The Cuisipro yogurt maker is typical of most of its competitors. The incubator consists of the base (which contains the heating unit) and a cover. Fermentation takes place in eight 6 oz jars which are placed inside the unit. Using this product you can make yogurt in batches of up to one and a half quarts. The actual 'cooking' time varies depending on a number of factors like the type of milk used, the culture used as a starter and your personal preference for the flavor and consistency of the finished product.
The unit features an electronic timer with digital LCD display, audible alarm and auto shutoff.
The Donvier Yogurt Maker comes with:
- The incubator (comprising base and cover)
- 8 x 6 ounce polycarbonate yogurt making jars including lids
- A thermometer which also doubles as a stirring tool
- Operating manual with recipes included
- 1 year warranty
** Additional jars are available. These can be useful if you're keen to start making your next batch before the last one has been eaten. By alternating, you'll always have fresh yogurt available.
Reviews for this product are mixed. Before getting into the negative points raised by some reviewers, I should stress that there is at least as much feedback from perfectly happy customers. With that being said however, from the research I've done so far, the product has probably received more negative feedback than most of the other yogurt makers I've researched.
One of the more common complaints about the product is that it doesn't always heat properly, or that it heats unevenly with the jars in the middle appearing to maintain higher average temperatures than the jars on the outside. This leads in inconsistent results within a batch.
I wonder whether this problem is a result of the shape of the unit. It's shape is kind of elongated while most of Cuisipro's competitors produce round incubators. Maybe the round shape lends itself to better or more consistent heat distribution.
Poor customer service experiences have also been reported. A number of consumers have experienced breakdowns and have either been unable to contact Cuisipro or have not received a satisfactory response.
But as I said above, for each of these negative comments, at least as many people have reported the unit as being a reliable and easy to use machine.
The Cuisipro Donvier Electronic Yogurt Maker retails for between $40 and $45.