9 Best Food Steamers for Busy People – 2018 Buying Guide

Do you end up spending your precious time in the kitchen because you want to serve hot meals for your family? Cooking has come a long way in fashion since the time that you had to knead the dough and place it in the oven to bake. Women no longer have to slave in the kitchen for delicious and healthy food. The food habits have also changed over the years. You have a lot of recipes from around the world. You can cook them to suit your family’s diet and palette.

It often happens that you work through the day to cook a healthy meal, but the food goes cold at dinner time. What you need is a device that will help you serve hot food right at dinner time. We have steamers that will cook your food and ensure it’s ready for your mealtimes. The food steamers not just keep the food hot but will also retain all the nutrition in the food.

You can try all the different cuisines as well so that your children don’t get bored with the same food. We have a list of the best steamers for you to use:

#1. Gourmia GFS300 SteamTower300 Electronic Digital 3 Tier Vegetable and Food Steamer

This steamer has three clear layers that will help you cook complete meals and also store them away neatly. You can activate 360 degrees of steam to prepare your meals. You can also set the timer for the food to be cooked later. You can steam your rice, broccoli and even chicken, all at the same time.

Conclusion: The steamer allows you to cook three separate dishes, which saves a lot of your time. Once you have set the timer, you don’t have to come back to check on it. Cooking your favorite dishes is made easier with this food steamer.

Pros
● Great design
● Store food in the same bowl
● Easy to use
● Versatile

Cons
● Hard to clean

#2. Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer – 5.5 Quart (37530A)

You can prepare your entire meal of the day at the same time in Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer – 5.5 Quart (37530A). Food that takes longer to cook, like chicken breast or seafood, should be placed in the bottom bowl as it cooks faster when placed closer to the base. Rice or vegetables can be placed in the other dishes. You have the option to remove the center bowl if you want to cook large portions.

All required to do is to fill the steamer with water and turn it on. The device will go into the warm mode once the food is cooked. The steamer fits in a cabinet when not used. The food containers have to be hand washed as they are not dishwasher friendly.

Conclusion: Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer – 5.5 Quart (37530A) is two-tiered and easy to maintain. It’s an excellent device for the price it’s available. Now, you can create delicious recipes like Chinese dumplings and Japanese sushi.

Pros
● Removable center divider
● Option to fill water when set up
● Easy to use
● Cooks food evenly

Cons
● Holes in the containers
● Challenging to clean

#3. Oster Double Tiered Food Steamer, 5 Quart

The Oster Double Tiered Food Steamer uses only steam to cook meat, fish, poultry meals, and vegetables as well. You won’t need cooking oils or sprays to cook or enhance the taste.

It has two tiers with two bowls which you can use to prepare two different dishes at the same time. It shuts off automatically in 60 minutes, or if there’s no water for the steam. As the steaming bowls are transparent, you can see how well your food is being cooked. The bowls are dishwasher safe.

Conclusion: This steamer lasts for a long time as it has components that are dishwasher friendly. Now, you have just found a steamer that is easy to use and clean.

Pros
● Safe to use
● Easy to use
● Great cooking
● Steams food well

Cons
● Limited size

#4. Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD 8-Cup (Cooked) Digital Cool-Touch Food Steamer and Rice Cooker

Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD 8-Cup (Cooked) Digital Cool-Touch steamer cooks 2 to 8 cups of rice. It switches to the keep warm mode once the rice is cooked. You can steam vegetables as well on it’s Steam Tray while the rice is being prepared. There’s a timer which allows you to programme the time you want the food to start cooking. You can set it to up to 15 hours delay time.

Conclusion: This is a compact device that’s a 3-in-1 cooker. It’s a combination of a steam cooker, rice cooker, and slow cooker. Now, you can cook your family’s favorite recipes faster and more convenient with this steamer.

Pros
● Unique sensor logic technology
● Cooks food evenly
● Easy to use

Cons
● No option to view the inside

#5. BELLA 7.4 Quart 2-Tier Stackable Baskets Healthy Food Steamer

The BELLA 7 Liter (7.4 Quart) Food Steamer has two levels for you to cook the dishes separately. The taste of the foods will not mingle, and so both the dishes will retain their original flavor. You can quickly start the heating system, which will begin the cooking process in about 30 seconds.

You have the quick start heating system that will generate the steam within 30 seconds. You can steam anything from plain vegetables to dumplings. The vegetables retain the nutrients even as they are cooked. You don’t need oil for cooking this steamer. The accessories can be washed in a dishwasher as well.

Conclusion: It has two separate containers which are quite large. You can cook a full meal in this single device. Your family will surely love the food recipes you’ll prepare for any meal using this amazing food steamer.

Pros
● View window available
● Flexible
● Easy to use
● Steams food well

Cons
● No warm option
● Cooks rice long

#6. NutriChef Food Dehydrator Machine and Professional Electric Steamer

The dehydrator ensures that there’s no moisture remaining in the food after it cooks. This prevents food from getting spoilt. It’s a straightforward operating system where the light goes red when it’s steaming the food and goes green when it’d to dehydrate.

The stackable trays can be removed easily. They can also be used to dry the food even without the dehydrator. This dehydrator uses different methods to dehydrate and preserve foods. You can make a delicious stew, soups, and other vegetables which will have the original flavors.

Conclusion: The NutriChef 3-in-1 Dehydrator & Steamer not just cooks your food, it also helps to preserve it by dehydration. Now, there is a way to preserve food and keep it fresh and tasty for a longer period of time.

Pros
● Dries fruits
● Suitable for any food
● Convenient to use
● Cooks food well

Cons
● Too small trays

#7. Cuisinart STM-1000 CookFresh Digital Glass Steamer

Cuisinart’s new Cook Fresh Digital Glass Steamer has a system where the steam is delivered from the upper part of the bowl. It has a five liter glass bowl to cook for family sized portions. It has a one liter water tank to ensure that there’s enough water for the steam.

There are five pre-programmed food settings you can select as per the food you are cooking. There are different settings for poultry, seafood, grains, and vegetables.

Conclusion: The single bowl of Cuisinart’s Digital Glass Steamer keeps it simple. As the steam is set off from the top, it cooks all the food evenly.

Pros
● Durable and stylish
● Large capacity

Cons
● Not very user-friendly
● Bulky

#8. Rosewill TY510-01TA BPA-free, 3-Tier Stackable Baskets Electric Food Steamer

The Rosewill RHST-15001 Steamer has three baskets which can be stacked for cooking different dishes. The total capacity is 9.5-Quart (9 liters). The steam starts within 40 seconds as it has turbo power. The timer is for 60 minutes.

There’s a see-through water indicator to check the level of water. The device switches off automatically when there’s no water. The accessories include dishwasher safe baskets that include a rice bowl as well. There are built in egg holders to boil the eggs.

Conclusion: You can cook three different dishes on this device. Food that takes longer to prepare should be placed in the bottom bowl as it heats the fastest.

Pros
● Safety auto off
● Easy to use
● Sturdy

Cons
● No way to set the time less than 60 minute

#9. Aroma Housewares Pot Style Food Steamer and Rice Cooker

Aroma Housewares 6-Cup (Cooked) Pot Style Rice Cooker and Food Steamer will help you make a delicious restaurant like food. The cooker cooks 2 to 6 cups of rice (any variety). The device will switch to keep warm mode once the rice is cooked. You can also steam meats or vegetables along with the rice in the steam tray. All the accessories can be removed and cleaned after the meals.

Conclusion: This steamer has a one-touch operating system which makes it easy for even kids to switch on/off. Other accessories such as A Steam Tray, a Rice Measuring Cup, and a Serving Spatula are included.

Pros
● Secure glass lid
● Easy to clean
● Easy to use

Cons
● Rice stuck to the bottom of the bowl
● No view window

Buying Guide When Shopping a Food Steamer

Food steaming refers to the method of cooking food relying on heat and moisture. Food can be effectively cooked in a closed environment that is surrounded by water vapor. It is the best kitchen utensil to cook dumplings, sushi, and other all-time favorite food.

But what are the important features and considerations when shopping for a food steamer? Before you are fully convinced that you’ve chosen the best food steamer, it is crucial to establish whether the steamer has all the features that can match your needs and expectations. Here are some of the things to consider and best features of the best food steamer.

1. Size
A food steamer’s size matters. The size of the food steamer you need to purchase is highly dependent on your intention of cooking. The size of your family also matters when considering the steamer’s size.

The application also determines the size of the food steamer you need. For example, you need a slightly bigger food steamer for restaurant use than what you use for a household. Indeed, the purpose of use determines the perfect size for you.

2. Material
Food steamers come in different materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, bamboo, and plastic. You have to keep in mind that the type of material also comes with a price. It is important to choose a food steamer or cooker that is durable and one that you can use for many years.

3. Steaming Process
There is no steamer that is meant for all types of foods. It is important to determine the type of food you are planning to steam so you can choose the relevant steamer.

In addition to this, you also need to take into consideration the steaming time. It is important to establish if it’s convenient for your cooking requirement. The water holding capacity plays a major a factor to consider.

4. Advanced Features
Manufacturers have tested and improved their products to bring more advanced features. The advanced features of food steamers today include digital delayed start, timer, and keep-warm function. It would be nice to check these cool features for your faster and convenient food steaming task.

5. Feedback
If you’re a new food steamer user, you may not have the awareness and knowledge concerning the best features and the drawbacks of a specific product. It would help if you search for feedback from the product’s past users. You can read product reviews or watch videos using the product.

Final Verdict: Gone are the days when you would have to sweat it out in the kitchen all day long. You can get a hot, freshly cooked meal by preparing for it in advance. You can make time to help your kids with homework or hang out with them. You don’t have to be serving the hot freshly cooked dishes while your family is at the dinner table. So if you don’t have a steamer, go out there and get one for yourself!

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