Salton YM9 1-Quart Yogurt Maker

Twenty Smackers?
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...

It's almost perfect
Look...making yogurt isn't that compicated. All you need is a good starter culture, a stable and appropriate temperature and clean equipment so you get the proper cultures growing. The Salton 1-quart does a beautiful job and you can't beat the price. If you've never made your own yogurt before, this is the unit to buy. Don't spend tons of money on a piece of equipment that does nothing more than keep the milk warm for a few hours. Realize, it is much easier to just buy yogurt at the supermarket. But if you don't like keep buying little plastic containers, and if you don't mind going to just a little effort to make your own foods, you'll enjoy making yogurt. I like to use milk straight from the bulk tank at a local dairy farm and either organic Stonyfield (NH)or organic Butterworks (VT) yogurt as a starter. Homemade yogurt doesn't always have the homogenous and solid consistency of store-bought, but I've had very good results (quite comparable with commercial yogurts) with the...

Make your own, save money
Why pay up to $0.80 for a cup of yogurt when you can make your own easily? All you need is skim milk, a cup of plain yogurt or powdered starter (healthfood store or mail order) optional dry milk and electricity.

If you have kids and they gobble yogurt up by the case, this handly appliance will repay you very quickly. If they insist on cups, save and clean the plastic ones from the store, or get small containers from the housewares department. Put juice-sweetened jam or crushed fruit and honey in the bottom and make home-made treats that are less expensive and have less sugar.

Why scald the milk? If you are using fresh milk, as opposed to the ultra pasturized tetrapacks (like Parmalat) you scald the milk to kill enzymes that can prevent the yogurt from forming. Why use dry milk added? The added milk solids make a stiffer yogurt. If you are going to make smoothies and yogurt shakes, don't bother to add the dry milk.

This yogurt maker holds a quart and doesn't have the goofy...

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