Nespresso Hot Chocolate Pods UK – Where to Buy
I really fancied a silky smooth hot chocolate this weekend. I have a trusty Nespresso Prodigio coffee machine and am considering using Nespresso promo codes to look into the new Virtuo machine. So, I thought I’d order some Nespresso hot chocolate pods. But… where to buy Nespresso hot chocolate pods in the UK?
Unfortunately, Nespresso has a barista range of chocolate-flavoured coffee, but not a pure hot chocolate pod. This has really irked me. Why? Well, ever since I’ve developed a love for hot chocolate, I have wanted to try making one with Nespresso-compatible hot chocolate pods. But the ones from Nespresso don’t, as I say, exist.
I recently experienced an amazing hot chocolate made with a Hotel Chocolat velvetiser. It was smooth and silky and the real chocolate flakes are to die for. But I wanted a cost-effective chocolate hit quickly and at a fraction of the cost via Nespresso-compatible hot chocolate pods or capsules.
The Hotel Chocolate Velvetiser retails around £100. It has been a retail success with users raving about it’s resulting hot chocolate online and in the media, but the hype means prices stay high. Even with discount codes on offer, like £20 off with the code XMASW1113 at checkout on the Hotel Chocolate website, it’s still costly. Savvy readers have been exploring Lidl dupes for the Velvetiser, which make things slightly more affordable.
I know I could make a proper hot chocolate using the amazing Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser and their Classic Hot Chocolate Flakes which are stunningly beautiful. I wanted an instant, cost-effective option in the form of a Nespresso-compatible pod for easy use.
What brands of Nespresso hot chocolate pods are there to buy?
There are a huge number of Nespresso-compatible hot chocolate pods on the market today in the UK, some of which are compostable. They all vary in price texture aroma and ultimately taste.
I’ve personally been using my Nespresso prodigio machine, which I got using a Nespresso promo code, to try out some of these after developing a love for this sweet chocolatey delight. We’ll start with a few options available via Amazon, their prices and selling points, and then we’ll move on to the ones we’ve tested out.
Alternative Hot Chocolate Options for Nespresso Machines
Listed below are four of the most popular compatible versions offered for Nespresso machine owners looking for Hot Chocolate pods and capsules. Many of these brands will also cater to those wanting to make hot chocolate with other coffee devices like Dolce Gusto and Tassimo.
What are the Nespresso Compatible Hot Chocolate Pods and Capsules Like in the UK?
The first pods we tried were Caffe Luxe hot chocolate pods. These are hot chocolate Nespresso pods that are compatible with the full range of Nespresso machines. The pods arrive in a 10-pack and, as you’d expect, are similar looking to standard Nespresso pods. Instead of the premium foil appearance of official Nespresso pods, the Caffe Luxe pods have a plastic-looking, brown non-branded appearance. They’re basic, but it’s not the appearance of the pod that matters, it’s the taste of the hot chocolate the Nespresso hot chocolate pods make.
The Caffe Luxe hot chocolate pods fit well in my Nespresso Prodigio machine. Very occasionally some of the capsules would get stuck when falling into the waste receptacle. Whilst not a huge issue this not huge, it does mean a little bit of faffing around. I’ve put this down to the fact the non-metallic hot chocolate pods seem to get crushed by the mechanism rather than falling easily. The pods are biodegradable and usually around £12ish for a box of 40 (4 x 10 pods). They produced a reasonably creamy smooth texture with very little “grain”.
Whilst you can buy the Caffe Luxe capsules in small quantities there are some companies offering larger packs of pods containing hot chocolate for Nespresso machines at cheaper prices. One of these companies is Grano Milano. They offer hot chocolate Nespresso pods that are compatible with most machines (Not the newer Virtuo). Their packs often work out around £10 for 50 capsules and seem to review quite well.
Do Nespresso make Hot Chocolate Capsules?
As referred to at the beginning of this article, Nespresso themselves don’t make official hot chocolate pods. They make a variety of chocolate-based coffees, alongside some chocochinos style pods, but nothing with the sweetness of a normal hot chocolate. Nespresso is mainly a coffee company and they seem to want to stick to this exclusivity. That being said, Nespresso does suggest a recipe for making your own hot chocolate using their Aeroccino milk frother and other Nespresso devices which are easy to clean or stick parts in the dishwasher. Check out their main recipes section on the Nespresso website for this.
Where To Buy Hot Chocolate for Nespresso Coffee Machines
There’s a variety of places you can buy compatible pods. Amazon has a great range of Amazon brand Nespresso pods that I use regularly for normal coffee flavours. They are amazing! Not only in value, but also in taste. The Podista hot chocolate pods mentioned earlier in this article are available through the Amazon website or via the link below. You can save further on the cost of Easter cards by buying 4 x 10 pods multipacks with 40 pods total for around £15-£20.
Supermarket options for when looking for compatible hot chocolate capsules and pods.
When I was searching for the options available online and in supermarkets for Nespresso compatible hot chocolate pods and capsules, the same barrier occurred – plenty of Mocha, but few true hot chocolate options. However, for Nespresso enthusiasts, the options below from high street and supermarket brands might offer an interesting taste to sample.
- Costa Mocha Italian Signature Blend Nespresso capsules and pods. Around £3 for 10 capsules (30p per drink). You can buy these less rich hot chocolate style Nespresso pods from Tesco stores near you, Tesco Extra stores tend to stock larger ranges.
- Nespresso’s own Ciocattino capsule produces a rich mocha style that works well with the following Virtuo hot chocolate recipes.
Loads of readers have emailed to ask if the Nespresso Prodigio or Virtuo machines make hot chocolate. Whilst, as mentioned above, they don’t have specific capsules or compatible pods that are purely hot chocolate. It is possible to make your own hot chocolate with the Pridigio and Virtuo machine (best prices or Nespresso offers at the time of writing shown below, including those with free capsule offers).
To make your own hot chocolate using a Nespresso machine, simply melt or grate your chocolate of choice into the base of your mug. I suggest using Cadbury’s DarkMilk buttons or twirls with melt and crumble easily if you don’t wish to wash up a grater. Add a shot of hot black coffee (ideally the mocha ones, but standard ones will be fine), Finally, add in enough warmed and frothed milk to top up the mug or cup. Again, the frother I use is listed below:
Savvy 5 minute side-reads:
When are Next stores open for sales again?
Hi,
You havent actually reviewed any except for the first Podista range, so are you recommending those, as the best? You refer to them as the first pods you are trying, but then do not go on to refer to any further pods?
I am also interested in finding the best hot chocolate pod that work with Nespresso machines, so look forward to your further reviews!
The Podista were the ones I used most, but they did occasionally get stuck in the machine. Overall, my preferred method is using a Velvetiser and chocolate flakes, but this is not the most cost-efficient by far!
You can get belgian chocolate flakes from
Tesco’s Finest range and use the aeroccino to heat and foam the milk, less sickly than the HC version and a fraction of the price!
Great tip, If you can find stock… the Sainsbury’s Christmas range of hot chocolates were reduced to clear also – the salted caramel hot chocolate is very tasty!