Yogourmet Electric Yogurt Maker
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List Price: Our Price: $49.15 You Save: $0.80 (2%) Availability: Usually ships in 4-5 business days Category: Health Care See more product details |
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Customer Reviews of Yogourmet Electric Yogurt Maker
Customer Review: Probably the Best Option for the Price
Summary: 5 Stars
In the five years I have owned this yogourmet yogurt maker, I estimate that I have made perhaps 280 2 quart batches of yogurt. I pretty much have it down to a science. I was interested to read that some folks here talk about the device overheating and killing the good bacteria. I think this concern may be overblown. The device does get warm but as long as it's not over about 115f, the yogurt should be fine. I ferment mine for 24 hours to get rid of all the sugar and the end result is a very creamy and tart yogurt perfect for blueberries, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts and of course much better than anything you could buy at the store.
I use one quart of half and half and one quart of Vit D whole milk along with the two packets yogourmet starter. This produces a yogurt that is creamy but not overly so as when you up the percentage of half and half to milk. Be careful with the half and half you choose. I was using a brand from TG Lee which when I read the label, actually contained HFCS. What the h@##!? Since when is corn syrup needed for half and half? Here I am trying to do something healthy for myself and the food science d-bags have to corrupt a product as simple as half n half. The best kind of half and half is just the store brand which contains nothing but milk and cream.
Oh and I've made every mistake possible (I think) while making yogurt. I've let the pot boil over too many times to count, I've had a bottle of wine spill and a few drops get into the fermenting yogurt. I've had the yogurt come out runny for no apparent reason which I later determined to be crappy half and half which was separating in the refrigerator (see half and half rant above). I've used all milk (runny yogurt) and all half and half (too creamy). I've boiled the milk and realized I had no starter. I've forgotten to clean the device well enough and had bizarre smelling water after the cycle (didn't trust that yogurt, threw it out). I've boiled the milk and only had one packet of starter (worked fine). I've dropped the wet batch jar after 24 hours of fermenting (bummer). I've turned on the water in the sink next to the sink where the hot milk/half mixture was cooling and corrupted the milk having to throw it all away (sucks). I've forgotten to take the yogurt out after 24 hours until the next morning (bummer, no yogurt to wake up to). I've had the power go out on the yogurt maker. Etc, etc, etc. You wouldn't think it would be so easy to screw up but it happens.
Anyway, enough said, it's a great machine with my only slight concern being the polypro batch jar. If they could just make this thing with a ceramic jar, I'd gladly pay the cost to get it.
Customer Review: Fantastic yogurt maker
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this machine and have been using it for many years now. It makes a perfect yogurt every time. The machine was actually a gift from my mother when I got married 12 years ago. The gift that keeps on giving is always the best! I give this company a 100% positive review. I have never had problems with any of their culture products, with the Yogourmet incubator, or incubation container. The machine itself is fairly basic and easy enough for even a child to use! I would suggest getting the extra batch jar that Yogourmet makes for their incubator. If you prefer glass, the Yolite 2 quart glass jar fits in the Yogourmet incubator very nicely too. I prefer the Yolite glass jar over the Yogourmet plastic container because I can sterilize the jar in the microwave before using it to make my yogurt. One way or the other, it's nice to have a second batch container, especially if your family eats yogurt as fast as mine does!
I have tried all of the Yogourmet freeze dried starters with fantastic success as well. The Yogourmet Casei Bifidus Acidophilus Probiotic Yogurt Starter, is my favorite, found here on Amazon for a GREAT price. Due to the higher price though, I tend to use the original freeze dried starter the most.
I use 2 quarts of milk with the recommended 10 grams of Yogourmet starter. I have found for myself, that the key to making great yogurt is to heat the milk to 185 degrees and continue cooking it at this temperature for 10 minutes. Cooking at this temperature kills any harmful bacteria in the milk that remains even after pasteurization. It also breaks down the proteins in the milk insuring a great yogurt SET. Apparently, the proteins are easier for your body to digest in this broken down state as well. Cool the 2 quarts of milk to 112 degrees, add starter, (10 grams freeze dried starter or 1/2 cup leftover yogurt from original batch) 1 1/2 cups optional powdered milk, up to 1 cup optional sugar and up to 1 tablespoon optional flavoring extracts. Try using honey extract, vanilla extract, raspberry extract, etc. Incubate until desired tartness is reached. My kids prefer the maximum sugar so the yogurt tastes more like store bought. Although with this much sugar, the milk takes 2x longer to turn into yogurt than the Yogourmet culture package recommends.
Customer Review: Yogourmet Yogurt Maker is Super
Summary: 4 Stars
Recently purchased our second Yogourmet Electric Yogurt Maker. My son requires a special diet for medical reasons and this yogurt maker has allowed him to make his own organic yogurt and eliminate the lactose to which he is intolerant. This second maker will be a backup to the primary maker. We can also make batches in tandem. My son eats yogurt as his main source of protein every single day; in protein sources he is limited to fish and yogurt.
Warnings about making your own yogurt: This maker is just one of the steps in the process. You must first heat the milk to a certain temperature. For this you will need a thermometer to measure the temperature accurately (we purchased a Yogourmet Yogurt Thermometer for this). Then add the culture (which not every grocery store sells; we use Whole Foods or Wegmans - it's called Yogourmet Yogurt Starter: $3.50 to $5.50 per box of 5 envelopes) and the milk to the Yogurt Maker and wait for at least 8 to 12 hours. Then drain the contents through a cheesecloth and strainer combination so that only the yogurt and not the clear liquid is left; this takes another hour or so to fully drain (we use conical strainer with a stand which can stand up in the refrigerator so the yogurt stays chilled while draining). This yields about a quart of yogurt which is gone in no time.
This Yogurt Maker despite all the other steps needed is a godsend and fairly cheap.
My only negative comment: It would be nice if Yogourmet or some other company actually came out with accessories that would enable the user to perform all the steps without having to scrounge around the marketplace looking for what they need: straining cloth, strainer on a stand that can stand up in a refrigerator). The strainer may be the most difficult; my wife inherited an antique strainer from her grandmother which fit the bill. It was something folks, who used to prepare their own foods, just had but you don't see anymore with the global homogenization we see with product lines. Maybe even Amazon could pair these products from different manufacturers on their ordering web site so users could easily buy the whole set of devices needed.
Customer Review: Yogourmet yogurt maker
Summary: 5 Stars
A wonderful edition to our kitchen. Two quart quantities of excellent Yogurt are produced by this machine. Yogurt can be further processed (drained) to make superb Yogurt Cheese. The necessary "drip-bag" is supplied with the Yogurt-maker. We use 2% milk and only one well-dissolved envelope of Yogourmet Yogurt Starter instead of the recommended two envelopes. We set it up in the evening and the next morning a "solid", pudding-like Yogurt is ready to be refrigerated. With 2% milk no milk-powder or Gelatin additions are needed.
We found a few steps which were not emphasized in the instructions. it is imperative to sterilize the milk at or slightly above (but below boiling) 180° F for at least 3 minutes and use sterile tools to stir. We dishwasher-clean the containers, so everything is very clean. We had to get a new double boiler, because the inexpensive, thin Stainless Steel unit we had, always scorched the milk, leaving a heavy coating of milk solids on the bottom of the pan which affected the taste of the product and made clean-up a chore. We now use an AllClad insert which works great.
It is also important to cover the pot with its cover and then the whole machine with ITS smooth top. This assures better temperature control of the "waterbath", resulting in a smoother, firmer Yogurt.
Finally, to be really frugal (cheap), one can use a half cup of the new Yogurt as a starter thoroughly mixed with the new milk, at the proper temperature. It will work, but the product will not be quite as silky smooth as when using the Yogourmet Starter. Having an extra cup assures never to run out of delicious and very healthy Yogurt. When adding the starter mix it is absolutely necessary not to have the sterilized milk at a temperature exceeding 112° F. If it, after stirring to make it uniform, is much above 112°, the starter microbes are killed and no Yogurt will develop. If it is much below 88° it will take much longer to create the Yogurt, although the quality is not negatively affected.
Customer Review: Disappointed w/ the manufacturer, unreliable delivery service
Summary: 1 Stars
I purchased this Yogourmet yogurt maker to give as a gift and at the same time I also purchased a Salton brand yogurt maker to kept for myself which is way cheaper and only paid $11.99 compared to Yogourmet that I paid $49.62. When the yogourmet yogurt maker arrived the cheese bag wasn't included in the box but a letter was enclosed instructing to order the cheese bag from the manufacturer in Canada. So, I sent an email the same day I received the yogurt maker hoping I can get the cheese bag on time before the day of the party which was last 2/6 and now it's been 12 (2/12/08) days had passed still waiting for the cheese bag. Slow service from the manufacturer and I end up spending another item for gift instead of this Yogourmet yogurt maker. I wouldn't recommend this product aside from way too expensive the service from the manufacturer is very poor and unreliable! I would recommend the Salton brand instead. The price is right and the yogurt is absolutely perfect, I used it 3 times already and don't have any problem with it. The only thing that is missing in the Salton is the thermometer but it wasn't a big deal since it can be purchased at Wallmart for less than $3.00 or on e-bay for a digital thermometer one somewhere around $10.00... Don't waste your money on Yogourmet when you can make the same result with the other brand (Salton) with much cheaper price plus a good way to save more money. Don't buy something (Yogourmet) especially if they don't come with all the parts that is supposed to be included in the box. The buyers do not deserve to order the missing part especially if it wasn't disclosed in the description of the items plus manufacturer is very slow in service. Amazon has nothing to do with this problem same as usual they are doing a fantastic job sending the products in a very timely manner.