A food steamer is a great appliance that allows you to steam food when cooking. Steaming is a very interesting cooking method: it is based on moisture and heat and the food is held in a closed environment surrounded by vapor, an air gas that notoriously has health benefits. Additionally, it is one of the healthiest methods to employ when preparing food: steaming allows fruits and vegetables to retain most of their nutrients, resulting in a richer and more complete meal. Other cooking methods, such as roasting and grilling, usually cause the food to lose some nutrients. Another cool fact is that food steamers don’t necessitate oil or fats to cook meals, resulting in a more affordable and efficient cooking process.
There are two main categories of steamers: you can find stovetop or electric/digital steamers. The first one is more traditional and comes with fewer functions. The second type is more modern and allows for more options when cooking. Usually, you can cook different batches of food at the same time. So if you already have a pot you might want to buy a stovetop steamer, which is less expensive and is handier. On the other side, if you love preparing complex meals and having a multifunctional appliance at your disposal, you should opt for a digital steamer.
There are plenty of products available, but don’t worry: we have carefully selected the top 10 steamers you can buy online for you. Let’s just dig into it!
1. Sistema Microwave Collection Food Steamer
This peculiar microwave cooker and steamer allows you to create various dishes, such as rice, couscous, and even polenta. The lid features a steam release vent that allows for splatter-free heating. Additionally, it’s safe since it prevents you from getting unpleasant spurts on sensitive body parts, such as face and hands. The product is also designed to provide a cool-to-the-touch sensation, preventing you from getting your fingers burnt, and has easy-lift tabs for easy opening. This appliance is made of virgin plastic and is BPA free, so it doesn’t contain any unhealthy material. The nice feature of this product is that you can put it in the fridge or in the freezer safely. Also, you can put it in the microwave as long as you keep the lid vents open. In the end, this food steamer can be washed in a top-rack dishwasher, too.
2. Aroma Housewares NutriWare Food Steamer
This appliance is very spacious and can hold up to 14 cups of cooked food at once, which is recommended for large families or groups of people. This product is also a rice cooker, so it’s versatile and allows you to prepare different dishes. This food steamer is made of surgical-grade stainless steel and comes with a transparent lid to let you see the food while it is being cooked. The inner pot is also made of stainless steel to offer a healthier approach when cooking your favorite recipes. The product is easy to use: set the timer and the machine will do the work. It also features a keep-warm function.
3. Oster Double Tiered Food Steamer
This product allows you to steam food such as vegetables, meat, fish and more in a healthy way. The cool feature of this appliance is the architecture: the double-tiered design lets you separate and cook different ingredients at the same time to create rich, complex meals. The lid is transparent and allows you to check the food while the cooking process progresses. It works at a 400 W power. It features an automatic 60-minute timer and shuts off when the cycle is done or when there is no more water. This steamer has an overall capacity of 5 quarts and it comes in a compact model. Additionally, it is completely dishwasher safe.
4. Hamilton Beach 37530A Digital Food Steamer
Hamilton Beach offers a versatile food steamer with a 2-tier structure and nested storage. This gives the product a compact appeal that fits in almost every cabinet and countertop. The tiers can be employed in different ways: you can use just one for smaller quantities, both for a complex meal, or you can even remove the divider to fit a larger variety of food at the same time. The product features a keep-warm function to maintain the food at a stable temperature after it is ready. Settings and countdown timer can be easily arranged by the digital touchpad. Only the drip tray and rice bowl are dishwasher safe: food containers have to be hand-washed.
5. Oster 5712 Electronic Food Steamer
Oster provides a food steamer equipped with a 2-tier, 6.1-quart capacity that allows you to create delicious, steamed food. One tier holds up to 3.8 quarts, while the other one contains 2.3 quarts. These different sizes are designed to set your creativity free by combining different ingredients to let you prepare complex and tasteful dishes. Some of the functions this appliance is provided with are a delay cooking system for up to 12 hours, an LCD display and an automatic keep-warm setting to preserve the heat. It also features a 95-minutes timer. Additionally, it has an external water-fill system. The product is built up to North American electrical standards.
6. Rosewill Electric Food Steamer
Rosewill offers a product with 3 tiers that have an on the whole 9.5-quart capacity. Each tier is stackable and is BPA-free to ensure healthy and safe cooking. On the bottom, the steam ring features a turbo function and is designed to generate steam in about 30 seconds thanks to the 800 W motor. Additionally, the product features a timer of 60 minutes that is provided with an automatic shut-off function when the cycle is over or when the water tray is empty. Regarding that, there is a water level indicator that can be checked by both sides to ensure an easy refill. The basket can be comfortably washed in the dishwasher.
7. Aroma Housewares Pot Style Food Steamer
This food steamer looks like a pot and it’s very stylish, so if you’re looking for a product with a bizarre appeal this one is definitely for you. It also gives you the possibility to adorn your kitchen in a fashionable manner. It has a great capacity and can cook from 4 to 14 cups of food at once. It is also a rice cooker, so you can set your creativity free and prepare raffinate courses. You can cook rice while steaming vegetables and meat! Additionally, the auto heat function keeps the food warm for hours. The non-stick inner pot is completely dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. The top lid is made of tempered glass and allows you to watch the food while being cooked.
8. Cuisinart STM-1000 Digital Glass Steamer
This appliance, sold by Cuisinart, has a sole large glass pot that can hold up to 5 liters and it’s completely dishwasher safe. It features many features, such as an LCD control panel, a start & stop system, a pause & reheat button, and an audible alert that plays when the food is ready. There are 5 preprogrammed food settings and a 60 minutes timer countdown. Except for the lid, which is made of glass, the entire product is made of stainless steel that ensures durability and resistance. Additionally, the removable water tank holds up to 1 liter and can be practically lifted-off to refill.
9. Aroma ARC-838TC Food Steamer
This product is both a rice cooker and a food steamer! It has a great capacity since it can cook up to 16 servings of food. Additionally, this appliance is designed to let you steam meat, vegetables and more while the rice is being cooked below. This is great if you’re looking into creating complex dishes. It’s easy to program thanks to the digital controls and it features a keep-warm function. It also features a 15-hours delay timer so you can comfortably plan the cooking for the desired moment. This is a great product for soups, chili, exotic dishes such as jambalaya and many more! All the components are dishwasher safe.
10. Aroma Housewares ARC-360-NGP Food Steamer
Aroma Housewares offers a product that has a multifunctional use since you can cook rice while also steaming the food. If you want to create sophisticated servings, this is for you. It has a huge capacity: you can cook up to 20 cups of food at once! This is ideal if you live in a large family or in a very large group of people. The product is made of stainless steel. This appliance has a “set it and forget it” function: you set the timer and let the machine do the job for you. It also features a keep-warm function to let you enjoy the cooking process.
FAQ
Food steamers cook the food through water vapor. Dishes cooked with this procedure retain most of their nutrients and still taste delicious.
Few things: an electric or digital steamer, some water, a few ingredients, and some electricity. Turn it on and just wait until the machine does the job for you!
It is. You don’t need oil or fats (which are not healthy when heated) to steam food. Additionally, as said before food preserves most of its nutrients, so eating steamed vegetables and fruits is very healthy!
It depends on your needs. Generally speaking, wattage has to be taken into consideration since it speeds up the process. Also, safety is very important. Additionally, a dishwasher safe product will help you with the cleanup. Capacity is another important feature, but it depends on how many people you have to feed daily.
Not really. You can find very good steamers for 20 bucks. All the steamers reviewed above are available at a fair price. To answer the question, everybody can afford a food steamer nowadays!
Conclusion
Our journey in the world of food steamers has come to an end. As you saw, many products also allow you to cook rice and many other ingredients. A food steamer is essential if you want to improve your cooking skills or if you just want to try preparing different dishes. Remember that safety is very important, so make sure the product you’re buying features safe components. Also, check for the materials used when purchasing an appliance: stainless steel products usually last longer, but cannot be stored in a fridge. In any case, you should have all the info needed to make the right purchase. You just have to go for it!
