Yogurt, renowned for its probiotic and calcium content, is a great addition to a balanced diet. With a plethora of flavors and types to choose from, yogurt offers versatility in how it can be enjoyed. Whether as a breakfast accompaniment with fruit, a tangy garnish, a creamy salad dressing, or even a wholesome dessert, yogurt truly caters to diverse preferences.
While store-bought yogurt has become increasingly expensive in Canada, making your own yogurt at home is a cost-effective solution for adding it to your diet. Moreover, store-bought yogurt often contains excessive sugar and additives. By investing in a yogurt maker, you can effortlessly prepare delicious yogurts within the comfort of your own home.
Keep reading to learn more about yogurt makers. We’ll also highlight the best yogurt makers available in Canada this year, helping you make an informed decision for your yogurt-making endeavors.
Why Buy a Yogurt Maker?
Unless you’re an experienced yogurt-maker, perfecting the traditional process of making yogurt is not an easy task. This is because maintaining a steady temperature is a critical part of the fermentation process of making yogurt.
A yogurt maker simplifies the yogurt-making process by creating the perfect conditions for optimum fermentation. Not to mention, it’s also a lot less messy!
The 5 Best Yogurt Makers in Canada in 2024
Here are our reviews of the best yogurt makers you can find in Canada this year.
Bear Yogurt Maker
The Bear Yogurt Maker is one of the easiest ways to make any kind of yogurt from home. It’s a truly multi-functional yogurt maker that has pre-set options for making Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, soft cheese like ricotta, or even fermented wine. You can even make homemade sourdough with this yogurt maker!
What we particularly appreciate about the Bear Automatic Yogurt Maker is its sleek black design. Measuring 19.3 cm in width, and 18.5 cm in height, the Bear won’t take up much space on your countertop. It also has a stainless steel inner pot that provides perfect 360° heat transmission. This means the fermentation process will be executed on point.
The Bear Yogurt Maker also comes with a 1-quart food-grade glass jar for easy yogurt storage, a strainer for making cheese or Greek yogurt, and a user manual.
Euro Cuisine Digital Automatic Yogurt Maker
The Euro Cuisine YMX650 Automatic Yogurt Maker lets you transform any kind of milk into yogurt in just a few hours. The machine is very simple to use yet produces delicious probiotic-rich yogurt. With space for 7 reusable 6 oz. jars, you can essentially make 7 different yogurt flavours at the same time!
The YMX650 is easy to use with its built-in LED digital timer. The machine will automatically beep and switch off after 15 hours or when the yogurt making process is complete. You can choose between 6 and 10 hours, depending on the desired thickness of your yogurt.
The Euro Cuisine yogurt maker comes with 7 resealable 6-ounce glass jars, allowing you to produce 7 different yogurt flavours at the same time. The jars are dishwasher-safe, making them easy to clean. The machine, as seen in the image, has a transparent cover that allows you to watch the machine work its magic while it is in use.
The package comes with a Yogurt Starter Base to get you started but you can use plain yogurt as an alternative. In order to make Greek yogurt, Euro Cuisine sells a GY50 Strainer.
Suteck Automatic Yogurt Maker
If you need a bigger yogurt maker and prefer a more horizontal design, Suteck’s Automatic Yogurt Maker is a great choice. It lets you make 8 flavours of homemade yogurt, in separate glass jars, at the same time.
The machine fits 8 dishwasher-safe 6 oz. glass jars, allowing you to make up to 8 different flavours of yogurt at the same time. Similar to Euro Cuisine, the Sutek Yogurt Maker has an automated timer that switches the machine off when it’s done. At the same time, a sound will alert you that the jars are ready to be placed in the refrigerator.
Because of its LED screen, this machine makes it simple to adjust the settings. You can adjust the temperature to anywhere between 20°C and 55°C. The timer can be set for anywhere between 1 hour and 48 hours, depending on the incubation period required for your various cultures. Suteck offers a two-year warranty.
Stainless Steel Manual Yogurt Maker
This non-electric yogurt maker is one of our favourites since it doesn’t require any electricity to operate. This makes it incredibly easy and stress-free to make yogurt with. All you really need to do is place heated milk in the heated stainless steel jug, along with the starter, and leave it to rest for a few hours.
If you have a small kitchen and don’t want extra appliances on your counter, you’ll appreciate this yogurt maker. It’s easy to use and takes up very little space. Since it’s manual, it does not come with perks such as a timer or LED screen.
Since it’s a single 1 container, you can only create one type and flavor of yogurt at a time. That being said, this might be a benefit if you regularly eat the same type and flavour of yogurt.
Every purchase comes with a 42-page recipe book that includes 12 yogurt recipes that you can easily create at home. The recipes include Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt, and a variety of non-dairy yogurts.
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Yogurt Maker
Making yogurt in the Instant Pot Duo is easy as ever. It also means you don’t have to purchase a single-use appliance for making yogurt at home. Simply gather your ingredients and set your Instant Pot to the ideal temperature or setting. The Instant Pot will act as an incubator for the yogurt.
An Instant Pot is a great way to make yogurt because its able to maintain consistent temperatures, and this is essential when making yogurt.
In order to make yogurt with an Instant Pot Duo, you’ll simply need a yogurt starter and the milk of your choice. A food thermometer will also come in handy. If you want to make a thicker yogurt, such as Greek yogurt, you’ll also need a strainer or cheese cloth. Making yogurt in an Instant Pot can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours. A highly active starter will typically take less time.
What’s great about using an Instant Pot to make yogurt, is that the machine is a multi-cooker that can be used for so many other things. This means you can essentially save space in your kitchen by opting for an Instant Pot.
How Does a Yogurt Maker Work?
A yogurt maker is an electrical appliance that allows you to make homemade yogurt with just milk and a yogurt starter. It most often comes with a built-in thermostat, a lid, a glass, stainless steel, or ceramic pot, and a start button. Some yogurt makers will fit multiple jars, allowing you to make different flavours at the same time.
A yogurt machine is designed to maintain a consistent temperature of 40°C to 45°C for 8 to 12 hours, which helps with the process of fermenting the milk.
Once the machine is done doing its work, an automatic yogurt machine will shut off. You can then stop the fermentation process by placing the yogurt in the refrigerator for a few hours. We recommend putting it in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours for optimal results. Homemade yogurt can be stored safely in the fridge for up to 15 days.
What Are The Benefits of Yogurt Makers?
While a yogurt maker is definitely not a necessity, it’s convenient to own if you’re a yogurt addict who wants to eat healthier and save money. Being able to make your own yogurt also means you can create the perfect flavors and textures to satisfy your taste buds. It’s quite rewarding to know exactly what goes into the food you’re consuming, especially if you’re consuming it daily.
Having a yogurt maker allows you to take advantage of all of the benefits it offers. Here are a few benefits of owning a yogurt maker:
Convenient & Easy to Use
With minimal settings to worry about, a yogurt maker is one of those appliances that is both useful and simple to operate. There is no 1000 page manual to read through before getting started. Simply connect the appliance to a power source, add your ingredients, push the start button, and allow your yogurt to incubate. Most yogurt makers will come with a recipe book with tons of recipes tailored to their machine.
Easy To Setup & Get Started
One of the most significant advantages of having a yogurt maker at home is that you can now prepare yogurt very quickly. You only need a few basic ingredients and they are often easy to find at your local health food store.
Then comes the preparation and bottling. You can allow the machine to prepare the yogurt while you do other things, meaning you don’t have to be there watching the process.
Make Creamy & Delicious Yogurt
Yogurts made using a yogurt maker are creamy and thick. A yogurt maker always uses the optimal temperature, which accelerates the fermentation process.
You may experiment with different flavors and ingredients when making your own yogurt at home. You can try adding fruits or chocolate chunks, for example.
Environmentally Friendly & Zero Waste
Using a yogurt maker reduces waste, which is undoubtedly better for the environment. The glass jars are reusable; simply wash them after use.
By making your own yogurt, you will avoid tossing single-use containers into the garbage on a daily basis.
How to Choose The Best Yogurt Maker?
If this is your first time looking into purchasing a yogurt machine, you most likely have a few questions. Here are some key factors to consider when looking for the best yogurt maker to match your needs.
Size & Capacity
The most popular yogurt makers typically have a capacity of four, six, or twelve 6 to 8 oz pots. As a result, you are free to choose the capacity that best matches your household needs. If you have a family of five heavy yogurt consumers, a 12-pot yogurt maker will be more suitable. On the other hand, if you live alone and eat yogurt occasionally, a smaller capacity will be better for you.
Versatility
In addition to making yogurt, some yogurt making machines allow you to make more than just yogurt. Some yogurt makers allow you to prepare soft cheeses like ricotta or desserts like flan. You can also use some yogurt makers to steam foods. The Instant Pot is an excellent example of a very versatile yogurt making machine.
Automatic Shut-off Option
Some yogurt makers offer an automated shut-off feature that turns off the machine after the cooking time is up. Yogurt makers with an alarm or timer that informs you when the yogurt is ready are also available. As a result, you won’t have to bother about manually calculating the needed time. When the machine is done, all you have to do is put the jars in the fridge for a few hours before eating them. An automated shutdown can be quite beneficial.
The Accessories
Yogurt makers come with varying accessories. Some yogurt makers will come with glass storage containers and extra pots, while others will not. Extra pots are convenient since they allow you to make a new batch of yogurt while the other one is in the fridge.
Don’t forget that you’ll need a Probiotic Yogurt Starter in order to make your own yogurt.
