Buy a velvetiser? Or an alternative?

[NeededANameChangeAnyway]

I really fancy a velvetiser as I love hot chocolate. Is it worth it? Do you have to use Hotel Chocolat bits in it?

What should I go for instead of a velvetiser?

Or just stick with hot milk in a pot and a decent hot chocoate (and Bailey's)?

My method: mix up a very little hot water from the kettle to dissolve the chocolate, then use my coffee machine for the milk foam. It gives a beautiful texture at just the right temperature, so have been able to resist the pull of buying another separate kitchen gadget.

I've never bothered my coffee machine makes hot chocolate so I see no reason to buy a separate appliance just for one job

@Cluckycluck ah......so the HC one doesn't go in the dishwasher?? That might be the clincher!!

@TinnedTina
Sorry, I hadn't realised they'd sold out when I posted a link. Apparently Knoops sell their own version of the Chocolate Society shaker but it's £5 more expensive. However, their hot chocolate flakes are unbeatable. And also super expensive!

The HC Velvetiser is a pain as it is a full unit so has to be carefully washed by hand without immersing it.

The Smeg has a stainless steel jug that sits on the heating unit so can be put in the dishwasher. Well worth the extra cost in my opinion.

It takes about 10s to rinse, wipe with a cloth, rinse again, it's not a lot of effort at all.

I love hot chocolate and we bought one for work ( children's unit) like many other gadgets we used it all the time to begin with then the novelty wore off!

I thought about getting one for myself and realised I'd be the same with stand it would just be more clutter in the house.

If you press it again when it's finished it gives you another half cycle (on the old ones).

I'd definitely recommend a velvetiser, they're so good! You can use pretty much any hot chocolate in them too, doesn't have to be Hotel Chocolat's own. I like just using the galaxy sachets

it's very interesting reading everyone's differing opinions. I'm convinced it's not the machine/shaker/pan that makes the difference (although it clearly need a good amount of 'agitation'), it's the quality of the chocolate used. No powders here! Might need a second mortgage to fund the habit though!

Ooh the shakers look good! I’m put off the Velvetiser by the price and the fact you have to manually clean it. Sure it might only take X seconds but that’s X seconds I would rather not spend. Also I like my hot drinks really hot, as I inevitably get distracted just after making them.

We do have a much cheaper Velvetiser dupe that you can put in dishwasher (the mug unit thing detaches) and it does make a nice hot chocolate, but it’s not quite hot enough for me. Might have to wait for the Chocolate Society shaker to come back in stock and treat myself!

Lidl do a knock off one.

I have the breville version and quite confident it works exactly the same. Has fruit and cold settings

Is that the milk frother from smeg you recommend? Is it the bigger one or mini?

I bought the Velvetiser for DD, and it has had more use than probably any other gift. For me, the drinks aren’t hot enough, but I only rarely drink hot chocolate so it’s not a big deal. It does have to be cleaned carefully but it’s not really a problem.

I will say though, HC’s customer service was excellent when it broke after six months. It started knocking out the electric. HC asked a couple of questions, asked me to return the unit (free postage), and sent out a new unit complete with another cup and glass and complimentary box of sachets.

I’ve had mine for about 5 years and use it all the time in winter.

It comes out at a “just right for drinking” temperature but if you like it a little hotter it’s easy enough to pre-warm the cup by filling it with hot water from the tap while the velvetiser is doing its thing.

@Ilovefoodandwine

Smeg Frother

This is the one I have