Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Review: A Milk-Frother With Bells On

When I say I love hot chocolate, I really love hot chocolate, so much that I would be willing to get one delivered to my house every winter evening. It’s a huge treat and reminds me of winter months growing up, where a Sunday wasn’t complete without a cup of Cadbury’s topped with marshmallows and squirty cream (if I was lucky).

During the second (or maybe third, who knows) lockdown in 2020, the hot chocolate industry seemed to advance as I witnessed Hotel Chocolat Velvetisers taking over my TikTok and Instagram feed, mainly in the run-up to Christmas. Many people were raving over the most ‘luxurious, tastiest and smooth’ hot chocolate they have ever tasted in less than three minutes. Four years later and my love affair with the Velvetiser is still going strong.

Is the Velvetiser worth it?

The Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser in question is £109.95 for the starter bundle (£99.95 for just the machine). Which is quite expensive for something that I would probably only wheel out three months a year, however, I might be convinced it's worth dropping the coins.

A couple of years on from the Velvetiser boom, they're still going strong and are not just a novelty product long forgotten about. But how does it hold up now?

The Velvetiser itself is a milk frother with bells on. It looks so high-end (it is made by Dualit) and comes in four finishes (I opted for Copper) and is a ‘barista-grade system for hot chocolate, as served in Hotel Chocolat cafes’. Compatible coffee sachets are also available for the Velvetiser, which is great if you don't drink coffee every single day and becomes more of a treat.

In the box, you'll find a plastic transparent lid, a magnetic whisk that you place inside it, two ceramic mugs and 10 single-serve flavoured hot chocolate pouches.

All you need to do is add your milk of choice and one of the grated Hotel Chocolate pouches. Then press a button and watch as everything is melted to the precise temperature before being whisked and folded into the milk, making your hot chocolate. It's definitely one of the easiest appliances I've ever used and cleaning it is a dream - you just add warm water and press the button again to rinse out.

How was the Velvetiser tested?

I used the Velvetiser over the course of a few months, making a different hot chocolate each time and adjusting the way it was made (how much of the chocolate pouch was used and using different kinds of milk). I also made a note of how it performed each time and how it fitted into my kitchen.

Performance

It's safe to say the Velvetiser produces magnificent flavoursome hot chocolate, it's smooth, velvety and doesn't have that grainy texture that you get from some brands. For the purpose of this test, I tried the Milky and Hazelnut, Mint and Praline and Blood Orange pouches, and they were all delicious.

In fact, the 'out there' flavours opened my eyes to a whole new world of hot chocolate that I would never have tried before - chilli hot chocolate? Why not. A particular shout out to the Blood Orange, which tasted just like a Terry's Chocolate Orange in a mug. Hotel Chocolat regularly releases new flavours to try, including a pumpkin spiced sachet just in time for Autumn which is a great excuse to keep wheeling your Velvetiser out of the cupboard when you make a Pumpkin Spiced Latte.

You're also not limited to just hot chocolate either, as latte pouches are also available for those who want a more luxurious coffee hit. You can expect to pay £8-£13 to restock your hot chocolate for the Velvetiser if you are using the chocolate directly from Hotel Chocolat. There are also subscriptions available.

You can even make iced chocolate milkshakes on a hot day, by adding your freshly made drink to a glass with a few ice cubes.

Usability

It is worth mentioning how quiet the Velvetiser is, especially compared to noisy kettles and rumbling coffee machines, which could be a great idea for those up early in the morning who don't want to wake anyone else to have their coffee hit.

Build

Having a Velvetiser is a great talking point when friends and family visit, with a taste of luxury in your own kitchen and if you're a hot chocolate fan or know one, it really does make a great gift. It is also so pretty and sleek that I actually want to make room for it on my worktop.

I did have a few little niggles while using the machine. Like all milk frother machines, there is a maximum line to fill the milk to and if I'm honest, if you're after a big cup of comforting hot chocolate, you'll probably have to make it twice which is time-consuming.

As the machine barely makes a sound, it doesn't tell you when your hot chocolate is ready. It simply just switches off, there's no indicator light, you just simply have to stand around and wait for it to finish.

How Does The Hotel Velvetiser Compare To Rival Products?

There are a few hot chocolate makers on the market, but not as many as you think, which probably explains the popularity of the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser. Some recommend making hot chocolate in a milk frother, which coffee fans use to whip up some frothy milk for their latte. It's as simple as adding hot chocolate powder or shavings to the milk of your choice and simply pressing the button. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for extra indulgence.

However, when it comes to comparing milk frothers to Velvetisers, the main difference is that there is no heat control on a Velvetiser machine. It simply heats and froths milk. A Velvetiser is also designed purely for hot chocolate not for the milk for your frothy coffee. Although I would argue that you can use it for that and Hotel Chocolat sells coffee sachets that you can use in your Velvetiser.

Final Thoughts: Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser

Price

You need to love hot chocolate an awful lot to splurge on a Velvetiser, as it is expensive for what it is. But you could say the same for those who spend hundreds on a fancy bean-to-cup coffee machine.

A way to save money when using the Velvetiser is by using only half a sachet per hot chocolate, as the end product is very rich in itself, so using less doesn't actually make much difference - you can also sprinkle a few on top, too. All in all, the Velvetiser doesn't come cheap and the cost of the sachets is something to bear in mind for the future, especially if you're buying it as a gift for someone. Will they use it? They really need to love hot chocolate for it to be worthy of the splurge. However, I definitely think it will get some decent use in my house during the winter months.

Usability And Key Features

The Velvetiser doesn't really do much, but what it does do it does very well. A fine example of sticking to what you know and that is simply good enough. The price of the Velvetiser is a lot, but you can see that is made to last, so you'll hopefully be making luxury hot chocolates for years to come. The fact that there is only one button for everything is a great feature for those who want simplicity. Our lives are so full of multiple buttons and touch screens that this definitely brings it back to basics.

The design of the Velvetiser is so sleek and simple that it is one of those appliances that look fab on your Instagram feed. It's also small enough to store in the cupboard, too.

FAQS

Can you use other chocolate in your Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser?

This is one of the first thoughts I had when testing the machine out, surely I could just finely chop or grate up a Twix instead of splashing the cash on a box of pouches? Or use my trusted hot chocolate powder? Using different chocolate doesn't have a negative effect on the machine at all (I gave it a go) and it will save you money in the long run - it just won't be as smooth as using the Hotel Chocolat brand, which is specially made to use alongside the machine.

Is Hotel Chocolat ethical?

Hotel Chocolat is committed to supporting cocoa-growing communities. The chocolatier has a programme, Engaged Ethics, which takes Fair Trade a step further. The company also recently announced that it does not use palm oil.

Hannah Mellin is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Modern Gardens, A Modern Kitchen, Yours and Take A Break. She has been working in the Journalism industry for over a decade and has written for an array of brands including John Lewis, Daily Mirror and Grazia. When she's not writing, researching or testing products, she's renovating her Victorian terrace and chilling in the garden with her sausage dog Waffle.