YM260 Yogurt Maker

I found a web site with pretty good directions that said to only use 1 tablespoon of yogurt to inoculate 1-2 quarts of milk, so I followed that one. however, I left the first batch (my last 5 cups of milk) too long, and it separated and was a little lumpy. funny, I had checked it at 6 hours, and it seemed fine, but I thought it was still too soon, so I went to sleep and didn't wake in time to unplug it when I should have. truth was that it was already done in 6 hours, because I made another batch today and checked it at 6 hours, and it was firm ... still left it for 7 hours and it is still very firm, so I unplugged the machine, this time, and put this last batch in the fridge. guess i'll find out in the morning, if it turned out as good as I think it did!also, I added a heaping tablespoon of raw honey to the second batch, while the milk was cooling and about 150 degrees. another thing I did was heat the milk hotter this time ... to over 190 degrees which really scared me, so I quickly did a search and found that some sources actually recommend heating the milk that hot!I added the heaping tablespoon of yogurt at about 115-120 degrees. you can find the web site I'm referring to by googling "foolproof homemade yogurt science" ... it's 'girls guide to butter' in the address, and the site is quite informative and very interesting.from all I've read, the problem with the first batch could be that with a yogurt maker that gets fairly hot, it would take less time (and I left it way too long the first time). also, I read that adding too much yogurt to the milk could make the finished yogurt too thin, as too much bacteria would be too crowded and not have enough room to ferment and grow.I'm still a novice at this, and I just hope my 2nd batch comes out better (not that the first one wasn't good). I did have to pour the first batch into a bowl and whip it with a whisk to smooth it out, tho. I've thought about adding a teaspoon of pectin to the hot milk but decided to see what happened without it first. if I learn more, i'll be back. I haven't made yogurt in over 20 years, so I'm having a lot of fun (and saving money)!! :)I'm making a bit of a mess of this review, but I wanted to get it in as quickly as possible (it's getting late). I forgot to add that because of reading reviews about how hard it is to remove the lid and raise the yogurt container out of the machine, I left the lid loose and then put the clear top on with a terry towel folded over it, to try to keep any extra heat from escaping the top. I thought that might make the yogurt maker run a little warmer? I don't know, but it seemed to work.sorry my review seems so jumbled (guess that's the way my mind works! lol) but I think I included most everything, except that I used a 1200 watt microwave at 60% power to heat the milk (approx. 10-12 min.??) in a 2-quart anchor measuring cup/batter bowl (pretty sure that's how it got so hot without starting to boil). also, I used 6 cups of whole milk and stonyfield organic whole milk plain, unflavored yogurt for the starter. :) I should come back to try and clean this review up some so it's easier to understand, but I've no time right now. lolas an aside, I really do question why a simple yogurt making machine would cost twice as much as my cone-filter coffee maker? and I love my simple, no-bells-and-whistles, coffee maker and think it's very well made.UPDATE 06/14/14: I had some yogurt for breakfast this morning, and both batches are delicious! the first, slightly separated and lumpy, batch that I had to whip smooth is mild flavored and totally awesome (seems very fluffy!), and the second batch is very firm, mild flavored, and only slightly (a tad) sweet. i usually always pour the separated whey off my yogurt every time i open the container ... saves from having to strain for greek style, and it works for me. i might end up buying a strainer, but i already have too many kitchen appliances as it is (and not enough counter space). right now, i would say that both batches of yogurt are perfect ... just slightly different, but both batches have a flavor that leaves me with a craving for more!! this IS the perfect yogurt flavor, especially the batch without the raw honey ... just love the "natural" yogurt taste! :)

This yogurt maker is very dangerous! Do Not Use It! I fermented according to Dr William Davis' recipe at least a dozen times in this machine without incident. However, this glass container exploded in my hands when I tried to open the jar after my last 36-hour ferment. The glass and yogurt went everywhere: walls, ceiling, countertops, floor, and even into the next room. It took me more than 4 hours to clean up the mess, and although I had tiny cuts all over my face and arms, I had only one real cut in the palm of one hand. It was fortunate that I was wearing my glasses at the time, so no glass hit my eyes. This glass container is made of very thick glass, but for some reason, the pressure built to a point that was dangerous. The lid should not be a screw top. It should just be something that fits over the top and would lift off if the pressure inside is building up. The last time I checked, this machine was no longer available on Amazon. Perhaps this is why.

I love the large glass jar. Half-gallon size makes it worth the thirty minutes to get the mix ready to do whatever it does in the yogurt maker.The little thermometer is marked in red for the high temp (so you heat your milk just enough) and the low temp (green) when it is safe to add your cultured starter. Wish I'd gotten one of these years ago! No squinting at the tiny little marks on the dial. Just red and green.We have a special child. His yogurt needs to be extra creamy so it is easier to keep on the spoon. This recipe works every time for me:Assemble: Yogurt maker & thermometer, 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup, small ladle, one 6 oz. container of plain or vanilla store-bought yogurt with live culture, one envelope Knox unflavored gelatin, honey or sugar, milk, powdered milk, some kind of double-boiler set-up, something to stir the milk1. Measure 56 ounces of any kind of milk into a double-boiler. I use a large saucepan seated in a short stew pot. Add two or three tablespoons of sugar or honey. Stir in about a half to two-thirds cup powdered instant milk if you want more protein in your yogurt. Makes it a little thicker, too. Stick the yogurt thermometer on the side of the saucepan. Begin heating.2. Sprinkle the gelatin on top of about 1/3 cup of cold water in the measuring cup and let it soften.3. Stir the milk gently. When the thermometer reaches the red mark (about 180), remove from heat. Pour out the hot water and add cold to cool the milk. I do this twice to speed things up. Stir the milk just a little while it's cooling.4. Ladle about a cup of the warm milk into the gelatin in the Pyrex cup and stir to thoroughly dissolve the gelatin. Pour the gelatin mix into the milk and stir to mix.5. Scrape the yogurt into the Pyrex cup. When (and not before!) the milk mixture cools down to the green mark (about 110), add several ladles of the cooled milk to the yogurt and stir to get the lumps out. Now add this thinned yogurt to the milk mix and stir gently.6. Ladle/ pour the yogurt mixture into the glass jar. (Note: I removed the styrofoam liner in the top of the jar). Gently screw the lid on. Fits a little wonky, but it works. With one hand on top and one hand under the jar, move the glass jar to the yogurt maker. Plug it in. Figure eight hours for warming, and set the reminder using the marker on the lid.7. At the end of the eight hours, unplug the unit. Remove the jar of yogurt and stick it in the frig to cool. I always make sure I get a good grip on the jar because the jar lid just has a personality of it's own. Not bad, just a little tiny cantankerous about getting in the groove - though not enough to be a complaint.This makes a creamy, smooth yogurt. Always works. My guys like it with a squirt or two of Nestle's Nesquik chocolate or strawberry syrups (no HFCS). Serve with some Fiber One cereal on top for crunch. Wonderful! You may also put jam in the bottom of the little wide-mouth 8 oz. canning jars and spoon yogurt on top. Seal with the plastic jar lids. You'll have single servings ready to go. Some folks save several ounces of the batch they've just made to start the next batch, but. . . . . it would get lost in my frig. Just easier to buy a 6 ounce container and know it's fresh.