Month: September 2014

The Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt Maker Review

ice21The Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker is a convenient way of making frozen deserts at home. It is a very handy device to have, and makes for a refreshing thing to do on a very hot day. It makes up to 1 ½ quarts of your desired dessert, from sorbet to frozen yogurt to ice cream. Cuisinart is a top manufacturer of these types of products, and the ICE is no exception.

Features of the Cuisinart ICE-21

  • an ingredient spout, used to add ingredients through
  • an easy-lock lid, through which the freezing process can be observed.
  • a mixing paddle
  • available in multiple colors to suit the style and look of your kitchen.
  • a base with a heavy duty motor
  • rubber feet to keep the base from slipping or sliding while being used
  • the cord can be pushed into the base when not being used
  • a freezer bowl which keeps the bowl at a cool and even temperature as it contains a cooling liquid within the double wall.
  • it stops automatically if the motor overheats.
  • it comes with a manual which has 28 recipes for frozen deserts.
  • it is made from ABS plastic, thermoplastic and metal.
  • The Ice-21 is 10.8 by 10,8 by 15.8 “ and weighs 9,7 pounds. It has a 3 year warranty and is BPA free.

Using the ICE-21

Amazon Reviews of the Cuisinart ICE-21

bowlWith the patented mixing paddle. frozen treats can be made in less that 20 minutes. There is also no need for ice, due to the freezing bowl. The heavy duty motor is capable of handling sherbert, ice cream and other frozen deserts. The unit has one button to turn it on and off . It is however simple to use. The user has to pre-chill the mix by putting the bowl into the freezer for a full day, and then transfer the mixture into kitchen containers where it can continue to harden it some more. After this, the desert is ready for consumption. Once the mixture is chilled, ice cream can be made in twenty minutes or less. The unit is capable of doing two batches of ice-cream immediately one after the other, since it is quite fast. The process has to be closely observed, as based on tests done, it is churns for too long, the ice cream will overflow over the sides and out of the machine. The bowls have also been found to be fairly difficult to clean. If you make a lot of frozen deserts, then it is a really good idea to purchase a second bowl. This way, you can have always have a backup in the freezer. With the large ingredient spout, it is easy to get ingredients into the Ice-21, which helps to keep the kitchen clean.

What Others Have Said

This machine is at the time of writing the top selling yogurt maker on Amazon, and it is there for a reason. With a 4.5/5 rating by customers, who have commented on its versatility, how easy it is to use and how durable it is. It really is one of the best Yogurt makers out there for frozen yogurt fans and offers huge value for money.

The Cuisinart Ice-21 is highly rated by Good Housekeeping which gave it their top rating, raving about its ability to make ice cream as well as frozen yogurt, which is of course what this is designed for. It is also rated highly by SeriousEats.com. and Viewpoints.com. It is easy to use, durable easy to clean and simple to use as well as making great deserts. The taste and quality of it’s ice-cream ranks with many other more expensive brands. It is also highly rated for the speed with which it makes ice cream and other frozen deserts. This product comes with our top recommendation.

Euro Cuisine YM260 Yogurt Maker Review

ym260Euro Cuisine YM260 yogurt maker is for those who love yogurt and are ready to try creating the homemade variety. It has a 2 quart capacity and a timer on the side so you can know when the process is finished. The YM260 comes as part of a kit, which also includes a specially designed cotton bag for making cheese, a stainless steel thermometer and a serving bowl. This appliance comes with a 3 year warranty. It is priced at around $40, but does it represent good value for money?

 

 

Features

A full list of the features of the YM260

  • Two quart capacity
  • Works with milk of all varieties including alternatives to traditional cows milk.
  • Comes with added extras such as cheese maker attachment
  • Comes with a stainless steel thermometer
  • Makes yogurt in just 6-8 hours.

The YM260 is generally met with very positive reviews, as you can see from Amazon, where it has averaged out to a 4 star review (out of five) which is very respectable, especially for something on the cheaper end of the market in comparison to the more “deluxe” models. This does hold its own when compared to many of its more expensive competitors.

Customer Reviews on Amazon

Benefits of Homemade Yogurt

For the health conscious, homemade yogurt is a healthier option than commercial yogurt. Commercial yogurts come with artificial flavors, added sugar and preservatives. One also controls what goes into homemade yogurt. There are endless flavor options and the consistency, amount of fat and the sweetness are controlled by the user. Soy milk and coconut milk are also options, offering an alternative for those who can’t consume cow’s milk. One of the benefits of yogurt is that it contains probiotics, which promote good gut bacteria and help to boost the immune system. Those who are lactose intolerant can also often consume yogurt, as the live cultures that it contains feed on the lactose. Commercial yogurt tends to have less of these, it can sit on the shelf a long time before it goes bad. The probiotics gradually die off during this time. With homemade yogurt, enough is generally made to last up to ten days. A fresh batch can be made regularly and at less than the cost of buying commercial yogurt. Yogurt in general is also beneficial for the amount of calcium that it contains. The protein it contains is good for helping to repair muscle cells, especially for those who lead very active lifestyles. Studies have also shown that it is beneficial in preventing high blood pressure.

The timer on the YM260 is not a true timer in the sense of that on a microwave. Rather it is a reminder, consisting of the numbers from 1 to 12 on the side of the base. The lid has an arrow on it that points to the time that the unit should be shut off by the user. It also does not have an on and off switch. The unit is turned on by plugging it in, which may not help if the plug is in an awkward place as the mixture should not be moved during its cycle until it ends.

Conclusion

The YM260 is a  good yogurt maker for those interested in making their yogurt at home. It is not as convenient as some other brands, as it does not have a built in thermometer or a real timer, nor an on/off switch. That said, it is cheaper than many of the options on the market, and does offer good value considering the features it has for the money spent – it is a good purchase and I give it a 4 out of 5 as a yogurt maker.

T-Fal YG232BUS Yogurt Maker Review

t-falYogurt, as well as being tasty, has health and wellbeing benefits – it has been proven to lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and making yogurt at home also allows one to create a wholesome and more natural product for your family to eat, as you can choose to avoid the added sugars, artificial flavors and preservatives that commercial yogurts come with. Also, not all commercial yogurts come with live cultures which is where the probiotics are found. Those that do have the live culture gradually die of over the extended period that the yogurt can spend on the shelves of the seller. Buying an electric yogurt maker like the T-Fal YG232BUS, completely automates the process. Just add the milk and live culture mix, plug in the appliance, and turn it on. The unit will take care of the preparation for you. So is this model a good option for those looking to buy a yogurt maker? How does it stack up against the opposition?

Features

If you are looking for an electric yogurt maker, then the T-fal YG232BUS Balanced Living Yogurt Maker may be the one for you. T-fal have a prestigious history of producing kitchen appliances, and this continues their tradition. It has seven glass jars with lids, each of which hold 5.5 oz of yogurt, clever, easy to use digital controls and a countdown lcd timer. This also turns off automatically when finished to allow you to think about other things, and comes with a recipe book to start you off with yogurt ideas! It also has a one year warranty.

How it Looks

digital display t-falAt first look, you can see that he YG232BUS is quite a modern and stylish unit, which won’t look out of place in either a modern or classic kitchen. Cleverly, the seven individual jars mean you can experiment with flavours and don’t have to make the same yogurt in batches, which is great for those with families or just wanting to branch out. The LCD timer along with the digital controls keeps track of the time of the process, so that you can know when the yogurt is ready. The digital controls also make it easy to operate.

It is very positive for most consumers that this unit is also easy to clean, due to the glass jars and black and white colour. One has to be careful though, not to move the unit during the process. Keeping in an area of low use would be very advantageous. Also because of it’s design, the upper part of the jar may be difficult to clean.

Benefits of Yogurt Makers

Making homemade yogurt is a healthy way of enjoying the process and end results of this popular and wholesome food. The benefits of eating yogurt include it’s calcium content for healthy bones, its’ protein content especially for people involved in a lot of physical activity, and its’ probiotic contents, which contribute to beneficial bacteria in the gut. Probiotics increase the good bacteria in the stomach, which goes towards aiding digestion and boosting your immune system. It is also good for those who are lactose intolerant and cannot enjoy the benefits of milk.

Conclusion

A simple look at the 4.5/5 rating on Amazon tells you just what consumers think of this well respected product. Due to the features or the YG232BUS, it is one of the best yogurt makers on the market, produced by a manufacturer you can trust. Despite the few drawbacks we have already pointed out. If you are a yogurt lover and want to automate the process, one cannot overlook this unit, as it has most of the features that one would like to have in a yogurt maker. I would definitely give this a 5 out of 5.

This entry was posted in T-Fal.