At-Home Yogurt Makers for its Aficionados and Devotees

If you are not a huge fan of yogurt, you might want to skip this article.

But on the other hand, if you really aren’t, the chances of you even clicking on this post are probably slim to none.

So I’ll take the liberty of addressing you, my valued reader, as a fan of the yogurt. 

And I’ll also dare to assume you don’t discriminate between plain, Greek, fruit and all the other kinds of the tasty, healthy snack we are discussing today. 

You’ve probably also tried plenty of the brands available to us in the UK. You may also have, like myself, tried to sample as many foreign yogurts when on holiday abroad as you can (I am particularly partial to anything in the yogurt aisle in Greece and Italy). 

However, you will also know that the store-bought kind is not actually always the healthiest option. There are all kinds of sugars, artificial flavourings and preservatives in them that we could do without. 

Organic and truly-good-for-you yogurts can end up costing a pretty penny, so if you and your family eat a whole lot of yogurt, if you are making healthier eating a goal for 2022, and have done the math and discovered that a yogurt maker would in fact be worth the investment – you’ve come to the right place. You will quickly learn how to use a yogurt maker, and trust me: you’ll fall in love with it in less than a week.

Let’s first, as usual, take a look at the characteristics of a good yogurt maker.

What to Look for in a Yogurt Maker 

Here are some of the more important features to look out for:

Size: this should be your most important decision. The yogurt you make in a yogurt maker will not have any preservatives and will thus have a shorter shelf life than the store bought kind. In other words, you don’t want to make too much only for it to spoil. Consider the size of your family, how regularly you munch on yogurt, and how much you can reasonably expect to need to make. 

Batch or individual servings: some yogurt makers only make one batch, while others come with jars where you can make different flavours in each

Types of yogurt: some models will make plain yogurt, others only Greek yogurt, while some will allow you to do both, and even make soft cheese

Automation: some models will be completely automated, while others will require you to set temperatures and times – make your choice depending on the level of control you would like to have

Prep time: some yogurt makers will serve up that batch of yumminess in 5-6 hours, while others will require as much as 12, so consider how long you would prefer to wait 

Ease of cleaning: rather an obvious one – if you need to spend 30 additional minutes scrubbing, you might not enjoy your yogurt maker as much

Now that we have covered all that, let’s take a look at 8 charming yogurt makers: 

1 – Dash Greek Yogurt Maker 

Let’s take a look at a Greek yogurt maker first. 

This is a very compact and lightweight model from Dash that’s ideal if you have a smaller kitchen but would still love to treat yourself to a yogurt maker. You can also store all the accessories in the actual base, so it will take up as little space as possible.

All you have to do is prep your ingredients and add them in, leave the yogurt maker to do its magic overnight, and you can enjoy fresh homemade yogurt in the morning. 

You can of course leave it to work during the day, but it will take 8 to 12 hours, so bear that in mind. 

You can make up to 2 quarts, but you only get the single container, so one flavour at a time is all you can do. 

This yogurt maker comes with 2 buckets with matching lids, a strainer and a recipe book, so you won’t have to worry about getting the recipes right until you get a proper hang of it.

The control knob lets you set the time and temperature as well as the fermentation cycle, so you will also be able to fine-tune your yogurts. 

Great for fans of the Greek yogurt, even if they live in studios with limited counter and storage space. 

2 – Lakeland Multi Yoghurt and Soft Cheese Maker 

Here is another compact model that only comes with the single container. 

However, this Lakeland item will also let you make soft cheese too, alongside plain and Greek yogurt. You can even do kefir. 

If you are looking for a multifunctional yogurt maker, definitely take a look at this one. 

You can again set your own temperatures (between 25 and 65°C) and your own prep times (1 to 99 hours), so you can definitely experiment until you find a combination of ingredients and flavours that suits you best.

A recipe book is also included so there will be plenty of inspiration to work off of, and you will have a neat baseline to start with.

The one potential downside (if you prefer to do more than one flavour at a time) is that you only get the single container with this model, so one batch at a time is what you will be able to do. 

However, the container sits nicely in the fridge, so if you like to do larger batches of a single flavour, this yogurt maker will be your loved and trusted ally.

An easy to use and reliable model for the yogurt aficionado. 

3 – Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker

While this cooker is so much more than just a yogurt maker, I am including it here because it’s really, really good. 

You are getting 7 different functions in one: a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a rice cooker, a steamer, a yogurt maker, and you can also use it for searing and warming.

As it’s such a versatile apparatus, you will definitely be able to get away with it in a small kitchen, as it can technically replace some other appliances – not all of them, but you can certainly only have this guy on hand and prepare plenty of tasty and varied meals.

There are pre-set programs you can choose from, and not just for the yogurt maker, which makes it a bit of a challenge to get to know it at first. It does come with a recipe book, so you will have plenty of help getting the hang of it and testing out all the features. 

It also comes in different sizes, so you can pick up the model that works best for your needs.

If you are looking for a truly multifunctional item that just also happens to be a yogurt maker, this is your solution.

4 – VonShef Digital Yoghurt Maker with 7 Jars 

If you are looking for a slightly more affordable model, this VonShef might be more to your liking. 

You get 7 individual jars, meaning you can do 7 different flavours at the same time, if the fancy so takes you. There is of course nothing to say you can’t do the same recipe in all of them. 

Each jar can make 180 millilitres of yogurt, just right for an individual serving.

You will have to leave it to do its magic for 8 to 12 hours (you can go up to 14), but that’s just how long yogurt takes. There is also no automatic timer, but for the price, you can do without it. 

It’s stylish and elegant, and should fit into your cupboard nicely. You can of course use the jars for storing things other than yogurt, and they are great for taking a meal to the office or the park.

Very easy to get a hang of and a great choice for everyone looking for a budget yogurt maker. 

5 – Luvele Pure Yoghurt Maker with Ceramic Jars

Here is another yogurt maker that will allow you to prepare several different flavours at once, with its four jars.

These jars are larger at 400 millilitres, so you should be able to satisfy everyone’s tastes for delish yogurt, and not have to make a new batch every single day.

This yogurt maker uses water-bath technology to cook your goose (I mean yogurt), so the taste and texture should truly be superior. 

You can set the timer to up to 24 hours – and you can also choose between three temperature options: 36, 38 or 40℃. Should be plenty for both your plain and Greek yogurt recipes. 

This model also comes with an auto-off setting, so you don’t have to worry about keeping an eye on it – but you do have to remember to remove the final product. 

There is also the option of buying extra jars (300 millilitres) if you would like to have another set on hand. They can of course also be used for meal prep that does not involve yogurt at all.

A great option if you are looking for a quality and reliable yogurt maker allowing for more than one flavour at a time. 

6 – Lakeland 7-Cup Electric Yoghurt Maker

Here is another yogurt maker that will let you do 7 different flavours in 7 different jars in one go. 

The jars are 180 millilitres, which should satisfy your everyday yogurt cravings. You can easily store them in the fridge or take them with you when you go for a walk, to school or work. 

You can also buy extra jars if you feel you need them. 

The process of yogurt making will take from 8 to 12 hours (depending on the kind of milk you are using), so the extra jars might come in handy if you want to keep making yogurt while you still have some of the old batch in the fridge.

While this model will naturally require a bit more cleaning – it’s an amazing option if you like to do different flavours or use different kinds of milk at the same time. Just remember which is which and how long it needs to stay in the yogurt maker. 

The one thing to note is that the middle jar might not get as hot as the others with this model – but preheating the yogurt maker might just solve that issue.

If you enjoy making smaller yogurt portions instead of one large one – this can be the yogurt maker for you.

7 – Severin Yoghurt Maker with 14 Jars

On the other hand, if you would like to have more than 7 jars at your disposal – here is this Severin yogurt maker which gives you 14.

Do note that you can only do 7 at a time – but the other 7 that come with the yogurt maker will mean you don’t have to buy them separately, and that you can keep them on rotation. 

Excellent if you like to pack some yogurt for your kids lunches, like to munch on it as a snack, or if you have a large family of yogurt lovers to feed.

Prep time will be between 6 and 12 hours, again depending on the kind of milk you use – which will of course be up to you entirely. Make sure you check how long you need to leave your yogurt to ferment depending on your choice of milk, especially when you make your first batches.

It has an indicator that will tell you how much time there is to go still, so you won’t lose track of progress. 

Easy to use and very straightforward – this might not be the most stylish of all yogurt makers, but it certainly is a good one.

8 – Duronic Yoghurt Maker 

Finally, let’s look at a very stylish yogurt maker to wrap this list up. 

There are two Duronic yogurt makers to look out for: the YM1 which comes with a 1.5 litre pot, and the YM2, that comes with 8 jars. Which one you choose will depend on the flavours you want to make at a time, and whether you prefer the convenience of single-serve jars. 

Once you buy the actual yogurt maker, you can just get the other kind of container separately – no need to buy the actual appliance twice. 

You can set the timer yourself to anywhere between 1 and 24 hours – though 8 to 12 is what you will most often need. You can of course experiment with different prep times, as you will get different textures and consistencies. 

You also have a “keep warm” and “warming” function that can also come in handy if you need them.

The jars are dishwasher safe, which should definitely be considered an added bonus too. 

A stylish, easy to use and easy to maintain yogurt maker you will love using. 

Which Yogurt Maker is Right for me? 

The decision will ultimately come down to your choice of container – and whether you want one large pot, or several smaller jars.

Once you have that figured out, you can consider all the other factors – prep time, size of container, size of actual yogurt maker. 

All of the models I feature here should be easy enough to use and deliver good results – how often you make yogurt and how much you are ready to invest in one should also be a consideration.

If you do decide to buy one of these – do let me know which recipes you use and how you like to take your yogurt! 

(My personal favourite is Greek yogurt with berries and honey.)

J.