How to choose a yogurt maker: what's important to know

Yogurt maker takes pride of place in the kitchen of many families. Using the device, you can prepare a fermented milk mixture containing a large number of lactic acid bacteria. At the exit, you get a healthy yogurt, sour cream or cottage cheese of its own production without preservatives and dyes. It is this feature that encourages housewives to buy appliances, choosing it with special care. Leading manufacturers supply on the shelves of yogurt makers for every taste and budget.

What is yogurt maker

1. The device is a plastic container, which has a rectangular or round shape. The yogurt maker is equipped with a transparent glass lid and thick sides.
2. The walls have thermal insulation, thereby ensuring the constant maintenance of the desired temperature indicators.Regime must be maintained for better ferment based on lactic acid bacteria and milk.
3. In most cases, yogurt makers are quite compact and convenient to use. The classic device is equipped with cups (about 5-15 pcs.) With a volume of 125-150 grams. each. All containers are closed and placed in a common container with a glass lid on top.
4. Each device has an instruction manual, warranty card. All devices are powered by electricity, so the installation should be carried out near the outlet.
5. There are standard yogurt makers in the economy segment. The control unit is made in the form of rotating arrows, with which you can set the temperature and time. However, there are devices with buttons and an electronic scoreboard, but their price category is much higher.
6. Not all yogurt makers suggest cups. Some household units are equipped with one continuous container in which ingredients are laid. However, each type of equipment must have a timer that accurately determines the duration of the fermentation.
7. Depending on temporal parameters, the final product may turn out to be liquid or thick consistency, sour or sweet.When choosing the first thing you need to pay attention to power, control method, shape of cups, additional functions.

What are yoghurt makers for?

1. Newly made moms use the device to help them prepare a useful product for their offspring.
2. Most store products contain the strongest allergens. For this reason, people with individual intolerance is better to use the composition of their own cooking.
3. Individuals with problems with the activity of the gastrointestinal tract resort to the use of yogurt makers. With proper proportions, you can get a quality product that will affect health only favorably.
4. It is impossible not to highlight the popularity of the unit among the fair sex, weight-lifting. If we take skim milk as a basis, respectively, and yogurt will turn out low-calorie.
5. Yogurt maker is considered an indispensable tool for people with diabetes. If you use honey or a natural substitute as a sweetener, you can maintain the level of glucose in the blood, without fear for your own health.

Types of yogurt makers

Yogurt makers may differ in the principle of work, the number of cups, materials of additional containers.

Principle of operation

Thermos yogurt maker. In devices of this kind, the cups heat up evenly, reaching a mark of up to 60 degrees. Further the equipment is switched off, keeping heat. At this time, begins mass reproduction of beneficial bacteria that are responsible for the quality of products. The advantage of this kind of yoghurt maker is considered to be the short duration of preparation of the product (about 5 hours). The disadvantage is high pricing.

Yogurt maker with constant heat. After switching on, the yogurt maker reaches the 40 degree mark as fast as possible and maintains it until the shutdown itself. The advantage is that it is possible to insert cups into the device that are not going “by default” with the equipment. Newly mummies are sent into the cavity of a jar of baby food, which is very convenient. The disadvantage is the rapid heating, as a result of which the temperature of the composition greatly increases. In addition, the device does not have an automatic shutdown function.

Number of cups

Yogurt maker with one container. The device is equipped with a capacious form of 1-1.5 liters.It is worth stopping the choice on equipment of this kind if you plan to prepare a fermented milk product in large quantities and use it in a short time. In the tank, you can prepare a cream for the cake, sour cream, a filling for jelly pie, cottage cheese, etc. The disadvantage is that in one session it is impossible to make compositions according to different recipes. However, this criterion is to some extent a plus.

Yogurt maker with cups. The cavity of the unit includes space for cups, jars can be 4-15 pieces. This type of yogurt maker is suitable for large families with different taste preferences. In each of the cups you can cook yogurt according to an individual recipe. A plus is considered a variety, a minus - long washing of a container after cooking and the use.

Cup material

Glass. Included with the equipment comes such a quantity of cups, which is provided by the manufacturer. Capacities are not sold separately from the unit. If they break up, you have to improvise, substituting other glasses of a similar type into the shape.

Plastic. The cups are made of food-grade plastic, which, when heated, does not emit harmful substances in food.All containers have an environmental certificate testifying to the safety of the material. They withstand maximum heat (up to +120 degrees) and cooling (up to -20 degrees). The plastic container is ergonomic, it does not break and is easy to clean.

How to choose a yogurt maker: basic parameters

Before giving preference to one or another brand, it is necessary to study the basic parameters. General information will provide the ground for reflection, it will be easier to navigate among the large selection.

Power yogurt maker

1. It is important to immediately clarify that the power of the device does not affect the quality of the final product, its shelf life and taste parameters. This feature only indicates the degree of electricity consumption.
2. As a rule, all devices have a power of about 12-50 W, these indicators are quite enough for use at home.
3. Regardless of the selected power (12 or 50 W), the yogurt maker will be able to maintain the temperature of the composition at a rate of 40 degrees or below.

Yoghurt makers

1. In addition to power, it is also important to pay attention to the presence of cups, their volume, quantity and material from which the containers are made.For many housewives it is the characteristics of the cups that are decisive when choosing appliances for the home.
2. Optionally, you can choose a device without cups. It will be equipped with a large container with a volume of about 1-1.5 liters. Or buy a unit with a large number of containers, such yogurt makers are convenient to use.
3. If we talk about the material of cups, they can be made of glass or plastic food. The latter option is preferable, although it does not have high impact resistance.
4. In modern yogurt makers it can contain from 4 to 15 glasses, but in most cases there is a technique with 5-8 containers (and lids, respectively).
5. If we talk about the volume of each dish, there are small (100-125 gr.), Medium (125-175 gr.) And large (from 180 gr.) Cups. The choice depends on personal preference. The larger the volume, the smaller the number of containers fit in the main container of equipment.

Yogurt maker management

1. As mentioned above, yogurt makers can be mechanically or electronically controlled. However, there are options in which the technique has no leverage at all.
2. In the latter case, all functions (including setting the temperature, time, on / off) are monitored by the user.
3. If we talk about electronic control, the yogurt maker is equipped with a timer. The unit turns off automatically, you just need to set the cooking time.
4. In the case of mechanical devices, there are two turning mechanisms on the front. The first is responsible for the duration of cooking, the second controls the maintenance of temperature (it may not be).

Additional options yogurt maker

1. Depending on the price category and the manufacturer, the equipment can be equipped with light indicators, an automatic shutdown function and a sound signal when the cooking is completed.
2. Many modern yogurt makers with cups have compartments on the lids. Holes and stickers are needed to sign the date of manufacture, recommendations on storage temperature, expiration date and other nuances.
3. If you choose a device with a long cord, it will have a separate compartment for storing the cable (like in vacuum cleaners). The function is extremely convenient, while you overpay a small amount.
4. When choosing a yogurt maker with the function of cooking cottage cheese, most likely a large diameter bowl will be included. With its help, the procedure is facilitated.
5. Many housewives, for certain reasons, buy ice cream maker. This is very convenient, since one device is designed for the preparation of two variants of dishes of different categories.

Practical advice on choosing yogurt makers

1. Cheap appliances often overheat. If you prefer units of economy segment, ask the consultant about the conditions of warranty service and possible exchange / return.
2. Ideal yogurt has a light acidity and moderate thickness. This feature can be achieved using the built-in timer. If possible, choose the device from the board.
3. The color of the body and the shape of the yogurt maker refer to the aesthetic part. Strongly do not dwell on these indicators, carefully study the technical characteristics.
4. If you plan to cook not only yogurt, but also cottage cheese, choose a technique with an additional wide container. In the future, you can make creams, jellies, etc.

It is easy to choose a yogurt maker for the home, if you have basic information about the configuration and technical characteristics. Get equipment with plastic cups, pre-determine the desired functions.When buying a frozen yogurt maker, make sure you have warranty service, give preference to well-known brands (Tefal, Moulinex, Vitek).

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