krups "espresso" maker some 25 years ago.
Bonus with cafe lattes is that you don't need that cappa level milk texture, so hopefully you have some luck with your new wand/tip combo.