Content Summary

If you're looking for a healthier way to cook your food, a food steamer might be the answer. Food steamers use much less cooking oil than other cooking methods, and they retain more of the nutrients in your food.

In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the best food steamers on the market. We have selected two electric steamers, and one stovetop steamer. We'll discuss the features you should look for when purchasing one, and we'll recommend our top 3 picks.

So if you're ready to start cooking healthy meals at home, keep reading!

CookFresh™ Digital Glass Steamer Demo | Cuisinart
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Catchy Finds' 3 Picks In The Spotlight


Cuisinart Cook Fresh Digital Glass Steamer

Best Choice For Its Ease To Clean

Cuisinart Cook Fresh Digital Glass Steamer

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What Makes It Catchy

This electric countertop steamer is a great choice for its ease of use and cleaning. Just add water to the removable 1-liter tank, select one of the 5 pre-programmed settings, and let the steamer do the rest. If you don't have a rice cooker, this steamer will do the job.

It is dishwasher safe for even easier cleanup. When you're done, simply remove the pot and empty any remaining water – no need to worry about scrubbing stubborn food residue.

Cuisinart Cook Fresh Digital Glass Steamer

Things In The Spotlight

The 60-minute countdown timer ensures perfectly steamed food every time, while the stainless steel steaming tray and glass lid with stainless steel rim provide even heat distribution.

The 5-liter glass cooking pot is a substantial size for serving family-size servings. LCD control panel with display, start/stop, pause/resume buttons, and an audible alert. Plus, the steaming tray flips to accommodate different types of foods.

Cuisinart Cook Fresh Digital Glass Steamer

Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer

Best Choice For Its Versatility

Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer

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What Makes It Catchy

This 5.5 qt capacity steamer is ideal for preparing a complete dinner with just one appliance. Plus, it features delay start and auto shutoff for even more convenience.

The 2-tier design lets you cook rice and multiple foods at once so that meal solutions are quick and easy. You can use one tier for cooking small quantities and two tiers when you need to make a whole lot of food; the second tier includes a rice cooker.

The middle divider may also be removed to accommodate larger amounts of food, or tall, like corn on the cob. Fill it up, set the timer, and let it work its magic. The food will switch to warm when the time is up.

Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer

Things In The Spotlight

The digital touchpad makes it easy to set the timer and other desired functions.

You can cook up to 16 large eggs at a time by simply standing them up on the egg holders of each steam bowl. The Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer is great to steam food of all kinds, like corn on the cob, broccoli, chicken, and seafood.

Plus, it comes with a rice bowl that's perfect for white or brown rice and small foods. It's easy to keep food warm. When not in use, the Hamilton Beach tiers nest together for easy storage in your kitchen cabinet.

Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer

VENTION 3 Tier Stainless Steel Steamer

Best Choice For Its Ease of Use

VENTION 3 Tier Stainless Steel Steamer

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What Makes It Catchy

The VENTION Steamer is the best choice for both its versatility and ease of use. With three steamer baskets, it can easily handle several different dishes at the same time.

The bottom of the steamer consists of a 3-layer composite material, a double-bottom steamer. This allows for even and consistent heating at the bottom of the food steamer. If you're new to steam cooking, this great appliance will soon become your best kitchen buddy.

This steamer pot is perfect for cooking delicious and nutritious meals like tamales, veggie dishes, pasta, seafood and more. No worry about turning your stove to maximum heat. The Vention steamer works well for induction, electric, gas and wood stove.

VENTION 3 Tier Stainless Steel Steamer

Things In The Spotlight

This five-piece set includes a large pan, one insert basket, two removable steam trays, and a glass lid. The lid is domed to allow for large steamed puddings, and the clear glass allows you to see how your food is doing while it's cooking.

No worry about rust, corrosion, or pollutants leaking into your food because it's composed of dishwasher-safe stainless steel.

The stainless steel steamer's base pot has a capacity of 11.9 quarts. The base cooking pot is 7.4 inches tall, with a 4.3-inch basket and a 4.6-inch cover. The top cover of the tamale steamer pot is tall and roomy, and easy to remove or add parts depending on your needs. Among all the stovetop steamers, this is simply the best.

VENTION 3 Tier Stainless Steel Steamer

Food Steamer FAQs

Of all the appliances in your kitchen, the food steamer may be the one you use least. But this underrated appliance is worth its weight in gold when it comes to preparing healthy, delicious meals.

If you're new to using a food steamer, or just have some questions about how they work, read on for answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about food steamers.

So check out the details, pull out your food steamer and get cooking!

How To Use CookFresh™ Digital Glass Steamer Demo | Cuisinart

Which type of food steamer is best?

There are a lot of different types of food steamers on the market, but not all of them are created equal. Some are better than others for certain types of foods.

If you're looking for a basic steamer that will do the job, then a simple stainless steel steamer is probably your best bet. They're affordable and easy to use.

However, if you're looking for something more specialized, there are also many different types of food steamers available. For example, if you want to steam vegetables or fish, you might want to consider a vegetable steamer or a seafood steamer.

What is the best kind of food steamer?

The best kind of food steamer is a multi-level electric steamer with a timer. This kind of steamer allows you to cook different foods at different temperatures and speeds, which is ideal for steaming. And a timer ensures that your food doesn't overcook or burn.

How do I choose a steam cooker?

When choosing a steam cooker (steamer), it is important to consider:

  • The features that are most important. For example, some steam cookers come with multiple tiers that allow you to keep foods separate and cook more than one item at a time, so you can cook a whole meal.
  • Others have timers and automatic shut-off features that can be very helpful.
  • Size and capacity are also important factors to consider. If you are cooking for a large family or entertaining guests, you will want a larger cooker. If you are only cooking for yourself or a small family, a smaller cooker will suffice.
  • Another factor to consider is how easy the cooker is to use and clean. Some models require more maintenance than others.

Our choice for best food steamers are the Cuisinart Glass Steamer, the Hamilton Beach Steamer (both electric steamers), and the Vention Induction Steamer Pot. Other excellent steamers: the Bella Food Steamer, and the Oxo Stainless Steel Steamer.

Is steaming food healthy?

It depends on what you're steaming and how you're preparing it. Generally speaking, steaming is a good way to cook food since it doesn't require the use of oils or other fatty ingredients. It's a gentle cooking method, with a cooking process that takes care of delicate foods, but also, meat, seafood, rice and tough vegetables.

This cooking style means that by using a steaming process you can retain more of the nutrients in your food. Additionally, steaming can help to make food more tender and help to bring out its natural flavors.

That said, there are some drawbacks to steaming food. For one, water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C can be leached out into the cooking water.

This means that if you're not careful, you can lose some of the nutritional value of your food when you steam it. Additionally, certain foods (like broccoli) may actually be more nutritious when they're cooked in other ways (like roasting).

What are the best foods to steam?

Some of the best foods to steam include vegetables, fish, and chicken. Steaming is a healthy cooking method because it helps retain the nutrients in food while also preserving their flavor. Steaming rice, green beans, chicken breasts, it all fits in the steamer basket.

When steam cooking vegetables, you should place them in a steamer basket that is placed over boiling water. Only use a lid that releases the steam, so don't fully cover the vegetables, as this will make them soggy.

If you don't have a lid, use an aluminum foil, but put some holes in it so the steam can escape. The vegetables will be cooked through after 5-10 minutes.

To steam fish or chicken, you can either use a steamer basket or a steaming rack that is placed inside a pot. Add water to the pot and bring it to a boil before adding the fish or chicken. Cover and cook for 3-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish or chicken.

Can you steam frozen vegetables?

Yes, you can! In fact, steaming frozen veggies is a quick and easy way to get a healthy, nutrient-packed meal on the table. Just add your frozen veggies of choice to a steamer basket and set it over boiling water.

Put a special lid on the steamer, one can release steam. This will help cook the vegetables more evenly, while the release of steam prevents the veggies from getting soggy.

If you do not have a lid for your steamer, you can also use aluminum foil or parchment paper to create a makeshift one. Poke a few holes in the foil or paper so that the steam can escape.

Can you steam chicken?

Yes, as steaming meat is possible, you can steam chicken. Cooking chicken in a steamer is healthy, because it doesn't require any added oils or fats.

To steam chicken:

  • First cut the chicken into small pieces.
  • Boil water in the steamer.
  • Then place the chicken in the steamer basket over the boiling water.
  • Cover the pot and let the chicken cook for about 10 minutes, or until it's cooked through.
  • You can also add some vegetables to the basket and cook them with the chicken.

Should I buy a vegetable steamer?

Absolutely! A vegetable steamer is a great kitchen tool that can help you to cook healthy and delicious meals. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider purchasing a vegetable steamer:

1. Steaming is a healthy cooking method. When you steam vegetables, they retain more of their nutrients and natural flavor than if you cook them in other ways. Steaming is also much quicker than boiling, so it's a great way to save time in the kitchen.

2. A vegetable steamer can be used for more than just vegetables. You can also use it to steam fish, chicken, dumplings, and even sticky rice. This makes it a very versatile kitchen tool.

3. Vegetable steamers are usually very affordable. You can find them for around $50, which is a great price for such a versatile and useful kitchen appliance. So, if you're looking for a healthy and affordable way to cook your food, then a vegetable steamer is definitely worth considering.

Is steaming better than boiling?

There are pros and cons to both methods. When boiling vegetables, some of the water-soluble vitamins leach out into the water and are lost, but the vegetables also soften a bit.

When steaming vegetables, they retain more of their nutrients because less liquid is used, but steamed vegetables can become quite soft.

Overall, it's probably best to mix up your methods and not do either exclusively - boil some veggies one day and steam others another day. That way you'll get the benefits of both methods.

Do I need a food steamer?

Not necessarily, but a food steamer can be a handy tool to have in your kitchen. It's a great way to cook vegetables without using any added oil or butter.

Steaming also helps to retain the nutrients in the vegetables, since they are cooked in their own juice. And if you're looking for a healthy way to cook fish or chicken, a food steamer is a good option, too. Although steamers are not rice cookers, you can use them to steam rice.

Is stainless steel safe for steaming food?

Yes, stainless steel is safe for steaming food. Stainless steel is a non-reactive metal, which means that it won’t leach chemicals into your food when you steam it.

Stainless steel is also durable and easy to clean, which makes it a popular choice for cookware and kitchen appliances.

When a stainless steel steamer cooks food, make sure to use a trivet or rack to prevent the bottom of the pot from coming into contact with the food. This will help to preserve the flavor and texture of the cooked food.

When steaming vegetables or seafood, use a little bit of water to create steam. This will help to prevent the food from sticking to the pot and making it difficult to clean. After cooking, simply wipe the pot down with a damp cloth or sponge.

Can you cook meat in a steamer?

Yes, you can cook any meat in a food steamer. Steamers come in both electric and stove-top versions. The electric versions are more expensive but often easier to use, as they have a timer and automatic shut-off.

To cook meat in electric steamers:

  • First fill the water reservoir with water and insert the appropriate amount of time according to your machine's instructions.
  • Place the meat on the top shelf of the steamer, making sure that it doesn't block the flow of steam, and close the lid.
  • The machine will start to generate heat and create steam, which will cook your food.
  • When the timer goes off, open the lid carefully to avoid being burned by escaping steam.

How long should I steam potatoes?

It depends on the type of potato and the desired result. For example, Yukon Gold potatoes are best cooked for 12-15 minutes, while Russet potatoes require 20-25 minutes.

The cooking time also changes if you're looking to create mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes. Generally speaking, you'll want to steam the potato until it is fork-tender.

Overcooked potatoes can become mushy, so it's important to pay attention to your potato and check it frequently while it's steaming.

When you steam cook potatoes, always start with cold water. Bring the pot of water to a boil before placing the potatoes in the steamer basket. This will help ensure that your potato cooks evenly throughout.

Additionally, be sure to cut the potatoes into even pieces before steaming, as this will also help with even cooking.

How do you use a 3 tier steamer?

A 3-tier food steamer is a handy kitchen appliance that allows you to steam cook multiple items at the same time. The bottom pot is filled with water, which creates steam that rises and cooks the food in the upper pots.

To use a three tier food steamer (or a two tier food steamer):

  • Prepare vegetables.
  • Fill the bottom steamer bowl with water and place it on the stove.
  • Place the first tier of pots inside the bottom pot, making sure that they are not touching the water.
  • Cover and bring to a boil.
  • Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5-7 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat source and allow to cool for 1 minute before removing a pot.
  • Be careful not to burn your hands. Repeat with remaining tiers.

Which is better, a bamboo steamer or a metal steamer?

There is no definitive answer to this question because it depends on personal preferences. Some prefer the taste of food cooked in a bamboo steamer, while others prefer the taste of food cooked in a metal steamer.

Bamboo steamers are often cheaper than metal steamers, so this could be another factor influencing people's judgment.

Best Food Steamer For You

So, out of these three food steamers, which one is your favorite?

And be sure to check out our other blog posts for reviews on other kitchen appliances – we’ve got everything from blenders to coffee makers covered!

Happy cooking!

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