Now that the cold winter weather has most definitely arrived, there’s nothing better than a night in – getting cosy on the sofa, watching our favourite festive flicks, and enjoying a delicious mug of hot chocolate. Perfection!
Perhaps one of the most popular ways to whip up a homemade hot chocolate is to use the iconic Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser. The Velvetiser simultaneously heats and mixes up your hot chocolate via a milk frother mechanism, and is one of the brand’s best-selling products.
But at almost £100 (£99.95 to be exact), it’s also pretty pricey. Thankfully though, for those of us who can’t justify that price right now, Aldi have served up their very own version of the Velvetiser at a fraction of the cost.
Aldi’s Velvetiser dupe
(Image credit: Aldi)
The budget store has recently re-launched their Ambiano Steel Hot Chocolate Maker (opens in new tab), which uses similar technology to the Velvetiser. It’s a corded machine which looks a little like a kettle, and like the Velvetiser, froths and heats your milk and hot chocolate (be it flakes or powder), to create a perfectly creamy drink.
And it’s a total bargain too – it’s on sale for just £39.99, making it almost £60 cheaper than the Hotel Chocolat machine.
Similarly to the Velvetiser, it’s also made with a non-stick coating for easy cleaning, and can just be used as a milk frother for your morning coffees, if you don’t fancy a hot chocolate. It even comes with a stirring whisk, which the Velvetiser does not.
(Image credit: Aldi)
Aldi’s dupe has got some solid customer reviews too, with one shopper exclaiming, ‘I am happy with [this] purchase, it does make a delicious chocolate drink. Excellent value compared to what’s on the market.’
But for those for whom almost £40 is still too much of a splurge for an occasional hot chocolate treat, Aldi also sells a similar, but more basic model, in the form of the Ambiano Milk Frother & Heater (opens in new tab). The smaller machine is normally on sale for £19.99, but it’s currently reduced to just £14.99.
(Image credit: Aldi)
Ideal Home’s Deputy Digital Editor Rebecca Knight in fact has this machine, and says, ‘It’s good for mixing up powdered hot chocolates, but it’s just not quite as silky as the Velvetiser.’
But that’s perhaps a price you’re willing to pay for almost 20% of the cost of the Velvetiser?
Like its more expensive Aldi companion, it also froths and heats your milk (and hot chocolate, if you want). But, it’s worth noting that the capacity is much lower – you’ll only be able to heat drinks of up to 190ml, and froth drinks up to 100ml, compared to a max capacity of 300ml with the Ambiano Steel Hot Chocolate Maker.
Hotel Chocolate Velvetiser
(Image credit: Hotel Chocolat)
Of course, the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser (opens in new tab) is still the premium choice, and undoubtedly delivers brilliant quality if you’re looking for a super easy way to make a hot chocolate.
I personally have one and wouldn’t be without it. It ensures my hot chocolate making is so quick and effortless – there’s almost no work required for a delicious drink. Plus, the sleek-looking machine looks really pretty on my countertop.
Hotel Chocolat’s offering also allows you to froth up to 200ml of liquid, which is a really decent serving.
If you’re after the more premium option and can pay the extra, the Velvetiser is well worth the splurge. But if you only enjoy hot chocolate infrequently, and don’t fancy spending that much on a new kitchen gadget, the Aldi options are brilliant, more affordable alternatives.
The Aldi hot chocolate maker is currently out of stock online, but it is still available to pick up instores. However, the Ambiano milk frother is still available to purchase online.
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