Our reviewers evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.
Monday, February 10th
Astor Chocolate is a chocolatier that's been around for over 95 years, founded by Erwin Grunhut. Promising the finest ingredients with ethically-sourced fruits, nuts, and unique flavors from around the world. All of the recipes are perfected by hand by Astor Chocolate's Chef Chocolatier. This company was one of the first chocolatiers to import pure Belgian chocolate to the US. Now, Astor Chocolate is known as a preferred chocolate for first-class flights and five-star hotels.
Beautiful boxes on display
Astor Chocolate has a simple website that makes it easy to find what you need. The main page will show you a range of chocolate bars that are holiday specials for the current year as well as special packages for Hanukkah and signature collections. To jump straight to the chocolate gift boxes, you'll want to use the navigation bar to select "Gifts” and then click "Gift Boxes”. From there, you'll see a scrolling window picturing different chocolate gift boxes. Oddly, some of the photos don't show the chocolates, just the boxes themselves. Each listing has a name, the number of chocolate pieces in each box, star ratings, and the price. When you click through to a specific box, you'll see a full description that lists every flavor of chocolate included in the package, a full list of ingredients and nutrition facts, and care details for your chocolates upon arrival. There is one snag, though: some of the chocolates may be out of stock, which is something you won't see until you click on the listing.
36 gift boxes and 22+ chocolate flavors
There are 36 different gift boxes in the inventory at Astor Chocolate. These include chocolate truffles, chocolate bark, chocolate squares, chocolate bars, variety samplers with pretzels and cookies, and chocolate-covered marshmallows. The chocolate squares are the most popular, with 7 different items in stock, followed closely by the truffle assortment which has 5 different styles. Some of the different flavors we saw in the chocolate gift boxes include:
In each box, most of the assortments are all different chocolates, so the Holiday 22pc Grand Elite Assorted Truffle Box included 22 totally different flavors. So, you know that Astor Chocolate has at least that many on its menu.
Pricing from $6.99 to $124.99 per package
There are boxes for every price range here, despite this being a luxury chocolatier. The prices start at $6.99 for the Holiday Red Sparkle Box with Assorted Microdot Truffles (4pc). At the high end, you'll find the Holiday Grand Elite 3-Tier Tower with 6 truffle cups, 18 truffles, and 25 chocolate-covered marshmallows. This assortment goes for $124.99. If you want a box with just chocolates (no marshmallows) you can grab the Moodibars Assorted Squares Tub (120pc) for $84.99.
Shipping From $20.95 to $34.95
Regrettably, shopping is quite expensive at Astor Chocolate. We were offered two shipping options for our area. The least costly was $20.95 for 2-day shipping. The only other option was next-day shipping for $34.95. Astor Chocolate's shipping policy states that the cost of shipping will vary depending on the size of your order. However, you are getting insulation with your shipment to keep your chocolates from melting in transit.
No policy for refunds
At the time of our review, Astor Chocolate does not offer any kind of return policy. They will not accept any returns of food items. If you have damage or an issue with your order when it arrives, you are invited to contact Astor Chocolate so they can "evaluate the issue”. There is no specific promise for a refund or reshipment in any case.
Praise for texture, but not many reviews
Currently, there aren't a lot of reviews out there for Astor Chocolate. The company does not have a page with the Better Business Bureau, and there are no reviews for this chocolatier on third-party sites like Trustpilot or Sitejabber. We did find some reviews for Astor Chocolate on Yelp where locals visited the New Jersey location. Customers particularly praise the Moodibars (chocolate bars), and customers say that the chocolates are "melt in your mouth amazing.” The average rating for Astor Chocolate on Yelp is 4.1 stars out of 5. However, the most recent review is from 2022, so there is some concern about whether or not this feedback is up to date.
Misses the mark on customer service
While this high-end chocolatier may be a favorite with hotels and airlines, we feel a little more mixed about this chocolate gift box site. While the range of flavors is impressive, the total lack of a refund policy doesn't bode well for its customer service. Plus, with no reviews more recent than 2022, we're a little concerned about the lack of buzz from chocolate fans. However, the reasonable cost for "luxury" chocolate and the large number of boxes available make it a more competitive option than some. For this reason, it earns a slightly above-average rating overall.
Whether you want a traditional chocolate, something like a holiday Ferrero Rocher, or a new confection with unique flavors like lavender or orange, there's a box of chocolates out there for you. With online ordering, you have access to far more assortments and flavors than you would at a local sweet shop, and you can easily send chocolates to your loved ones anywhere in the country (or the world).
If you choose to indulge in this cacao-based confection, you'll be in good company. Americans spend an estimated $22 billion on chocolate each year, and 90% of recent consumers said that chocolate is their favorite category of treat. Milk chocolate, unsurprisingly, is a popular favorite, especially in the US. Around the world, dark chocolate is generally preferred. Chocolate is something that brings people together. So, why not enjoy it?
When we say chocolate is a classic sweet, we don't just mean in the last few decades. Chocolate has one of the most interesting stories out there. The discovery of chocolate (specifically cacao beans) can be traced back to Mesoamerican civilizations. The beans were so precious, they were once used as a form of currency.
Our word for chocolate comes from the Aztecs who called the bean "xocoatl”. Originally, chocolate was made into a drink, similar to the hot cocoa we drink today, but a lot spicier (try Mexican Hot Chocolate sometime, if you want a more authentic flavor). Supposedly the Aztec emperor Montezuma drank 50 cups of chocolate per day.
While you might not be as much of a chocolate superfan as the emperor, we can definitely see the appeal. Chocolate, as we know it (the chocolate bar and chocolate confections), started being made around 1847. There are tons of benefits to enjoying chocolate too. Cacao can lower your blood pressure, and dark chocolate has a range of health benefits including improved brain health, improved mood, and promotion of your good (HDL) cholesterol. Bottom line? You can enjoy your sweets without any guilt.
There's no limit to what you might find in a chocolate gift box online. If you're ready to get that delightful melt-in-your-mouth chocolate treat, but aren't sure which confectionary to choose, don't sweat it. We've put together some factors that can help you pick the best vendors for chocolate gift boxes:
"Life is like a box of chocolates"... or it could be as soon as you grab these gift boxes for yourself, your friends, and family. To help you find the best chocolatier to satisfy your cravings, Top Consumer Reviews has researched and ranked the top chocolate gift boxes out there today. Now, crack open those sweets and pick one. Like they said in Forrest Gump, you never know what you're going to get!
Select any 2 Chocolate Gift Boxes to compare them head to head