Daughter bought this for me from Amazon.com USA for USD15 plus some yogurt making cultures. Basically it's a very well reviewed and liked (on Amazon) heater for making yogurt, still need to cook milk first. Pictures and brochure attached.
Scan of brochure . . .
Select summary of reviews on Amazon.com USA:
- Concern of if BPA in plastic container especially as heated.
- Scoop is silly.
- Unit's container is good for 1 US quart or 1 liter, has fill markings on side.
- Scalding the milk (as per directions) is not required for ultra-pasteurized milk, questionable of required for pasteurized milk, definately required for fresh non-pasteurized milk, if not heating, just just warrm and add yogurt and thickener such as milk powder.
- Could just use cold pasteurized milk and starter, but will take the machine a lot longer just to warm the milk.
- If using yogurt for smoothies or shakes, no need to add milk powder for thicker yogurt.
- Instead of plastic container & lid, use 2 same size store plastic yogurt containers or chinese rest takeout clear plastic containers to be able to make second batch with bottom end of last yogurt as starter culture, if concerned about possibility of BPA and heating, replace product's container with 2 glass similar sized jars (wide mouth canning or peanut butter) and plastic lids.
- When using part of previous batch as next starter, do for a maxium of 6 times as bacteria get diluted.
- Store bought live yogurt as starter: Dannon makes smooth mild yogurt that takes longer, ie 24 hours, Stonyfield brand makes traditional tartish taste, kefir results in whipped creanm cheese taste,
- If using yogurt from fridge as starter culture, add at 115 F not 100-110 F recommended, as colder starter will bring it to 100-110 F.
- Longer time = tarter yogurt.
- Another starter culture option to expensive manufactured starter cultures is to buy Acidophilus Health Supplement pills from Pharmacy or Healthfood. Each tablet contains about 1.5 billion CFU (Colony Forming Unit) total of all 3 normal yogurt making live cultures. Bottle of 100 tablet is around $6, grind 2 tablets and use in 1 quart/1 litre of milk. Note, there are different brands and products, US GNC http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2133237&cp&sr=1&origkw=acidophilus&kw=acidophilus&parentPage=search work well.
- 2 Teaspoons of last batch as starter culture is enough
- if using non machine container, after adding culture, snap on lid and shake then place in machine
- can make lactose-free yogurt with "Lactaid " milk
- Use top 1-12 dial setting to remeber when made it or when to take it out
- If you let the youghurt do it's thing for at least 24 hours, all of the lactose will have been consumed by the youghurt bacteria.
- 3 jars, one making, one resting in frig for 24 hours and one being consumed
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