NostalgiaRetro Frother and Hot Chocolate Maker and Dispenser, 32 Oz, for Coffees, Lattes, Cappuccinos, Red

This product lasts about 2.5 yrs with seasonal use. This is the 3rd time we’ve gotten this product. All of them will get a residual gunk over the heating element after each use and you need to be sure to clean under the silicone or it will start to get mold under the seal. Buying some dish detail cleaners is all you need to clean it. It is loud but it does the job and doesn’t bust the bank. To make our hot chocolate we put in milk and add whatever chocolate we have on hand. Usually it’s just a handful of chocolate chips, but during Christmas or other holidays just throw all that crap chocolate you get in and turn it on. It’s delicious! Best way to use it!

Good versatile product

This is my fifth purchase of this maker in the past decade. I've also tried several other brands. This is the best one available, hands down.Why so many? I use it every day. I even take it traveling with me. I do not like coffee, and I've come up with my own cocoa blend using unsweetened cocoa powder and honey, agave, or other sweetener. That means I can make it much less sweet with less crap ingredients than commercial cocoas. Over time, something fails or gets damaged. I actually have a collection of spare parts. But, the last one succumbed to a mis-wired outlet that pushed 240 instead of 110. Not surprisingly, it shorted out the board.The price can vary wildly on this and other makers. Fortunately, this seller had it at a reasonable price of $39.99 with a $6 coupon.This model does an excellent job of thoroughly mixing my ingredients, heating them well. It does not have an auto-off, a slight problem, so you have to keep an eye on it to not burn the milk. One carafe spigot failed on me when the cocoa was so hot it melted the silicone seal. I had spare parts for that time, though. It is somewhat noisy, but not too obnoxiously so. The carafe is translucent enough that you can see how full it is without removing the lid.The only other minus is cleaning. It is hard to scrub the carafe properly. However, you can remove the spigot to clean it, and at least the carafe comes off of the base. Some other brands do not, making it much harder to clean than this. Also, be very careful not to overfill it, or frothed beverage will overflow and make a big mess.It's also very attractive. I've had the black model, but love the shiny red of this one.A very good option, and obviously I would buy it again.

It’s small and a little loud but does an amazing job, it’s quick on heating up and makes magical moments for the kids, it’s very practical to clean up and easy to put put together and put away. I got 4 of these items and love them as gifts too.It’s worth buying multiple ones for large parties and have multiple stations to help the traffic of people making a line

I had one of these 20 years ago. Back then, the top didn't come off and they were super hard to clean. I bought this one because we lost the old one in a move long ago. It was GREAT the first two times I used it. But on the third time, after about 8 or 9 minutes, I started smelling "burning plastic." I was in the other room (about 8 feet away with an open door) and ran out to unplug it. I couldn't figure out what was burning. I thought at first it hadn't mixed the chocolate well and some had ended up on the heating plate.I was wrong.I emptied the hot chocolate (which was way hotter than usual), then added cold water to the pitcher so I could cool down the hot plate. While doing that, I happened to notice the frother blade was loose. When I wiggled it a bit, the hardware holding it in on the underside fell off into the sink. I realized then that the plastic around that had melted and burned.I loved it while it lasted. They tell you not to keep it on more than 15 minutes, and I would advise far less. The first two times I used it, it took about 12 minutes to heat my hot chocolate to a comfortable, drinkable level. But the third, after 8 minutes, it was way too hot and the underside melted.I'm sure this is an infrequent thing, as the reviews are still great. But take this review as a cautionary tale to be careful with it. Even if you're following the directions to the letter...things can go wrong.

My business team and I enjoy this hot chocolate maker that also doubles as a coffee machine, and it's been a great addition to our coffee-tasting events. It's a great attraction and in the same color -- RED -- that fits nicely with our brand.This machine has also become a point of interest at our booth, attracting more visitors keen to try the beverages it produces. It's nice to offer something that not only tastes good but also adds an element of fun to the experience.The spout dispenser is also very convenient, enabling us to serve samples to our guests efficiently, with everyone enjoying their drinks within just 6-8 minutes. We do wish, however, that the jug could hold more than 32oz, as we often find ourselves running out quickly due to its popularity.The machine excels in both making hot chocolate and brewing coffee, which is particularly appreciated at our events. We add milk or half-n-half to the batch which adds to the creaminess and enhances the flavor, and we appreciate the froth stirrer keeps the contents mixing and off the warming plate so it doesn't burn our mocha latte beverage. We get so many compliments of the smooth and creamy texture to our healthy mocha latte drinks.We've found it to be a valuable addition, especially for gatherings and events, and it’s nice to have for making warm, tasty drinks at home or when exhibiting.

Just follow the recipe in the instruction manual or on the Hersheys can and you can make some great hot chocolate. You can add mini - marshmallows if you want.