We tried and tested the best Velvetiser alternatives for silky hot chocolate all winter

Don’t think you need a hot chocolate maker? This will change your mind! The design looks really smart and the handle feels sturdy to hold. You can set it up in minutes after doing your first cycle with some washing-up liquid and water – proof that it’s very easy to clean. The Velvetiser comes with a selection pack of Hotel Chocolat’s signature flakes and two cups. It’s as simple as adding the milk, chocolate and pressing go.

The machine quietly whirs for just under two minutes and the result is a luxuriously smooth drink, which is piping hot. Refills work out at a pricey £1.50 a drink, but there are some delicious flavours available and you can find cheaper alternatives or finely chop your own chocolate instead.

The sleek, compact design doesn’t take up too much room in the cupboard and is easy to set up, although the instructions could have been a little clearer with more detail. The machine is simple to use, we added the milk and hot chocolate powder to the jug and chose the hot chocolate button. It took around five minutes to heat and mix the hot chocolate before it was ready to drink. The result was the perfect temperature and a good, creamy consistency.

A great benefit of this appliance is that it’s also a milk frother so makes a good, iced latte or similar coffee. It’s also easy to clean and we’re looking forward to using it again.

Even though in the past we haven’t understood the need for a hot chocolate maker, this machine has made us recent converts, elevating our regular drinks. Easy to use, there are four options to select – hot chocolate, milk heater, cappuccinos and shakes – that are selected on the front of the jug. For hot chocolate, all you have to do is add your desired hot chocolate powder or shavings and milk to the jug, press the button and let it do its thing. Within minutes, a smooth, luxurious-tasting hot chocolate is produced.

We were impressed by how efficient this was, despite it being so compact in size.

The gadget itself is pleasingly simple – a sleek black jug with a simple frothing ring inside, a clear plastic lid and simple plug-in base to stand it on. It has one button, which you press once for thick hot froth, twice for light hot froth, three times for hot milk or hot chocolate, or four times for cold froth. It is so simple to use that our 10-year-old has taken ownership of it and uses it almost daily to make himself a hot chocolate, which he says tastes so much better from The Chocolatier! For luxurious results, use chocolate shavings, but we experimented and used regular hot chocolate powder and this still made a really creamy drink.

It’s not fast, which might be an issue if you’ve got several hot drinks to make at once. The only notable downside is that we’re getting through so much more milk!

We love hot chocolate in our house, so we're pleasantly surprised by how easy this machine is to use. Once plugged in, pour in your milk of choice, then chocolate flakes or powder, before pressing the button three times to activate the hot chocolate setting. The machine beeps once, then gets to work, stirring your drink for three to five minutes and beeping once again when ready.

Although the built-in whisk is small, it did a great job at getting rid of all and any lumps, delivering smooth, silky hot chocolate with no faff whatsoever. The stainless-steel removal cup means it’s a breeze to clean – it’s not dishwasher safe but rinses out easily – as does the whisk.

We know that this one isn't exactly a dupe as it is just as expensive as The Velvetiser but we were so curious to put this to the test. Even though the instructions initially appeared a little longwinded, once we got the hang of using it, this device proved to be incredibly easy and efficient. Admittedly it’s on the more expensive side, but its amazing versatility makes this hot chocolate maker a great investment. You can use either small chunks of your favourite chocolate or cocoa powder to make a deliciously velvety and frothy hot chocolate, which is served at the perfect drinking temperature. We loved the recipes included in the instructions that provided extra guidance and inspiration.

You can also make coffees with both cold-frothed and warm-frothed milk – all at the click of a button! With a 600ml capacity, it is also one of the more generously sized hot chocolate makers on the market.