Everyone is trying to do everything. I went to CES, and “everything company” seems to be the operating mode for every tech company. I find it incredibly refreshing when a product does one thing and does it to perfection. Electric flossers, fridge-bacteria killers, and in this case, a hot-chocolate maker. Single-use gadget is a category I’m really into right now. And before you say it’s a waste of money to buy specific products, let me tell you about how hot chocolate has become our new cure of choice for these cold winter nights.
The Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser has been the unexpected MVP of my kitchen this winter. The device takes up less space than my neglected espresso machine (regular coffee is just easier most mornings) and gets more use, too. It’s super simple. Combine your milk of choice with the Hotel Chocolat packets—which are honestly just delivery vehicles for high-quality shaved chocolate—and press the only button. Rinse and repeat as many times as you want. It’s as easy as making that Swiss Miss in a microwave but tastes a hundred times better. So yeah, safe to say I’m obsessed.
Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Bundle
Do you need one? No. Is it worth buying? Yes, absolutely.
When I first brought it home, I was unsure of how much use it was going to get. My partner and I both like hot chocolate a reasonable amount, the amount any pair of adults like hot chocolate. Staring down 70 packets of chocolate in a variety of flavors was intimidating. We’ve spread the wealth—offering some to every friend who stopped by between March and now. We even threw a holiday party where we served hot chocolate. It’s been getting a lot of use, but embarrassingly, most of that is just on random weeknights when I want a warm, comforting treat.
The Velvetiser doesn’t have many parts. The machine itself comes with a removable lid and magnetic whisk that stirs the two ingredients but stays put while you pour your beverage. The heating base plugs directly into the wall, and every bundle comes with two ceramic cups that hold exactly one portion each. To make a drink, just add your Hotel Chocolat packet of choice and fill your milk up to the line. Put the lid on, press that power button, and voilà, a drink in less than two minutes. Every once in while it will require a preliminary stir with a spoon to get going, but typically it just works as is. The drinks always come out hot, but I have yet to burn my tongue. Foolproof.
You can use any type of milk (or alternative milk) and the result will be the same—deliciousness. I personally compared oat milk and 2 percent and found the two to create equally creamy cups of cocoa. The Hotel Chocolat hot chocolate is rich and thick but not overwhelmingly so. It’s advertised as “drinking chocolate” but ultimately isn’t as decadent as what you would get from a Jacque Torres chocolate shop.
It’s a good balance to strike, and when it comes to the flavored chocolates, many of them hit. While my personal favorite is still the classic 70 percent chocolate, I continue to receive rave reviews about the Salted Caramel and Black Forest Gateau flavors. There’s a lot to choose from (including mocha options), and the Hazelnut Praline is at the top of my wish list for when I refill.
The chocolate packets are great, but they are also the main hiccup here. In addition to the $150 starting price of the machine, the packets are $25 for a box of ten, or $2.50 each. If you want to try a few new flavors, an order can add up. At somewhere around three dollars per serving of hot chocolate, it’s far from the most cost-efficient version of the beverage. I haven’t tried chopping my own chocolate, but that does seem like a route to go if you want to save money (and don’t care as much about the fancy flavors).
Final verdict: I really do love it
At this point in my culinary journey, the best kitchen gadgets are fun to use and make something yummy. What makes me happier, this or a new knife? It’s this, and I can’t stop using it.
If you need a time peg, the Velvetiser from Hotel Chocolat would make an amazing gift this Valentine’s Day. Romantic, outside the box, and genuinely more useful than it first appears. If that’s in the cards, let me direct you to the starter-kit bundle, currently marked down from $290 to $190. It comes with a choice of four boxes—enough to get your favorite person addicted to expensive hot chocolate.
Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Starter Kit
Why Trust Esquire?
Because we’re not going to lie to you. I got this hot-chocolate maker with no intention of ever writing about it. But you know what … it’s fun, and I think more people should know about it. We test and award plenty of gadgets, homeware, and kitchen tools to know when something is cool enough to write about. If you want the honest-to-God truth about what you should buy in 2025, this is the only place you’ll get that.