Which steamer is best for cooking

Understanding the importance of food positioning in a steamer food on the top cooks more slowly , the accuracy of guidance from the manual is paramount.

Knowing cooking times by weight and time, fresh or frozen, makes so much easier and less wasteful than trial and error. Efficiency: A steamer should cook food quickly and evenly. We looked for machines that produced steam fast for tender fish and bright, al dente veg.

Size: Steamers can be space-consuming, so we considered both height and footprint. We favoured steamers with baskets that stacked inside one another for ease of storage.

Versatility: We looked for the inclusion of baskets for rice, grooves to hold eggs for steaming, and the ease of cooking a whole meal in the steamer at once. Best food processors Best blenders Best toasters Best kettles Best health gadgets. This review was last updated in September If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite immediate.

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Back to How to Roast timer Conversion guides. Back to Health Is air-frying healthy? Dairy-free diet Popular diets Healthy meal subscriptions Best vegan protein powders. Home Review The best steamers on test. Though not strictly a kitchen essential, for some, electric steamers are an indispensable tool. Available from:. Claim the offer. From top-rated stainless steel electric steamers to a traditional bamboo steamer, we compiled a list of 10 food and vegetable steamers that will have both pampered and novice chefs cooking up a healthy, family meal in minutes.

When shopping for food steamers, there are a few things to consider to help you find the one that will best fit your needs. There are two varieties of food and vegetable steamers: electric and stovetop. Electric steamers are equipped with stackable, perforated trays or come with multiple tiers, allowing you to keep certain foods separate from each other.

For the novice cook, electric steamers make the job easy since you simply add water, food and turn it on — you just need to make sure you have the counter or storage space to occupy it. Stovetop steamers are typically ceramic and stainless steel pots, or perforated baskets or inserts made of bamboo, silicone, or stainless steel. The latter rests on top of a saucepan or pot filled with simmering water — all you have to do is put food in the basket and let the steam do the rest.

This popular Oster Stainless Steel Stovetop Steamer set is a great choice for anyone who wants a dual-purpose casserole set that allows them to steam vegetables and cook rice at the same time.

Its three-quart saucepan serves as a Dutch oven, and includes a steamer insert and vented tempered glass lid. Oster's stovetop steamer's bottom pan is smaller than traditional stockpots, so it can easily fit onto refrigerator shelves. A space-saver that's great for everyday use, it's a customer favorite with over 10, five-star ratings. Progressive International Prep Solutions Steamer Basket is innovative and multifunctional: Its silicone tip handle extends from three inches to six-and-a-half inches, making it the ideal vegetable steamer basket because of its ability to fit different size pots.

This stainless steel insert has a 9-inch diameter when fully open and is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. Its sturdy 1. It fits any size pot and cooks veggies while preserving the nutrients. The silicone tip on the handle doesn't get hot either so you can pick it up without being burned," a customer wrote.

This versatile kitchen appliance can prepare up to eight cups of food at a time and is 60 percent bigger than classic kettles, making it ideal for large gatherings. It has a removable magnetic electrical cord system and turn-style knob to control temperature settings. Plus, the steamer basket is dishwasher safe, and hooks onto the non-stick muti-cooker perfect for deep frying, steaming, and easy draining when done.

It can also be used for steaming, deep-frying, or as a rice cooker. This microwavable vegetable food steamer by Progressive International is perfect for anyone who wants to create an easy and healthy meal on the go. It has three stackable parts, a BPA-free bottom tray that holds one quart of liquid, a perforated top tray for food or vegetables, and a clear lid with an adjustable tab that slides to hold or release steam during cooking.

Plus, its nonstick surface makes for easy cleanup by hand or in the dishwasher. Here's our list of the best food steamers. The tiers have a removable center divider, so you can keep the broccoli from frolicking with the carrots, or remove the divider to cook a large filet of fish. The rice bowl can be used for rice or for other small foods that need to be contained, like peas or corn off-the cob. When cooking is done, the steamer automatically switches to a keep-warm setting for one hour before turning off to avoid overcooking the food.

The delay-start feature lets you fill the steamer with produce in advance and start the cooking later. This steamer includes a drip tray and rice bowl that are dishwasher safe. The food containers should be hand washed. Capacity: 5. It has two tiers with transparent steaming bowls for cooking foods separately. The timer can be set for up to 60 minutes, and the steamer turns itself off when time is up. For safety, it will also shut off when the water reservoir is empty. The food bowls are top-rack dishwasher safe for easy cleaning, and they nest for more compact storage.

Capacity: 5 quarts Weight: 1. This steamer insert fits onto just about any 2-, 3-, or 4-quart saucepan, including pots with straight sides and those with tulip-shaped pots. The steamer rests on the sides of the pot, so the food in the steamer bowl remains well about the simmering water. The steamer is made from stainless steel and has a shatter-resistant glass lid that fits snugly and keeps the steam contained while also allowing you to peek into the steamer to watch the progress of the cooking.

The steamer and lid are dishwasher safe. If you have a use for it, the steamer is oven-safe to degrees. Capacity: 2 quarts Weight: 2. All parts are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. You can also set the controls manually, for custom cooking. The steaming system delivers the steam from the top down, surrounding the food and cooking it quickly and evenly. The water tank is removable for easy filling. Two handles on the steamer tray make it easy to remove the cooked food.

This is available with either stainless steel or white exterior trim. Capacity: 5 liters Weight: The stay-cool handles make it easy to lower food into the pot. Not only can you use this steamer on the stovetop, but it also fits neatly into an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, multi-cooker, or rice cooker. For even more versatility, it can also be used in the microwave. This set includes a sample of 10 disposable basket liners for foods that might stick to the bamboo, so cleaning is easier.

Perfect for steaming vegetables in the microwave, this handy steamer holds water in the tray below, while food sits above on the perforated basket. A clear lid sits on top and has a tab on top that slides to hold or release steam during cooking. The hot steam circulates during cooking to evenly steam the food without it getting soggy from sitting in water, and without drying out.

This is also perfect for steaming fish, simulating the en papillote technique without the need for fussy paper folding. To get more flavor, the tray can be filling with flavorful liquids like stock, juice, or plain water with herbs and spices added.

The rice bowl will only fit in the largest of the three baskets, which goes at the top of the steam column. The Russell Hobbs is a nine-litre steamer with three transparent steam baskets and a one-litre rice bowl. We had a mixed experience with this steamer. It meant that water was collecting at the edges, so we had to be extra careful removing the tiers. The Russell Hobbs 3-tier steamer is the smallest of the electric steamers we tried — it has a seven litre capacity, which is still plenty for couples.

The three thin, clear baskets are stacked on top of each other with the help of black plastic ring mounts. The timer goes up to 75 minutes, compared with the 60 on most other models we tried.

Despite its size, we found it very efficient at producing steam. We also liked that there was a notch on the bottom to store the cable. The water tank itself had markers on the inside to let you know the minimum and maximum water levels, which made it very handy when topping it up before use. Once your food is perfectly steamed, check out our edit of the best blenders for soups, smoothies and sauces.

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