Steamers can be a handy tool. They can be useful in delivering healthier meals for the entire family. Just you must avoid those poor-performing steamers by following this guide that is more suitable for you.
Know that steaming is among the healthiest alternatives when cooking food. There’s no need to add extra fats because you can be steaming gently, thus, cooking the food. It locks in moisture and nutrients throughout the process.
One thing steam cooking is proven to be easy. You could purchase a stainless one that suits a standard saucepan. There must likewise be steamer pans with 2 or 3 tiers to be used on a hob.
If you will steam vegetables more regularly or you’d like to become more adventurous with the food to steam cook, an electric choice is a suitable gadget for a kitchen. You just have to add more to your budget. Then, you could obtain an advanced model with many of its useful features like variable cooking times and a digital timer. Thus, you could make a perfect food that is steamed to your liking. Add some water and food to the steamers. Then, have the timer set up properly or a program selected. After that, leave the machine to do the work.
Below are valuable pointers to guide you in selecting steamers.
Timers
A lot of electric steamers feature a sixty-minute dial timer. This can be turned and set for a cooking time. A lot of more costly steamers feature a digital timer plus delay-start functions. Thus, you’d set the steamer and so it begins to work at its designated time after a day.
Size
The size of electric steamers would usually have 3-tiered containers. They have holes underneath so the steam can pass through. They can be utilized separately or combined, providing enough capacity when cooking a family meal. They can also be re-arranged when cooking which differ the temperature. But then, be extra careful when using a cloth or gloves. This is true when you want to avoid such steam burns. Other steamers also have some compartments alongside removable bases. This will then bring about a taller steaming section when you cook bigger items like whole chickens.
Other electric steamers also have various sizes of containers. They each fit inside the other.Thus, this would make them more compact for storage. But then, you couldn’t swap them around when cooking. You have to plan the timings early on.
Price Point
There are many supermarket-branded models to find for your budget model or own brand. Know that purchasing an electric steamer will never break the bank. Pay more and you will get more capacity plus more features like a delayed-start button, digital timer, and a rice cooker built-in. There are household names to find alongside basic steamers and more complex models.
Keep-Warm Function
Choose for steamers alongside their keep-warm features. They will keep the food at the safest temperature possible. This can last for an hour or two hours past cooking until you can readily eat. Other models can be switched to a warm mode automatically right after cooking has been completed. But then, others would require you to set the function during the cooking process. You will need to make sure there is much water left in a steamer taking benefit of this feature.
Water Levels
Search for electric steamers that feature a visible water gauge outside. This way, you’d be sure that you have filled it. The electric option of steamers would often be running out of water. Many will also beep if they do. You could top up the water while they are turned on.
Other steam cookers would feature an extra inlet to top up the water while cooking. There’s no need to remove the cooking containers and risk scalding yourself.
Cleaning
A lot of kitchen gadgets can come fiddly when cleaned. This is when electric steamers are never exempted. The best steamers would not just steam the food perfectly. They would consider cleaning a priority. Search for models having dishwasher-safe compartments, plus lids. It’s good if they feature a removable drip tray to promise easier cleaning.
Rice Cooker
Other costly steamers feature a rice bowl. This small steam dish can fit inside one of the steaming compartments. This way, you could be steaming up some rice. It will take longer to cook the rice this way. Still, the results would be some fluffy perfection.
Design
It’s also good to choose steamers backed by impressive design. Like for example, it can have a single basket to divide into 2-compartments and some removable walls. The timers can best be separated into two compartments. And then, it can be automatically delayed the start feature for a limited cooking time. This way, both compartments can complete steaming together.
Now, expect that this will produce fluffy and good rice plus al dente carrots. It could also have some water inlet for some filling during the cooking process. It’s good if it features alarm sounds once the water has dropped below the minimum. There must be a safety feature when cutting the machine off, especially if the water has dried out.
Capacity
Steamers can be found in different styles. Some would choose using capacity ensuring the model they choose can keep up with the demand. It will likewise rely on your needs that you’d choose floor steamer. This can cook several food pans on a simultaneous basis. You could also decide an ergonomically-priced countertop steamer will suit the bill.
Other operators would select buying two or more small-sized steamers. They can then be installed from one side to another or, maybe with some stacking kit. These will allow users to prepare food with varying temperature and time requirements in their separate units. You must think about the volume of product and type of product to serve each day, determining the capacity suitable for you.
Available Connections
In whatever commercial steamers you’d buy, check the connection and if they are available at the venue. It will likewise depend on the building, the utility connections for moisture and heat could limit the types of steamer you will install in the kitchen.
The countertop steamers would operate with a 120-volt type of electrical connections. You could plug them in anywhere you want and so far, there are limited gas options that exist. The electric steamers would also have a selection of connection types and voltages. Other smaller units would utilize 120-volt power connections that can be plugged into conventional outlets.
So, keep these valuable pointers in mind when selecting steamers for your kitchen!
