Our List Of The Best Yogurt Makers
When it comes to great things to make at home, lately sourdough and banana bread have been totally stealing the show. But what about yogurt? Creamy, versatile, delicious yogurt. It’s one of those things that never seems to be around when you need it and always comes up in recipes. If you’re vegan or dairy-free, don’t even get me started, finding great yogurt (that isn’t chock full of sugar and chemicals) can be VERY expensive and almost impossible! But what if I told you there is a magical machine that will allow you to make this fermented little treat in the comfort of your own home? (without all the nasty extras). Well, you’re in luck! Say hello to my little friends; our top picks for the best yogurt makers on the web.
Top Picks For Best Yogurt Maker
Best Overall Pick – Euro Cuisine YMX650 Yogurt Maker
This yogurt maker is top quality and thoughtfully designed to make yogurt better (and more conveniently) than the competition.
The Euro Cuisine YMX650 Yogurt Maker isn’t the most high-tech yogurt maker you’ll find but it’s crafted to last a really long time and makes yogurt very well.
Euro Cuisine is a European brand that adheres to strict European standards for ultimate food safety. As a result, they have used quality BPA free materials to construct this yogurt maker.
The YMX650 Yogurt Maker comes with seven 6 oz glass jars, each has an airtight lid to allow you to label and date each flavor and portion. This ensures your yogurt stays fresh for as long as possible and allows you to remember to eat it up before it goes bad.
The high visibility timer display shows you exactly how long you have to wait before your yogurt is ready, and when it’s done, the machine will conveniently beep to let you know (so you don’t have to worry about forgetting about your yogurt for too long).
Hands down this yogurt maker can offer you the best value for money when compared to any other yogurt makers on the market. The manufacturer is so confident in this fact that they offer a three-year warranty on the machine.
Pros
- BPA free
- Built to last and offers a three-year warranty
- Digital timer display
- Notifies you when your yogurt is ready
- Comes with seven 6 oz jars with lids that you can conveniently label
Cons
- Some customers have noted that the machine runs a little bit hot
- You have to be extra careful not to drop or crack the glass jars
Best Greek Yogurt Maker – Euro Cuisine GY50 Greek Yogurt Maker
Use this machine to turn your homemade or store-bought yogurt into thick, creamy Greek yogurt right at home!
The Euro Cuisine GY50 Greek Yogurt Maker is a simple to use lightweight greek yogurt maker that can hold up to two quarts of delicious Greek Yogurt at one time.
Euro Cuisine is a European brand that adheres to strict European standards for ultimate food safety and they ensure that the plastic they use to make the Euro Cuisine GY50 Greek Yogurt Maker is completely and totally safe and BPA free (so you don’t have to worry about scary chemicals leaching into your food).
Making Greek Yogurt can be a tedious process that involves filtering liquid using cheesecloth, it’s kind of a headache, and that’s why a lot of people choose to just take the easy route and buy store-bought. The Euro Cuisine GY50 Greek Yogurt Maker does the tedious work for you. Holding up to half a gallon of yogurt at a time, this yogurt maker strains the whey for you (using a mesh strainer) while the yogurt sits in the container. Within hours you can have thick delicious Greek yogurt using this method, with virtually no work from you.
This model is affordably priced and a great no-frills option for anyone who doesn’t want to spend the extra dough on a more expensive Greek yogurt maker.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Made with Lightweight totally safe BPA free plastic
- Affordable
- No cheesecloth or manual straining required
Cons
- The mesh strainer takes a little bit of time to clean properly
Most Versatile Yogurt Maker – Instant Pot DUO60
What if I told you that you could have a yogurt maker that can also perfectly braise short ribs? If this sounds appealing, keep reading!
The Instant Pot DUO60 is a yogurt maker, yes, but it’s also a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, saute pot, sanitizer and warmer. Who doesn’t want all of that versatility!?
This pot is super easy to use with its large touchpad that allows you to program various functions.
Use this machine to make up to six quarts of yogurt at a time! Just heat up some milk inside the pot, add in the starter and set the time. Super simple.
If you’re low on space and don’t have the room for multiple kitchen appliances with dedicated functions, this Instant Pot is a no brainer.
It’s made out of stainless steel and BPA free plastic and comes with a limited one year warranty.
Pros
- Multiple functions
- Well made with excellent reviews
- Can make a large quantity of yogurt at one time
Cons
- More expensive than some other yogurt makers
Fastest Yogurt Maker – Yogourmet Electric Yogurt Maker
This great mid-price range yogurt maker uses a unique “water bath” system that can help maintain a consistent temperature during fermentation and drastically speed up the yogurt making process.
The Yogourmet Electric Yogurt Maker is a great option if you’d prefer to make your yogurt in a glass vessel, (instead of plastic) as it can accommodate a glass jar inside of the BPA free plastic container.
The water bath approach this machine uses is unique and can help increase the speed of fermentation so that you can enjoy your yogurt MUCH sooner. You can make up to two quarts of yogurt with this machine in just four hours (which is less than half the time as a standard yogurt maker).
The Yogourmet doesn’t have all of the fancy bells and whistles some other options do, like an onboard timer, but it does offer the ability to run through different cycles that can increase the strength and tang of your yogurt (which is pretty cool!)
The manufacturer sells its own freeze-dried starter packs which work very well and are super convenient.
If you’d like to get crazy and try making cheese, the Yogourmet comes with a cotton bag that will allow you to experiment.
This yogurt maker comes with a three-year warranty.
Pros
- Water bath system that cuts production time in half
- Option to use a glass jar inside the container
- BPA free
- Three-year warranty
Cons
- Some people have mentioned that it runs hot
Is Yogurt Good For You?
Yogurt comes in a variety of types and flavors. Some Yogurts are high in things like calcium, live cultures and vitamins, and some have helpful probiotics that can enhance the level of microbiota in your gut (which apparently comes with a ton of benefits). Upping your vitamin and nutrient intake is said to help your bones and teeth, help with digestion and do other positive things that you can learn all about with a quick Google search. If you’re trying to lose weight, low-fat yogurt is said to help you cut down on calories while offering a tasty and satisfying snack. With all of this said, many of the brands of store-bought yogurt are chock-full of sugar and additives, so it’s best to really pay attention to the labels, or make your own yogurt at home so you can control what you’re putting into your body.
How Long Does It Take To Make Yogurt?
Making yogurt with a machine is easy because it will do the work for you. Just be prepared, it does take a WHILE to produce great yogurt in your machine, so you’re going to have to wait patiently before you can indulge. The ingredients you need for yogurt are usually milk (or a milk alternative) and the “starter mixture” which contains all of the important bacteria. These ingredients need a lot of time (like I’m talking half a day or more) to sit at a consistent temperature so that they can ferment. Depending on the milk you’re using, the initial processing time can take up to 10 hours! The type of yogurt you’re making will also be a time factor. When you’re all done with the fermentation, make sure you can get that yogurt in the fridge as soon as possible so it can chill for at least a couple of hours (it’s usually recommended to let it hang out in the fridge overnight). Machine or no machine, making yogurt takes time and patience. If you’ve got a sudden hankering and need a yogurt fix asap, it’s definitely best to just run to the store.
Are Their Different Types Of Yogurt Makers?
Yes, and usually, the biggest differentiation is their capacity. If you’re looking to make a large quantity be aware that many machines on the market can make only a maximum of one-two quarts at any given time. This is because preservative-free homemade yogurt doesn’t have the same shelf life as the stuff in the stores. If you live alone or with only one other person, a small yogurt maker will definitely do the trick. If you have a large family, however, make sure you buy a larger machine that can keep up with the demand.
Another differentiation is the actual design of the machine, what comes included with it, and what you’re able to do with it. Some, like our top yogurt machine pick, come with individual jars that allow you to make individual batches with multiple flavors. These jars are usually covered by a dome designed to keep the heat in while fermenting. Some even allow you to ferment a large portion at the same time that you’re fermenting the smaller jars.
Many yogurt makers are hands-off, you hit a button and let the machine do the rest. Others allow you to get more involved and customize temperatures, power levels, etc. These machines are recommended for more savvy yogurt makers who have a little bit more experience and have had a chance to experiment a bit. Some machines, like the greek yogurt maker on our list, are very simple, non-technical machines that specifically process the yogurt you’ve already made (or bought) into thick and creamy Greek yogurt. While other yogurt makers can do extra stuff, like double as a slow/pressure cooker. It’s definitely a good idea to thoroughly research the model you’re thinking of getting to ensure you get the right one for your specific needs.
Is There Anything I Should Look For In A Great Yogurt Maker?
It never hurts to try and find a yogurt maker that is self-cooling because this feature can protect your yogurt from spoiling until you remember to put it in the fridge. A machine that has an audible reminder to let you know when the yogurt is done fermenting is also great because this handy feature will help you remember it’s fridge time. An auto-shutoff function is great to help conserve energy and keep things safe. You should also pay attention to how easy the machine is to clean because some are a real pain in you know what!
Final Thoughts
Yogurt machines are really quite simple to use, and allow you to easily churn out additive-free yogurt from the comfort of your own home. If you like yogurt but don’t want to pay grocery store prices, or deal with nasty extras like preservatives and tons of sugar, a yogurt maker is a great thing to have. If you’re dairy-free, having a yogurt maker can save you a ton of money as vegan yogurt is usually extremely expensive, and often hard to find. Remember to thoroughly research your new yogurt maker to make sure you understand it’s output capacity, and to learn about the other features that might be important to you. We hope this list helps you on your yogurt making journey!