I Gave Up on Making My Own Plant-Based Milk Until I Discovered The Nutr

I was holding a slimy, wet oats-filled cheesecloth with one hand and “milking” said cheesecloth with the other when I said aloud, “This is not 1804, what am I trying to prove?” After an entire day of soaking oats, and another hour of milking a bulging cheesecloth like a cow udder, I was blessed with less than one cup of the worst oat milk I’ve ever tasted. So I admitted defeat, huffed to the corner store wearing a T-shirt stained with watery oat liquid, and left with an $8 carton of the second worst oat milk I’ve ever tasted. I promise, y’all, I tried the cheesecloth method multiple times over the years in an attempt to make The Pioneer Woman proud. But you get to a point where the effort is simply not worth the result. And that’s when the Nutr, a machine the size of a French press, came into my life. 

Now I’m not averse to most store-bought plant-based milks. If Chobani asked me to be an influencer for its Zero Sugar Oatmilk, I would say yes without hesitation. But I’d be remiss to pass up an opportunity to try a machine that makes fresh plant-based milk at home—especially with an odd little name like Nutr. This kitchen gadget is new to the market, but it’s already raking in positive reviews—and you can consider this article another one. Let me walk you through my Nutr review, including how it works, price, benefits and drawbacks, and how I’ve used it.

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How does the Nutr work?

Step 1: Add Nuts. The machine, which is shaped like a pitcher, comes with a little scooper. To start making milk, I add one scoop of nuts or grain (oats are the cheapest and easiest to start with), water, and any other additional ingredients like salt, dates, maple syrup, cinnamon, or a touch of oil. I’ve enjoyed using the machine because I know exactly what ingredients are going in my plant-based milk. And while most store-bought milks, which have more ingredients, are safe for consumption, it’s nice to make smaller servings with familiar ingredients.

Step 2: Select temperature. You can choose the temperature of your nut milk (room temperature, warm, or hot), which plays a huge part in my positive Nutr review, because I love adding warm oat milk to coffee and pasta. Though I don’t drink soy milk, having a hot setting is a game-changer for people who do, because otherwise, the process of making it at home is arduous and, frankly, not worth the hassle.

Step 3: Press start. Once you find your temperature setting, the cycle starts. The Nutr uses stainless steel blades to grind up your ingredients in under five minutes, and the glass lid allows you to see it all happen. Once the cycle finishes, you can use it as is, or strain any pulp with the included strainer. If you want to try your hand at fun recipes, the device comes with a whole book of ’em.

Does the Nutr work better than a blender?

If you’re anything like me, you’re hesitant to bring yet another single-use kitchen gadget into your home. But this machine most certainly does the job better than a blender. I have the Beast Blender, which works like a charm for smoothies, soups, and whatnot, but like most blenders (besides a few Vitamix models), I still needed to soak the nuts overnight and clean up a pulpy mess post-blend. The Nutr doesn’t require soaking, and it’s self-cleaning.

What features set Nutr apart from other nut milk makers?

Beyond its basic purpose of making nut milk, the Nutr also has a Boil setting that essentially replaces your need for a kettle. It also holds the temperature of your milk with its Keep Warm feature and automatically turns off when the lid is unlocked.

What’s more, if you want a creamier blend, you can pop your ingredients with water in the Nutr to soak overnight and use the Delay Start feature. This runs a cycle up to 18 hours after you put your ingredients in the machine. And my favorite thing about the Nutr is that it’s self-cleaning. The worst part of making plant-based milk at home in the past was the clean-up, and with this, all I need to do is put in a few drops of dish soap, add water, and run a cycle. After rinsing it out, it’s residue-free and ready to use again.

Are there any drawbacks to the Nutr?

The Nutr is intended for single-serving plant-based milk, so if you want a liter’s worth of milk, you’re going to have to run multiple cycles. The cycles are quick, but when I don’t have much time in the morning, it can be a pain to add another step to my morning routine. What’s more, buying nuts in bulk can be pricey these days, so if you’re not a frequent plant-based milk drinker, buying store-bought might be more economical for you. However, if you, like me, use these milks for your cold brew, cereal, smoothies, or pasta, you can likely justify the cost.

Price

I received the limited edition matte black and rose gold Nutr, which costs $189. The white machine costs $169. While that cost might feel jarring for a relatively small tool, the way I like to think about it is by comparing it to the cost of buying plant-based milk every week or two. The price of the Nutr is about the same as 21 cartons of plant-based milk (in New York City), which I easily consume in less than a year. What’s more, the handy gadget reduces waste from single-use cartons, and it will hopefully last for years and years.

How I use the Nutr

So far, I’ve made oat milk, cashew milk, and almond milk in the Nutr. Next on my list is pistachio milk (I have an unhealthy love for this pistachio milk brand), but pistachios cost more than other nuts so I haven’t tried it out yet. I’ve played around with different amounts of water, and I love being able to customize the creaminess based on what I’m using the milk for on a given day. I love a barista-level creaminess for my coffee and pasta, but less so for cereal and smoothies. And as someone who always has a variety of bulk nuts in her pantry, I’ve enjoyed making single servings of different kinds of milk versus buying whole cartons.

Amazon

Nutr Nut Milk Machine

$169 at Nutr$169 at Amazon