Salton YM9 1-Quart Yogurt Maker
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Our Price: $169.95 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Salton YM9 1-Quart Yogurt Maker
Customer Review: Twenty Smackers?
Summary: 4 Stars
I was quite surprised to see that this maker costs twice here what I paid at a local retail store four or five years ago. I use it about every other week. I've never had a failed batch.I would still recommend this unit, despite the higher cost. Most of the other contraptions I've seen are not only much more dear, but also require that you make lots of little pots of yogurt. What a hassle.
I prefer to buy organic animal products. When you can actually find organic yogurt, it's expensive. And finding organic whole milk yogurt is well nigh impossible. If you're interested in organic yogurt, making your own is the way to go. After several batches, you'll recover the cost of the maker.
And about the silly, flimsy design that other reviewers have mentioned... I chucked the inside tub, cover and spoon. I use a quart size, wide mouth canning jar. And I just discovered last week that my grocery store sells "storage lids" for canning jars, plastic, screw on tops. Much easier than the metal rings & caps.
I've read some reports that heating foods in plastic might be dangerous. Using glass eliminates that worry. Also, the added weight of the glass helps to stabilize the unit, which others have mentioned is very light.
Finally, using the canning jar/s means that I can store the yogurt in the container I make it in -- but then I can make more yogurt before that batch is completely used up. Not possible with the original container.
I wouldn't regret buying this unit at the higher price here. However, before I did, I'd check my local thrift store. I'll bet that, like crock pots, these little units get passed along at a good clip.
Customer Review: I would give it 10 stars if I could
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this yogurt maker after reading almost all of the 325 reviews. I guess that many people couldn't be wrong. I have the other one which makes 7 little glass jars and I love it but I can't resist getting another one for my mom and a backup for me. hehehe!
anyway I got it at a really good price so I ordered two. somehow something happened and I got only one and was only charged one. I emailed amazon and they replied that they cannot send another one at the same price so I had their customer service call me and the ever helpful guy on the other end of the line helped me and sent me another one. :)
I made yogurt last night in the machine I got and i used a recipe given by one of the posters:
4 cups milk (2%)
1/2 cup carnation nonfat milk powder
I heat this until it starts boiling.
Cool it down and remove the skin.
I pulverized 2 caplets of TRADER JOE's (Trader Darwin's) Acidophilus dietary supplement, which has L. acidophilus, L. helveticus, B. bifidum and S. thermophilus.
I mixed the acidophilus powder with a small amount of the warm milk until it dissolved (it will, trust me!)
and I pour it into the rest of the warm milk. Stir it gently and pour into the yogurt maker.
I let it incubate for 8 hours (11pm to 7am)
Then put it in the refrigerator.
I tasted it and it was gooooooddddd!!! I never ate plain yogurt from the store but I think I will eat plain yogurt now!!
Hope this helps! If you're thinking of getting a yogurt maker, get this! You won't be sorry! And get if from Amazon! Their customer service is simply amazing!
Customer Review: Perfect Yogurt! Dirt Cheap, bought one for everyone on my list
Summary: 5 Stars
If the yogurt doesn't turn out, you are doing something wrong. It could not be simpler. I use a quart of skim milk, add 1/4 cup of powdered milk. Microwave for 9 or 10 minutes. Cool to about 115 degrees. Add 1/4 cup of live yogurt. Put in a canning jar, put in maker for 8-10 hours. You can use less or more of powdered milk. The temp can be slightly flexible, just can't be too cold or too hot. You experiment to find the firmness you want or tartness. I strain it with the yogurt cheese strainer and have a cream cheese like spread and if I strain it long enough, it is like a feta cheese crumble to sprinkle on salads. I use in dressings, add no added sugar jelly, fruit, decaf instant coffee, maple, vanilla, dill........ the options are endless. I even bought me two extra, incase one breaks. I make a quart a day. This is a wonderful option. I made yogurt in the 70's and forgot how easy and wonderful it was. There is a ton of information on the net, even how to make with a probiotic supplement, so that you don't need to have a yogurt starter. I bought some at GMC, 120 tabs in a bottle. Much cheaper than the starter sold. You can't go wrong at $12.99 each. I paid $23 for my first one, then $14.99 for several and now getting a few for the gift shelf, at $12.99. While I was waiting for my maker, I used a a slow cooker. It worked wonderfully but it took up so much room on my counter and also, the results varied. It works in a pinch. The Salton, looks much better than a big crockpot and is more predictable. It also takes less electricity than a slow cooker or low temp oven.Customer Review: great results very easy to use for first time yogurt maker
Summary: 5 Stars
I agree that the plastic container, lid, and spoon are lame. Why did they make a domed lid that didn't fit on very well. I still use the container, but only because I don't have a canning jar with a storage lid to replace the plastic container with(as suggested by another reviewer). The first time I made yogurt it turned out great and it still makes great yogurt very easily. I was surprised how easily and quickly yogurt can be made. I have made soy yogurt and whole milk organic yogurt. The soy yogurt was good and not sour tasting at all, but if you incubate it longer than 3-4 hours, it separates. The whole milk yogurt is creamy and delicious with only a slight sour taste(unlike store bought yogurt). I have only had a couple of batches not turn out, but it was due to incubating the soy yogurt too long or putting in too much starter. Sometimes the whole milk yogurt is not as smooth looking as store bought, but stirring till it is nice and smooth solves the problem. I always take out 2 tablespoons of yogurt from a fresh batch and put it in a small container to use as my starter for another batch.I find it is faster to make the yogurt if I use a microwave to sterilize the milk and use a big bowl full of cold water to cool the heated milk. I am sure that the microwave is not the preferred method of sterilizing the milk, but it has worked for me and it is quick.I use the yogurt maker about 2-3 times a week since my kids eat a lot of yogurt. The yogurt that I make with this yogurt maker is much tastier, healthier(no additives and fresher), and cheaper than store bought yogurt.Customer Review: It's a bit tricky...but it works.
Summary: 4 Stars
I cannot say that this machine is a "no brainer" because it isn't. I had to try various approaches befoe I was able to get good yogurt. I have the best luck with powdered starter in the packet and adding a packet of unflavored gelatin to "thicken" the product up more (add while heating the milk). Live yogurt didn't do it for me, so I am thinking that store bought yogurt isn't as fresh or "live" as claimed. However, Trader Joes plain unflavored did ok. I can't always make it there (40 min. away).
The quality of the yogurt depends more on the type of starter you use. Bulgarian style is best for custard style yogurt...the kind we're used to getting at the market. Other types of bacterium will produce more of kefir type of yogurt. Don't blame the texture on the machine...it's all in the starter. If you want to have a yogurt similar to what you're used to buying in the store you'll have to add powdered milk, use the right starter, and use unflavored gelatin. The machine has nothing to do with any of this. My favorite stater come from the Baker's Catalog (King Arthur Flour Co.).
It's also important to have a thermometer handy. I use one for espresso to check my temperature. This is a must, as bacterium have to grow at the right temp. regardless of the machine you use. It's also important to preheat the machine as directed, and allow your milk to cool down to 120 degrees before putting in the machine. The machine does the job of "babysitting" your yogurt till it's done. It will not boil the milk, or make up for a bad starter. That's up to you!