Traditional Chocolates

Best-value American-style chocolate candy

The price of chocolate, like that of many luxury goods, does not adhere to strict guidelines. Chocolates may be priced by the piece or by the pound, making it difficult to comparison shop. Enthusiast Eric Postpischil discovered that a "one-pound" box from Vosges Haut-Chocolate actually weighed around 13 ounces, driving the price up from about $69 to about $84 per pound. Cook's Illustrated found that even customer-service representatives may not know the weight of a particular assortment. For this reason, we found it more accurate to price chocolates by the piece. While most gourmet chocolates cost $2 or more per piece, we did find a few companies offering high-quality chocolates for $1.50 per piece or less.

Reviews say that when it comes to overall quality and value of boxed chocolate, L.A. Burdick (*est. $28 for 35 pieces) can't be beat. This New Hampshire-based chocolatier offers extraordinary handmade chocolates that Real Simple editors call "precious but unpretentious." Each assortment includes the company's signature items -- mocha, orange or cinnamon dark or milk chocolate mice with silk tails. Connoisseurs agree that L.A. Burdick's chocolates vary in intensity and sweetness, while the flavors range from familiar to exotic. L.A. Burdick's chocolates earned high marks in tastings at NPR and Real Simple. Connoisseurs Ed Levine, Jeffrey Steingarten, David Rosengarten, and Eric Postpischil all say that L.A. Burdick Chocolates are not to be missed. Postpischil downgraded L.A. Burdick, however, for failing to send him a confirmation e-mail and for shipping the chocolates on the wrong day. Despite these customer service glitches, Postpischil still selects Burdick as one of his top five chocolates. In addition to boxed chocolate, L.A. Burdick also incorporates candies into chocolate gift baskets.

Connecticut-based Bridgewater Chocolate (*est. $35 for 20 pieces) creates American-style chocolates that arrive in hinged wooden boxes tied with red or American-flag ribbon. The selection includes turtles, "pilgrim hats," toffee, peanut-butter patties and pralines. Testers at NPR say that these chocolates will satisfy recipients with a sweet tooth who prefer candies to bittersweet chocolate, but those looking for a truly high-end chocolate box should look elsewhere. Bridgewater sells boxes individually or as part of a chocolate gift basket.

Fannie May chocolates (*est. $23 for 27 pieces) rate a little better than most drugstore chocolates, including Russell Stover and Whitman's. Forbes names it the best value "by a landslide" in its report on "Best Chocolates for the Buck." They note that the candy can't be beat at its price. As for flavor, reports say that quality is mixed, but some -- especially nougats -- are good. Fannie May's website offers a bewildering array of chocolate gift baskets, towers and fancy boxes.

We read mixed reviews of Lake Champlain chocolates (*Est. $9 for 17 pieces). While the company's caramel hearts, mint crunch squares and creamy truffles impressed NPR's panel, Cook's Illustrated's testers unanimously disliked the "cheesy" cardboard box and "cheap ribbon." Although they liked the chocolates, which included truffles, creams, pralines and maple crunch bonbons in milk, dark and white chocolate, testers felt that the box "looked like it came from the drug store." Lake Champlain chocolates are available in some drug stores and supermarkets, including most Whole Foods Markets. The company also offers a large range of chocolate gift baskets and corporate gifts.