Yoghurt maker - how to choose the best one? Selection criteria, rating

A yoghurt maker is a household appliance designed for making fermented milk products at home. With it, you can get delicious and nutritious yogurt, kefir or sour cream with a lot of vitamins and useful lactobacilli, and most importantly - their composition will always be absolutely natural, without harmful dyes and preservatives. How to choose a good one, we will tell you in this article.

Today, such a useful technique as a yoghurt maker is gaining more and more popularity among people who monitor their health and try to eat right. The stores have a wide assortment of various models of these devices, and if you are thinking of purchasing one of them in in the near future, but have not yet decided which one you need, we will be happy to advise you on how to choose and what is important to know for this.

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What is a yogurt maker and how it works

Any yogurt maker is a bowl with thick walls and a transparent lid, inside which there are containers for ready-made yogurt or other fermented milk products. Warm milk is poured into special cups supplied with the device, and ferment containing live bacteria is also added there. Then you need to turn on the yogurt maker, after which it will heat the mixture to 40 degrees and will maintain this temperature regime until the product is completely cooked. It is important to know that the best models never violate the cooking technology and always adhere to the set temperature.

What is it for

Modern people who prefer a healthy diet are happy to use the yogurt maker for various reasons:

• almost all fermented milk products in the store contain dyes and preservatives that can cause an allergic reaction, therefore, many decide to use cottage cheese, yoghurt, homemade kefir and resort to the help of this household device;
• a good yogurt maker produces very healthy and tasty products intended for feeding children of any age;
• if a person has diseases of the digestive tract, using this apparatus, you can make high-quality food that will not harm your health;
• those who want to lose weight can make themselves a low-calorie yogurt, for this it is enough just to choose milk for a future delicacy with a low percentage of fat;
• for people suffering from diabetes mellitus, a yogurt maker is an irreplaceable assistant in cooking fermented milk products, which can later be safely consumed and not worry about your health.

What are

These devices are classified into two types of work:

1. Yoghurt thermoses. Here, the cups with the product are slowly heated to the required temperature, usually about 60 degrees. After that, the device turns off, and since it has a strong thermal insulation of the case, heat remains inside it for a long time, due to which lactic acid bacteria multiply. The product is cooked in such a yoghurt maker rather quickly, in about 5 hours, and in devices of a different type in 8–10 hours. The only drawback is the high cost of such models.
2. Devices at a constant heating temperature. After the start of work, the temperature in the yogurt maker quickly reaches 40 degrees and lasts until the very shutdown. The advantage of this type of aggregates is that any size of cups or jars can be placed in it. Unfortunately, the disadvantage of these models is that they heat up quickly, due to which the temperature of the food being cooked can rise dramatically, and its quality will not meet your expectations. In addition, there is no automatic shutdown timer.

The units also differ in the number of containers included in them:

1. A yoghurt maker with several cups included. The device can contain from 4 to 15 cups. Such a device can be useful in a house where a large family lives, and in each of the containers you can prepare yogurt of different composition and taste. This variety is considered a big plus, and the disadvantage of such models is the long washing of dishes after use;
2. Apparatus containing one container. The bowl capacity of this appliance is from 1 to 1.5 liters. This model is suitable for those who plan to prepare a large amount of yogurt, cottage cheese, cream and quickly use it for eating or making confectionery. The advantage of this yogurt maker is the receipt of a large amount of product, the disadvantage is the impossibility of preparing different recipes in one session.

Yoghurt makers can also have cups of different materials, which are:

• glass - such dishes exclude the possible possibility of the release of substances harmful to health during the preparation of the product. But if the glass breaks, you will have to replace it with something else, because they are not sold separately from the yogurt maker;
• plastic - these cups are made of food grade plastic, which is quite safe when heated and can withstand low and rather high temperatures. Plastic containers are comfortable and lightweight, unlike glass containers they do not break and are easy to clean.

How to choose a good model and what is important to know

Before you go to the store to choose such a household appliance for yourself, it is important to study the basic parameters in order to choose the best and most convenient yogurt maker that is right for you.

Here are the first things you should pay attention to before buying an electrical appliance:

1. Power. Despite the fact that all yogurt makers work in the same way, the most reliable one will be the one with a power of about 8-18 watts. It should be remembered that the power of the device does not affect the quality of the finished product, its taste and shelf life, this only indicates the degree of energy consumed.
2. Control method. The mechanical control is represented by two rotary switches on the front of the device. With the help of the first, you can adjust the cooking duration, the second usually controls the maintenance of a certain temperature. On a model with electronic control, you must first set a certain operating time on the scoreboard, besides, here there is a timer, thanks to which the device can turn off automatically when cooking comes to end. The uncontrolled yoghurt maker starts working immediately after connecting to the network, and when the yoghurt is ready, you just need to unplug the plug.
3. Food containers. You can choose a model without cups with one large container, with a volume of about 1.5 liters. But nevertheless, it will be more convenient to use a device that has a certain number of containers. In most cases, the kit includes 5–8 containers with lids, their volume can be different, from 100 grams to 200 grams. It is preferable to choose the material of the dishes from plastic rather than glass, since such cups will be much more convenient to use.

Additional functions

It is important to pay attention to the options of the device in order to decide whether you will use them or not, since the price of an electronic device may be higher due to the presence of any special functions.

This household appliance may have the following additional services:

• depending on the cost and the manufacturer's firm, the electronic device may have the following functions: automatic shutdown, sound signal of completion of work, light indicators;
• many cups have compartments on the lids. Here you can mark the date of manufacture of the product, the end of the shelf life, storage temperature;
• there are devices in which the cord is folded into a separate storage compartment, which is very convenient when using;
• if you choose a device where cottage cheese is additionally prepared, a large bowl will come with it for ease of preparation;
• If you wish, you can purchase an ice cream yogurt maker. In this machine, you can cook two versions of different dishes. There are also models on sale that work as steamers.

Helpful advice when choosing

1. Before choosing a good product that meets all your expectations, you need to decide which of the additional functions you really need. Don't overpay for a model that contains many different options that you will never use.
2. If you choose an inexpensive technique, there is a possibility to face the frequent problem of overheating of the product.
3. The device with automatic shutdown is very convenient. Here it is possible to start the cooking process in the evening, and then in the morning a freshly prepared product will be waiting for you. But do not forget that ready-made yogurt should not be in the appliance for a long time, since all beneficial lactic acid bacteria can die, so it must be stored in the refrigerator.
4. The timer is a necessary function, thanks to it the product turns out the way it should be - thick, tender and tasty.
5. The shape and color of the device can be chosen in accordance with your preferences, this is only an aesthetic indicator.
6. It is best to purchase the model with cups and an extra container, especially if you plan on cooking curd and liquid foods.
7. It should be borne in mind that such a multifunctional device as a yogurt ice cream maker is very convenient in use, but there is a possibility that trying to combine two different dishes may damage them quality.
8. When buying, try to give preference to well-known brands such as Philips, Vitek, "Moulinex", because devices made by unknown manufacturers may not be the best quality.

Review of popular models

Moulinex YG 1001

One of the most popular and high-quality models with a fairly high rating on the home appliance market. The Moulinex yoghurt maker is in great demand among customers, many housewives trust this brand.

This device is electronically controlled and continuously heated and includes 7 x 160 ml glass cups. There are 3 cooking modes - 8, 10 and 12 hours, as well as an additional function for making cottage cheese.

The advantages of the model are the presence of a timer up to 12 hours, the disadvantages are the absence of a screen. The price is about 3 thousand. rubles.

Tefal YG 260132

Tefal brand models are very popular among buyers in our country. This appliance has a relatively low price and very good quality. You can choose and buy such a yoghurt maker both in regular and online stores.

The unit has a mechanical control, the volume of its bowl is 1750 ml, the power is 40 W, 2 cooking modes (yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, kefir).

The advantages of the device include the presence of a large container of a very convenient shape, a display and a timer for 12 hours. Disadvantages include the lack of yogurt cups. The cost of the unit today is 3290 rubles.

REDMOND M5401

The yoghurt maker of the REDMOND brand does not lag behind the competitors either. This high-quality model can often be found in the sale of household appliances stores.

The device has a metal case, electronic control with a display. Power - 50 W. The set also includes 8 containers of 180 grams.

The pluses are the ability to set the date on the cups and the presence of a timer for 12 hours. The disadvantages of the device are small jars. The price of the device is about 2800 rubles.

Vitek VT-2602

Devices of this brand are widely known and are in great demand among buyers of household appliances. Vitek yoghurt makers are one of the highest quality and most reliable.

The unit body is made of plastic, power - 12 W. There are 6 x 165 ml glass jars. Electronic control, there is a timer up to 19 hours.

Advantages of the model - 4 additional containers for making cottage cheese, a book with recipes is also attached. Of the minuses - the possibility of overheating more than 50 degrees. The price of the appliance is about 5 thousand. rubles.

Philips HD 9141/00

The unit is of very good quality from a trusted manufacturer. This model is versatile and quite easy to operate.

The device is very powerful and multifunctional, equipped with a steamer function, has 5 cooking modes, a timer, and an auto shut-off. The set includes 6 glass cups of 150 ml, as well as a filter. Here you can also prepare yoghurt in a 2 liter bowl.

With the help of such an electrical appliance, you can always prepare fermented milk products and various desserts, spending a minimum of your time. The price of this device is about 8 thousand. rubles.