Find out what Mumsnet testers thought of the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser

[JustineBMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the Mumsnet users who have been testing the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser with their families.

Testers, please share your feedback by answering the following questions and completing the short survey we've emailed you:

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?
2. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?
3. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.
4. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?
5. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

Finally, if you have any pictures you’re happy to share - of using the Velvetiser or of the drinks you created - we’d love to see them on the thread below alongside your feedback.

If you didn’t take part in the product test but own a Velvetiser, please feel free to share your feedback by answering the above questions - you’ll be entered into a £100 voucher prize draw, and the first 15 non-testers to share their feedback will receive their choice of Hotel Chocolat’s new Black Forest Gateau or Salted Caramel & Clementine flavour sachets (subject to providing delivery details).

Here’s what Hotel Chocolat has to say: “The Velvetiser is the ultimate go-to machine for creating barista-grade velvety chocolate drinks. From indulgent hot chocolates, delectable milkshakes to boozy cocktails – create your favourites in just 2.5 minutes. Whatever your lifestyle, the Velvetiser delivers.”

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

@rosegoldwatcher I bought mine with a discount, so didn’t pay full price. There’s a £20 off code for Hotel Chocolat’s own website at the moment, I’m sure I saw an advert on Facebook.

I wasn't a tester and I love mine! It's amazing,
we use it for lattes everyday and hot chocolate once a week or so, hotel chocolat have great vegan hot chocolate choices for it as well

Not a tester! Did apply as I’ve wanted one for a few years, didn’t get selected so thought sod it and brought one!

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?

I love the styling of it. It looks like a high-end utensil. I got the charcoal - can’t really think of another colour - I think red would actually cheapen the look of it! A midnight blue might work and tie in with a popular kitchen trend colour!

2. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?

It’s nice and small and easy to clean.

3. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.

Have only made hot chocolate.

4. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?

Have only tried the Milk 50% so far. Will probably wait for the summer to try cold drinks.

5. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

No recipes but if I’m being weekend indulgent with a bit of whipped cream squirted on the top, a teaspoon of the hot chocolate reserved to sprinkle over it works well as it’s real chips of chocolate and not a dusting of coco powder.

Not a tester I got mine as a Christmas present last year

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?

I like it, it's stylish. I have the white but didn't realise it was matt white as my kettle and toaster (and kitchen cupboards) are white gloss so I wish there had been a gloss version.

1. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?

It's fairly small to store but the handle sticks out which I find a bit annoying as it takes up more space than if it were like a kettle handle.
It's easy to clean but beware if you don't do it properly then the spinny bit stops spinning, which you only realise once your milk and chocolate are already in so it's a bit messy to yank out to clean again.
Most times I just rinse it out rather than the full water/soap run as I want to enjoy my drink not immediately clean up!

1. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.

As mine is an older version the instructions are only for hot chocolate. I only realised a couple of months ago that it's essentially an expensive milk frother and therefore can be used for warm milk and latte! I make milky hot choc with the proper flakes, milky hot choc with cadbury powder, water hot choc with highlights powder, hot latte (adding frothed milk to decaf coffee) and iced latte. The iced latte was a bit of a faff because of course the milk is hot - it's better if you prepare your coffee in advance and leave to cool in the fridge otherwise you need a lot of ice. We've also used oat milk as well as cow's milk, works just as well with both (it spins a bit fast with just water, but does the job).

1. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?

We've only had the regular and white hot chocolate because we don't have a Hotel Chocolat shop near us to buy more.

1. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

Nothing fancy, I was chuffed with myself for making the leap from chocolate to latte but since then realised that HC are now promoting more types of drinks!

I don't think I'd have gone out and bought one myself, it's an expensive milk frother at the end of the day, but it's a brilliant gift that gets very regular use (teen DD loves it too).

Non tester, owner of a Velvetiser.

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?

Love the look of it. I have the copper coloured one.

1. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?

Easy to use. Easy to clean. I put a drop of washing up liquid in add water and turn it on to clean it. Then rinse it under the tap.

1. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.

I particularly like the vegan drink (I'm not vegan) it's slightly too sweet so I don't use all the sachet but I love the nutty chocolatey flavour. The process couldn't be easier. I've never made a cold drink in it. Maybe I should as I find the hot drinks not hot enough. That's the only drawback. I warm the cup beforehand as well. It's the only thing which lets it down.

1. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?

Love the dark chocolate and the vegan one best.

1. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

Just use the sachets.

Not a tester, have owned mine for 2 years. Was first introduced to HC hot chocolate by a friend and thought it was magic.

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?

We have the copper one and it’s lovely, it looks high end and decadent. I don’t think it would work in say bright pink/blue. But I really think you need to make a double version. It feels like an event and treat manning it, but if friends come round it takes about 15mins to make 4 people one so it’s not really practical and the moment is lost when the first person has drank theirs to stop it getting cold. The little cups feel like it’s an event and treat as well.

1. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?

Easy to use, storing wise we keep it on the counter top as it looks great. Clean wise I find after it’s finished it’s clean cycle you have to then rinse it straight away. You sometimes have to still wipe the whisk clean. It’s also destroying the bottom of the flask where the magnets attach and it started going rusty before 12months there so I’m not sure I would buy another one if this is a fault, I’m torn between throwing it out as I don’t want metal in my food and not wanting to stop the hot chocolate.

1. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.

Have to say the latte’s are disgusting. I don’t know what they’re made of and we tried 3 different boxes. To me they smelt like the mould you get when you leave a cup of milk for a few days. I gave them away to someone else with a velvetiser and they also agreed they were undrinkable and they were binned. We tried 3 different flavours.

Apart from that have tried all the flavours apart from the chilli and 100% dark. Made the cold hot chocolate which was nice but kind of defeats the object. Ha d tried making a standard one and leaving it in the fridge but it just set solid!

1. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?

Salted caramel and clementine hands down, there was a similar one last year that tasted like Christmas. I’d like to see some more flavoured lower sugar/diabetic/keto type versions if possible.

1. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

Have tried using caramel sachets and syrups which also work and it works well for a lazy instant coffee with milk and instant coffee granules.

Well, after 10 minutes outside kicking dead leaves about in a sulk because I didn’t get chosen to test (side eyes to MN) I gave in, went on the HC site and have bought one. It’s on a subscription offer , so the machine is half price (YAY!) but you commit to buying a fixed amount of sachets for either six or twelve months.

Have dried my eyes and am now earworming “I’m in with the in crowd, I go where the in crowd goes.....”

1. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?

Easy to use, storing wise we keep it on the counter top as it looks great. Clean wise I find after it’s finished it’s clean cycle you have to then rinse it straight away. You sometimes have to still wipe the whisk clean. It’s also destroying the bottom of the flask where the magnets attach and it started going rusty before 12months there so I’m not sure I would buy another one if this is a fault, I’m torn between throwing it out as I don’t want metal in my food and not wanting to stop the hot chocolate.

thats awful

Non tester

1: I have the charcoal grey which is very smart and works well with any kitchen colour scheme

2: It's very easy to use. I do the cleaning cycle as soon as I've poured out the last serving and it works well.

3: I'm not a coffee drinker so just use it for hot chocolate. Never occurred to me to use it for cold drinks!

4: I generally use a supermarket own brand alternative as it's so much cheaper, either milk or dark chocolate. Dark chocolate and cherry could be a nice combination.

5: Just kept it simple so far, I imagine it would be good with a dash of Bailey's!

Non tester - bought myself when I didn’t get to test.

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?

I bought the copper one. Would have liked to see pastel colours in the range as well.

1. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?

Very easy to use but would have liked to be able to be able to make more than one drink at a time.

1. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.

I haven’t used it to make cold drinks but have made coffees and lots of hot chocolates for the kids. I am hoping the novelty will wear off soon snd it will be a weekly rather than a daily treat! It was very easy to use and to clean.

1. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?

I prefer the mint and the kids like the classic. They are quite pricey so will look at using non branded as well.

1. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

Just lots of cream and marshmallows so far maybe we will get more adventurous soon.

I didn't test one but recently bought one and I love it!

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?

It looks great, really well designed and I'm happy for it to live on my worktop. I have the charcoal but I probably would've ordered navy blue if that had been an option.

1. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?

It's incredibly simple. Really easy to clean, I just swill it out then set it to clean itself while I drink my drink. Storage wise it hasn't been put away yet but DH did comment that it would make sense if the handle unscrewed so it would take up less room.

1. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.

I have the mixed flavour box. I really love the milky and plain. Quite enjoyed the orange but didn't like the chilli! I'm looking forward to trying the white. I haven't tried cold drinks because it sounds like a faff and I never have any ice in but I definitely will give it a go. Was saying to DH today I wonder if you could poach an egg in it if you too the whisk out 😂

1. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?

Whoops, answered this about but I think I'd like a coconut or cherry flavour.

1. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

I haven't experimented yet!

Non tester but received one for my birthday!

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?

I have the charcoal version which fits in well with my kitchen - it’s unobtrusive and doesn’t take up too much space. I like the simple design.

2. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?

It is very easy to use and to clean. I’ve found that I usually need to give the jug a wipe around with a microfibre cloth after doing the washing up liquid and water run, but it’s no hardship.

1. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.

As we are firmly in autumn now, I’ve only made hot chocolate with the machine so far. The process is very simple - milk, sachet, press button, and wait. Couldn’t be much easier!

4. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?

So far have tried the milk hot chocolate, white chocolate and vanilla, and Black Forest with the latter being my runaway favourite. I’m going to stock up in case it’s a seasonal thing!

5. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

No recipes as such, but have added a ristretto shot to make a mocha which has turned out well!

Hi @mnhq I was wondering if there was a way of letting us know which members are premium taking part in this feedback and which are just regular members please?

Thanks

One of the perks of being premium is more likely to get selected so this changes the demographic of random testing for me and I was hoping to know before I took the feedback to heart

The fact that I'm not Premium tells you nothing about my demographic at all.

Absolutely- you would be included in a random demographic, but if they solely chosen premium members then that would make the demographic only those that can afford a voluntary £ a month to a parenting site- which is fairly niche and would make me take the feedback with a pinch of salt

Since they clarify between tester and non tester I would also like to see the clarification between premium and non-premium

@JustineBMumsnet is there any update on the winner of the prize draw/ freebies for non-testers?

@MNHQ

I was wondering if there was a timeline for when we're likely to hear about the hot chocolate/prize draw please?

Still no update on this @JustineBMumsnet ?

@JustineBMumsnet

This is the feedback thread for the Mumsnet users who have been testing the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser with their families.

Testers, please share your feedback by answering the following questions and completing the short survey we've emailed you:

1. What did you think of the look and style of the Velvetiser? What colors would you like to see available?
2. How did you find the Velvetiser to use? How easy was it to clean and store?
3. Which drinks did you make with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? What did you think about the process of using the Velvetiser to make the drinks you tried? Please consider the process for making both hot and cold drinks.
4. Of the flavours you tried, which did you like most? Is there anything you’d like to try, or anything new you’d like to see from Hotel Chocolat?
5. Which recipes did you use with the Velvetiser? Did you create any of your own? We’d love to see them if you have any to share!

Finally, if you have any pictures you’re happy to share - of using the Velvetiser or of the drinks you created - we’d love to see them on the thread below alongside your feedback.

If you didn’t take part in the product test but own a Velvetiser, please feel free to share your feedback by answering the above questions - you’ll be entered into a £100 voucher prize draw, and the first 15 non-testers to share their feedback will receive their choice of Hotel Chocolat’s new Black Forest Gateau or Salted Caramel & Clementine flavour sachets (subject to providing delivery details).

Here’s what Hotel Chocolat has to say: “The Velvetiser is the ultimate go-to machine for creating barista-grade velvety chocolate drinks. From indulgent hot chocolates, delectable milkshakes to boozy cocktails – create your favourites in just 2.5 minutes. Whatever your lifestyle, the Velvetiser delivers.”

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

Still waiting for the elusive chocolate drink sachets?....

Apologies for not posting on thread with an update on the sachets for non-testers! We're slowly - but steadily - getting through the list of non-testers who have posted here. If you think you should be emailed this will be within the next few days. You'll have 14 days to get back to us with the details that will be needed, so we may be in touch with some additional non-testers early in the new year if we have any non-replies.

Thanks for letting us know, Justine!

Did anyone ever hear about this? I still haven't heard anything.

Nope... what's going on @JustineBMumsnet ?