Valentine’s Day sweets worth the splurge
Yonkers, NY – When it comes to chocolate, the good stuff doesn’t come cheap. The March 2014 issue of ShopSmart, from Consumer Reports, features its annual list of the best boxed chocolates based on results from its in-house expert taste-tests.
“Many of the top gift boxes have made our list seven years running,” said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart. “So if you’re willing to shell out for your sweetheart, you can bet that they’re going to get the best bonbons.”
The Best Boxed Chocolates
All of the chocolates deemed ShopSmart “smart picks” have exceptional quality, however styles and flavors were quite different so consider the recipient’s tastes when choosing. Here’s five sweet selections to consider for loved ones this Valentine’s Day (prices do not include shipping):
- Woodhouse Chocolate Assortment (48 pieces, $90.00) Top-rated in taste-tests, these bonbons have ultra smooth chocolate, fresh ingredients such as real cream, buttery caramels, and amazing flavors, including cinnamon toast and mint that tastes like it’s just picked. www.woodhousechocolate.com
- Christopher Elbow Collection (21 pieces, $42.00) Not for the faint of heart or for those looking for mainstream flavors. Ultra-smooth chocolate houses an array of bold, unusual combinations such as buttery caramels that taste of rosemary or balsamic vinegar. www.elbowchocolates.com
- Candinas (36 pieces, $49.00) These ultra-smooth dark and milk chocolates have exceptional hazelnut, caramel, and liqueur-flavored centers, plus hints of fresh cream and butter. www.candinas.com
- L.A. Burdick Large Wood Box Assortment (64 pieces, $66.00) Ultra-smooth tiny bites of sophisticated but subtle flavor combinations with an intense chocolate flavor. A wide variety of pieces with hints of fresh cream and butter flavors. www.burdickchocolate.com
- zChocolat Traditional Assortment zBox (15 pieces, $51.00) These smooth, well-blended dark, milk, and white chocolates wowed testers with standout flavors such as fresh-tasting raspberry, and passion fruit-mango, and the nut butters were exceptional. www.zchocolat.com
For more information about ShopSmart’s chocolate taste-tests, pick up the March 2014 issue on newsstands now.
About Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports is the world’s largest independent product-testing organization. Using its more than 50 labs, auto test center, and survey research center, the nonprofit rates thousands of products and services annually.
Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports has over 8 million subscribers to its magazine, website, and other publications. Its advocacy division, Consumers Union, works for health reform, food and product safety, financial reform, and other consumer issues in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace.
About ShopSmart magazine
Launched in Fall 2006 by Consumer Reports, ShopSmart draws upon the publication’s celebrated tradition of accepting no advertisements and providing unbiased product reviews. ShopSmart features product reviews, shopping tips on how to get the most out of products and “best of the best” lists.
It’s ideal for busy shoppers who place a premium on time. ShopSmart has a newsstand price of $4.99 and is available nationwide at major retailers including Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Kroger, Safeway and Publix. ShopSmart is available by subscription at www.ShopSmartmag.org.
