I have a home-made cafe latte every morning, and I froth my skim milk with the BonJour Coffee Caffe Frother -- and have done so for years. Every once in a while, the glass carafe cracks or breaks -- usually because I've knocked it over onto a hard surface, or my husband has. Under normal use they are very sturdy and I've had them last for years. I keep a couple of extra carafes on hand (I order in threes) so I never have to go without my frothy latte for even a single day, and to save on shipping costs. BTW, the original product -- carafe, frothing device and rubber base, is absolutely THE BEST product for producing thick, creamy froth from non-fat milk. I've tried those battery-operated, vibrating whisk things, and they not only die much faster, but they don't froth nearly so well as the BonJour Coffee Caffe Froth product. Take it from a die-hard latte lover!