I tested hot chocolate makers – the winner costs £70 less than a brand favorite
Temperatures are still quite low and a nice cup of hot chocolate is the ideal way to warm up.
Specific machines that allow you to mix the perfect drink have become increasingly popular in recent years.
The handy gadgets melt your choice of chocolate into milk, taking a classic powdered drink up a notch.
But big brand favorites such as Hotel Chocolat’s Velvetiser can cost a pretty penny – as much as £110 for some sets of extras.
That’s why more and more brands are introducing their own versions to help customers save costs.
While some savvy consumers use cheaper milk frothers to do the same job.
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I put five of the most popular machines to the test to find out which one worked best without spending a lot of money.
I flaked a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate for each and divided it into five 35g portions – similar to the Hotel Chocolat bags, but for less. I also used 8 ounces of milk each.
We rated them out of 20, consisting of a score for taste and a score for the device.
Here’s how they did it.
Salter – The chocolatier
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The first thing I noticed when I took The Chocolatier out of the box was the sleek look of the gadget.
It was easy to set up and use: I poured my milk into the jug, followed by the chocolate flakes, put the lid on and pressed the appropriate button.
Once it started, I noticed a relatively loud buzzing sound as it worked its magic.
It took longer than I expected, just under five minutes. I then poured it into my glass, which was the perfect size.
The drink itself tasted sweet and milky, although it could have been hotter and lost its heat a little too quickly.
There was still a lump of chocolate at the bottom of the can, which may be why it tasted a little more milky than chocolatey.
The jug has a handle and a spout, so you can pour easily.
- Hot chocolate: 7/10
- Price: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 14/20
Asda George – Scandi Milk Frother
- £25 RRP – direct.asda.com
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Asda’s own brand milk frother has been declared a great Hotel Chocolat dupe by many online.
It also has a stylish look, perfect for a modern kitchen, and I love the wood paneling along the base and handle.
It was also easy to use and I just followed the same process as before, using the milk heating function instead of frothing milk.
The gadget is virtually silent while it’s working, meaning I didn’t notice when it was done, which could mean it would be easy to forget in a busy kitchen.
I felt the machine could have benefited from a spout to make pouring easier.
No lumps remained and the drink was therefore more chocolatey than the Salter.
The liquid was silky and smooth and also the perfect temperature for sipping straight away.
- Hot chocolate: 7/10
- Price: 9/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 16/20
Gino D’Acampo – Milk frother
- £27 RRP – direct.asda.com
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Next one up was another milk frother that customers also recommended for making hot chocolate.
This was part of the Gino D’Acampo range available from Asda.
The first thing I wasn’t sure about was that the machine didn’t have a handle or spout, which I thought might cause problems when pouring the drink – although at the right angle it worked fine.
It was louder than the others, but it was done in about a minute and a half, so at least it was fast.
The jug itself has a modern design and feels matte and soft, plus points at the bottom to wrap the cord around for easy storage.
After pouring the liquid into my glass I noticed that there were still a few small lumps of chocolate left and upon first taste it was not as sweet or thick as the others.
This may be due to the fact that it does not take very long for the cycle to complete.
- Hot chocolate: 6/10
- Price: 8/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 14/20
Lakeland – Milk and hot chocolate frother
- £39.99 RRP – Lakeland.co.uk
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The Lakeland model just came out in January and is a new and improved version of their classic frother.
It’s a little thicker than the others, but still looks stylish and would go without any kitchen appliances.
Plus, it’s all-in-one and is the only gadget I’ve tried that didn’t have a removable heating pad – the jug itself plugs into the wall, meaning it’s much easier to store in a cupboard.
I found the frother easy to use, as with the others it has four settings – one specifically for hot chocolate, just like the Salter.
Once I filled it up, I was a little disappointed to realize that you couldn’t see it working because of the sturdy lid – the other’s lids are clear so you can see the device buzzing around.
Like Salter, it took a while, but it was worth the wait.
The first thing I noticed was the thick frothy top of the drink which was a bonus with every sip, it tasted like it came straight from Costa.
The texture was particularly velvety and smooth, and the temperature was perfect too.
- Hot chocolate: 10/10
- Price: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 17/20
Dualit – Milk frother
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Finally, I tried Dualit’s milk frother, which Amazon says is ideal for lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, hot chocolate and milkshakes.
The jug itself is quite bulky and not the prettiest to look at. I’m not sure it would be a good fit in most kitchens.
The deed was done in just over a minute, but left many large lumps of chocolate at the bottom and the drink was pale – not inviting at all.
It tasted like it looked, milky but not chocolatey and not particularly sweet either.
Overall it wasn’t very impressive and probably could have lasted a bit longer.
- Hot chocolate: 4/10
- Price: 5/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 9/20
In the meantime, we have tested heated cushions and the coziest ones cost nothing to use.
Additionally, we also tested heated airers from Aldi, Asda and Argos to dry laundry without heating.
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