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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard the term ‘Velvetiser’ being thrown around lately and wondered what, exactly, it was. You’re certainly not alone; I was exactly the same. What is this new kitchen gadget that everyone’s raving about? And just what does a Velvetiser do exactly?
I’ve done the research, so you don’t have to.
Let’s take a deep dive into the wonderful world of the Velvetiser.
What is a Velvetiser?
The Velvetiser is the name of a device created by Hotel Chocolat.
It was first released for sale to the general public back in 2018, marketed as a brand-new way to enjoy barista-style drinks, primarily hot chocolate, from the comfort of your own home.
In the words of Hotel Chocolat:
“The texture of your finished drink is paramount: not too thick, not watery, but luxuriously silky-smooth – ‘velvetised’. Once you’ve velvetised, there’s no going back.”
Hotel Chocolat
What Does a Velvetiser Do?
The Velvetiser turns drinks from ordinary ones into velvety-smooth, super creamy ones.
It gives hot drinks (and sometimes cold drinks) a smooth, rich, creamy finish, offering you a coffee shop-style hot chocolate right in the comfort of your own home. And the best news: it’s all for a fraction of the price. (Once you’ve invested in the initial equipment, obviously.)
Is a Velvetiser the Same as a Milk Frother?
No, The Velvetiser is not the same as a milk frother.
Technically, they could be seen as similar kitchen gadgets. If you have one, why would you need the other?
Milk frothers froth milk. The name gives it away, really. There are various different designs on the market these days, from a simple frothing wand to an electronic jug frother, but the concept is the same. They are designed to froth milk.
The Velvetiser makes milk (and other drinks) like velvet in texture (again, hence the name) – soft, creamy and smooth. Not exactly frothy, but frothiness might happen as a result. Frothing the drink is not the main aim, however.
The Velvetiser will heat the beverage as it whisks. This is perhaps one reason why drinks made with one are usually creamy, thicker and richer than non-Velvetiser-made drinks.
Milk frothers are often used to give warm/hot milk some air before it is introduced to lattes, cappuccinos, and other delicious beverages.
The Velvetiser is used more commonly for hot chocolate. The froth isn’t necessary, but the silky-smooth velvet finish, on the other hand, is necessary.
Ideally, all hot chocolates would be velvet-smooth and super creamy, but that’s just my opinion.
In essence, milk frothers are just that: machines or gadgets that froth up usually hot milk. The Velvetiser, however, is a machine mostly designed for making delicious and rich hot chocolate drinks.
What’s the Difference Between Milk Frothers and Velvetisers?
Most milk frothers are designed to froth milk. This is then poured into a cup of waiting espresso (for example). You don’t create the whole drink in the actual milk frother itself. You only create part of it.
Old school milk frothers work like an electric whisk, beating the fluid until there are lots of bubbles.
Newer models of frothers offer more features. Some jug-style frothers have heating elements, which heats the drink as it froths. This essentially means, it’s doing the same job as The Velvetiser.
The model below has hot foam, cold foam, and heating settings. This means you can make hot foam for cappuccinos, cold foam for milkshakes and cocktails, and then use the heating settings as a makeshift Velvetiser.
The Velvetiser has been designed in such a way that you throw all of the ingredients into the jug or container, turn it on, and when it’s done, you simply pour the drink into a cup and off you go. You don’t need to pour the milk into another cup, then mix it all up, or heat parts up elsewhere.
Everything goes in, the button gets pressed, and then two minutes and thirty seconds later, you’ll have a rich and creamy cup of hot chocolate (or whatever) in your hand.
The Velvetiser basically does all of the hard work for you. This results in a much richer, creamier and smoother drink. That’s the theory, anyway.
These days, you can buy milk frothers that also work in the same kind of way as The Velvetiser – the milk and chocolate (powder/liquid) is thrown in, heated, and perfectly blended, all at the same time.
Can You Use a Milk Frother as a Velvetiser?
Yes, some makes and models of milk frother can be used in the same way as The Velvetiser.
But not all of them are equipped to deal with such a task.
Certain models of milk frother will state something along the lines of:
“Can be used to make hot chocolate…”
You can also look for milk frothers that have some sort of heating function. They will usually mix drinks in much the same way as The Velvetiser will.
Milk frothers that are also suitable for making hot chocolates in the actual jug or container itself, can be used in the same ways that The Velvetiser can. In some cases, with some models, you likely wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a hot chocolate made with The Velvetiser, and one made with a hot chocolate-suitable milk frother.
Can a Velvetiser Froth Milk?
Yes, The Velvetiser can froth milk… sort-of.
The Velvetiser whisks and heats, so fluids turn bubbly and frothy. You may notice, however, that the frothiness from The Velvetiser is slightly different to the frothiness of a milk frother. This is much in the same way that the frothiness of a cappuccino is different to the rich frothiness of a hot chocolate.
Can You Make Ordinary Coffee with a Velvetiser?
No, you can’t make “ordinary” coffee with The Velvetiser.
(Although, that does depend on what your definition of ‘ordinary’ is.)
If you’re in the market for a cup of hot, black coffee, The Velvetiser is not going to deliver. That’s not what it is designed for. It is designed to make rich, creamy, luxurious, expensive-tasting drinks that are made in your own kitchen, but have all the effect of costly, barista-made ones.
What Can You Use in a Velvetiser?
Hotel Chocolat recommends using only Velvetiser-specific chocolate flakes in The Velvetiser. The company goes on to say that different sizes and types of flakes can damage the blades of the device, reducing the quality of drinks going forward. They can also completely break the device.
Hotel Chocolat offers a range of sachet flavours for The Velvetiser. These include:
- Vanilla White Hot Chocolate
- Hazelnut Praline Hot Chocolate
- Orange Supermilk Hot Chocolate
- Classic 70% Dark Hot Chocolate
- Black Forest Gateau Hot Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
- Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
- 85% Dark Hot Chocolate
- Ginger Hot Chocolate
- Dark With Mint Hot Chocolate
- Milky 50% Hot Chocolate
- Salted Caramel & Clement Hot Chocolate
- 45% Nutmilk Hot Chocolate
- 100% Dark Hot Chocolate
- Vegan Hot Chocolate
- 75% Colombia Sierra Nevada Hot Chocolate
You can also get a few non hot chocolate-based drinks in sachet form, from Hotel Chocolat. These include:
- Caramel Latte
- Hazelnut Latte
- Chocolate Latte
- Caffe Latte
It appears that these flavours are updated every now and then. Take a peek at the Hotel Chocolat website to find out what’s on offer.