ISO a small, cheap chocolate melter

[tralfaz]

I'm thinking about getting a chocolate melter.  I've never used one before, but it looks fairly easy.  Any recommendations for something around $200 USD?   I've used a double boiler in the past and can temper.  I have a Chocovision Mini Rev that's not working right now and I'm trying to fix it.  It only holds 1 1/2 or 2 lb so I'd really like to get something larger.  I've dipped 30-50 dz pieces with it before, but it's awkward with such a small machine.

 

Anyway, does anyone here have experience with small, cheap chocolate melters?  I'm just a hobbyist so $600 or $1000 is out of the question.

[Kerry Beal]

Cheap is the issue - for $200 you could get a Martellato that holds around 4 lbs. Anything bigger than that - price goes way up. It's a small bowl opening though - so dipping won't be much easier than with the Sinsation (sorry Mini Rev is what it's called now).

 

BakeDeco

 

Sadly we can't get the lovely little melters anymore from Belgium La Chocolatiere that were rectangular and much easier to use. 

 

Would you consider a bowl and a microwave?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

KitchenAid Precise Heat Mixing Bowl?  (Blame Kerry.)

 

[curls]

If you set up some watches on ebay you may be able to get a used chocolate melter for $200 - $300. Also look at restaurant auctions.

[tralfaz]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.  That little one from Martellato would be an upgrade from what I'm using now.  And it looks even bigger than my old double boiler.

17 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

 

 

Sadly we can't get the lovely little melters anymore from Belgium La Chocolatiere that were rectangular and much easier to use.

Do you know why Croquade doesn't ship to North America?  Disco or tariffs? That one looks wonderful.  And yes, microwave and a bowl works, but I live in a cool climate (these days I can't complain) and I need way to hold the chocolate at temp.  My old method with a heating pad is... imprecise.  But I certainly could melt the next batch à la chef mike while dipping in the melter.

 

17 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

KitchenAid Precise Heat Mixing Bowl?  (Blame Kerry.)

Looks nice.  They're on ebay for $500+

 

 

I see a lot of table top water bath steamer style melters.  I'm a little concerned about the water.  Maybe they work fine, I'm just a little hesitant. 

 

Anyway, thanks everyone

[Kerry Beal]

Covid happened to Croquade I think - Westbend was bringing them in - they were being sold though Gygi in Utah for a really good price. I was importing some from the US to Canada. I think I imported two batches of them. Then all of a sudden I couldn't get an answer from anyone at Westbend anymore. 

 

Looks like the 240 version is still available in Europe. Actually maybe not - frifri

[tralfaz]

Thank you Kerry for all your help.  The past few years you have always offered great advice here at egullet.  I've ordered the little Martellato and have a stock update request for Croquade.  I'm also keeping an eye on a larger Martellato in case I decide to push myself.  I've been full time in a production kitchen for years and about to "retire".  I'm in a small tourist town with one chocolatier and a tiny bean to bar maker (and NO bakery!).  I might try the farmer's market and see where it takes me.  Next year

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, tralfaz said:

Thank you Kerry for all your help.  The past few years you have always offered great advice here at egullet.  I've ordered the little Martellato and have a stock update request for Croquade.  I'm also keeping an eye on a larger Martellato in case I decide to push myself.  I've been full time in a production kitchen for years and about to "retire".  I'm in a small tourist town with one chocolatier and a tiny bean to bar maker (and NO bakery!).  I might try the farmer's market and see where it takes me.  Next year

 

Our summers here in Virginia make our local farmers' market an impossibility for chocolates, but I did have experience at an experimental winter indoor market last January-March.  I was there on only four occasions (there was a large list of those who wanted to participate).  It was a great experience (except for lugging boxes of chocolates to a church basement early on Saturday mornings) and an eye-opening event for me.  Ordinarily I sell only through online orders; my small city would not have the foot traffic to support a shop, so for the first time I met my customers as they looked over and selected from the chocolates.  It gave an opportunity to branch out and make things like bars and tablets in addition to boxes of bonbons and truffles (which are insanely popular for some reason).  Some of the buyers have become regular customers.

 

One caveat about the melter:  Don't expect it to maintain anything like an exact temperature (at least that's my experience with a Mol d'Art).  It's better than the dehydrator but (surprisingly) not as good as the heating pad.  But melters are very convenient.  I use a Chocovision Delta to keep the chocolate in temp (it's very good at maintaining temp), fill molds from it, then dump them into the melter, recyclying the chocolate from melter back to tempering machine as needed.  Good luck with your new adventure.

[pastrygirl]

I haven't used the chocovision and don't hand dip.  Is it awkward because it holds so little chocolate and you have to keep melting more, or is it about the workflow?

 

I have a food warmer that I bought for bulk melting, only used a few times.  IIRC, it melted fine on low, but then I found an old D&R melter which goes lower and has a temp dial vs low-high.  I'm trying to remember if I even used the D&R last busy season, would entertain offers on either one, pick up in Seattle. 

 

This says low is 140, which is a bit high for chocolate.  Someone else can explain how to make it go lower (pid controller something something?)   https://www.restaurantsupply.com/winco-fw-s600-1500-watt-countertop-electric-food-warmer-fits-6-deep-pan?keyword=&gclid=CjwKCAjww7KmBhAyEiwA5-PUSjbJrnMBP4JoiXzZOIV03e_TkbZbW_4pR9xeHFjC-71VD6O0RIx2AxoCn5QQAvD_BwE

 

The D&R model, it's just a melter.  Not insulated like the mol d' arts but if you just want chocolate melted & ready to add to your temperer ... The one I found was under $100 & missing the side brackets.   https://dr.ca/collections/chocolate-machines/products/tf20-chocolate-tempering-machine-20kg-44lbs

 

Either of these holds up to 20 kg, or you could use smaller pans/inserts. 

 

For 2kg or less I use the microwave on 40-60% power and rarely scorch it.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by pastrygirl (log)

[Jim D.]

13 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

I haven't used the chocovision and don't hand dip.  Is it awkward because it holds so little chocolate and you have to keep melting more, or is it about the workflow?

 

I think you were directing this comment to the OP, but I get out my small Chocovision (Rev 2) for dipping rather than use the Delta or the Mol d'Art.  The Rev 2 holds 700g.  I initially melt 1050g, then pour 700 into the machine, keeping the remaining 350 over warm water, making sure it is around 95F.  Dipping in the Rev 2 is really convenient.  The center section of the baffle is a great place to tap to remove excess chocolate.  When the choc level gets too low, I add the reserved 350g, which not only raises the choc level but also takes care of the overtempering that has occurred by then.  I ordinarily don't dip more than 120 pieces at a time, but as long as there is choc in reserve, the process could go on forever.  Just my way of dealing with a tedious process.  I had some friends for dinner recently, and they wanted to see how I make chocolates.  Of course most people don't realize that it takes days, and most of those days are spent waiting for things to crystallize.  For this demo, I used the Mol d'Art, and its inexact holding of temperature caused the dipped pieces to have coating varying from too thick to too thin.  My guests did, however, have fun.  Having people suddenly "see" the invisible process of crystallization is quite satisfying.

[tralfaz]

My little Martellato arrived today, thanks for the suggestions.

 

On 8/5/2023 at 5:27 AM, Jim D. said:

I get out my small Chocovision (Rev 2) for dipping rather than use the Delta or the Mol d'Art.

 

Jim D., have you ever pulled your Rev 2 apart before?  Mine turns just fine without the flexible scraper on the baffle, but the scraper seems to push the bowl down so far that motor gear teeth aren't meshing up properly with the large bowl gear teeth.  I've tried trimming the scraper with only partial success.  I'm not sure why this started happening after years of occasional use.   I suppose I could use your method and just use the Rev 2 for tempering and dipping while melting in the melter.  I think the scraper really only keeps the chocolate in the front half of the bowl.

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, tralfaz said:

My little Martellato arrived today, thanks for the suggestions.

 

 

Jim D., have you ever pulled your Rev 2 apart before?  Mine turns just fine without the flexible scraper on the baffle, but the scraper seems to push the bowl down so far that motor gear teeth aren't meshing up properly with the large bowl gear teeth.  I've tried trimming the scraper with only partial success.  I'm not sure why this started happening after years of occasional use.   I suppose I could use your method and just use the Rev 2 for tempering and dipping while melting in the melter.  I think the scraper really only keeps the chocolate in the front half of the bowl.

 

I have had trouble with some scrapers fitting too tightly, making it impossible to get the baffle attached.  I guard the ones that work carefully so that I don't lose them.  I have never tried the baffle without the scraper.  I suppose it would be fine as long as a large amount of chocolate was in the bowl, but when the amount gets low, the chocolate would (I think) even out between the two sections, and the level would get too low more quickly.  I never melt in a Chocovision machine (Rev 2 or Delta)--the process takes entirely too long.  6kg of chocolate in the Mol d'Art melts easily overnight, same for my dehydrator.

[tralfaz]

11 hours ago, Jim D. said:

same for my dehydrator.

I'm behind on all the DIY choco-hacks.  It blows my mind to use a dehydrator to melt chocolate. But that makes perfect sense.  Low temp, long time.  I found a thread from 2 years ago, very informative.

11 hours ago, Jim D. said:

 the baffle without the scraper.... when the amount gets low, the chocolate would (I think) even out between the two sections, and the level would get too low more quickly.

This is exactly what happens.  The baffle doesn't really do anything except keep the machine running.

 

p.s.  as a side note, when I hand dip, I'm dipping with my hand.  Most of what I learned is from an old chocolate book from the 80s (Dana Davenport from Dilettante, pastrygirl should know that name).  It's very chatty, not nearly as technical as Greweling, but has some fine recipes.

[Jim D.]

4 hours ago, tralfaz said:

I'm behind on all the DIY choco-hacks.  It blows my mind to use a dehydrator to melt chocolate. But that makes perfect sense.  Low temp, long time.  I found a thread from 2 years ago, very informative.

 

 

If you should decide to get a dehydrator, be sure it goes low enough in temperature; many do not.

[pastrygirl]

5 hours ago, tralfaz said:

I'm behind on all the DIY choco-hacks.  It blows my mind to use a dehydrator to melt chocolate. But that makes perfect sense.  Low temp, long time.

 

I use my gas oven 🤪  The pilot light keeps it  at +/- 100F, enough to melt chocolate overnight.  It's warm 24/7 and doesn't take counter space.

 

 

5 hours ago, tralfaz said:

Dana Davenport from Dilettante, pastrygirl should know that name

 

Yes!  And my mom probably still has the same book you have.  Early inspiration 😋