Read our reviews of the best electric food steamers to find the best steamer for steam cooking.
With modern technology, cooking food has become easier and easier. This is how all kinds of kitchen utensils are created on a daily basis to facilitate this task and produce cooking food in a more comfortable way. Indeed, each food requires a particular technique for its cooking; several devices have therefore emerged, including the steam cooker, which is very appreciated by dietitians and chefs. But what exactly is a steamer, and how does it work? Electric food steamers, which are relatively easy to use, allow you to cook with steam without adding fat.
They have benefited from significant technical progress in recent years, especially in terms of ergonomics. Steam cooking has many advantages. It preserves all the flavor of foods, their texture, and their nutritional benefits.
To help you find the one that best suits your needs, we have created this buying guide, which presents the best steam cookers.
Also, read our other guides on the best food processors and top blenders for smoothies.
What is a steamer?
A steam cooker (also called a steamer) is a kitchen utensil that allows you to steam food. This traditional electric appliance allows you to cook foods such as meat, vegetables, or even starchy foods while taking care to preserve all their nutritional properties. Steam cookers are very rapid and effective at cooking food. So, the dishes are very tender, and the cooking time is quick and light in order to keep the moisture in the food. This modern utensil even allows you to monitor food during cooking thanks to its transparent walls.
Buy an electric steamer
Ideally, you should buy a product that suits your needs because it is not the same as a steamer that only allows you to cook one food at a time and that you have to be pending at all times, a steamer with an included timer, or several trays to cook several foods at the same time. Here are some of the features you should keep in mind:
1. The price of a steamer:
How much money do you plan to invest? The steamers are located within a wide range of prices, so it is good that you establish a budget that helps you narrow down the search.
The cheapest electric steamers are below $50. But if you want to buy the best-quality models with more benefits, you will have to spend between $50 and $150.
2. The number of containers or trays
How many foods are you going to steam at the same time?
The modern kitchen steamboats bring up to three containers or hermetic compartments to cook the different kinds of foods separated from each other, conserving their nutrients (vitamins and minerals mainly). So you can cook up to three different kinds of food, such as fish, vegetables, and/or rice.
3. The type of steamer
What is the difference between an electric food steamer and a normal food steamer?
Electric food steamer
The main difference is that with electricity, one can adjust the time and the degree of cooking of the food according to its class, using more or less water, in addition to having security controls when the water tank is empty to prevent the appliance from getting hot and suffering damage.
Many of them also have a system of retention of vitamins and minerals from the vegetables, which makes them ideal for preserving their nutritive value. You can handle all these and other functions through the LCD screen. This allows greater accuracy in the exact level and time of cooking.
Normal food steamer
With a normal steamer instead, which is usually baked in the oven, many of the nutrients (vitamins and minerals in vegetables) evaporate since they do not have a hermetic system for using water vapor.
Many of the traditional steamboats are made of cast aluminum or stainless steel, do not bring timers or water filters, and, of course, do not have a system for determining the amount of water vapor with which to cook.
4. Power
What other characteristics are important when it comes to knowing the best steamer on the market? obviously, the power. To have more than one compartment for the cooking of food requires enough power, which can range from 400 W to 900 W or even up to 1800 W or 2000 W.
The amount of power varies depending on the functions that the steamer brings in, such as automatic adjustment of the steam for cooking, the power needed to reach the last compartment, etc.
The best-buying electric food steamers on the market right now
Without further ado, let’s see the best food steamers on the market. Are you ready? Let’s start then.
Cuisinart STM-1000
The Cuisinart Steamer has a unique design that generates powerful steam from the top of the appliance and distributes it quickly and evenly for perfect results. The large steam boiler is made entirely of glass and helps preserve the taste of the ingredients.
Using the Cuisinart steamer is very simple and is made of stainless steel. It has pre-installed programs for cooking poultry, fish, cereals, or vegetables.
Thanks to the pause function, you can pause the cooking process in the meantime to check the status of the ingredients or to add spices. Not an insignificant option: ultra-fast preheating in 30 seconds.
After cooking, you can keep the dish warm with the keep warm function until the food is served. Unique steam technology generates powerful steam from the top of the device and distributes it quickly and evenly for perfect results.
Pros
- The different settings
- Steam speed
- Possibility of making desserts
- Large capacity
Cons
- Cleaning
- It takes up space
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Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer
The Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer is one of the most practical and best-quality kitchen appliances on the market. You can prepare a whole meal with this easy-to-use appliance. With it, you can prepare everything from steamed vegetables to lean meats like beef, chicken, and pork, thanks to its great power of vaporization. It has an LED indicator to program its function of cooking the foods, besides two compartments for foods in transparent plastic.
It also includes a rice bowl with which you can prepare white or brown rice (also see our selection of the top-rated device to cook rice) and small foods. This device is useful for cooking for several people. If you are looking for quality and reliability, it can be a great choice.
Pros
- Includes two steaming trays
- Can steam taller items
- Steam delay setting
- Easy-to-use timer
Cons
- Trays are made of plastic
- Warm mode continues to cook food
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Elite Gourmet EST4401
Do you want to acquire a high-performance steam cooker without having to pay a fortune? This device from Elite Gourmet is a completely reasonable investment and has many advantages. Operating at a power of 800 W, it offers a large capacity with its three bowls of 3 liters each. You can therefore cook three different types of food or dishes in a single cooking session, which is very interesting for those who have no time to waste in the kitchen. Each basket even has six egg slots. This model also comes with a 1-liter basket for cooking rice. To have total control over the cooking of your dishes, the timer is adjustable for up to 60 minutes.
Pros
- Large capacity of 9 L thanks to its 3 cooking levels
- Practical design
- Possibility of adding water during cooking
- Auto-shutdown function
Cons
- Slightly improved performance
- The carrots have colored the plastic of the basket during cooking
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Aigostar 9.6 QT Food Steamer
We were pleasantly surprised by the performance of this steamer, despite its very affordable price. It offers a 9-liter capacity with three independent levels, a grain basket, and easy access to add water during cooking. Plus, its stainless steel base stayed cool during our tests. It was very easy to use, with a timer displaying tens of minutes and intermediate minutes using small lines.
In addition, to guarantee your safety and that of your loved ones, it has an overheating protection system. An indicator light comes on to alert you that the maximum temperature has been reached. It is also equipped with an anti-heating device when empty; the device turns off automatically if the water tank is empty.
Pros
- Affordable price
- 9 L capacity with 3 independent levels
- Easy access to add water while cooking
- The stainless steel base stays cool during use
- Fast cooking and surprising performance
Cons
- Plastic baskets do not resist discoloration of carrots
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Oster CKSTSTMD5-W 5-Quart Food Steamer
Despite being a simple model, it is helpful to cook two foods at the same time to make a complete meal quickly and easily. By placing the bowls on top of each other, you can set the cooking time as indicated on the steamer. You do not need to be aware of the cooking of food since its automatic shutdown system makes it possible for you to engage in other activities while cooking.
This steamer does not need much power since it does not include specialized functions for the cooking of foods. It is ideal for steamed protein, such as chicken and fish, as well as light and delicious vegetables. The overall evaluation of this machine is very positive.
Pros
- Very easy to clean
- Cooker and Steamer
- Affordably priced
- Great results
Cons
- It has a small capacity
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BELLA Digital Food Steamer
If your budget is a little more restricted, then this steamer from Bella should satisfy you. First of all, it has a very good capacity of 9 liters in 3 stackable baskets. But also because it has an additional 1L basket for cooking rice and 6 locations in each basket for cooking eggs. Cooking is quite efficient thanks to the power of 800 watts.
On this device, it is quite simple to fill the water tank thanks to the two dedicated ports and the volume indicator. There is also a 60-minute timer with an automatic shut-off and an audible signal.
The steamer baskets are made from BPA-free plastic that is dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. They are also convenient to store, as they have a compact, nested design. Plus, with its vertical stackable design, the steamer won’t take up much space in your kitchen.
Pros
- Can cook a variety of foods simultaneously
- It comes with a rice bowl
- You can refill the steamer as it cooks
- Auto shutoff and boil-dry protection for safety
Cons
- It lacks a warm setting
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Rosewill Electric Steamer
With three individual sections, it is perfect for steaming a large quantity of a variety of vegetables at the same time. It is electric, easy to use, and generates steam in just 40 seconds. To ensure your food is steamed perfectly, it has a built-in 60-minute timer.
The steamer’s water tank is easy to fill and has a transparent window, letting you know when it’s time to refill. With inlets on either side, you can even refill the reservoir throughout the steaming process if necessary.
The steamer baskets are made from BPA-free plastic that is dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. They are also convenient to store, as they have a compact, nested design. Plus, with its vertical stackable design, the steamer won’t take up much space in your kitchen.
In addition to steaming vegetables, the Rosewill also serves as a rice cooker. It comes with a 1-liter rice bowl that can be inserted into one of the steam trays
Pros
- Three steaming sections
- Also a rice cooker
- Compact, stackable design
Cons
- May get stained easily.
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What is the best food steamer, in your opinion?
Here ends our comparison of the best electric food steamers, a healthy way of cooking. Do you know of any other quality food steamers? Let us know in the comment section below. And do not forget to share this with your social friends. Finally, you may want to read our article on a new type of appliance: top food dehydrators. We hope that this website is of interest to you and helps you choose the steamer that best suits your needs and budget.