Pros and cons of buying a yogurt maker vs making your own yogurt in a slow cooker, plus a review of the best Greek yogurt machine!
One of our goals for 2017 was to reduce the amount of plastic we use in our food. The reason for this was twofold. One was for our health. Research shows that the components of plastics can leach into food. Although the effects of this aren’t completely clear, it has been linked with things like cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases. The second reason was to do our small part to help the environment. When you There isn’t really a downside to using less plastic.
Previously I occasionally made batches of Greek yogurt using our slow cooker. The taste and quality of homemade yogurt was so much more satisfying than store-bought yogurt, once we made the switch our consumption went up. We were consuming about a gallon of homemade yogurt a week.
That meant at least a batch of crock pot yogurt per week! I was waking up in the middle of the night to put it in the fridge, and having to set an alarm every hour to check the temperature. Given the more rigorous monitoring needed for crock pot yogurt, it just wasn’t a sustainable option. 
We started looking at yogurt makers to help continue this healthy habit, but cut down on the time it took to make yogurt.
Bottom line: If you don’t have an Instant Pot—or if you have the cash and the storage space for an extra gadget, you may want to try a dedicated yogurt maker. But if you want thick, creamy yogurt, you’ll either need to heat the milk first or strain the yogurt after.
Crock Pot Greek Yogurt vs. Buying a Yogurt Maker
After considering several different factors, from amount of yogurt it was able to make per batch to cost. We settled on the Cuisinart yogurt maker. The selling point for me was the ability to automatically cool the yogurt once the fermenting time was done. That meant no more setting my alarm for 1 am to turn of the machine and transfer it to the fridge. So convenient.
In short, buying a machine was 100% worth it for us. Even with the 15 minutes of prep, it’s still an incredible time saver. We absolutely love having it. The machine is petite and doesn’t take up much counter space. In order to turn the homemade yogurt into Greek yogurt, we also bought a strainer. A flat of half pint mason jars completed our setup so I can take yogurt with me to work.
My one complaint about the Cuisinart yogurt maker is that the container is too small. It only makes 1.5 quarts of yogurt and for us 2-3 quarts would be better. That being said, it has one of the large capacities of the machines we looked at. There are also yogurt makers who make several jars of single serving yogurt.
Budget yoghurt makers – are they worth it? AICOK yoghurt maker review
FAQ
Is it worth making your own yogurt?
Do yogurt makers use a lot of electricity?
What else can you do with a yogurt maker?
How many times can you reuse yogurt starter?
Should you buy a yogurt maker?
While yogurt can come together with or without a yogurt maker, buying one can make the process easier and less intimidating for home cooks new to fermentation. Fermentation expert Katsu Lask says that when making yogurt, “it is important to keep the inoculated milk warm and that the glasses are not moved during incubation.
What are the healthiest brands of yogurt?
I usually recommend natural yogurts (which only have 2 or 3 ingredients), and several brands have this version, such as Vigor, Batavo, Yorgus. Another very healthy type of yogurt is skyr, which has more proteins, and in this case the best brands are: Atilatte and Moo. In addition to these, I like to indicate the brands Verde Campo and YoPRO.
Why should you buy a reliable yogurt maker?
There is a wide range of reasons to invest in quality kitchen appliances like a reliable yogurt maker; you’ll save money on store-bought yogurt, a better, automatic machine will make the yogurt taste better and much more. After our yogurt maker reviews, we’ll be giving you a list of features to look for in the ideal product for your needs.
What is a yogurt maker?
Yogurt makers allow you to easily produce consistent batches of high-quality yogurt at home.