Euro Cuisine YM80 Yogurt Maker,White 9.6 Inch Import To Shop ×Product customization General Description Gallery Reviews

YM80 suits my needs perfectlyThis review is for the YM-80 model.I had previously owned the YM-100. It performed very well for a number of years but recently gave out on me (started heating unevenly). I do feel I got my money’s worth from that yogurt maker, because it got used hundreds of times. However, I realized I had not been using the shut-off timer feature, so I decided to go with the cheaper YM-80 unit this time around. After having used it, I believe this one was the right choice for me.The YM-80 is very similar to the YM-100, with the exception that it does not include a timer. You will see numbers on the side of the unit; these do not really serve a countdown purpose. There’s a notch in the lid that you can position at one of the numbers, the idea being that the number represents the time you want to turn the yogurt maker off. So if you are doing something that will take 12 hours and you start at 8 in the morning, you’d put the little notch at 8 to remind yourself to take the yogurt out at 8 PM. I am not using this feature, but it’s there if you want it.The jars are the same for the YM-80 and YM-100, so now I have an extra set of jars. I do like the jars. I find that they are a good serving size (6 ounces) and I’m very happy that the yogurt never touches plastic (the lids are plastic but you do not use them while you are incubating the yogurt). You should wash the jars prior to the first use and after every subsequent use. If you use a non-heated dry, you can put the lids in the dishwasher as well (I use the silverware basket for the lids). The lids screw on and off and are very easy to put on and take off, but are also fairly secure when on (though I would not suggest turning the jars upside down — that would be pushing your luck).Here is the procedure I typically follow for making yogurt (I always make dark chocolate/cherry yogurt):1) Heat 5 cups of skim milk to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (this kills any bacteria already present in the milk)2) Chop up 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate (I use the Bakers baking chocolate) and put it in a heat-proof bowl3) When the milk is hot, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chopped chocolate; mix with an immersion blender or hand mixer (a spoon is not really enough)4) Stir in a packet of nonfat milk powder (wherein one packet is equivalent to one quart, rehydrated); again use an immersion blender or hand mixer5) Let the milk/chocolate mixture cool (you can speed this up by setting the bowl it’s in, in a container filled with ice)6) In a medium frying pan, put half a bag (about 5 ounces, I think) of frozen tart cherries; squeeze agave nectar over them (can also use honey, or even sugar)7) Heat the cherries and sweetener on high heat; you’ll essentially be making a chunky syrup; stir with a heat-proof spatula (and smash the cherries, while you’re at it, removing pits if you find any)8) When your syrup thickens, distribute it among the seven yogurt jars9) When your milk/chocolate mixture has cooled to approximately 110-115 degrees, stir in a packet of yogurt starter (I like to use the Yogourmet yogurt starter); again, use the immersion blender or hand mixer10) Distribute the milk/chocolate mixture into the jars on top of the cherry syrup11) Put the jars into the yogurt maker and turn it on12) Shake one or two jars periodically (wait at least 5-6 hours before doing this) to see if the yogurt has set13) Once the yogurt has set, put the lids on the jars and put them in the refrigerator for a few hoursThe instruction manual says it can take 10-12 hours to make yogurt with skim milk. I’d say this was fairly accurate. So leaving this running overnight is one option. I usually just run it on Sundays, when I’m home all day. All sorts of things can alter the incubation time, from add-ins to starting milk temperature, so I find that it is better to just check on the yogurt periodically than to assume an exact number of hours will get the job done. Also, don’t keep homemade yogurt longer than about a week, for food safety reasons.Please note: This could, indeed, be used for making non-dairy yogurt. You would want a non-dairy yogurt starter (there’s one from Belle + Bella) and you’d probably need to seek advice elsewhere on the web regarding incubation time, thickeners, etc. I have only used this to make dairy yogurt.Anyway, the YM-80 seems to have all the features I need. I’m happy with the purchase and looking forward to several years (at least) of heavy use.

Excellent Small Appliance and Fun to Use0 update for lactose freeUpdate: We have been experimenting with different dairy milks and yogurts. As someone who is extremely lactose intolerant, even using low-5% fat greek yogurt caused symptoms. The latest batch used: 2% lactose free milk, 2/3 cups Fage Best Self lactose free yogurt and 10 Tablespoons of lactose free non-fat milk powder. The milk powder adds to the creamy texture and sweet flavor (it’s not cheap but we find it adds to the success of the final product). There is an extra step I follow now- after the milk reaches 180 degrees, maintain this temperature over low heat for 15-30 minutes. Many recipes don’t mention this but we’ve made 5 batches doing this and all came out great. Let the yogurt ferment for 10 hours, then chill for 4 hours- the end result will be yummy!Should have purchased one a long time ago. Our family consumes large quantities of yogurt and can only eat lactose free versions. The brand we buy, free of additives with a lot of protein has been increasingly in short supply. We like the dairy versions as they contain good amounts of protein but omit the bad stuff.Started looking at yogurt makers and wanted a machine that was simple to use and didn’t require too much complicated prep. This machine does exactly what it says. e made our 1st batch and it turned out perfectly.I wrote the company to confirm you could use lactose free milk and you can (whole fat is best, then followed by 2% with a sugar content minimum of 6%). They added that if you buy a yogurt starter, it must contain live cultures with no additives. These are some of the brands that do (Fage, Green Mountain Creamery, Maple Hill Creamery, MountainHigh, Nancy’s, Stonyfield, and Wallaby)- these are all whole fat regular plain (no flavoring, and not lactose free). We followed the video instructions and used 1/3 cup of yogurt starter which is a little less than the booklet states and still turned out a semi creamy product. Might try using a bit more starter next time. We love that you can then customize the flavor to individual tastes and doesn’t contain any of the bad additives in store bought products.If your family enjoys yogurt- buy this little machine

Ridiculously easy to use.I purchased this yogurt maker after a lot of research. It is perfect for our small batch yogurt. Easy to clean. Comes with jars and lids.

Yum, yum, fresh yogurt againThis replaced my former maker. This arrived quickly and I’ve only made 1 batch so far. I am still deciding on of I like it as well as my Salton of years ago. Love the little jars and ease of use. Not so sure on the amount of time suggested. I would have liked the yogurt to have been firmer but flavor was good. It was hard to find how to make the yogurt up so it could go into the maker.

First batch turned out GREAT!!!I eat a lot of yogurt – I have been buying Fage at Costco and I can polish off a 1kg container (that’s 35oz) in about 2-3 days. Even though I reuse the containers and recycle them when I can’t use them anymore, I still worry about whether all the plastic I put in my recycle bin actually gets recycled. I have heard that a lot of it just goes to landfills anyway. So I wanted to make my own yogurt.I bought this particular yogurt maker because of the number of good reviews, and the price. It doesn’t have a timer, and, like another reviewer, I like to have more control over the process.Having said that, I just opened up the lid of my first batch of yogurt and it is outstanding! I have tried making yogurt before: in the oven on low with the door open, with different fat-content milks, in my food dehydrator (it has a pretty precise temp control), and in a pan of warm water inside an ice chest. Nothing gave me yogurt – all I had was milk that tasted like it had a spoonful of yogurt in it. This batch is so good! I had intended to leave it for 12 hours, but I couldn’t wait and just ate some after 8 hours and it’s delicious. I’ll leave the rest in for another few hours and see if it gets a little more tangy.Here’s what I did:I poured 7 jars’ worth of fat-free milk from a local dairy (not organic) into a large saucepan, added 1/2 cup (120ml) of dry, non-fat milk powder (I used Bob’s Red Mill, a local company in Portland, Oregon) and heated this mixture to 185F degrees (85C). I let this mixture cool to about 95F degrees (32C) and added one jar’s worth of Nancy’s (another local company) non-fat yogurt. I mixed it well and poured it into the jars. I turned the maker on and tried not to hover over it! I did put the probe of my digital thermometer inside the compartment, next to the jars of yogurt and the temp was about 105-110F (40-43C)I thought the volume might be too much and the jars would overflow, but it all went into the jars and, like magic, I have yogurt!I read a blog last night about using some of your last batch of yogurt as a starter for the next batch and the blogger said (and I am paraphrasing here) he found that freezing a little of the previous batch to use as starter keeps the bacteria fresher and they work indefinitely. In microbiology terms, this makes sense – you just keep propagating the bacteria in the yogurt, but they can get “tired” if they have been in the fridge too long, and they can’t do their buggy thing and reproduce like crazy. I probably eat enough yogurt, that mine will be ready for the Ironbacteria competition, but I will try the freezing thing if my yogurt comes out too runny.As with all my reviews, I will post an update after several months of use and let you know how the product is holding up.Update 5/20/2012: I am still making yogurt at least once a week from the same batch I started with and it still tastes good and is definitely not runny; the last batch was made from a jar that sat in the fridge for over a week before I had time to make another batch and the yogurt still turned out fine. I haven’t had to try the freezing method. I am so happy with this purchase, I can’t recommend it highly enough.