We've gotten a few queries lately from our readers about which soy milk maker we recommend.  As many of you know, we own the  Tribest Soyabella Soymilk Maker.   Jane got it that soy milk maker as a Christmas gift from her mom way back in December of 2007.  We were very happy with it when we first got it -- we learned how to make soy milk -- but do we still love this machine?  And would we buy it again?  Are there other machines worth trying?  And some of you are wondering, with all the prepackaged soy milks out there, is it worth the effort?

I'll answer the last question first.   YES!  By making your own soymilk you save money, control your intake (you control the ingredients), and you also cut down on the inherent costs to the planet in packaging and transportation costs.  But the soymilk you make at home is not the same as the soymilk you purchase in the store.  First, there is no binder in your homemade milks, so they do tend to separate out.  All you have to do is stir the product up before using it, but this does tend to freak out some people.  Secondly, with all the soymilk makers we've experienced, you have to strain the soy milk again, otherwise you'll wind up with a slightly gritty milk.  Thirdly, homemade soy milk has a very different taste than the soymilk you buy in the store.  If you do nothing to the milk (i.e. add vanilla and sweetener) it will have a "beany" taste.  Finally, the milk you at home is not fortified, so if you're counting on getting a healthy dose of calcium or vitamin D from your milk, think again.  Try some turnip greens or bok choy, or white beans instead.

On to the soy milk maker product reviews:

Soyapower Plus: If we were buying a machine today, this is the one we would get.  Jane's friend has this and adores it.

  • Pros:  Easy cleanup.  Power cord attachment in a better place than the Soyabella (our machine).  Insulated so it's pretty quiet, and the body doesn't get hot.
  • Cons:  When your milk is done, it doesn't stop beeping until you unplug the unit.  This could drive you crazy!

SoyQuick Premier 930P: This machine would get my vote, but it's $60 more than the Soyapower Plus (above)... so factoring in the cost, this machine gets my second place vote.

  • Pros: No internal filter so, easier cleanup.
  • Cons:  No internal filter, so you have to strain the milk after it's made.  If you are making soymilk, this means that you need to let the milk cool in the stainless steel body before filtering it through the plastic sieve.  For the price of the unit, the sieve should be better.

Joyoung CTS1048:  Another of our friends has this model soymilk maker.  She's had to return it to the manufacturer twice for repairs.  The manufacturer graciously replaced the machine both times, but who wants to go through all that trouble.  We're not sure if this is indicative of a quality control issue, or if she just wound up with a lemon.

  • Pros:  Easy to clean.
  • Cons:  Gets hot to the touch (as a tea kettle would).  This machine also has a plastic pitcher you are supposed to pour the hot milk into.

Soyabella:

  • Pros:  The machine is very easy to use.  We've had no issues until now.  In making soy milk, we've never had it boil over, but the machine does get a little hot to the touch.  But you wouldn't put your hands on a tea kettle, would you?  Makes hot and cold milks (soy, nut, rice, oat).
  • Cons: After 2 1/2 years of making almond milk weekly, the blades are beginning to dull a bit and it isn't grinding as well as it used to.  Unfortunately, Tribest (the manufacturer of this soy milk maker) doesn't seem to sell replacement blades, and the warranty period is up, so I can't wholeheartedly endorse this product.  My blender, which I use daily is still going strong after 9 years, I would expect my soymilk maker to do the same.   With power connections on the top and base, you need to ensure that they don't get wet when cleaning.  Not a huge issue, but poor design.  The milling cycle is very noisy.

As with all the soymilk makers out there, you have to make sure that you don't overfill the machine.  All the ones we've seen have easily identifiable water fill markers on the inside of the canisters.  Also it's a good idea to pre-soak your soybeans before making the milk.  It will help improve the taste of your finished product.

We use our soy milk maker predominantly to make almond milk.  The real reason behind this is that Jane has a strong history of breast cancer in her family and there is so much conflicting information out there as to whether or not soy should be avoided... so we err on the side of caution.  We know we're getting some soy product through the limited amount of processed foods we eat (there seems to be soy in everything these days!), and Jane likes to cook up a soy stir fry or tofu scramble for dinner at least once a week.  Plus we enjoy edamame and miso soup (remember to watch out for bonito flakes in your miso).  One further reminder to those of you considering venturing out to make your own soy milk:  most soy is genetically modified.  So you should look for soybeans which are non-GMO.

So, in summary, Jand and I would recommend the Soyapower Plus soy milk maker, rice milk maker, nut milk maker. If you would like to see all of the popular models available, you can check out the current best selling soy milk makers, just click here.

Alternative milks cost much more that conventional cows milk.  If you are committed to making the transition to non-dairy milk, or have already done so, you may want to consider investing in a soy milk maker.  A good soy milk maker can save you a lot of money over the course of a year.

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Related Information:

  1. Home Made Almond Milk
  2. Vegan Chocolate SoyMilk Review
  3. Got Milk?
  4. Silk-y, Chocolate-y Goodness
  5. I Miss Milk

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