yoghurt maker,advice please

I've made Greek yoghurt with honey in my Easiyo yoghurt maker twice a week for years and it's one of the few kitchen gadgets that doesn't languish at the back of the cupboard. Dead easy to do and costs under £20.

I use mine a lot. It’s a basic one like this, although it’s says it’s currently unavailable. Mine is so old, there’s probably a newer model out. www.amazon.co.uk/Salton-YM9-0-9l-Yoghurt-Maker/dp/B00004SUHY?tag=gransnetforum-21

I use long-life milk and a tablespoon of bought yogurt as a starter. You then use a spoonful from each batch to make the next lot. I strain the result through a muslin so it becomes thick like Greek yogurt.

I use one like SueDonim’s one but mine came from Lakeland. I was able to get a spare pot with mine and find that very handy. Works every time!

I have an Easiyo maker I brought from Lakeland 4 years ago. It's so easy to use. I have tried the flavoured mixes but have only used the low fat Greek style unsweetened one for the last 3 years. When I am getting low I make a new batch. All you do is fill the container with tap water half way I always check the temperature with a digital thermometer as the water needs to be between 15°-20°c to work. Add the powder and shake top up to the line with tap water shake again. Fill the flask with boiling water just above the stand and put container screw on lid. I always leave it for 12 hours. Once done remove and open the container you will find a liquid on top it's only whey. But I use 2pieces of kitchen roll folded into 4 to absorb it. And then put it into the fridge. When whey appears after the first portion is taken out I just stir it back in. In the winter I wrap a towel round the flask to make sure it stays hot. Not needed in the other months.
I flavour mine with frozen berries which I stew with a little sugar and sugar free sweeteners. I buy my mixes from Lakeland but there are other sites but I find Lakeland the better value and quick delivery. The yogurt is lovely and a lot thicker than you can buy in the shops. Each sachet makes a kilo of yogurt. Hope that helps.

Personally, I wouldn't bother.

I find that heating my ingredients to the correct temperature in a pan (like Whiff, I use a digital thermometer at this stage), then pouring it into a thermos flask, where it is left overnight, works perfectly well for me.

Can you use skimmed milk?

I use my Easiyo all the time as I hate to run out. I use all the different flavours and they are all delicious. Once made it should last up to 14 days in the fridge (but we always eat it before then.) I never throw away the whey as it is very nutritious. I don't use a thermometer - just cold water from the tap - never had any problems in the UK. I usually buy my sachets at The Range.

hansellsyoghurtuk.com/

a bit cheaper than easy yo, very similar to make. I make this yoghurt all the time now and I freeze it in silicone lolly makers. It is as delicious as frozen ice cream. Also on amazon

I also have an easy yo kit.

I used to make yoghurt the old style way but the prepared mixes are very much easier than using a starter and vac flask

I did my hansells yoghurt for 8 1/2 hours yesterday, I use filtered water at room temperature. I mix in any whey

I've been using Easiyo since I 'discovered' it in New Zealand 20 years ago. I get the mixes usually at Lakeland and have never used any of the flavoured ones as I tried them in NZ and thought they tasted rather synthetic. Always get the natural Greek style.

I used to make yogurt using wide-necked thermos flask, but now find it’s cheaper to buy Aldi or Lidl Greek yogurt - costs only slightly more than the same volume of milk but with higher milk solids and fat, so more nutritious. If you don’t shop in Aldi or Lidl, it may be worthwhile to make as other supermarkets can charge 2 or 3 times the price.

Thank you for your advice.I'm having second thoughts about buying one after Farmor15 comment. I do buy Aldi and Iceland Greek yogurt and if I bought Hansell Yogurt making pack it would make the Yogurt more expensive than shop bought.
Wonder if the same is true of Lakeland with starting the Yogurt off by adding Yogurt to milk in the gadget?

avitorl yes yogurt brought from Aldi or Lidl may be cheaper but I could never go back to shop brought yogurt. I've had it at friends but it's not as nice. It's whether you want quality over quantity also I never run out of yogurt.

I didn’t like Aldi yogurt, I much prefer my own. I don’t use those sachets, I just use whole milk and a spoonful of yogurt from the previous batch.

I make individual pots 7 at a time using uht semi skimmed milk and a pot from a previous batch as a starter. Mine is an Amazon one which I think is discontinued now. Occasionally I buy a small pot of live yoghurt as a starter, but I prefer not to as whole point was to cut down on plastic use. I mainly use it for overnight oats or overnight couscous. 40 g of either with a 150ml pot of yoghurt stirred in and topped with fresh or frozen fruit makes a great breakfast.

I bought a yoghurt maker from Lidl a few years ago, it makes 500ml or 1 pint of yoghurt at a time and its the best yoghurt I have overhead. I use long life skimmed milk and a few spoonfuls of plain yoghurt, put it on before I go to bed and its ready in the morning, when I then put it in the fridge to cool.
When abroad in hot countries I have made yoghurt by just putting together long life skimmed milk and a bit of plain yogurt in a bowl, cover the bowl with something and then put it out in the sun. I had a good little business going when I was staying in Cambodia.

I'm back to searching for Yoghurt maker again.I don't want to buy packets to use each time I made yoghurt but reassured that these aren't necessary by your posts ,thank you.

I make yoghurt in the slow cooker. Keep some from previous batch for starter.

Yeo valley natural yogurt is live and in most Supermarkets. You can use fresh milk but needs pre heating so UHT is much easier and can be stored for when needed.

It’s not a matter of cheapness but rather knowing what exactly is in it. I just use milk and left over yoghurt, nothing else. And of course no plastic waste.

This recipe works very well. You don't need to use whole milk either.
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-bio-yogurt

I’ve got a yoghurt maker but it wasn’t very successful. Perhaps I need to try again! I’ve been having Lidl’s Greek yoghurt with nuts and honey for about a year. Recently we were in Aldi and picked some up assuming it would taste the same but it was very sharp.

I've ordered a lakeland yoghurt maker which will be delivered on my Birthday so a present from me to me!
Looking forward to trying it out and hope I'll be more successful than Sussexborn