Yogurt makers are a great kitchen appliance for homemade yogurt enthusiasts. With a good yogurt maker, you can save money by making yogurt at home while also controlling the ingredients for healthier, tastier results. However, these handy appliances can be quite an investment. To get the most bang for your buck, it pays to put some thought into finding the best time to buy your yogurt maker.

Why Buy a Yogurt Maker?

A yogurt maker automates the yogurt-making process for consistent results every time. It provides the ideal warm environment for yogurt cultures to ferment milk into creamy yogurt. Yogurt makers eliminate most of the work by:

• Maintaining the correct temperature for fermentation (110-115°F)
• Incubating the yogurt for the right duration
• Turning off automatically when done

Without a yogurt maker, you’d have to carefully monitor temperature and time everything perfectly. It can be tricky to achieve the same great texture each time. A yogurt maker takes out the guesswork for foolproof homemade yogurt.

Other key reasons to invest in a yogurt maker include:

• Save money – Homemade yogurt costs a fraction of what you’d pay at the grocery store
• Control ingredients – Make yogurt with the milk, sweeteners, and flavors you prefer
• Customize textures – Thick Greek-style or thinner runny yogurts
• Avoid additives – Many store-bought yogurts contain added sugars and artificial ingredients
• Experiment with flavors – From fruit on the bottom to mixed-in jams, nuts, or chocolate

Now that you know why homemade yogurt is so great, let’s explore all the factors that determine the best time to splurge on your yogurt maker…

When Are Yogurt Makers Cheapest?

Like most kitchen appliances, yogurt makers tend to be cheapest at certain predictable times of year:

Early November – Post Holiday Sales

Once Halloween is over, retailers shift focus to the winter holiday season. They begin offering discounts to compete for early shoppers. Expect to see yogurt makers included in pre-Black Friday sales events in early November.

Late November to Mid-December – Black Friday & Cyber Monday

The best yogurt maker deals emerge around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You’ll find major price drops both online and in-stores during this peak holiday shopping season. Brick and mortar retailers like Target, Macy’s, and Walmart often have special holiday hours to accommodate deal seekers.

Meanwhile, online stores like Amazon go all out with week-long Black Friday deals. This is absolutely the best time to buy a yogurt maker at the lowest price. The one downside is stock tends to sell out quickly for the absolute hottest deals.

Mid-January – Post Holiday Clearance Sales

Didn’t get the yogurt maker you wanted over the holidays? Luckily, most stores continue holiday sales into January. Both online and retail stores are eager to clear out remaining holiday inventory. Shop their clearance and closeout sales for steep discounts on yogurt makers.

April to June – Graduation & Wedding Season Sales

Retailers capitalize on graduation and wedding gift shopping with special sales in spring. Small kitchen electrics like yogurt makers make popular gifts for college grads setting up dorm rooms or newlyweds furnishing their first home. Expect to save 20-30% or more during this season.

When Do New Yogurt Maker Models Launch?

Beyond getting the best price, you may want to buy a yogurt maker with all the latest features. The most high-tech models tend to launch in early spring or late summer. Here is when you can find the newest yogurt maker models on store shelves:

March & April – Early Spring Releases

After the chaos of the winter holidays, March and April become a key release window for the latest kitchen innovations. This lines up with tax refund season when many people have extra cash to spend on appliance upgrades. Expect to see shiny new yogurt makers in stores and announced through press releases in early spring.

June & July – Summer Previews

June and July host trade shows like the Housewares Show where manufacturers preview new products to retail buyers. Many of these small appliances announced over the summer officially launch in the fall. But some yogurt makers hit shelves as early as July if companies want to capitalize on back-to-school shopping.

September & October – Fall Product Launches

Most new yogurt maker models make their official debut in September and October alongside other fall product releases. This positions them nicely for holiday wish lists and gifting. Expect the latest features and innovations in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.

How to Score the Best Yogurt Maker Deal

Now that you know key seasons and events for discounted yogurt makers and new model launches, let’s discuss some insider tips to lock in the absolute best deal:

Sign Up for Retailer Email Lists

Get a jump on yogurt maker deals by signing up for newsletters from your favorite stores. Retailers send early access to sales and special coupon codes to subscriber inboxes. Being among the first shoppers for a promotion can help you grab that hot yogurt maker before it sells out.

Shop Online for Widest Selection

While in-store shopping can be fun, shopping online gives you the widest selection of yogurt maker models all in one place. All the major retailers along with niche shops are represented. This makes price comparison a breeze to find the best deal out there. Online retailers also tend to offer deeper discounts and cheaper shipping costs.

Leverage Coupons & Cash Back

Before clicking checkout, visit websites like RetailMeNot to search for available coupon codes you can apply to your yogurt maker purchase. Also check cash back sites like Rakuten which provide a percentage back of your purchase price through retailer partnerships. These stacked savings can add up on bigger ticket items like kitchen appliances.

Buy Open Box or Refurbished

If buying a used yogurt maker doesn’t turn you off, consider open box and refurbished models. Sites like Amazon Warehouse, Best Buy Outlet, and Walmart offer discounted products customers lightly used or returned. Manufacturer refurbished models direct from the brand also go through rigorous inspection and cleaning. Both options can shave 35-50% off retail pricing.

Price Match Guarantees

To get credit for a price drop after your purchase, take advantage of generous return and price match policies from major retailers. Stores like Target, Lowe’s, and Bed Bath & Beyond allow you to file a retroactive price match claim and get reimbursed the difference via gift card or refund. To qualify, the identical item must be in stock at a competitor at a lower price point.

Use a Credit Card with Purchase Protection

Sign up for a credit card that offers 90 days purchase protection as an insurance policy for your major appliance purchase. If the price drops shortly after your yogurt maker transaction, purchase protection will refund the difference. Cards like Wells Fargo Propel and Chase Sapphire Reserve offer this benefit when you use them to pay.

Buy a Floor Model, Open Box, or Return

If you live near big box stores like Walmart, Best Buy, or Target, it’s worth stopping in around the major shopping holidays. Oftentimes you’ll find steep discounts on floor models, open box items, or customer returns. As long as the yogurt maker powers on and wasn’t heavily used, it could be a serious bargain. Just inspect carefully for any cosmetic damage before purchase.

FAQs: Finding the Best Yogurt Maker Deal

Q: When should I buy a yogurt maker?

A: The very best times to buy a yogurt maker at the deepest discounts are Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales in late November. Post-holiday clearance sales in January are another opportunity to save. Or shop spring graduation and wedding sales from April to June.

Q: When do new yogurt maker models launch?

A: Expect to see the latest yogurt maker feature upgrades and innovations launch in early spring (March-April) and fall (September-October) in preparation for big holiday shopping seasons.

Q: Where are the best deals on yogurt makers?

A: Both online retailers like Amazon and big box stores like Target and Walmart compete aggressively on yogurt maker pricing around peak holiday shopping like Black Friday. Specialty kitchen stores like Sur La Table and Williams Sonoma also discount small appliances for wedding registries from April to June.

Q: Should I buy open box, refurbished or used?

A: If you’re comfortable with a lightly used model, buying open box, manufacturer refurbished, or floor model yogurt makers can mean huge discounts. Just inspect carefully at purchase time for damage and test all functions are working properly.

Q: Can I get a refund if the price drops after I buy?

A: Yes, many retailers like Best Buy, Lowe’s, and Bed Bath & Beyond offer generous price match guarantees. File a claim post-purchase for a gift card or refund of the price difference. Retail credit cards with purchase protection like Wells Fargo Propel also refund you automatically if you used it to pay.

We hope this guide gives you confidence to shop the best yogurt maker deals! Let us know if you have any other questions in the comments.