Did you know the average American consumes 5.8 pounds of butter every year? Eating butter is not unhealthy. What is unhealthy is taking butter that contains bad ingredients like excess sugar.
If you can ditch store-bought butter and make yours at home, you’d be sure of the ingredients and enjoy the health benefits of butter.
When I first thought of switching to homemade butter, I did not really know the numerous perks I would be enjoying. It was just a mild consideration. But when I actually went through with it and got the best butter churner for my needs, I began to realize what I had been missing with store-bought butter.
For instance, I can now vary the flavor as I like. Moreover, the by-product (buttermilk) comes in handy for pancakes and other recipes. And, the small and compact Kliner churn that I use helps me work out and strengthen my hand.
If it is time for you to start making butter at home, the guide below should help you find the right churn.
Let’s dive in.
Image | Name | Editor's Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Kilner Small Manual Butter Churner | 5 out of 5 | ||
Chef'n Buttercup Butter Maker | 5 out of 5 | ||
Electric Butter Churn | 4.5 out of 5 | ||
The Butter Brewer | 4 out of 5 | ||
Tellier Manual Butter Churn | 4.5 out of 5 |
Best Butter Churn on The Market - Our Top 7 Picks
1. Kilner Small Manual Butter Churner
Kilner Jars is a UK business that has been around for over 170 years! When the company was set up, it only produced glass jars and bottles, but toward the end of the century, it came up with the original Kilner jar.
Later, the firm would dive into more innovations, including the Kilner Small Manual Butter Churner. Let’s see what this unit has to offer.
The device is a manual churner composed of a glass container and a churning unit at the top. If you’re looking for the best butter churner for home use, you will find the design very pleasing.
Firstly, it is the perfect size for home operation. The diameter is 4 inches and the height of the jar is 7 inches. In the jar, you can put up to 34 fl oz of liquid/cream. Amazingly, the unit makes butter at a rate of 3:1, so for every 34 oz of cream, you will have around 10 oz of butter.
Next, the little machine is unbelievably easy to use. You can disconnect the upper part completely to put in your cream without any restriction. Amazingly, opening and closing the lid is a piece of cake.
Beating cream into butter should not be complicated. Knowing that, Klinner has made things really easy. You don’t need to hold the jar to support it during use. Instead, there’s a grip conveniently placed at the top. It is made of wood and it’s incredibly comfortable.
The handle is also made of wood and it too provides a comfortable grip.
You will love how effortlessly the gear turns. Unlike some models that get stuck, this one is smooth to operate and never gets stuck. It is made of some heavy-duty steel, making it durable.
The paddle is large enough and made of BPA-free silicone for durability and safety.
Lastly, the jar is clear. This is quite convenient as you can see what’s going on inside. It takes a little over 10 minutes to whip the cream into butter.
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2. Chef'n Buttercup Hand Churn
For over 30 years now, Chef’n has been bringing you tools to help you make better food efficiently. This brand, which is owned by the Taylor Holdco LLC, is adored for the quality and simplicity it offers.
If you don’t want to have to deal with spinning a wheel for over 10 minutes, you might find the Chef'n Buttercup Butter Maker useful. This little appliance features one of the simplest, yet easiest-to-use designs.
It is just a little jar with lids on both sides. However, underneath the upper lid, a built-in sieve is attached.
You won’t believe how easy it is to make butter with it. Firstly, you put your cream in there. Then, you place the jar with the milk in it in your kitchen cupboard or any other place where it can stay at room temperature. Leave it there for 6 to 8 hours.
After that, take the can and shake it for just over 3 minutes with both lids closed. Midway through this duration, you should start to feel the substance in the can doesn’t want to shake. That happens as the butter starts to harden. But the problem eases as the butter separates from the milk like cream separator.
Through the process, you will need to pour away the buttermilk to be left with the fat part. Fortunately, you don't have to open the lid to do that. The built-in sieve at the top lets you get rid of the milk and remain with the fat. Once the 3 minutes are over, or when you're satisfied the butter is nicely formed, you just open the bottom lid and collect it.
As you can see, the process of making butter with this cup is simple and stress-free. If you don’t want to spend elbow grease spinning a wheel, this can might be the right option.
The jar, being transparent, lets you see what is going on inside.
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3. SlavicBeauty Electric Butter Churn 1.6 Gallons
There are several ways to make butter at home. Mainly, you can spin gears to beat your whipping cream into butter or you could use the shaker method.
I’ve discussed both of these methods above. If you decide to use the spin gear, you have the choice of using the manual gear, such as the one of the first product in this review, or an electric gear. As you can guess, the second option gives much more ease of use.
Well, if you require the best electric butter churner, the SlavicBeauty Butter Churn would be a great appliance to consider.
The first perk is, of course, the fact that you won’t be wasting your energy at all. The motor, which is attached right at the top, does everything for you.
Designed for convenience, the motor works with your home’s wall outlet of 220V. Don’t worry, it doesn’t spend much power.
When preparing butter intended to be eaten, you will, of course, be cautious about the preparation tools' safety. Thankfully, this electric butter churner is built with safety in mind.
The agitator is crafted from stainless steel while the jar itself is not plastic but rather glass. Your butter doesn’t come into contact with aluminum or plastic.
As for the effectiveness of the machine, you will be impressed. As long as the shaft is tightly screwed in place, you will have butter in just about 25 to 30 minutes.
The transparent body of the gadget lets you see the progress so you can stop at just the right time.
Lastly, the 1-year manufacturer warranty gives you peace of mind. I found out that the seller is easy to work with.
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4. The Butter Brewer
If you don’t want to waste your elbow grease at all churning butter, the Butter Brewer is another model you should consider. Though costlier, this churner offers you incredible benefits that make it a worthy buy.
First and foremost, the design is exceptional. The device looks a bit like a food serving pot, but with the lid having a blade attachment. With the black and gray color schemes, and with the electronic features, the level of elegance is enticing.
Gone are the days when you had to make your butter yourself. The Brewer is not just here as any other electric model. It is here to make things absolutely hands-free. A nice control panel is strategically located at the front for effortless operation.
The control panel has buttons for setting all the important factors including the temperature, time, and so on. There are also buttons for switching the unit on or off and for starting or canceling the operation.
For me, the most amazing thing is the versatility offered. This machine is not just for brewing butter. It has a range of other functions including decarboxylating cannabis. If you need to use medicinal marijuana, this is the tool you need to decarb it.
For decarb purposes, the gadget supports temperatures between 90 up to 300 °F and can run for 48 hours.
When the product arrives, you’ll see a few things included. A most crucial one is the dish, which has a capacity of 1 gallon. That is where you put your cream for brewing. As it is non-stick, removing your butter from it is a piece of cake. Thankfully, the little pot is removable and dishwasher-safe.
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5. Tellier Paderno World Cuisine Fresh Butter Maker
If you love to make your butter at home by hand, the Tellier Manual Butter Churn is a model you’d be proud of. It features the same design as the Kliner churner just different squire shape, albeit with a few variations. Let’s see what it offers.
The unit is made of a glass jar with a spinner gear system attached. In the jar, you can put up to 17-27 ounces of cream. After beating it, you can obtain up to 10 ounces of butter.
In case you don’t have much space in your kitchen, you will find the compact nature of this unit very convenient.
The gear system of this model is an epitome of innovation. In that regard, the spinning takes place faultlessly. As the gears move without requiring much effort, the process of making butter is easy, speedy, and even fun. You’ll rarely ever have to worry about jamming.
Unlike the Kliner model, the Tellier churner doesn't come with two lids. It'd be really helpful to be able to open the bottom and release the butter as you do with the Kliner. On the brighter side, the agitator that comes with this model is shaped like a spatula. So, apart from beating the cream, it also helps you get out the butter.
Judging from the materials that the churner is made of, it is easy to see the manufacture paid attention to not only looks but also strength and longevity.
Except for the jar, which is made of glass, everything else (paddle and lid) is made of stainless steel. The paddle is strong and firm and it lasts. Stainless steel won’t rust either and it is safe for food preparation.
The glass jar is absolutely transparent, and thus you get to see the butter being formed, which is in about 3 to 9 minutes.
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6. Martinez Pottery Stoneware Hand-Turned Butter Churner
North Carolina is about more than just Tobacco. During my visit there last year, I came across a farmstead where beautiful folks loved to churn butter the traditional way.
They explained that the huge ceramic vase and the long stick with a round bottom were reminiscent of the type that was used between the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. How glorious it was to learn such remarkable history!
Would you like to churn butter the traditional way? The Martinez Pottery Stoneware Hand-Turned Butter Churner would be a great selection. It comes as a large crock and long stick.
Appearance is the first thing that drew my attention. With its natural stone color and the two blue stripes near the top, the crock delivers a true touch of old-fashioned elegance.
Operating the dasher is more of a pleasure than a job. The stick is made of unfinished wood that is smooth-sanded to provide a comfortable grip. To churn the cream into butter, you just move the stick up and down.
It’d be extremely convenient for you to get a small stool to sit on while you churn.
Apart from the historical significance of the unit, another perk that you will enjoy is the size.
The container has a capacity of 3 gallons, thus allowing you to make butter for a large family. You can even store some in the refrigerator for future use. If you want something smaller, you can go for the 2-gallon version, which is also available on amazon.
Lastly, the unit is crafted with safety in mind. Both the crock and dash are well-made in the USA and they’re free of contaminants like lead.
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7. Homeplace Butter Churn/Drill Powered
Last on the list, we have the Homeplace Butter Churn/Drill Powered. The product is made of a plastic container and a steel agitating tool.
Don’t shy away to hear the container is made of plastic. It is actually a high-quality form of plastic that is BPA-free for your safety. The material feels solid and like something that will last.
The part that actually does the major work in any churner unit is the mixing paddle. It is the part you need to pay the most attention to as you don’t want something that will break.
Thankfully, the paddle on this unit is made of stainless steel. It is extremely firm and resilient to rust and pressure. I expect it to last.
The paddle is meant to be operated by hand. You just grab the paddle and agitate. A plug is attached at the bottom of the bucket where you can hook the paddle so it remains stable while agitating.
Interestingly, you could also operate the device electrically. How to do that? Just get a drill and attach it at the top. When you turn it on, the drill will produce the torque needed to spin the paddle. Luckily, a slot is dug into the top of the paddle where you can attach your drill.
Are you a large family? Or do you need a unit you can use for business purposes? This one would be a great choice. With a large capacity of 4 gallons, and the compatibility with a drill, the churner allows you to make lots of butter at once.
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Comparison Table of Butter Churner
Name | Capacity | Manual vs electric | Time it takes to make butter | Extra uses |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kilner | 34 oz | Manual | 15 minutes | No |
Chef'n | 10 oz | Manual | 3 minutes | No |
SlavicBeauty | 1.6 gallons | Electric | 25 to 30 minutes | No |
The Butter Brewer | 1 gallon | Electric | 10 to 30 minutes | Yes (decarbing cannabis) |
Tellier Manual Butter Churn | 32 oz | Manual | 3 to 9 minutes | No |
Martinez Pottery Stoneware Hand-Turned Butter Churner | 3 gallons | Manual | 20 minutes to 1 hour | No |
Homeplace Butter Churner | 4 gallons | Manual but with a drill notch for electric operation | 20 minutes to 1 hour | No |
Butter Churn Buying Guide
There are so many ways to eat butter. You can take it with bread, sautéed veggies, mushrooms, nuts, and so on. Or you could just take it with tea or coffee.
Making your own butter at home is very convenient, as you get to take the flavor you want and make sure what you’re taking is all-natural. Well, if you’re searching for the best butter churner, the following considerations should help you find a quality unit.
Capacity
You will be able to make a certain amount of butter depending on the size of the churner you choose. Therefore, size matters. But mostly, you’ll find that people don’t actually look at the dimensions. Rather, what they look at is the capacity.
There are two questions to ask with regard to capacity – how much cream can you put in there, and how much butter can you obtain.
Mostly, you can get only up to a third of the volume of the cream you churn as butter.
For instance, a churner with a capacity of 30 ounces can only give up to around 10 ounces as butter.
If you live alone or your family doesn’t consume much butter, a small-size churner with a capacity of even just 10 oz might be enough for your needs. But if your household consumes lots of butter, you might need a larger unit like the 3-gallon Martinez Pottery Stoneware Hand-Turned Butter Churner which is in the review above.
Capacity is crucial for one other reason – space. Go for a size/capacity that your kitchen space can support.
Materials
Whenever you’re looking for a butter processor, construction is one of the most vital considerations to have in mind. You want a machine that is sturdily made so it can hold up to rough use.
There are two main parts of the device you ought to focus on – the paddle and the container. The paddle is what does all the work of beating the cream into butter, so it should be strong and durable.
Paddles that are made of stainless steel are the toughest and most durable. However, they’re heavy and not very practical for larger units.
If, for instance, you’re using a crock-style churner, you don’t want that dash to be made of metal. Wood is more appropriate in that case, but it should be high-quality and well-sanded.
As for the container, it can be made of steel, glass, wood, ceramic, or natural stone.
Steel is obviously the strongest, but once again, it is heavy. Glass is quite appropriate for the small-sized units as it provides a clear view of the butter churning process. However, it is fragile and needs extra care.
Polished wood, ceramic, and natural stone are best suited for the large antique-style crocks.
Electric vs Manual
There are two types of churners based on power – manual units, which you operate by hand, and electric models, which are run using electricity.
If you asked me, operating a manual churner is so much fun. When you’re idle, spinning the gears by hand to make butter can help you pass time. Pounding cream in a crock with a long dash is even more fun on a lazy Sunday evening.
But what if you don’t always have time? Or you don’t have elbow grease to spare? In such cases, an electric model comes in handy. You just press a few buttons and wait as the unit does all the work on its own.
Ergonomics
By ergonomics, I am referring to features that make the tool easy to use.
The Kilner Small Manual Butter Churner (first in the review above), for instance, has a gripping surface separate from the handle. When operating the handle with one hand, you use the other to hold the grip at the top and secure the whole unit so it doesn’t move during use.
Features such as that make operation a breeze.
When operating a closed unit, it'd be extremely convenient to know when the churning process is complete or rather when the butter is ready. Some units come with a clear container to give you an unrestricted view inside. This ergonomic feature too makes a lot of sense.
Common Qestions and Answers
What is a butter churn?
A butter churn is a tool that mechanically transforms cream into butter. A plunger is used operated by hand or using electric power to agitate the cream, separating the solid fats from the buttermilk. The fats accumulate in one place to form the butter.
How do you make butter with a churn?
Step I – Clean the tool. A mixture of equal amounts of warm water and vinegar should do.
Step II – Lubricate the spinner gears if present. This step is only necessary if your churn has gears. Be sure to use food-grade lube such as coconut oil.
Step III – Pour your cream into the container. You can use milk, but it should be unpasteurized. Note, the more the cream level in the milk, the better and faster the results will be. Let the cream/milk sit in the container for at least an hour before you begin churning. Also, be sure not to fill the container, as a full container will cause fluffing.
Step IV – Start churning. You will probably turn a spinner wheel or spin a plunger or pound a stick up and down. The process depends entirely on the type of churn you’re using. Continue churning until the butter is formed.
Occasionally, you'll need to drain the buttermilk. How long the process takes depends on the type of churn you use as well as the nature of the cream. Mostly, the process takes anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour.
Step V – Remove and clean the butter. Once the butter is formed, remove it from the container and wash it. Ensure you use ice-cold water, as room-temp or warm water may melt the butter. After that, go ahead and use the product and store the excess in the refrigerator.
How long should I churn butter?
The duration varies from situation to situation. Various factors affect the time it takes. For instance, cream will churn faster than milk. Again, the higher the level of cream in the milk, the faster the churning process. But generally, it takes between 10 minutes and 1 hour to churn butter.
Can I use milk to make butter?
If you’re talking about the canned pasteurized milk from the store, it is next to impossible to use it to make butter by churning. But if it is raw unpasteurized milk with the cream still in it, you can make butter from it. The higher the cream content, the quicker it will be to churn the milk into butter.
Final Word
Homemade products are usually healthier and cheaper than store-bought products. When it comes to butter, the statement couldn’t be any truer.
If you feel it is time for you to produce your own butter, all you need is some cream and the best butter churner for your needs. In the review, I made certain there are models with varying features to cater to different people's needs.
You can choose an electric unit like the SlavicBeauty Butter Churn, which comes with an LCD screen and easy-to-use buttons or you can choose a manual model like the Kilner Small Manual Butter Churner.
For those who want the optimal ease of use, an electric model will be the perfect choice. But if you want to engage your hands and pass time, a manual unit is the right choice.
Looking for a model that reminds you of the old days, perhaps? How about the antique-style Martinez Pottery Stoneware Hand-Turned Butter Churner? All these models are up there in the review.
I hope this guide has been helpful.
About the Author
Tamara J. Sims
EXECUTE CHEF
As a seasoned kitchen and food writer, Tamara has a remarkable ability to weave words together, transporting readers to the heart of the culinary world. Tamara’s articles are written with an engaging blend of insightful commentary, honesty, and real-world examples based on personal experiences. She has the ability to captivate seasoned food enthusiasts and novice cooks alike.
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