I’ve been in a small scale chocolate processing business for almost three years now. And I used to do the chocolate melting process on the stovetop and I cannot find a way much easier than that. One day, I went to the store (Chocolate Lover Inc.) to shop for some supplies like chocolate bars, baking cups, foils and boxes for packaging then I noticed this small yellow box displayed in one corner of the supply store.
It’s a small electric chocolate melting pot and I got really interested in it. So I decided to buy it. The price I think is very reasonable. It costs Php 1,400.00 for one set. The set includes the melting pot itself, 1 spatula, 1 draining rack, 2 stirrers, 6 small chocolate moulds which come in different shapes,1 big heart shaped mould,10 wooden skewers for chocolate fondue,10 plastic forks for fruit and the operating instructions.
As I got home, due to my excitement, I gave it a try right away. I chopped the chocolate bars into small portions and used the electric melting pot to melt it. It took about 8 minutes to melt 250 grams of chocolate. I used the stirrers to make sure that the chocolate totally melted. I poured everything into the moulds included and let it set for a few minutes in the fridge. And then I’m done!
So now, here’s my judgment. The chocolate melting pot is very easy to use, just plug it and use it. You can melt chocolate without having to boil water first. It’s suitable for any kind of chocolate and couverture. It’s a good catch for its price since it has a lot of inclusions and they are all reusable, except for the wooden skewers. But it also has its downsides.
First, it’s a good working aid, but only for hobby cooks. Not good for business. Very small sized. I’ve noticed that the chocolate melting process is a bit longer than the usual. On stovetop, it only takes about five minutes to totally melt 250 grams of chocolate and it took 8 minutes on the electric melting pot. For me, the quality of the inclusions are not so good. The moulds are made of very thin plastic and the skewers and stirrers as well as the metal draining rack are also very thin.
So if you’ll only be using this for a hobby, I think it’s really worth giving a try. But if you think of using it for business just like me, think again. Based on my experience, the usual process of melting chocolates is still more reliable but if you’re tired of doing that, you can always resort to buying devices and utensils that are used by professionals, but be informed that they are pricey. You may also try looking for some alternatives, like finding devices like this which are larger and of greater quality.