One of the biggest things that put people off cooking regularly, or eating at home, is simply the fuss of having to organise multiple pots, pans, bowls and ingredients at once.
Not to mention trying to time everything perfectly on the stove or in the oven.
Electric food steamers are a heavenly alternative when it comes to quickly and cleanly cook food. Some of the best electric steamers work with multiple sections or multiple levels, allowing you to make entire meals at once!
To help you on your quest to find the best steamer for food, we have compiled 5 different food steamer reviews and a handy buying guide to get into some detail for you!
See Our Best Food Steamers
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Best For Higher Budgets
1Cuisinart Professional Glass Food Steamer
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| 2
Best For Low Budgets
2Salter EK2726 3-Tier Food Steamer
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| 3
Best Overall
3Hamilton Beach 37530A Digital Food Steamer
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Buy On AO1. Cuisinart Professional Glass Food Steamer
- Incredibly fast heating.
- Includes a keep-warm function.
- Features a pause button.
- Beautiful glass design.
This stunning glass food steamer by Cuisinart is a truly beautiful addition to your kitchen.
The power 1800 watt motor fuels this multi-functional steam machine.
It features a 5-litre glass steaming dish which also functions as a serving dish.
What’s more, the dish is dishwasher safe – both hygienic and super convenient.
In terms of technology, this model features several extras as well as the basic steaming function. It includes a handy keep-warm function to ensure your food doesn’t get cold until you are ready to eat it.
Additionally, this model includes a reheat option in case you want to get the food warmed up again. Lastly, it includes a pause function.
This allows you to pause the cooking process in order to add additional ingredients at any time.
Furthermore, an incredible feature of this food steamer is just how fast it warms up.
It takes just 30 seconds to heat up to the appropriate temperature to start cooking.
A downside of this model is that it is a little heavy, at almost 6 kilograms.
This makes it less ideal as a steamer to move around regularly and will be better suited in one place.
Finally, this sleek model includes a digital display screen on the front centre of the unit. This allows you to select the modes and see how much time is remaining.
It’s also quite a large appliance and would need a suitable size countertop.
Specifications
Pros
- 5-litre capacity.
- Easy digital display.
- Includes a heat setting.
- Dishwasher safe.
Cons
- It’s a little heavy.
- It’s expensive.
2. Salter EK2726 3-Tier Food Steamer
- Incredible value for money.
- Very easy size to store away.
- Includes 3 tiers.
- Includes a 60-minute timer.
This smart tiered food steamer pairs quality with a very friendly price tag, at under 30 pounds.
With a smart tiered system, the unit is fairly customizable depending on how much you need to cook at one time.
Plus, it includes a special rice bowl for steaming rice to perfection.
Due to the tiered system, this unit is easy to collapse down and store away. Many food steamers tend to be a little bulky, so this completely breaks that stereotype for these appliances!
For convenience, this model includes a simple rotary dial to adjust the time settings.
The system has a total time of 60 minutes which is sufficient for most types of food.
In order to work with long cooking times, this steamer includes a 7.5-litre capacity water reserve.
Lastly, this model is crafted from high-quality stainless steel to ensure it will have a long lifespan. The pots are also dishwasher safe making it super convenient.
The upper tier also comes with a convenient plastic handle to safely remove the lid.
A con of this model is that the ventilation holes are not adjustable and sit on both sides of the pots.
This means that they need to be kept away from delicate cabinets and surfaces in order to prevent steam damage.
Specifications
Pros
- Large water reservoir.
- Rice steaming bowl included.
- Super lightweight.
- 7.5-litre capacity.
Cons
- The pots are quite small.
- The ventilation holes are non-adjustable.
3. Hamilton Beach 37530A Digital Food Steamer
- Nested storage solution.
- 2 different tiers.
- Automatic warm function.
- Digital touchpad
This versatile food steamer features a multiple layers design. Two different steaming pots allow you to cook two different types of food at once, in separate containers.
Plus, it includes an extra rice bowl that fits inside the glass steaming bowls.
In order to make storage as simple as possible, this design features a nesting system.
Each smaller container fits into the container below it, creating a compact unit that can be easily stored in a cabinet.
It also helps the unit to take up less space on a countertop when it is not being used.
An additional feature of this food steamer is its automatic keep-warm function.
Once the food is cooked and the timer has completed, the machine will automatically keep your food at a warm temperature that’s ready to eat!
To manoeuvre between temperatures and cooking options, this steamer includes a well-sized digital display on the front. This also displays the time settings.
To the left of the display, there’s a water level indicator and below it are, the up, down and start buttons to operate the machine.
Unfortunately, the food containers that come with the appliance are not dishwasher safe and must be washed with warm soapy water by hand instead.
However, the rice dish and drip bowl are dishwasher safe.
Specifications
Pros
- Dishwasher safe rice bowl.
- Includes a drip tray.
- Upper handle.
- Stainless steel base.
Cons
- The food containers are not dishwasher safe.
- Some other models have more than 2 tiers.
4. Russell Hobbs 21140 3-Tier Food Steamer
- 3 tiered system.
- Very budget-friendly.
- 9-litre capacity.
- Weighs just 2 kilograms.
In true Russell Hobbs style, this food steamer is excellently priced and top quality. It boasts a 3 tier steaming system that’s both adjustable and collapsible for easy storage.
The multi-level system allows you to cook several types of food at once, or just one by removing the additional levels.
At just 25 pounds, this model is worth every penny. It pairs an 800 watt motor with a simple rotary timer dial. It works by time up to one hour, which is more than sufficient for most foods.
The only downside is that it does not include multiple food temperatures or settings.
This model has a large 9 litre capacity in total, ensuring you can cook plenty of food at once.
The high capacity also makes it ideal for larger families and entertaining.
The water reservoir has a 1.3-litre capacity which is suitable for average cooking lengths.
Additional plus points with this model are the included egg cup holders and the turbo steam ring design. This specific ring design world quickly produces steam in as little as 40 seconds!
The egg holders are probably one of the most convenient ways to make boiled eggs that exist.
Lastly, the model weighs just over 2 kilograms so is an ideal option to be moved around.
Plus, it has a compact size and the upper containers are detachable, making it easy to store away in a cupboard.
Specifications
Pros
- High wattage.
- 1.3-litre reservoir.
- Turbo steam ring design.
- Includes egg holders.
Cons
- Some may find the tier system to high.
- Lower wattage than some other models.
5. Morphy Richards Intellisteam Compact Food Steamer
- Collapsible steam basket.
- Suitable for 1 to 2 people.
- Includes a removable divider wall.
- Includes a flavour scentor.
This box-shaped white food steamer boats a compact size and a powerful 1800 watt motor.
Although this model is compact, it still features a generous 6-litre capacity pit on top.
The glass structure is a suitable size for a full meal for 1 to 2 people or a large serving size of a side dish.
At the front of the unit, we have the rectangle-shaped digital display, allowing you to manoeuvre between the different modes.
Inside the dish is a divider wall, designed to allow you to cook two different kinds of food at once.
If you need one large pot rather than the separated versions, the internal wall is simply collapsible.
Furthermore, the steam basket provided also collapses when needed.
In addition, this food steamer includes a preset timer as well as personalised cooking times, allowing you to create your own cooking programs and save them into the appliance’s computer memory.
This makes choosing a cooking program far less time-consuming.
A unique feature of this food steamer is its “flavour scenter” which can be filled with specific herbs or spices to infuse the steam.
The result is perfectly flavoured food, fuss-free!
One negative point of this machine is that it has a small capacity when compared to some other models, and would not be suitable for larger groups of people.
It also only includes one steaming container, rather than a tiered system.
Specifications
Pros
- Super compact storage.
- Includes a recipe book.
- 6-litre capacity.
- Includes a digital display.
Cons
- Smaller capacity than some others.
- There is only one steaming container.
Food Steamer Buying Guide
Technology
While simple, the technology behind the best food steamers is sophisticated in the way that it preserved the nutritional density of foods.
Many people are of the belief that boiling goods can strip them of their natural nutritional benefits; such as minerals and vitamins.
By steaming, we are able to preserve the benefits of the same foods while cooking them just as efficiently.
To summarise the technology behind food steamers, they start by boiling water in the base of the machine. This steam then travels up through the base and into the steaming containers.
Most steamers include a timer or timer presents to ensure you know when the food is properly cooked.
This smart technology is far less stressful and is much faster than steaming ingredients on the stove. It’s also super effective for different kinds of food from vegetables to fish to eggs.
Capacity
There are two parts of a food steamer where the capacity can alter. These are the water tank (commonly called the reservoir) and the steaming food containers.
You will have seen above that the steaming containers tend to range between 5 and 9 litres, with most coming in at the middle around 6 litres.
The larger the capacity of the food container, the more food it will be able to make at one time. Therefore, if you are looking for a container to serve multiple people at once you will need to go for a capacity such as 9 litres.
On the other side, we have the capacity of the reservoir. This is the section that is filled with fresh water in order to be boiled and release steam onto the food above.
If you plan on cooking things for longer periods of time (such as meat or fish) you will need a larger water reservoir than one suitable for vegetables. A typical water reservoir will be between 1 and 3 litres.
Bear in mind that there are mini food steamers on the market which will involve smaller tanks and smaller containers.
These are best suited for single servings.
Materials
The materials of a food steamer are crucial in determining what they can be used for and their longevity. It can also give you an insight into the quality of the product and whether or not it is worth the price.
Some of the longer-lasting food steamers will be made from stainless steel, particularly on their base.
Additionally, high-quality pyrex glass is often used for steaming containers/ food containers in order to resist the heat they will be exposed to.
Cleaning
One of the first questions that may come to mind when looking for an uber convenient kitchen appliance is: how will I clean the machine?
Many food steamers on the market have dishwasher safe pieces, and others do not. Most commonly, the food containers are easily washable in the dishwasher while the electric bases are not.
However, it’s important to check the manufacturer’s guide first.
If the parts are not dishwasher safe, then cleaning isn’t too difficult, Simply wipe down all parts of the steamer with warm soapy water and a dishcloth, ensuring to keep water away from the electrical cord.
Features
Important features are usually what differentiates food steaming machines from each other. Let’s take a look.
Rice Bowl
A few of our reviewed steamers above feature special rice bowls in their packages. These are well-designed bowls to contain rice grains within the larger steaming containers.
They help the rice to be evenly separated and of course, perfectly cooked.
Timer
A timer feature is essential for any food steamer. The models vary in that some have rotary dial timers and others feature modernized digital displays.
You will also find some more advanced models, such as the Morphy Richards food steamer, even allowing you to create your own personalised timer settings.
Delayed Start
A delayed start feature works by allowing you to load up your device with food first and set a specific amount of time until the steaming process begins. This is something often found in tiered steaming models.
Food To Steam
Steaming foods is an endless process once you get your hands on one of the best vegetable steamers, or any steamer for that matter.
The possibilities are immense.
Vegetables
Steaming vegetables is one of the most common uses for a steamer in any household.
They are praised for steaming vegetables due to their ability to contain the beneficial nutrients within the food, rather than booking which can remove them
Meat & Fish
Meat and fish can easily be steamed in these awesome appliances too. Simply drizzle or marinade the ingredients and place them into your steamer for the allotted time.
The result is exceptionally healthy dinner, free from roasting oils and lengthy baking processes.
Eggs
While booking eggs isn’t a lengthy process, it can be annoying to wait long enough for the water to reach a suitable temperature.
This is where a food steamer comes in to save the day, thanks to their super speedy heat-up times of around 30 seconds to 1 minute. An egg can be soft boiled in around 15 minutes, just a tad slower than an egg boiler.
Pricing Range
The price differences between food steamers are pretty drastic, with some under 30 pounds while others are over 100 pounds.
This is usually due to the number of settings they have and the size of the containers.
For example, the Salter food steamer is our top-rated cheap food steamer at just 26 pounds. It includes a simple rotary dial and several tiers for steaming.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have the Cuisinart Professional steamer composed of glass with a digital display. You can see that the more expensive model comes with multiple setting selections too.
Our Verdict
It’s certainly well justified now why food steamers are just so popular these days.
They’re an effortless, fast and fun way to cook food – not to mention the undeniable health benefits when you compare steaming to roasting or frying.
While there are huge numbers of food steamers on the market, your search should feel a little easier now thanks to the variety of steamers we have chosen.
If you’re still stuck, check back on the buying guide for things to look out for when choosing your new best friend for the kitchen.
We recommend remembering to check the sizing and the settings available on the particular model you are looking at before you purchase it!
