Bear Yogurt Maker, Greek Yogurt Maker Machine with Strainer and Timer Control, Stainless Steel Inner Pot, Automatic Digital with 2 Glass Jars 1 Quart for Home Organic Yogurt, Cheese, Fruit Wine

I'm super happy with this yogurt maker! My purchase included the Greek yogurt strainer kit, two glass yogurt containers with lids, the yogurt maker and it's lid, and a recipe book. I also purchased a spare Bear glass yogurt container with lid (just in case I broke one). Texture: This is the Greek Yogurt made using this yogurt maker pressing the setting titled "Greek Yogurt". No straining needed. Greek yogurt with no mess and no fuss. Minimal effort Greek yogurt. This yogurt maker has already paid for itself in under two weeks (we eat a lot of yogurt). The home made yogurt from this machine is better quality than what I'm able to buy locally. Here's how to duplicate the yogurt I made. Recipe: The only ingredients I used: 1/2 cup of plain yogurt from the grocery store and 1 quart of half and half (fewer net carbs = keto friendly). Instructions: Sterilized the Bear glass yogurt container, the lid for the glass container, the yogurt maker lid, a silicone spatula for stirring, a thermometer (unless using a laser gun thermometer), a 1/2 cup measuring cup or else a large spoon, and a stainless steel pot that holds at least 1.5 quarts and let it all air dry; I used hypochlorous acid sanitizing spray, as it's good safe and easy, but be sure it fully dried before starting. Put the pot on the stovetop and add: 1 quart or 946 mL or 4 cups of either milk / half and half / cream. Turn heat under pot to medium-low, leave for 5-7 minutes, stir with silicone spatula, test the temperature; check the temperature each 2-3 minutes until temperature is over 105 °f / 40.56° c. Once the temperature is over 105 °f / 40.56° c, remove from heart, stir for a few seconds, set timer for 15 minutes, check that the temperature is now under 100° f / 38° c (if it is still hotter than this, set another time for 15 minutes). Once the liquid is under under 100° f / 38° c, use the silicone spatula to stir in ~ 1/2 cup or two heeping giant spoons of yogurt. Pour liquid into the sanitized Bear glass yogurt container, place that into the Bear yogurt maker, as the yogurt maker lid, press "Greek yogurt" and "enter". In 10 hours when timer goes off, remove the glass container, cover with the sterilized lid, and refrigerate for at least an hour; this is good for at least 4 weeks of you started with pasteurized milk / half and half / cream and you kept everything sanitary. Enjoy. When your yogurt is running low, make another batch using ~ 1/2 cup or two heeping serving spoons worth of yogurt (so that you don't need to buy yogurt starter or buy more live yogurt from the store). *** OTHER *** How to Adjust Sourness: Normal Yogurt has minimal sourness and Greek yogurt is only slightly more sour. If you prefer a more sour yogurt, just let the yogurt make run longer than 10 hours. Bear Mesh Strainer Kit: I tested the Bear Greek yogurt mesh strainer kit on my last batch of yogurt made using the "Greek yogurt" setting and found that it was WAY too thick for me although the whey was delicious; I'll likely use the mesh strainer for special recipes in the future.

I really like this thing. It is extremely easy to use. I fill one of the glass containers with regular store bought 1% or 2% milk (not too full), microwave for 8 minutes, stir with a whisk, let cool until hand warm (takes about an hour or so, until it is very warm but still comfortable when placing your whole hands around the container), whisk in 1/3 cup of store bought yoghurt (I get Fage yoghurt, figuring I might as well start with a really good culture), place the lid on, set the glass container into the yoghurt maker and press "greek". The timer will start at 10 and count down until the yoghurt is ready. It hurts nothing to just let it sit like that for hours until you happen to be around for the next step. Set the strainer on top of the second glass container, dump the yoghurt into the strainer, put the lid on and set the whole thing in the fridge. After 5 hours or more (again no problem if it is many hours later) dump out the liquid that has drained into the glass container, and then dump the strained yoghurt into it the other glass container that should have come out of the dishwasher by now. I typically let my yoghurt strain for a long time, and it turns pretty firm, nearly like a cream cheese. I love it that way. One batch fills the glass container a bit more than halfway. To my taste the yoghurt tastes better than any store bought one. I get to have a lower fat but not skim version of greek yoghurt that I usually can't find in the store, and it saves money compared to buying it at the store. All this thing does is hold the temperature evenly at a steady 110 degrees and turn itself off after 10 hours (for greek yoghurt). I am sure this can be accomplished for a much lower price. But I eat plain yoghurt every day, so if this thing lasts at least a couple of years it will more than pay itself off. It seems to be well made, is not an eyesore, and the glass and stainless steel should keep a nice appearance for a long time and are easy to clean and sanitary. The strainer works well and goes in the dishwasher to clean along with the glass jars and lids. You need none of these things to make yoghurt. My afghan friends make great yoghurt regularly on their countertop in any container they happen to have on hand. But this is nice and easy and fail proof, so I recommend it if you have zero experience like most of us, and if you can afford to spend a little extra.

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out which. machine to get. I know you can make yogurt without having a yogurt maker but the ease of "set it and forget it" was so appealing. It took me 3 batches to come up with a yogurt to my preference. So, if you aren't happy with your first batch, try switching some things up. I'll share my experience in case it's helpful. We made our first batch using the yogurt setting and whole milk. It was a little runnier than we liked. We ate the yogurt but it wasn't quite as good as what we buy from the store, which is usually greek. Tried a second time using the greek setting. This time the texture was more like we were accustomed to but the taste was more tart. (If you read the instruction manual, it explains the amount of time it ferments increases the tartness so you can play with your intended outcome.) Third batch, we went back to using the Yogurt function (not the greek). When the timer went off 8 hours later, we poured that batch into the Greek strainer and set it in the refrigerator overnight. OMG. Best, creamiest, not too tart yogurt I've had. Like you would get in Europe or an artisan store here. So, that's the way we currently make it and it couldn't be easier. Yogurt setting, then strain overnight in the refrigerator with the Greek strainer. Perfection.

1) Bought 1st unit in October 2023, worked fine, and using for L. Reuteri yogurt...setting the unit for 14 hours, then setting again for 14 hours, then setting a third time to bring cooking time to between 30-36 hours. Yogurt was fine. 2) Bought 2nd unit in May 2024, and there is a noticeable difference in the temperature at the bottom of the cooking unit; this second unit is hotter by ~1-1.5 degrees. Still produces yogurt, but at times I end up with a cottage-cheese-type product, rather than yogurt. I HAVE NO WAY OF DETERMINING THE QUANTITY OF L. REUTERI CULTURE IN THE PRODUCT I AM MAKING, THOUGH...and am only judging by taste that there is SOME sort of 'culture' activity going on. ALSO...I have no way of measuring the difference in my gut microbiome since I started using this home-made L. Reuteri yogurt for practically all of my yogurt...with only the occasional Fage or other 'on-sale' store brand, which is L. Bacillus. If possible, check the temperature of the bottom of the cooking unit with a cooking thermometer, because you need 100-102 degrees for L. Reuteri, over at least 30 hours. I sometimes cook my batches for up to 40 hours...because the 'hockey-stick' growth chart indicates that the culture growth spurt really takes off around 30 hours. *** I have a success rate of about 90% with this machine...and I attribute most of my failures (cottage-cheese-type product, or differently cultured & sour liquid) to either: a) compromised containers of half and half (sometimes bulging more than usual, but un-expired), or b) sterility problems on my part, especially when I am starting a second batch in the same container I have just emptied to a quart container for storage in the fridge. There is the possibility that the lip of the glass cooking container was not sterilized thoroughly enough BY ME, thereby introducing foreign / additional bacteria or yeast cultures...giving me a poor or bad product. *** Overall, I would recommend this product as the best unit out there for making quart-sized batches...as the smaller-container units aren't satisfactory for my quart-sized needs for the L. Reuteri yogurt. I haven't tried making L. Gasseri yogurt in this machine as of the writing of this review.

Making yogurt at home has been a fun and easy experience. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but the whole process turned out to be surprisingly simple and enjoyable. The digital control panel is straightforward, and the timer is especially helpful. I can set it and forget about it, letting the yogurt maker do its job while I go about my day without any worry. The two glass jars that come with the kit are just the right size for small batches, which is perfect for testing different flavors or adjusting the consistency. I really like that they’re easy to clean, and I’ve had no issues with them. Watching the yogurt come together and seeing the transformation after a few hours is surprisingly satisfying. The yogurt always turns out creamy and smooth, which has made the process enjoyable every time I use it. The included strainer has been especially useful for making Greek yogurt, and it’s great for getting that thicker consistency I prefer for my morning parfaits or snacks. What’s been fun is experimenting with different variations, like adding vanilla, honey, or fruit. It’s nice knowing exactly what goes into the yogurt, and it feels like a healthier option when I can control all the ingredients. The machine is pretty quiet while working, so I don’t have to worry about it disturbing me or taking up too much attention. The option to make cheese or fruit wine is a nice bonus, though I’ve mostly stuck to yogurt so far. Overall, making yogurt at home has been a great experience, and the yogurt maker has made it so simple and fun to get started.

Love, Love, Love! We perfected making Greek Yogurt, let it "cook" for 12 hours, refrigerate, then strain it with no or minimal stirring. The "waste" is high quality whey that we use for recipes so nothing goes to waste, great functionality! The result from the Bear Yogurt maker is good tasting, thick yogurt, great tasting, not sour at all! In fact, we bought two to always have a good supply of homemade greek yogurt, it pays for itself! The Bear lids have a nice vent that creates the fermentation.

The machine is easy to use. Homemade Greek yogurt is the best! The instruction manual is not complete in giving all the directions. I looked at a few videos and read a few online recipes to get the full picture of how to make the yogurt. This size unit makes 2 servings per batch. I do recommend this machine.

I love this Bear Yogurt Maker! After making yogurt the old fashion way for 40 years, I finally decided to give automation a try and I'm glad I did. The Bear produces a great tasting yogurt, and I don't have to monitor it like I did with the stovetop method. I make lactose-free yogurt and it tastes better than what I find at the grocery store. I did have a problem once when the Bear stopped working properly. I contacted the company, and they were very helpful. They determined that the problem was a faulty thermostat, and they gave me a refund. I then ordered a replacement and I haven't had any more problems. I have no complaints, but if Bear makes a larger yogurt maker I would snap it up.