Help me buy a yogurt maker

[Casha'sMommy]

I've been thinking about this for over a year now and I'd love your opininons and advice.
Which yogurt maker? Why? Where did you buy? What features do you feel are important? Why?
I'd love to just use my crock pot but I see myself falling off that horse rather quickly.
TIA

Cate

[cristeen]

If you don't think you'll regularly make it in your crockpot, what makes you think the yogurt maker won't just gather dust, too?

If that's your big concern, I'd recommend scoping out thrift stores and buying one second hand, rather than shelling out for one.

Really, yogurt is pretty easy. I tend to just use a heating pad and a glass bowl for it. But if it comes right down to it, you can get a room-temp yogurt culture, no special equipment required.

[Arduinna]

I haven't made any in awhile, but I used to just make it in a quart canning jar and set it reasonably close to the wood stove.

[BedHead]

I bought one over a year ago and have used it exactly ZERO times. I have yogurt incubating as we speak - in the oven in a glass jar. It has a plastic container for the yogurt which I stupidly didn't check for when I bought it, and all it is is a piece of styrofoam surrounded by plastic. It doesn't do any heating or anything.

If I was going to get another one I would want 1) glass containers and 2) an electric one that can be plugged in and with a timer.

[Casha'sMommy]

Originally Posted by cristeen

If you don't think you'll regularly make it in your crockpot, what makes you think the yogurt maker won't just gather dust, too?

If that's your big concern, I'd recommend scoping out thrift stores and buying one second hand, rather than shelling out for one.

Really, yogurt is pretty easy. I tend to just use a heating pad and a glass bowl for it. But if it comes right down to it, you can get a room-temp yogurt culture, no special equipment required.

It's not so much about the crock pot itself but:
a) I don't want to have to "tend" to it, I'd just like to throw it in, set the timer, and put the jars in the frige.
b) Jars, I don't want to have to jar it once it's done. I want it already in the jars.

I probably should have specified in my op so, I would like the following:

a) As easy as possible to get together and started
b) Timer and as little tending as possible
c) Glass jars making it easy to throw in the frige

[Arduinna]

Those are all the things I would want too. I looked at them awhile back just because I no longer have a wood stove. It's hot and humid here most of the year and while I do have a fireplace I don't want to generate any heat in the house LOL. I also like the fix it and not have to watch it concept. Plus I would want something that maintains the temp, not just insulating.

When I looked at them before this is the one I liked. Mainly because it's extremely versatile since you can use any size jar you want. I always make plain yogurt and prefer quart size. I hate those little single serving jars in the fridge.

http://www.amazon.com/Tribest-Yolife...674411&sr=1-10


Here is what I'm experimenting with, I got this new crock pot this week http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach...4675451&sr=8-4

And I'm testing it out to see if I set it for the 2 quart bowl setting on warm, but put the 6 quart bowl on and fill with water it will maintain the correct temp for yogurt. I can fit a quart canning jar in there with the lid on. If my temp test works, I'll try a batch of yogurt.

[Casha'sMommy]

Originally Posted by Arduinna

Those are all the things I would want too. I looked at them awhile back just because I no longer have a wood stove. It's hot and humid here most of the year and while I do have a fireplace I don't want to generate any heat in the house LOL. I also like the fix it and not have to watch it concept. Plus I would want something that maintains the temp, not just insulating.

When I looked at them before this is the one I liked. Mainly because it's extremely versatile since you can use any size jar you want. I always make plain yogurt and prefer quart size. I hate those little single serving jars in the fridge.

http://www.amazon.com/Tribest-Yolife...674411&sr=1-10


Here is what I'm experimenting with, I got this new crock pot this week http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach...4675451&sr=8-4

And I'm testing it out to see if I set it for the 2 quart bowl setting on warm, but put the 6 quart bowl on and fill with water it will maintain the correct temp for yogurt. I can fit a quart canning jar in there with the lid on. If my temp test works, I'll try a batch of yogurt.

I read the 1 star reviews on the Tribest and all 3 mentioned the same issue, inconsistent temperature and it sounds like it went up to 130! That's a bit much for good yogurt, no?
I do love the idea of the larger lid to make yogurt in different size jars, the variety is awesome.

Please let me know how the crock pot works out. I hadn't seen that crock pot. Sounds like a good idea you've got there.

[mum4vr]

My fav yogurt maker is my stainless steel thermos. Just plop some yogurt in the bottom, add luke warm milk, screw on the lid and in 5-8 hours (I do NOT babysit it) I take the lid off and put it in the fridge. (Lid off to help it cool quickly, and also seems to set a bit thicker-- I do return the lid once it's cool-- like the next morning.) My timer is my cel phone,

Kind of like this: << http://images.overstock.com/f/102/31.../L10390807.jpg >>

HTH

blessings

[Casha'sMommy]

Originally Posted by mum4vr

My fav yogurt maker is my stainless steel thermos. Just plop some yogurt in the bottom, add luke warm milk, screw on the lid and in 5-8 hours (I do NOT babysit it) I take the lid off and put it in the fridge. (Lid off to help it cool quickly, and also seems to set a bit thicker-- I do return the lid once it's cool-- like the next morning.) My timer is my cel phone,

Kind of like this: << http://images.overstock.com/f/102/31.../L10390807.jpg >>

HTH

blessings

I'm still new to this so pardon my ignorance, since you're starting with a "plop" of yogurt as a starter what do you do when that doesn't work anymore? Don't you inevitably have to start over with fresh milk and cultures and start from the beginning? Or have I misunderstood something?

[Cullens_Girl]

another one here living without the yogurt maker... I just do it in the oven overnight. Preheat the oven to 170 while I'm cooking the milk. I open it and put the milk in its ice bath. When the milk is IN the icebath I shut it again. After the milk/yogurt mixture has been mixed I pour it into a long chaffing dish I have and I put it in the oven with the light on. I do this right after supper. The next morning at breakfast we have fresh yogurt to put in the fridge.

[Llyra]

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisipro-Donvi...5692154&sr=8-2

I have this one, and love it. We get great results every time, (except when I mess something up ). I don't have to "tend" anything at all. I ordered an extra set of cups, so I can start making more even if we haven't finished what was already made, and for a year now I've had yogurt incubating nearly constantly. The crock pot didn't work for me, mostly because I was always wanting to use it for something else, and didn't want it full of yogurt all the time.

[Chamomile Girl]

I use canning jars placed into the food dehydrator. If you use small jelly jars it gives you single servings that can just be popped into the fridge. Works fine...AND then you also have a food dehydrator which is only useful, at least around here, in the summer/fall when the apricots or tomatoes are taking over the kitchen table. Two fer one.

Casha's Mommy: You will always be able to start with a plop of yogurt from the previous batch because the probiotics multiply. Unless you somehow cook a batch too hot once they are added (and thus kill em all) its an endlessly sustainable cycle. Sort of like sourdough starter.

[Arduinna]

Originally Posted by Casha'sMommy

Please let me know how the crock pot works out. I hadn't seen that crock pot. Sounds like a good idea you've got there.

The lowest temp I could get was 120 F, I haven't tried making yogurt in that crock pot.