News

Relaxed cooking with steam

A healthy diet is important to you. That’s why you buy the ingredients for your lunch fresh from the market and prepare them carefully. You use your steamer for this . You put vegetables, fish and potatoes on the different levels of the device. The ingredients are cooked slowly and gently and come to the table smelling appetizing. You can find out what you can prepare in a steamer and which device is particularly suitable for your needs in this buying guide.

Prepare food quickly but carefully

When cooking with steam, most nutrients such as minerals and vitamins remain in the food, and color and flavor are not lost. This is because there is no direct contact between the food and the cooking water. On the other hand, you use less energy because you can cook several ingredients in your meal in one appliance. Since nothing can boil over or burn during cooking, you have time to devote to other things during preparation. You can also cook meat well in the steamer. To do this, simply bring it to the desired cooking point and then finish frying it in the pan. This gives it the characteristic roasted aromas.

From compact single devices to large built-in steamers

Steamers are available in different designs for different requirements and areas of use. You can find out what different models are available below.

Individual devices for the worktop

Classic electric steamers as portable individual devices for the kitchen worktop work on the pressureless principle. They have a heated water bowl and several inserts with a perforated base above it. This allows the steam to rise and reach the food on each level. This makes it possible, for example, to prepare potatoes in one insert and vegetables in another, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or broccoli, but also asparagus, carrots and beets.

Built-in steamer

Built-in appliances for the kitchen unit are equipped with side rails for standardized gastro containers (GN containers) in a similar way to an oven . There is a recess in the base into which the water supplied from a removable tank or a fixed connection is fed and brought to the boil . Other models have an evaporator attached to the side.

Stand steamer

Freestanding steamers represent a good compromise between a portable stand-alone appliance and the built-in version. The devices correspond to a microwave in terms of size, capacity and visual appearance .

Pressure steamer

Built-in pressure steam cookers have a lockable lid and work in a similar way to a pressure cooker. With this method, the boiling water and the food to be cooked form a system that is sealed off from the environment. Due to the increase in pressure within the system to around 2 bar and a temperature of around 120 °C, the cooking times are shorter than with pressureless devices. A few pressure steam cookers are also available as individual devices.

Sous-vide cooker

If you want to imitate the cooking professionals, you can prepare all your dishes, from vegetables to fish to meat, in a vacuum-packed water bath – “sous vide” means “under vacuum” and refers to vacuum cooking. Special cookers for the kitchen worktop are optimized for this aroma-preserving method of preparation, in which the food does not have direct contact with the water thanks to the vacuum wrapping that surrounds it.

Tip: As an alternative to one of the steam cookers mentioned, you can use an oven that has a steam cooking insert or can be retrofitted with one.

What you should look out for in your new steamer

In addition to the size of the water tank and the capacity, the number of levels and the material are important purchasing criteria.

Water tank

Most pressureless steamers hold between 0.8 and 1.1 liters of water. This is enough to prepare most meals. An external water inlet for filling the water tank during operation and a water level indicator are practical. A dry run protection prevents damage to the device if there is no more water in the tank. Make sure you only fill it with clean drinking water and do not put any other liquids in the water tank.

Floors

Most steamers have three transparent cooking levels with removable sieve bottoms. This means you can cook different foods at the same time and distribute them across the levels according to the respective cooking times. However, devices with two or five levels are also available.

Capacity

The capacity of steam cookers (the steam volume) is given in liters and is around 2 to 9 l. This is enough to prepare lunch for a family of four to five. If you want to cook different foods but don’t want them to affect each other’s taste, you can put a divider in the cooking container.

Performance

The more heating power a steamer offers, the faster steam is generated and the sooner you can start cooking your food. The heating power starts at around 300 W for particularly compact and inexpensive devices or sous-vide models for low-temperature cooking and goes up to 2,000 W for powerful built-in and free-standing cooking devices.

Cooking time

In principle, most cooking times are identical to those on a conventional stove . Potatoes, for example, need around 25 minutes, while green beans or carrots are al dente after just 15 to 20 minutes. The instruction manual provides guidance, as manufacturers often provide the values for the various ingredients there.

material

Simple steamers have a lightweight housing made of easy-care plastic. In contrast, high-quality models as well as freestanding and built-in steamers have particularly robust and visually appealing metal housings or elements. The inserts for the food to be cooked are made of particularly shatter-proof glass. Some plastics are made with bisphenol A, a controversial chemical. If you are unsure, choose a product that is labeled “BPA-free”.

Timer and keep warm function

With the timer function, you can plan the preparation of meals in advance, as the steamer can be switched on automatically and off again after a certain time. The recommended cooking times can be found in the operating instructions that come with the devices. The roast and vegetables are not always ready at exactly the same time. With the practical keep-warm function on your steamer, you can keep the food warm in the cooking compartment for a while at a low temperature.

Additional extras for more comfort

Some steamers have inserts for cooking rice or eggs and for preparing soups and juices. A separate drip tray catches condensation and other liquids. A large display with hours and minutes makes it easier to operate and set cooking times or select different cooking programs. Some devices have an aroma enhancer. This is a small bowl in which you can put herbs or spices. They transfer their aroma to the food during cooking.

This steamer fits in your kitchen

Which appliance you choose depends primarily on how often you will use your cooker and how many people you want to cook for.

Occasional cooks and single households

If you only want to cook at weekends or on special occasions, or if you live in a single household, a single model made of plastic with an output of 300 to 400 W is sufficient . The compact devices with a capacity of between 2 and 4 l are suitable for preparing small meals or a meal for two to three people. The prices are between €25 and €50.

Tip: If you want to try steam cooking in a cheap way, you can try using pot inserts for cooking in standard cooking pots. You can get these for under €20.

Family chefs

Your family of three to five loves your cooking skills. So that you can spoil them with carefully prepared meals as often as possible, you should go for a mid-range appliance. Such steamers come with three to four levels and a large capacity of up to 6 l . Powerful heating elements with 1,000 W and more ensure that a sufficient amount of steam is quickly available even in hectic kitchen operations. The price for this is between €50 and €85.

Gourmet chefs with a demand for comfort

As a gourmet chef, you know the tricks and tips of fine cuisine. You also want to use the full potential of steam cooking for your large family or your visitors. Then a single device with a capacity of up to 9 l is suitable, which is also enough for large banquets. A high heating output of over 1,000 W and many convenient functions such as timers or temperature programs make cooking even more fun. Devices of this type cost €90 to €150. Alternatively, you can go for a freestanding cooker starting at around €700. A built-in cooker as a supplement to the oven costs from €2,000.

Tip: It’s worth trying out vacuum cooking like the star chefs do. A sous-vide model costs around €100 to €130.

Tips for even more enjoyment when steaming

The following tips and tricks will help you bring delicious dishes to the table with your new steamer.

• Find the right cooking time: To ensure that your vegetables arrive crisp on your plate, pay attention to the type, quantity and pre-treatment. Large pieces take longer to cook than small ones. Especially with potatoes or rice, the cooking times depend heavily on the type used.
• The correct placement in the cooking container: When preparing several types of vegetables, you should put large pieces that take a long time to cook, such as carrots or potatoes, in the lower cooking container. More delicate vegetables, such as cauliflower and broccoli, should be placed in the middle cooking container. Tender leafy vegetables are best placed on the top level.
• The right distance: Make sure that the food is not too close to one another. Ideally, the steam should be able to rise freely between the ingredients. Only add seasoning after cooking.
• Well organized is half cooked: If your meal consists of ingredients that require different cooking times, you can pre-cook some of these ingredients in the lower cooking container and only add the upper cooking containers later.
• Fine fruit: You can also use the steamer to prepare fruit compote or cook fruit as a side dish, such as hot raspberries with vanilla ice cream. Air-sensitive fruits such as apples will not turn brown if you drizzle a little lemon juice over them.

This is the care your new steamer needs

In general, steamers are easy to care for and clean. These tips will help you keep your device in good condition:

• You should clean the inserts immediately after use with warm water, a little detergent and a soft cloth. Alternatively, the cooking container, lid, rice bowl and divider can also be cleaned in the dishwasher. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to see whether the inserts are dishwasher safe.
• Depending on the hardness of the water, it may be necessary to descale the water tank regularly. Some manufacturers recommend descaling after seven to ten cooking processes. To do this, use special liquid descaling agents or citric acid as described in the manual.
• Simply wipe the casing with a damp cloth. Devices with stainless steel casings can be kept clean with an appropriate cleaner.
• You should not use cooking utensils made of metal or other hard or sharp-edged materials in the steamer. Instead, use cooking utensils made of wood or heat-resistant plastic.
• You can find further information on caring for your steamer in the UPDATED guide “ Descaling and cleaning your steamer ”.

Conclusion: Simple and gentle preparation of food

Steamers are a gentle alternative to cooking with a saucepan and hot water. From vegetables to fruit to fish, you can cook your food particularly gently in them. Valuable ingredients such as vitamins are retained and the aromas of the ingredients can fully develop. Depending on your cooking habits and the size of your family, the following types of devices are recommended:

• If you only cook occasionally or live alone, you can enjoy a fully-fledged steamer for smaller meals for as little as €25. A capacity of 2 to 4 liters is sufficient for these needs.
• Families with three to five members will find what they are looking for in the mid-range price. Models in this price range are characterized by a large capacity of up to 6 l and a heating output of up to 1,000 W.
• Passionate cooks and large families get a large, free-standing steamer for their kitchen. Such models offer a large capacity of up to 9 l and many convenient functions.