When the weather turns cold, theres nothing like a frothy cup of hot chocolate to take away the chill. A great cup of homemade cocoa takes time. Mixing all the ingredients, heating, stirring, and then adding flavorings. But a couple of new hot cocoa makers get the job done quicker and without the mess.

Well, these appliances are designed to take over the hard part," says Marjorie Cubisino, Tester, Good Housekeeping Institute. "They do the heating, the stirring and the dispensing. And all you have to do is add the marshmallows.

These new appliances were not judged on taste alone. Safety was an issue too.

We know that children love hot cocoa," says Cubisino. "So it was very important to us to find out if there was any scalding hazard with these products. In our tests we found that the finished serving temperature was between 150 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Thats a very pleasant serving temperature. But, for a child, we recommend that you allow it to cool even longer and to taste test it before you give it to them because their mouths are more sensitive.

Good Housekeeping says the Back to Basics Cocoa-Latte Hot Drink Maker whipped up a variety of frothy drinks with a minimum amount of effort.

Besides making hot cocoa, you can also make cappuccino, mochaccino and even if you use a powdered mix, its always dissolved and the cocoa is smooth and creamy," says Cubisino.

And Good Housekeeping liked the BonJour Hot Chocolate Maker because it can go in the microwave.

This ceramic pot is shaped like a traditional Mexican hot chocolate pot," says Cubisino. "But it has no heating element in it and thats why it can be put in the microwave oven to heat the ingredients.

The BonJour hot cocoa maker comes with a battery-powered froth maker to foam the drinks. You can find the Back to basics Cocoa-Latte Hot Drink maker at mass merchandisers and the BonJour Hot Chocolate Maker is sold at Williams-Sonoma.

And heres Good Housekeepings recipe for making a great cup of homemade hot cocoa: Mix 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder with 1 rounded teaspoon of sugar, until blended. Stir in 1 cup of milk until smooth. Heat just to simmering, not boiling, over medium-high heat or in a microwave oven. Remove from heat. And stir in a dash of vanilla and perhaps a sprinkle of salt.

For more recipes and consumer tips, check out the February issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.