Picking the best goat milking machine can turn out to be the hardest part of getting a milker. Which one is the best machine will depend a little on what you need in one. Each farm, whether small or big, is unique and has its own unique needs.
Our pick for the best goat milking machine overall is the CJWDZ. It’s super affordable, easy to clean, and easy to use – pretty much all you need in a goat milker.
However, sometimes, you might need a milker that’s more lightweight, made from rust-resistant steel, or have some other specific features. So, in this article, we’ll review and test all the best goat milking machines we could find and tell you the pros and cons of each. By the end, you should know exactly what to look for in a goat milking machine.
Sound good? Then, let’s jump right in!
What’s Inside:
Our Best Goat Milking Machine Top 3
Milking machines for goats usually cost somewhere around $150. Some of them are more expensive than this, but sometimes you can get them on sale for cheaper if they are used.
However, used milkers will not last you as long, though they can be a good option if you are not certain whether a milking machine is something you want.
Before we get too deep into this exploration of the best goat milking machines, let’s stop for a quick little overview of the machines that we’ll be reviewing today:
- Easy to use, affordable goat milker suitable even for dwarf goats
- Nice variety of sizes and comes with cleaning brushes
- The container is not pure stainless steel
- Lid has no seal
- Needs 2 hands to lift so you have no hands free
- Great value milking machine
- Made of 304 stainless steel
- The single handle is a plus if you like to have a hand free.
- Automatic overflow prevention
- Can be a little tricky to put together.
- Made from 304 stainless
- Works on dwarf goats.
- Comes with some spare parts
- Unlike the Smautop milker, this one has 2 handles.
- Not the most durable milker in this review.
- Lightweight milker
- Plastic is rust-free.
- Super gentle and easy to use.
- Great budget pick.
- Smaller than the other milkers.
- Made from plastic, which breaks more than steel
Has anything piqued your interest? We’ll let’s see if it’ll be the best goat milking machine for you in this review:
1. Best Overall: CJWDZ Milking Machine for Goats
This milker made by CJWDZ is easy to put together and is very simple in its design.
One nice thing about this milker is that the machine will switch itself off when it gets full. This is great if you have the milker going while doing other things around the barn or wherever you do your milking at.
Unfortunately, the container that holds the milk in it does have two handles on the sides. Though two handles are nice for larger amounts of milk, it also means that you must use two hands to carry it even when it only has a little milk in it.
They also give you a couple of brushes to help you clean it thoroughly, even in the hose. These hoses are marked so that you can tell them apart, though the paper stickers that they are marked with will wear off over time.
This doesn’t leave you with a free hand to do anything else. However, since the lid does have a sealing ring, it is not likely to spill out, and the whole thing is very portable too.
The container fits into your average backpack so that you can easily carry it around.
The container, though made of stainless steel, is not pure stainless steel. So, don’t keep milk or any moisture in it for any longer than you have to, or it may start to rust.
When you buy this milking machine, you can choose either a 3L, 7L, or 14L steel bucket size. The 3L size is perfect for milking one or two goats at a time, while the larger sizes might be enough to milk your whole small herd without having to empty it.
Finally, this goat milker says that it works even for dwarf goats, and not many do.
2.Best Bang For Your Buck: S SMAUTOP 7L Electric Pulsation Goat Milking Machine
This pulsing machine looks like a fancy one, and it has a nice, large 7L container to store the milk in.
The container is 304 stainless steel with a lid that latches down securely so you don’t spill anything. Perfect!
The tubing on this one is nice and thick, but you have to connect it together just right or else the suction won’t work properly. So, you will need to follow the instructions carefully as to what goes where.
The fact that it has instructions for you to look at is great if you have never had a milking machine before and don’t know how to put one together.
The machine automatically stops itself when it gets full so that it doesn’t overflow, and it even says that it has vent holes to help start dissipating the heat off your milk.
It has a single handle that folds down to be out of your way so that you can carry it easily when it has milk in it.
- Great value milking machine
- Made of 304 stainless steel
- The single handle is a plus if you like to have a hand free.
- Automatic overflow prevention
- Can be a little tricky to put together.
3. Best for All Goat Breeds: SEAAN Goat Milker Electric Milking Machine
This milker also has a 304 stainless steel 7L milking bucket, so it’s got some good things going for it.
However, this one has two handles attached to the sides, which is nice if you don’t want to carry a large amount of milk with one hand but doesn’t leave you with a free hand.
Because it is made specifically for goats, it can work on even the smaller types like the Nigerian dwarfs.
It even has a few other perks, such as the fact that it comes with a spare milk tube as well as a milk pipe brush and a milk jar brush to make cleaning easy for you.
The numbers that let you know which tube goes where do wear off after a while, but by then, you should know what goes where without them.
Finally, as with most milking machines, this one has a valve that automatically stops the milker when it is full.
- Made from 304 stainless
- Works on dwarf goats.
- Comes with some spare parts
- Unlike the Smautop milker, this one has 2 handles.
- Not the most durable milker in this review.
4. Best Large Machine: Hantop Cow & Goat Milking Machine
This milking machine has the usual pulsation of 40 to 46 times per minute, as well as a check valve that prevents the machine from overflowing.
The hose is silicone, and it has a brush to clean it.
Though made mostly of stainless steel, it is not pure stainless steel. So, you need to dry it out thoroughly to prevent it from rusting.
This bucket comes with two side handles, and it also comes in two sizes: a 7L size and a 14L size that is big enough to do several does.
Hantop also recommends that you keep their milker away from wet or dusty areas, though that part is hard to do in a barn in your milking area where there is always dust from hay.
Though it says it is for cows and goats, if you get the right one – they do have more than one option – it is small enough to work for Nigerian dwarves.
- Just as effective as the other machines on the list
- Pricey
- Needs to be kept away from wet, dusty areas
5. Best Budget: Electric Milking Machine Kit
This electric milking machine kit is very portable and simple, both excellent qualities.
The 3L bottle that stores the milk consists of a durable type of plastic. While plastic may not be ideal, it does make this milking machine lightweight as a whole.
It has one chain handle, which is actually quite nice for carrying and storage. This allows you to carry it around while still having one hand free to close the barn door after yourself.
Both the bottle and everything else are made from premium food-grade materials so that it is non-toxic. It won’t degrade the quality of your milk or make it unsafe to drink.
Also, the suction on this one is gentle, being somewhat closer to a steady pull, even though it works as a pulsing milker.
- Lightweight milker
- Plastic is rust-free.
- Super gentle and easy to use.
- Great budget pick.
- Smaller than the other milkers.
- Made from plastic, which breaks more than steel
Why Would You Get a Milking Machine? A Buyer’s Guide
Milking Machines Save Your Hands
Milking a single goat can easily take 30 minutes, which definitely is long enough to make your hands ache.
The best goat milking machine can milk your goats for you in the same amount of time or slightly less without wearing out your hands. During this time, you can get anywhere from one to three or even close to four liters of milk from each goat.
This depends on if your doe is specifically a dairy breed, if you are letting her kids nurse from her, if she is a pygmy or a full-sized goat, and a few other things.
Milking Machines Are Perfect for Impatient Does
Milking machines are especially useful if you have a doe who gets impatient with you if you take too long to milk her.
Some does will only stand still until they are done with their food, and then they want to get off of the milking stand!
In this case, a milking machine can help ensure that your girl gets milked as quickly as possible and without needing to have a bowl or bucket right underneath your doe where she can step in it if she is being unruly.
Most people do this either once or twice a day, and it is important to try to milk your girls at the same time every day either way.
This is usually done in your goat shelter, where you are your goats can be out of the weather. You should also use the time when they are on the milking stand to check their hooves.
One milking machine that didn't make it into this review because it's a brand new release is the Ultimate EZ Milking Machine, sold by Lehman's.
It's about 3 times the price of the ones included in this review, but if you're looking for a milking machine for a larger herd - I highly recommend you take a look at it!
What to Look For in the Best Goat Milking Machine
Knowing what you are looking for in the best goat milking machine is at least half of the struggle of picking one out.
The whole point of having a milking machine is to make things easier for you. Unfortunately, getting the wrong milker will quite possibly only make things harder.
When looking for the best goat milking machine, opt for a machine with a pulsation system that is easy to clean and made for goats. All the very best goat milking machines also have an auto-stop feature to prevent overflows and have handles that stay out of the way.
Let’s explore these features a bit more in-depth to find the perfect goat milking machine for you:
Pulsation System
Milking machines work in one of two ways. They either have a steady pull to them, or they pulse.
Pulsing is better for many reasons. Pulsation mimics the way a kid drinks from the udder or how you might milk with your hand. Since that is how the udders are designed to work, it is far better for your goats.
Different pulsation systems will have different tempos, also known as pulsating cycles. Some milking machines have pulsating cycles of between 40-46 times per minute.
Every type of animal’s sucking pace is different, and your girls are going to be the most comfortable with a pace that most closely resembles the pace that their young suck from them.
Slower speeds take longer, and the doe can get impatient, and faster speeds might get the job done faster but are also likely to give your doe sore teats.
Made for Goats
Most milking machines are made for cows.
Though you can use some of these for milking your dairy goats, it is much better to milk your girls with something that is made for them. Part of this has to do with the fit.
A milker for cows isn’t going to fit the teats of your goats well. This can lead to the milker leaving light bruising on a doe’s teats, which is one of the causes of mastitis.
Easy to Clean
There are different things that can make a milker either easier or harder to clean.
Simple designs, for example, are a great place to start. The fewer pieces that go into putting together the milker, the fewer pieces there will be for you to clean.
Then, what the milker is made of also affects how easy it is to clean. Plastic may be lightweight, but over time, it might keep some of the “milky” smell no matter how deeply you clean it.
Stainless steel is the best option for the container.
However, impure stainless steel can rust over time, which is obviously not something you want to put your milk in, on top of the fact that it is not easy to clean anymore.
Other Odds and Ends
Other things that you can look at when choosing a milker are how quiet it is, how the handle or handles are set, and an automatic stop feature.
This last one is something that most milking machines are equipped with, but not all machines have it.
If the milking machine were to keep going even after it is full, it can damage the machine itself, causing strain on the milking machine itself and potentially squeezing milk into places it shouldn’t be.
This is why you must keep an eye out for this or watch your milker carefully if it doesn’t have this feature.
As for how quiet the machine is, some does are easily startled by noises. Though they can be taught to get used to the noise of a milking machine, skittish does will do better with quieter milkers.
The handles are a matter of preference.
Two handles will help you to keep a better grip on the container of milk, helping keep the milk inside from sloshing out. However, two handles also mean that you won’t have a free hand.
One handle on top will enable you to carry the milk inside with one hand free to open doors, but the milk will slosh from side to side, spilling out if the seal is not perfect. Also, carrying that amount of weight on one side can be awkward.
How Will You Milk Your Goats?
Have you decided a goat milking machine is the way to go, or will you stick with hand milking? Did you find a milking machine worth trying out on your homestead? Let us know in the comments below!
Keep Reading:
Jo
Wednesday 21st of June 2023
I use an old breast pump and just put the hose into a stainless steel pot that we drilled holes in the lid for. Works great and you can often find breast pumps very cheap on craigslist or marketplace. They have multiple size cups, and I find that the smaller size works great with the Oberhasli.
Aimee LaFon
Monday 26th of June 2023
That's a fantastic tip, Jo! I might have to give it a try! Thanks you for sharing, and I hope you have a lovely day.
Gina
Tuesday 14th of December 2021
One homemade version left out uses a mason jar, dose syringes and a small battery pump or brake bleeder tool to build vacuum. I've been using mine all year and it works great and saves my hands being useless for the rest of the day! Dansha Farms is one company that makes these for you although you could easily rig one up yourself.