The 6 Best Yogurt Makers of 2023

What to Look for in a Yogurt Maker

Size and Capacity

How much yogurt your family eats and how much counter and storage space you have will help determine how big of a yogurt maker you want. Some models make yogurt in one large container, while others have multiple smaller jars, which may be more convenient if you want to make different flavors at the same time. For comparison purposes, most single-serving yogurt cups you find at the supermarket hold between 5 and 6 ounces.

Features

Yogurt makers range from a simple insulated jar to a full-on Instant Pot that can perform all the functions of a pressure cooker, sauté pan, and sous-vide machine in addition to making yogurt. Features like auto-shutoff and timers make the process easier, while adjustable temperature gauges allow you to get just the right consistency, but some homemade yogurt fans like to be more hands-on to control the final results. Fully featured models tend to be more expensive, but there's not a lot of variation in price between machines.

Accessories

The most basic yogurt makers just have a single container that the milk ferments in. Others come with multiple jars that you can use for multiple flavors at the same time, along with storage lids. Your device might include a strainer for making Greek-style yogurt, too. Some yogurt makers include a few envelopes of starter, as well. If it's a multifunctional machine, it's also likely to include accessories for pressure-cooking, sautéing, and any other cooking methods available, but these don't help you make yogurt specifically.

Power Source

Electric yogurt makers plug into the wall and use a heating element to maintain fermentation temperature. This doesn't require very much power, so the wattage isn't generally a consideration to picking out a yogurt maker; keeping the temperature consistent is more important. There are also lots of unpowered yogurt makers that simply use insulation to hold heat: You put warm milk inside and the device keeps it warm for long enough to create yogurt.

FAQs

How does a yogurt maker work? 

Yogurt is made by fermenting milk with a mix of bacteria (often called yogurt cultures), which consume its natural sugars and create acids that not only contribute tangy flavor but also make proteins clump together to thicken the final product. The first step is to heat the milk (dairy or non-dairy will work) up to about 180 degrees on the stove. This starts to break down proteins smoothly and ensures that the fermentation doesn't create a chunky, cottage cheese-like yogurt.

After heating, let the milk cool down to 110 degrees or so and start making yogurt: Add a packet of yogurt cultures or a starter in the form of some yogurt from a previous batch, then pour the mixture into the machine, turn it on, and wait. Yogurt fermentation happens at warm (but not hot) temperatures—between about 90 and 120 degrees—and what a yogurt maker does is maintain that temperature for the hours necessary to make yogurt.

How do you make vegan yogurt?

Pretty much exactly the same way as dairy yogurt: Combine non-dairy milk and starter, then keep warm for several hours. Non-dairy milks made from ingredients like soy, coconut, rice, almonds, cashews, or even potato are all mixtures of sugar, fat, and protein that can be fermented by the same cultures that make dairy yogurt, with similar results. This will work with store-bought or homemade vegan milks, too. The exact temperature, time, and mix of cultures affect the final results, so it might take a little fiddling to perfect the procedure with different types of milk.

Is homemade yogurt healthier than store-bought?

It can be, but it isn't always. Many store-bought yogurts use stabilizers, thickeners, and other additives to create a uniform texture across huge batches, something that just isn't necessary with the homemade stuff. Some brands—especially flavored ones—also add tons of sugar, which can be replaced with fresh fruit in homemade yogurt. That said, there are all-natural, additive-free yogurts available at the supermarket, and they're not really very different from homemade.

Is homemade yogurt cheaper than store-bought?

For the most part, yes. Think of it this way: A quart of milk makes the equivalent of about six single-serving cups of yogurt. If you buy the milk for $2, that works out to about 33 cents per serving, which is a great deal. However, there are expensive milks and cheap yogurts out there, so store-bought isn't automatically cheaper.

What can I use as a yogurt starter?

The most common way to make homemade yogurt is to use prepackaged starter cultures, which come in powdered form you stir into the warm milk just before it goes into the yogurt maker. There are many different varieties of cultures, each of which has a slightly different mix of microorganisms that create different flavors and textures.

Another method is to simply stir in a spoonful of a previous batch of yogurt, somewhat like using sourdough starter for bread. This can work using homemade or store-bought yogurt as the starter. However, unlike with bread, it's not a good idea to just set the warm milk out to be inoculated with the wild yeast and bacteria in the air. This can make the yogurt taste bad, get moldy, or even make you sick.

How long does homemade yogurt last?

The fermentation process helps preserve it, but yogurt—homemade or not—should always go in the refrigerator. A homemade batch will last for about two weeks in the fridge. Much like with milk, you should throw it out if it starts to smell or taste bad, or if it starts to change color or grow mold on top. If you plan to use yogurt as a starter for the next batch, it's best to do so within about a week as the live cultures become less active over time.

How do you clean a yogurt maker?

The proper cleaning technique for a yogurt maker depends on the machine. With electric yogurt makers, you’ll remove the glass or plastic containers from the appliance, washing them separately. These are often are dishwasher-safe, but read the instruction manual to be sure. To clean the machine itself, unplug it and allow it to cool completely. Then, wipe down the inside and outside with a damp cloth or sponge. Never let any electrical parts get submerged in water.

What's the right temperature for straining yogurt?

If you're planning to strain your yogurt into thick Greek-style, you should let it cool to roughly room temperature before straining. At this temperature, it should only take an hour to two to remove a good amount of liquid and get proper Greek yogurt. Alternatively, you can put the strainer in the fridge and let it drip overnight (or eight to 12 hours) for similar results.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Lindsay Boyers is a certified holistic nutritionist with extensive nutrition knowledge and cooking experience. She’s developed over 1,000 original recipes and is constantly on a mission to find the best cooking gadgets at the best prices to help make life in the kitchen more streamlined and efficient.

This roundup was updated by Sharon Lehman, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist who happily makes space for any gadget that makes cooking faster and easier. She personally tested one yogurt maker on this roundup. It was further updated by The Spruce Eats commerce writer Jason Horn, who honestly isn't a big yogurt eater but has become obsessed with the biochemistry of fermentation in his 15-plus years writing about food and drinks.