Salton YM9 1-Quart Yogurt Maker
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List Price: Buy Used: from $169.95 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Salton YM9 1-Quart Yogurt Maker
Customer Review: Very good yogurt if you're patient
Summary: 4 Stars
The Salton yogurt maker makes an tasty yogurt that's easy to modify to your personal taste. I microwave the milk in the plastic container until small bubbles form---the time depends on the power of your oven; it can range from 2-1/2 to 4 minutes for a 900-1000 watt microwave (don't let the milk boil over or you'll be cleaning up a mess.) Then I cover and put the container in the freezer for about 45 min. to cool the milk down before mixing in either powdered yogurt culture or a 1/4 cup of plain starter from the previous batch of yogurt. In my experience it seems that powdered culture tends to take a longer time to set. Starter from a previous batch sets faster, though if the starter is over a week old the yogurt tends to sour faster (the manufacturer doesn't recommend using starter more than 5 days old, but I find it still works. And if you eat the yogurt up quickly, it doesn't matter.)
After the yogurt sets, I put it in the refrigerator to cool for several hours or overnight. The yogurt will be on the soft side because it doesn't have additives to help it gel like commercial yogurt. If you like yours a little firmer, you can drain some of the liquid off by fastening a piece of cheesecloth over the top of the container with a rubber band and turning the container upside down in a colander over the sink.
You can mix in cut-up fruit to the yogurt or add whatever you like in terms of sweetener. I like a 1/2 - 2/3 cup of sugar (honey and maple syrup work well too) and a tablespoon of vanilla. My mom likes hers unsweetened with just fruit.
The only minuses I can think of is the dome cover is fragile (mine is cracked from dropping it just once) and the spoon is basically useless; it doesn't even snap in so it falls out.
Customer Review: Great Yogurt Maker
Summary: 5 Stars
Love this yogurt maker. My favorite was a 5-container one from the early 80's, not made anymore. This one is a close second. I liked having the ready-to-add 'touches'individually cups. Now, I let it set, then put into my own containers for ready-to-mix and eat style.
Thought I would add tips for yogurt cheese and Greek-style thickened yogurt.
For any kind of strained yogurt cheese or thickened yogurt--I let it cool/set first.
Been making it for years.
I use knee-high panty hose. Can find them cheap. Make sure to make the knot in it first, then cut, makes two strainers.
Wrap it over the edge of a small bowl, fill with amount you want. For yogurt cheese, I keep it about the size of an large orange at most. Otherwise the consistency isn't the same. For thickened yogurt, load it up.
I have a 3M plastic clip over my sink that is stuck to the cabinet on the right. Hangs over the right back edge of the sink, out of the way, and a little high-up, doesn't splash. . I wrap the hose around the clip.
I like straining it at room temperature for a while, then back into the fridge overnight--in a small bowl elevated on a plastic ball jar lid, then next day/evening hang it out in room temperature for an hour or so. The second time 'out' iI squeeze it a little to gauge how soft it is after I hang it.
More whey seems to drain out at room temperature. The hose stretches with the weight of the yogurt and forms a compact ball--for cheese, ready to mix-in herbs, shallots or garlic powder. Fresh garlic can overpower the cheese. You can rinse and reuse the strainers or toss and make new ones.
Not worth the trouble to me to use cheesecloth and the other strainers I can't hang at room temperature.
Customer Review: Works for me! And the price is indeed right!
Summary: 4 Stars
I go through a good deal of plain yogurt a week (about a quart and a half), and thought I'd like to save some money by making my own. I'd been told to just leave it in the oven, but since I have an electric stove that wasn't practical, so I thought I'd give this maker a try. It was a reasonably priced model, and in spite of some of the negative reviews, it appeared to be exactly what I needed.
Indeed, it has proven to be so. While I'm sure there are other such pieces of equipment on the market that are more precise or better explained, this one works just fine. I make sure to double wash all the equipment -- from the pan to the spoons to the candy thermometer to the inner container -- before starting the process, and so far, it's been nothing but successful. I did find it helpful to research yogurt making recipes on the internet as I was confused by the addition of powdered milk, but overall, the product does what I need it to do, and does so beautifully!
My only issue with the inner container is that since the lid is domed, it has to sit on the top shelf of my refrigerator, but the simple solution is to transfer the yogurt to another container once processing is complete. Not like I don't have enough containers, and if all else fails, buy a quart container of commercial yogurt next time you need starter and wash and save that to store your yogurt in.
And frankly, since I go through so much yogurt in a week, I prefer to make it in one large container rather than the traditional little cups. If I want, I can transfer it into individual serving sized cups later. I'd highly recommend this one to those who want to make their own and don't want to break the bank to give it a go.
Customer Review: Great starter kit for yogurt-making newbies
Summary: 4 Stars
I just got this device yesterday and after a little effort I created some really tasty yogurt all by myself! However, the reason I gave it only four stars is because the Salton YM9 requires you to do a little prep work on your own.
The tools I recommend you get are: (1) a cooking thermometer (mine goes from 50 degrees to 220 degrees F), (2) a large metal mixing bowl, and (3) per the instruction - a box of non-fat powdered milk.
You need to heat 1 quart of milk + the powdered milk in a pot on the stove slowly raising the temperature to about 210 degrees F (just below boiling) while constantly stirring. At the same time I put some water in a tea kettle and got it boiling.
Then I poured the boiling water into the "clean" metal mixing bowl to sterilize it. Right afterwards I poured the hot milk into the mixing bowl and then put the mixing bowl into a large soup pot filled with ice water. The instructions say you need to bring the temp of the milk down to 100 to 110 F. It helps to stir the milk while its cooling too.
NOW you have milk that is ready for the Salton YM9 yogurt maker. Add the starter yogurt to the plastic container provided, add a little of the warm milk, stir until it is consistent. Slowly add the rest of the milk and then let the yogurt cultures do the rest.
The trick to making a successful batch of yogurt is to think of yourself as a biochemist trying to cultivate some acidophilous bacteria. Make sure everything that touches the milk and the yogurt is super clean so that the yogurt bacteria will grow and thrive without having to compete with some unwanted bacteria that you introduced by accident.
Customer Review: Easy & Yummy!
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this yogurt maker because I was inspired to start living a healthier lifestyle and making things from scratch with less ingredients and less sugars. I've got two little kids and I wanted to start while they were young. My two year old is a rather big fan of yogurt and we were going through a lot of it each week. The cost was getting a little crazy and the amount of sugar in them well that's just crazy too. So I bought this for around 25. I didn't think the price was bad at all. Its so easy to use. You heat up the milk (and the best part about this is I can use organic milk and thus making organic yogurt for such a low cost!) and once its heated you allow it to cool...then you mix in the starter (I bought the dry starter instead of using plain yogurt)...then you cover it and put it in the incubator for 4-12 hours. It says 4-6 or 8-10 (the longer you keep it in the incubator the harder it gets less time makes it less solid) but a good friend of mine said she often even does 12. I went with 10.5 hours...we took it out of the incubator and it was perfect looking (with the whey around it of course) and stuck it in the fridge to cool. Then all you have to do is wait a bit to eat it! I personally am used to the flavored yogurts so I need to sweeten them up a bit! I tossed in some thawed frozen fruit & a bit of honey and YUM! My kids loved it too! Oh...and remember the best part - less sugar then buying it in the store and over the long haul more cost effective! Especially if you have a baby and are buying those Yo Baby's (6 pack for 3.50). Ouch! The only downfall is the time it takes to make so you're unable to get instant gratification!