The 4 Best Yogurt Makers for Home Kitchens

In addition to consulting experts, we considered factors like capacity, features, electric versus non-electric models, and accessories to narrow down the market before selecting the EuroCuisine YM650 Electric Yogurt Maker as our top choice. Learn what we like about it and find more of the best yogurt makers below.

While yogurt can come together with or without a yogurt maker, buying one can make the process easier and less intimidating for home cooks who are new to fermentation. Fermentation expert Katsu Lask says that when making yogurt, “it is important to keep the inoculated milk warm and that the glasses are not moved during incubation. Otherwise yogurt will not become firm,” which is why a yogurt maker might come in handy, as it holds the temperature steady.

Yogurt is a satisfying, versatile ingredient that you can stir into many sweet or savory dishes or enjoy on its own. Fresh, homemade yogurt is arguably more delicious than anything sold at the grocery store, and making yogurt at home means you can control the ingredients and tailor the flavor to your tastes. You can customize flavors (we like to stir in any flavorings, like fruit, after the fermentation process is complete) or create different styles of yogurt, including plain yogurt, strained Greek yogurt , or Vietnamese yogurt with sweetened condensed milk. Homemade yogurt is also more affordable than store-bought: all you need is milk, starter, and six to 12 hours.

Best Overall

Euro Cuisine YMX650 Automatic Digital Yogurt Maker

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Pros: This simple, functional machine produces quality yogurt and allows you to mix and match flavors.

Cons: The 42-ounce capacity may be too small for yogurt-loving households, though an expansion rack and additional jars can be purchased separately to increase the capacity.

Making yogurt is a breeze in this machine, which receives consistent high reviews for its ease of use and consistent results. Rather than fermenting the yogurt in one large container, this maker uses individual six-ounce jars, allowing you to mix and match your flavors, if desired, and to move easily from yogurt maker to fridge without scooping your yogurt into a new container.

To use the machine, simply whisk your starter culture into your milk and pour it into the jars, then set for the desired number of hours (for this size of jars, usually six to 10 hours). You can make all seven jars at once, but you can also make just a few jars if you go through yogurt slowly. An automatic shut off feature means it will stop incubating your yogurt after 15 hours (though it will keep fermenting, so stick it in the fridge as soon as it’s ready). We also love that the jars have rotary date settings, allowing you to easily label them and check your yogurt’s freshness at a glance.

Price at time of publish: $60

• Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 7 inches
• Capacity: 42 ounces
• Includes: Yogurt maker, seven 6-ounce glass jars with lids

Best Value

Euro Cuisine YM80 Electric Yogurt Maker

4.8

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Pros: It’s affordable and easy to use, and it makes jars of yogurt that are great for grabbing on the go.

Cons: It doesn’t have an automatic shut off or timer, which means this machine will keep your yogurt fermenting until you turn it off.

EuroCuisine makes several popular yogurt makers, and the YM80 is no exception. Like its (slightly) more expensive cousin, the YM80 makes individual jars of yogurt for mixing and matching and easy storage. We also love the low price tag, and with the lower cost of homemade yogurt over store-bought, this maker will pay for itself quickly.

The only potential downside we found is that the manual timer does not include an automatic shut off. This is fine if you’re setting it to run through the day or overnight, but if you won’t be home to turn it off, it will continue fermenting, which can result in extra tangy, sour yogurt. Yet, telling how long it’s been going is easy: time markings on the side indicate how many hours your yogurt has been fermenting, which in most cases will take about six to 10 hours.

Price at time of publish: $50

• Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 6 inches
• Capacity: 42 ounces
• Includes: Yogurt maker, seven 6-ounce jars with lids

Most Versatile

Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker

4.4

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Pros: This versatile cooker makes great yogurt but can be used for a range of other functions, making it a great all-around countertop appliance.

Cons: It’s more expensive than other models on our list. If you already have a pressure cooker, buying another may not make sense.

The Instant Pot is a kitchen workhorse and can handle everything from stew to baba ganoush. And of course, it makes fantastic yogurt (try it with this Vietnamese yogurt recipe). The Instant Pot lets you do the entire yogurt-making process in one machine, from pasteurizing to incubating (bringing it up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and holding at 108 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Jenn Thomson of Jenni Ferments. “Plus, I use it for slow cooking and pressure cooking too, so I love the fact that it is an appliance that can serve many functions,” she says.

The Instant Pot has a preset yogurt function, allowing you to heat your milk, cool it to incubating temperature, stir in your starter, and walk away. The Instant Pot is high quality and durable, and the dishwasher-safe interior pot makes cleanup a breeze. It comes in a variety of sizes, too: While we chose the six-quart maker, it is available in other capacities including three and eight quarts.

Price at time of publish: $100

• Dimensions: 13.38 x 12.2 x 12.48 inches
• Capacity: 6 quarts
• Includes: Instant Pot multi-cooker with lid, gaskets for lid, and instructions

Best Non-Electric

Kilner Yogurt Making Set

Walmart

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Pros: This environmentally-friendly choice works without electricity, makes yogurt in small batches, and is simple to use.

Cons: Since it doesn’t contain a heating element, the jar may not hold heat as consistently as other models.

Humans have been making yogurt for far longer than we’ve had electricity, and many people still go this traditional route. Yogurt requires consistent warmth to culture, and insulated chambers, from an oven with pilot light to a cooler with a hot water bottle, help hold heat in. You can use a range of incubators, including a cooler filled with warm water, according to Thomson.

The Kilner Yogurt Making Set is the same idea, scaled down into a single jar-sized version. And unlike its electric counterparts, it doesn’t require electricity to work. We like this model because it takes up minimal space, making it perfect for even the smallest kitchen. Because it has a lower capacity than other models on this list, it’s also a great choice for households that only want to enjoy small amounts of yogurt at a time.

Price at time of publish: $28

• Dimensions: 7 x 3.5 x 7.9 inches
• Capacity: 17 ounces
• Includes: Thermometer, insulated yogurt maker, and two jars

Conclusion

Yogurt makers allow you to easily produce consistent batches of high-quality yogurt at home. The EuroCuisine YM650 Electric Yogurt Makercombines functionality with ease of use, while other options like the Instant Pot Duohave settings for yogurt along with many other uses, and the Kilner Yogurt Making Setis ideal for small kitchens and doesn’t require electricity. The best yogurt maker for you is one that fits well into your kitchen and has the capacity and features you need.

Factors to Consider

Capacity

Consider how much yogurt you typically go through, and make sure to get a machine that’s large enough to meet your needs. Think about the space you have to store it, too. A smaller kitchen may benefit from a non-electric modelthat takes up very little space, but if you’ve got the room, you may want to buy a model that can make multiple jars at once.

Functionality and Features

Knowing what you want out of your new yogurt maker is an important step in choosing the right machine. Do you want a stand-alone yogurt maker or a multi-cooker like the Instant Pot that can make yogurt and much more?

Also, know which features you want when considering a yogurt maker. Does a yogurt maker automatically shut off or keep your yogurt warm until you’re ready to store it? Are there multiple time and temperature settings or just one?

Electric Versus Non-Electric

All yogurt makers are, basically, insulated chambers that keep milk consistently warm so it can culture into yogurt. Electric yogurt makers do this with a built-in heating element, while non-electric yogurt makers simply create an insulated environment, which reduces a loss of heat but does not heat the milk itself.

Think about which option better fits your lifestyle: making yogurt without electricity uses less power, while electric models ensure a more consistent temperature throughout the culturing process.

Starters and Extra Equipment

Some yogurt makers come with everything you need to make yogurt right out of the box, including jars and lids. Make sure you check the box’s contents and buy extra equipment like jars before trying to make your first batch.

You’ll also need to purchase a starter or get one from a generous friend. Some people have luck using their favorite yogurt (plain, without preservatives or other additives) as a starter, too.

You can also buy starters online from places like Cultures for Health, or you may be able to get some from a local kitchen store or farmer’s market.

The Research

To find the best yogurt makers, we drew on our own fermentation experience as well as input from fermentation experts. We consulted Katsu Lask, a Harvard University-certified fermentista and founder of Fermentation Love; Aimee Corbyn, a fermentation enthusiast with 10 years of experience; and Jenn Thomson of Jenni Ferments, who has been making yogurt for over 10 years. We then researched the market for yogurt makers that would be user-friendly and produce a high-quality product.

What Didn’t Make the List

There are many great yogurt makers on the market, some weren’t user-friendly, weren’t high quality, or had poor reviews. Here are two that we liked but that ultimately didn’t make the final cut.

Zavor LUX Electric Multi-Cooker

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Like the Instant Pot Duo, this cooker is versatile and works as a pressure cooker and slow cooker (among other things) in addition to making yogurt. Ultimately, it didn’t make our list because the higher price tag did not seem to yield a more consumer-friendly product: its settings can seem more daunting to new users than those of the Instant Pot.

Price at time of publish: $180

Euro Cuisine GY50 Greek Yogurt Maker

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Unlike the other yogurt makers on our list, this product lets you strain your yogurt to make Greek yogurt, which is simply regular yogurt with some of the liquid removed to create a thicker product. It’s easy to use, affordable, and less wasteful than using cheesecloth and a colander. It did not make our list, however, because it is only a strainer, not an incubator: it can only be used on finished yogurt, not to culture the yogurt itself.

Price at time of publish: $27