I tested hot chocolate makers including Hotel Chocolat – a bargain was better than the posh brand and 70% cheaper

NOTHING warms the cockles on a cold winter’s day more than a delicious cup of hot chocolate.

But with a variety of machines now on sale to help you, which will create the tastiest drink?

Steve Bell

Lynsey Hope tested five hot chocolate makers on the market[/caption]

Hotel Chocolat’s Velvetiser is one of the most coveted Christmas presents but it costs nearly £100.

We asked mum-of-three Lynsey Hope, 41, from West Malling, Kent, to try out some machines to see how they fared against the best-seller.

And one £30 option from Amazon was even better.

Here’s what happened:

Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser

• £99.95, hotelchocolat.com

Steve Bell

Hotel Chocolat’s velvetiser is often found on people’s wish lists for Christmas[/caption]

Lynsey says: “This is a luxurious machine that often tops people’s Christmas wish lists.

“It has a sleek design. It’s very easy to set up, simply add the flakes and fill the milk to the desired level.

“It only really makes one cup or two small cups at a time and with three kids wanting one after a winter’s walk, I found this a bit of a faff and would have preferred to make the lot in one go.

“It took about two minutes to make a delicious, rich and creamy hot chocolate which came out at a perfect temperature.

“I loved the consistency of the hot chocolate it made, which had no firm froth but lots of body.

“The only downside is the price so if you want it, you’ll have to look out for deals.

“Hotel Chocolat is offering £20 off until November 13 so snap one up quick.”

• CHOCOLATE: 10/10
• VALUE: 8/10
• OVERALL SCORE: 9/10

Automatic Milk Frother and Hot Chocolate Maker

• £31.99, amazon.co.uk

Steve Bell

Lynsey crowned this maker the winner – and it costs almost 70% less than Hotel Chocolat’s version[/caption]

Lynsey says: “Less than a third of the price of the Hotel Chocolat machine so I wasn’t expecting much, but happy to report I was pleasantly surprised.

“This machine has four settings, is super quiet, easy to use and you just rinse it out like a jug afterwards.

“If you add some fancy hot chocolate flakes to this rather than powder, you’ll barely notice the difference.

“The resulting hot chocolate was creamy, rich and delicious, loved by me and all my kids.

“It’s not as sleek as some of the others but who cares if it is being hidden away in a cupboard anyway. This is a winner.”

• CHOCOLATE: 10/10
• VALUE: 10/10
• OVERALL SCORE: 10/10

Lakeland Milk Frother and Hot Chocolate Maker

• £59.99, lakeland.co.uk

Steve Bell

Lynsey found the Lakeland gadget did a good job of frothing up the milk[/caption]

Lynsey says: “This did a great job of frothing up the milk for my hot chocolate.

“It was easy to use and was cheaper than many similar models.

My only complaint is the temperature – it tended to come out lukewarm rather than hot.

“Handy when making it for the kids but I didn’t really want a ‘lukewarm’ chocolate.”

• CHOCOLATE: 5/10
• VALUE: 6/10
• OVERALL SCORE: 5/10

Smeg Milk Frother

• £150, shop.smeg-uk.com

Steve Bell

Smeg appliances are popular in many kitchens, but they’re pricey[/caption]

Lynsey says: “A really lovely retro design that will look fab in anyone’s home – but how did my hot chocolate fare?

“It took about three minutes to whip up one drink.

“The flakes melted quickly to create a smooth, rich chocolate and while not boiling hot, it was hot enough but ok to gulp down straight away.

“The foam was smooth and velvety, perfect when sprinkled with a helping of marshmallows.

“The clean-up was easy and far less of a faff than heating a pan on the hob.

“The jug and lid can both go in the dishwasher.

“You can use this to make cappuccinos and lattes as well as hot chocolate which is a bonus and it can be used for cold milk if you want an iced coffee in the summer.

“It’s pricey and for that reason not my top choice, but if you’ve got the cash or want to splurge on someone’s Christmas pressie, they won’t be disappointed with this.”

• CHOCOLATE: 9/10
• VALUE: 5/10
• OVERALL SCORE: 6/10

Dualit Milk Frother and Hot Chocolate Maker

• £65, cocobachocolate.com

Steve Bell

Cocoba Chocolate’s maker comes with flakes and mini marshmallows[/caption]

Lynsey says: “You can buy this frother from luxury chocolate brand Cocoba Chocolate and it comes with some of their delicious milk chocolate flakes and mini marshmallows for a special hot chocolate.

“It is really easy to use and easy to clean and only takes 30 seconds to heat and froth the milk, one of the quickest in our test.

“You can add enough milk to make one big hot chocolate – again, I would have preferred it bigger.

“With the Cocoba set, this is a lovely gift.”

• CHOCOLATE: 9/10
• VALUE: 8/10
• OVERALL SCORE: 8/10

We’ve also tested the best hot chocolate drinks – and a liquid version of one of Britain’s best-loved bars was the winner.

Last year, shoppers spotted a huge discount on the Hotel Chocolat velvetiser at Morrisons.