WHY TEST YOUR YOGURT MAKER?
Making yogurt for the first time can be simple, but sometimes there are snags along the way. If you've done some troubleshooting, and determined that your yogurt maker may not be operating properly, try testing the appliance.
HOW TO TEST YOUR YOGURT MAKER
- Heat water on the stovetop to 110°F.
- Fill the yogurt maker's container with the heated water.
- Make sure the unit is full enough to give a good reading.
- 2-quart Yogurt Makers require at least 1 quart of liquid to maintain a good culturing temperature.
- Yogurt Makers with serving-size containers must be completely full to maintain a good culturing temperature. Avoid leaving empty jars.
- Turn the appliance on and run for 6-8 hours, just as if you were making yogurt.
- Using a handheld thermometer, test the temperature of the water every 1-2 hours.
If your unit is not maintaining 105-112°F for the full 8 hour culturing period, it is not operating properly. Check the following:
- Lid is closed properly.
- Unit is fully plugged in.
- Unit is in a room that is at normal room temperature. In very cold areas, yogurt makers may not be able to maintain temperature.
- Milk was heated on the stovetop to the proper temperature before filling the yogurt maker.
- The yogurt maker is plugged into a circuit that is not overloaded by other appliances.
- Thermometer is reading accurately. If you suspect the thermometer is off, try recalibrating it. The steps are quite simple.
Solutions to Temperature Issues
If your appliance is just a few degrees too cool, try draping a towel over the unit during operation. Make sure to keep the towel clear of the electrical outlet.
Yogotherm Yogurt Incubators often need to be preheated in cool weather. Fill the inner pail with 3-4” of hot tap water and cover. Let it sit while you add the starter to your milk. Then pour out the hot water and add the inoculated milk. This will prevent an initial temperature drop in the yogurt maker.
If your appliance runs a few degrees too hot, slightly prop the lid open during operation. Use a folded notecard or piece of cardboard under the edge of the lid for the perfect vent.
After making adjustments to your unit, run the water test again to make sure your yogurt maker can hold the proper culturing temperature for the full culturing period.
