If I don't have £100 to spend on a Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser...

[BlameItOnTheBlackStar]

What's a decent alternative for something closer to £25-£30?

I think DD would love the HC one, but I just cannot stretch to it or justify it.

Any recommendations please?

Thank you!

Jar of Aldi hot chocolate and one of those battery operated latte whisk things from amazon….? honestly we use those and find they’re the best thing ever. Microwave milk for 2 mins, bung the hot chocolate in and microwave for another min and then blast with the latte whisk….

Zulay Original Milk Frother Handheld Foam Maker for Lattes - Whisk Drink Mixer for Coffee, Mini Foamer for Cappuccino, Frappe, Matcha, Hot Chocolate by Milk Boss (Pink with Gold Button) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07P8W48HV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8BDHT6W6NXSCVTN63FBY?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Aldi or lidl have a milk heater and frother coming in for £20-£30.
It does (as far as I can work out) the same thing

Ooh that's interesting EvilPea!

www.aldi.co.uk/ambiano-milk-heater-%26-frother/p/712583561222901

We have the lavazza one from the Christmas bargain threads about two years ago
It makes incredible hot chocolate. You put the milk in, with the chocolate powder and turn it on and it heats, whizzes and froths away. It’s great. The aldi and lidl ones are the same as far as I can work out

Could you do other things to make the 'hot chocolate experience' a bit more exciting?

We just use the milk frother on the coffee machine for the hot chocolates but last year I saw an idea for making hot chocolate stick stirers by using Petit Filou pots as moulds and ice lolly sticks (or those wooden coffee stirers, I can't quite remember) and pouring in the chocolate of your choice (I'm thinking Terry's chocolate orange and Mint Matchmaker!) and topping it with Xmas sprinkles (I'm going to colour code them according to the flavour or maybe use crushed up candy cane!)

Apologies if this isn't what you're after though!

@EvilPea thanks for that, just ordered it for DH for Christmas!

Asda have one for £25!
My friend bought it for her DS and the reviews are good
She then bought flakes from hotel chocolat to go with it

No idea how to link sorry

Brilliant ideas @ParadiseLaundry thank you!

I can't speak for the velvetiser but personally wouldn't recommend the Aldi milk frother at all unless they've improved it since last year. We bought one as a cheaper alternative after our Nespresso one broke, but within a week we had replaced it with a Nespresso one. The Aldi one leaked (as in frothed over) every single time we used it, even with only a tiny amount of milk in. Not a patch on the Nespresso one.

Oh no I literally just ordered it

I was just going to say the same as PP - I have seen the asda one on various websites being called a dupe for the hotel chocolat one!

groceries.asda.com/product/kettles-coffee-makers/george-home-black-milk-frother/1000222400298

Hope this helps :)

@BlameItOnTheBlackStar Oh no, the Aldi one? Hopefully they've improved it since last year? Maybe keep your receipt, I bought mine in store and didn't keep receipt I should have returned it.

I heat the milk in the pan, stir in the hot chocolate then pour into a cafetiere and give it ten or so pumps. It froths it up really well, no need for any extra gadgets. Alternatively, after heating milk use a stick or jug blender and whizz for 10 seconds.

Great minds shylatte, was just about to say the same thing. Coffee press works very well on hot milk.

The duealit milk frother is the same, (both are made by duealit) except better in that you can do cold froth too which is perfect for milkshakes. The hotel chocolat is just a branded version for 2-3x the price. I love mine (I have both) but unless you can justify the extra cost of the look of the velvetiser then there’s no need for it.

I think Asda is more my price range

I got a milk frother from asda, great for hot choc and only 16 quid

Lavazza 100%.

We replaced our Velvetiser with it. Thought the HC was shit tbh, plus we can also use the Lavazza for lattes etc.

I have this I can't believe its much different www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08NT2SWM9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8