A food steamer, as the name suggests is an electrical device that allows you to steam food. It has become an essential element in the kitchen because it allows for a healthy and dietetic cooking method while retaining the vitamins and minerals naturally present in our daily foods. A true multifunction device, the steamer is ideal for cooking meat, fish, vegetables, rice, couscous, eggs, and even yogurt! You will be amazed by discovering all the dishes and all the culinary variations that a steamer will offer you.
Beyond the number of levels, the power, and the cooking capacity, this appliance is usually available in two different versions, including those in plastic and those in stainless steel. To buy a food steamer, you can take the help of the list of consumer reports food steamers, which include reviews of the 5 best food steamers available on the market along with a comprehensive buying guide.
Reviews Of The 5 Best Food Steamers
1. Aroma Housewares Pot-Style Rice Cooker And Food Steamer ARC-743-1NGB
Are you planning to buy a food steamer, then you should check out this product, which allows you to do a lot more than steaming veggies. You can steam rice and soup in this food steamer. There are endless possibilities for you, but it all depends on how creative you are while using this food steamer. The steamer + cooker combo boasts a one-touch operation, thus letting you prepare rice or steam veggies without intervening much. The one-touch operation is fool-proof, so you just need to fill the steamer up, turn the power on and cook. The steamer features a steam stray, which allows you to steam foods above the rice, soup, or any other food item simultaneously.
This will help you save time but without compromising on the quality. Another top feature of the product is its automatic switch to ‘Keep Warm’ mode when the cooking cycle completes. This mode keeps the food at perfect serving temperatures. You will get a non-stick inner pot, full-view tempered glass lid, rice measuring cup, aluminum steam tray, and serving spatula in the package, which makes your cooking experience a lot better. Once you are done cooking the food, you can take out the inner pot and clean it in a dishwasher. The unit comes with a 6-cup capacity, which is enough to prepare meals for a small family.
2. Oster Double Tiered Food Steamer CKSTSTMD5-W-015
Oster brings to you a double-tiered food steamer, which allows you to steam vegetables, poultry, meat, and fish, etc. Steaming in this steamer will help retain all the nutrients within the food items without needing cooking oils just like air fryers, thus making the food healthier. Since it is a double-tiered steamer, you can prepare two different types of food items at once. The steamer boasts transparent steaming bowls that allow you to see the progress without disturbing the steaming process.
The steamer has a decent capacity, i.e., 5 quarts, which accommodate a large quantity of food and steam it effectively, thanks to the inclusion of a 400-watt motor. The steamer bowls can be nested, hence making it easier for you to store them. The presence of an automatic 60-minute timer makes your life easier since you don’t have to babysit the steamer. When the cycle gets completed or when the water gets empty, the unit shuts off automatically. You can easily clean the steamer in a dishwasher, which makes cleaning a breeze.
3. Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer 37530A
This is a digital steamer and rice cooker by Hamilton Beach, which allows you to cook a wide range of meals in large quantities. Boasting a large 5.5-qt., capacity, this steamer + rice cooker combo allows you to cook a whole meal in one go. You will get 2 steaming bowls along with a rice basket to make rice and small foods. This is a 2-tier steamer that allows you to cook multiple foods simultaneously. You can use 1 tier for cooking food in small quantities whereas 2 tiers for a whole meal. You can also remove the center divider to accommodate larger quantities of foods.
Steaming food in this steamer is very easy, as you just need to fill the steamer up and set the timer. When the food gets ready, the steamer’s settings automatically switch to ‘Warm Mode’. The steamer features a digital touchpad that you can use to set the countdown timer and other functions. The unit also comes with auto-shutoff and delay start functions, which make cooking a breeze. The steamer is perfect for getting hard-boiled eggs, and you can easily get up to 16 large eggs in a very short duration. Not just eggs, but you can steam delicate fish, shrimp, and lobsters. In vegetables, you can add a corn cob or broccoli head, etc.
4. Nostalgia Extra Large Diner-Style Steamer HDS248AQ
Check out this steamer, which not only provides you with great tasting food but also a device that blends with your kitchen décor. You can cook up to 24 hotdogs in this steamer at a time, plus you can also use it to cook bratwursts, sausages, seafood, vegetables, dumplings, and more. The unit features a bun warmer that easily holds up to 12 buns at once and keeps them warm till the time you’re ready to eat them. The steamer comes with a 3-position cooking dial (warm, high, and off), which makes cooking anything but tiring.
You just need to add water, put the lid on and turn to high to steam hotdogs or any other food. The inclusion of an easy-view water level window easily lets you know about the water level inside the steamer. If you like to steam by using bear or other beverages for added flavor, then this steamer allows you that. Once you are done steaming, you can easily disassemble the unit and clean it, which is also quite easy. You can easily hide the cord at the bottom of the steamer, which makes storage a breeze. The inclusion of cool-touch handles keeps your hands safe in case you touch the steamer during operation.
5. Cuisinart Digital Glass Steamer STM-1000
What makes this food steamer unique is the inclusion of a powerful steam system with a large 5-liter glass pot, which can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher. The steamer comes with an LCD control panel, which has several functions engraved on it such as, start/stop, pause, audible alert, and reheat buttons. The unit also features 5 pre-programmed food settings, which include vegetables, grains, poultry, seafood, and manual.
The inclusion of a stainless-steel steaming tray, stainless steel rim, and glass lid make it easier for you to steam any type of food with ease. There is a 60-minute countdown timer that makes it much easier for you to cook the meals, as you don’t have to stand around it. The presence of a 1-liter removable water tank makes sure that you don’t have to refill the tank frequently in between the cooking cycles.
How To Choose A Good Food Steamer?
Capacity
The capacity of the device is indeed one of the first criteria to favor when making your purchase. Since it is a multi-function cooker, you have the option to cook different foods at the same time and save time.
For this, the best would be to opt for a steamer with 3 baskets when most of the models offered on the market only offer 2. The baskets or bowls included on each appliance define the number of stages present on that. here to allow cooking large quantities. You should also know that the smaller models offer a capacity of 6 liters and the large ones go as far as offering a capacity of 10 liters, which is largely suitable for a preparation for 10 people.
Power
The power is here expressed in watts. Each model of steamer has a power that can range from 600 to 2000 watts.
Power is, therefore, an important criterion that can influence your choice, because the greater it is, the faster the food will be cooked. So, if you don't care about speed, a 1000-watt steamer will be more than enough to satisfy your cravings.
In case you absolutely need to save time on cooking, it is better to go for a more powerful appliance that can reach 2000 watts.
Options And Accessories
Steamers come in a multitude of models, ranging from the simplest to the most sophisticated. This is why their performance is not all the same, because some models offer many additional functions that make it easier for the user. There is the keep warm function which keeps cooked food at a good temperature until mealtime, the delayed start to program the appliance to start, or even the automatic switch-off.
In addition to the options, high-end steamers nowadays also have a digital screen from which you can choose different cooking programs. As for accessories, there are all kinds, namely rice bowls, verrines for starters and desserts, special meat and fish platters, or even cells for cooking eggs.
Why Buy A Steamer?
To simplify cooking
Very popular for its practicality, the steamer is a kitchen utensil that has many advantages.
First of all, the use of the steamer is not limited to cooking vegetables, because it is a real multi-function cooker with which you can cook different foods at the same time.
All you have to do is place the food in each bowl so that it cooks gently under the effect of the steam, for example, meat in the first basket, rice or couscous semolina in the second, and yogurts in the third basket. The steamer then simplifies the cooking, because it allows you to prepare both the starter, the main course, and the dessert for each meal of the day. Plus, you don't have to be a professional to do it.
To benefit from the nutritional quality of food
Apart from its practicality and ease of use, the steamer offers the best possible form of cooking. Neither overcooked nor too fresh, steamed ingredients are ideal for health since they contain no fat and their cooking does not exceed 100 degrees Celsius.
Hence the preservation of a large number of vitamins and minerals contained in vegetables, meats, and fish. Low-temperature cooking does not alter the nutritional quality of food and makes it even more flavorful and fragrant. Because a matter of taste: spices and aromatics will be perfectly welcome as a seasoning.
Wrapping Up
Food steamers have become a very common kitchen appliance. Steaming makes food healthier since it does not require the addition of oils to cook the food. Food steamers also retain the nutritional value of foods since they cook them gently. A food steamer is ideal for those with a sensitive palate or those looking for food with a softer texture. If you are eager to buy a food steamer, then make sure you buy one from the aforementioned list of consumer reports food steamers. If you’ve already chosen a product, then proceed to place your order now.