The best Steamer Cookware: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Another desert dweller here telling you an air fryer is amazing in the heat. I had chicken sausage, baked potatoes and steamed green beans for dinner last night with just my airfryer and this little thing. I can cook & reheat most of my meals between those two things without turning on my oven or range.

I also love my instant pot for big batches of food prep like black beans, rice, quinoa, spaghetti and chicken. It does release steam when it’s done— so I typically only use it in the morning once or twice a week before it gets too hot... but then I have several staples for the week that only need a microwave to reheat!

Glass under both heat & pressure could result in it breaking & ruined food.

Exact reason I use this in my Induction Pressure Cooker, that & it's good for up to 600ºF.

I don’t have one, but growing up I loved my grandma’s steamer basket that folded up like a UFO.

Then you may just keep it around for when you have to cook rice for others. If you could fit any kind of very small round rack in the bottom, or a very small metal steamer basket, it should work as a steamer.

Baby food makers are a huge waste of money 😂.

This thing was super helpful because we could steam any veggie and then mash it so that it wouldn’t be liquid purée - it still had some texture.

Also, there’s no shame in store-bought purées when you start out! I think you’ll find it easier as you go to just cut your own food in the appropriate manner to give to baby to try.

Good luck!

I recently bought a small microwave steamer basket it is a life saver. It makes it so easy to steam some veggies if what we’re eating isn’t baby appropriate. I bought this one off Amazon Small Steamer Basket

Admittedly, I have not read through all the other suggestions. However, I've never met anyone else who uses my method, either.

Trust me, this is the way to go, not just for avoiding excess grease, but for achieving more even cooking and faster, to boot.

You need to get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B001FBCP7O?th=1 This is an item often to be found at yard sales, so keep your eyes peeled for one.

You need the steamer basket & a pan into which it will fit when fully opened. Make your meatloaf mixture, then form it into a "ring loaf" on the opened steamer basket. It's just like a regular loaf, except you're turning it into a fat snake swallowing its tail.

Bake as usual, keeping in mind that it might be done sooner than usual because the heat is getting to it all the way around & inside, too.

If you can get a plastic version of the basket vegetable steamer, this will also work in the microwave.

I've tried this before, but I also used a lot of dairy in the doing (and drank milk). I'm willing to try it again soon, without any dairy.

For people interested but lazy, I might recommend a microwave steamer. You just put the potatoes and some water in and microwave and the results are pretty delicious; caveat is I don't know if this method of cooking would affect nutrition or anything compared to regular boiling.

Sayfine Vegetable Steamer Basket, Premium Stainless Steel Veggie Steamer Basket - Folding Expandable Steamers to Fits Various Size Pot (Medium (6.1" to 10.5")) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0821L1YDR/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_T10B6MW0Q9K1E8M7AG2R

I use a steamer basket insert in a regular stovetop pan.

I often also use the IP inner pot (I also have the IP glass lid) with a steamer basket on the stove top.

Wok Shop has an online store.

http://www.wokshop.com/

If not there or other shops in Chinatown, you can try Clement St, Irving St, Noriega St or San Bruno Ave. Also 99 Ranch, Pacific Super or Manila Oriental.

Or in a pinch, you can use one of those metal collapsible ones like this

Basket available pretty much everywhere

here are some options. I have had this one but gave it to my brother in law because it is small and I needed more space for two servings.

https://www.amazon.com/Prep-Solutions-Progressive-Microwave-Steamer/dp/B07FMXKHT3/

Now I have one like this

https://www.amazon.com/Tafura-Microwave-Vegetable-Microwavable-Container/dp/B094KSK7R1/

Use fresh broccoli. Get a vegetable steamer basket. Drop it in a pan with a 1/4 inch of water. Steam. Broccoli takes less than 10 minutes to steam, I'd say probably 7 minutes but you gotta find the sweet spot.

I check at 5 minutes, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Once the broccoli has all changed color to bright green, you are about 2 min. From done.

Progressive International Microwave Mini Steamer, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FMXKHT3/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_RVY8NXYGTWBP2NDR4F1Z?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

There are better ways, my friend. 20 minutes to stream broccoli?! Do you have a rice cooker? You just turn it on and leave.

4 years old and my little one is still like this. She pretty much only eats the vegan variety of meats (like MorningStar brand). The exception being when I smoke a chicken. This little steamer has been used for every meal since she started solids.

For those looking for a steaming basket that fits the pan with the lid on...

Sayfine Vegetable Steamer Basket, Premium Stainless Steel Veggie Steamer Basket - Folding Expandable Steamers to Fits Various Size Pot (Medium (6.1" to 10.5")) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0821L1YDR/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_M5N713JSEQBM1MPJEJTC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Get yourself one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Sistema-Microwave-Collection-Steamer-Large/dp/B005D6XZ4O

Or one similar. You can steam fish, turkey, veggies, anything really in your microwave.

You can also cooked scrambled eggs in it. Start at 40 seconds. Stir. 20 seconds. Stir. 10 seconds. Stir. Then do 5 second increments until they're how you want them.

A heat diffuser that you put under the pot is a game changer if you're cooking on a gas stove (like https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000X6ESO). Basically bring the rice and salted water to the boil then stick this under and turn the heat all the way down and let it steam. It won't burn!

Start with a steamer basket,like this. . Add an inch or so of water at the bottom of a pot & insert the basket. Cut veggies into uniform sizes (make potatoes & carrots smaller, softer veg like broccoli slightly bigger so they finish cooking simultaneously). Turn up the heat, I don’t use a timer but check after about ten minutes and just poke them with a fork to test doneness. Most veggies are good steamed. With potatoes I recommend gold, red, or sweet, and avoid russet. Avoid steaming mushrooms. Otherwise, go nuts! Lo cal & lets the flavor of the veg shine.

Yep! They're also known as steamer baskets.

https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B001FBCP7O

We use something like this one (without a handle in the middle). The Instant Pot comes with a simple trivet to keep things out of the water, so you could just place a plate on top with all your bottle stuff, too.

I can't speak to the power consumption aspect...but I can give some food for thought on the steaming bit. My current rice cooker is too small for the steam basket add-on, but when I used a larger one with a bigger family...we'd actually leave the steaming for after the rice is finished cooking. Steaming buns didn't impart any flavor onto the rice itself. Neither did broccoli. Sliced up kabocha (I think it was kabocha anyways) did sometimes impart flavor, but it was a good mix. For the most part, I think the only thing that will really be affected may be the aroma of the cooked rice, minimally.

tldr: Usually the steamed parts won't affect your cooked rice... but does it matter? It's all gonna be eaten together anyways lol.

Alternative steaming fix if you want to keep it separate from your rice cooker: getting a steamer insert for a pot that already works on your stove.

> By saying steamed, there is a non-zero number of people who think you are advocating for cooking rice in a food steamer

That's what I thought they meant at first, until they said they used a rice cooker and realized they meant the "add the correct amount of water so you don't have to drain it like pasta" method. In my head steaming something means you use the heat of the steam to cook it, like with one of these UFO units for veggies or a "double boiler" type basket thing with holes in it for steaming lobsters/etc. VS. boiling which to me is "submerge it in boiling hot water until it's cooked".

For vegetables...

https://www.amazon.com/Prep-Solutions-Progressive-Microwave-Steamer/dp/B07FMXKHT3/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3P0Y4C76AX9YH&dchild=1&keywords=microwave+steamer+for+vegetables+bpa+free&qid=1615675920&sprefix=mircowave+steamer%2Caps%2C241&sr=8-6

I can understand boiling veggies without seasoning as being less effort and attention needed as baked.

What I don't understand is why boiled over steamed. Steamed vegetables are faster (less water to boil, and then only 3-8 minutes of steaming depending on what it is), and taste much better. And they stay a lot firmer and more appetizing.

The only benefit of boiling over steaming is not needing to own a vegetable steamer to put in the pot https://www.amazon.ca/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B001FBCP7O

Getting a steamer basket and following the instructions in this video has made eggs much easier to peel for me.

Carrefour are usually pretty good at returns / refunds normally. Since this looks like it's a discontinued model due to safety concerns, you should definitely get your money back if you show them the link and hopefully whoever is managing the complaint realises the fire hazard aspect too and passes on your concerns to the higher ups. You won't be out of pocket and you'll sleep better knowing you might have prevented a fire in someone other unsuspecting persons house here.

I have this stainless steel one that's still going strong after 5 years - https://www.amazon.com/Sayfine-Vegetable-Steamer-Premium-Stainless/dp/B0821L1YDR/ref=psdc_289831_t1_B06Y4MCKFM

I suppose the prices are higher, but its cheaper than spending money on fresh meat then burning it on the stove. {edit- if you were getting most of your calories by eating out previously then frozen food is still going to be WAY cheaper than eating out}

I guess the problem is there's no point us giving you a grocery list if you can't cook what we are telling you to buy.

You could also see if your store has low sodium tinned soups. They are becoming more popular.

Here's an idea for veggies though...

See if you can get one of these or similar: https://www.amazon.com.au/Sistema-Microwave-3-2L-Large-Steamer/dp/B005D6XZ4O

Get a carrot or some broccoli, chop it up, and put it in the basket of the steamer with a quarter cup of water in the bottom. Microwave it, probably around 2-3 minutes for one carrot say. Then take it out, put a little butter on the carrots and a couple pinches of garlic powder and some salt.

If you don't mind what you've just made, the sky is your limit. Any steamable veg shoved in that steamer basket with some butter and garlic powder will be perfectly edible. Then all you need to do is learn how to cook some protein and you can go from there.

try looking on amazon for microwave dishes. like sistema brand, Nordic ware brand, or Progressive International

There are these things called ‘heat diffusers’ I think that they sell at the dollar store for using on burners that run too hot. I think they run under $5. A big disc with all these preferations on the surface.

https://www.amazon.ca/Norpro-144-Heat-Diffuser/dp/B0000X6ESO

For food... salads, pasta, potato homefries, eggs, thick soups.

But my advise which I am sure everyone will disagree with is when you get the money buy a used microwave from Goodwill. For that matter I see small microwaves set out on the curb for “take4free” on garbage day about once a month where I live because people are buying bigger ones I guess. Then google microwave recipes... they tend to be simple. I use a little StoneWave “As seen on TV” microwave cook pot that I really like... those are often at the GoodWill for $1. I actually have two, one for dinner and one for desert. There are recipes for it online. Likewise there are microwave “Mug Meal” recipes on the internet and in a lot of videos on YouTube. I cook spaghetti, rice, potatoes, even bread and cake in a FastaPasta microwave pasta cooker. There might be cheaper knock-offs of that.

Steam your eggs! Of course you can buy a dedicated electric eggcooker, but it’s exactly same as steaming...

Get a steam basket, maybe like this and use it to steam your eggs. I steam for exactly six minutes, but try out your own preference! Cold water after steaming, easy to peal!

I put my eggs on a steamer basket and just put enough water to come to the bottom of the basket. Eggs aren't actually touching the water.

https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Craft-Stainless-Steamer-9-5-Inch/dp/B0029728H0/ref=pd_sim_121_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0029728H0&pd_rd_r=05881d3a-ac69-11e8-96dd-777fa7fb2507&pd_rd_w=zzvMj&pd_rd_wg=1wFRL&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&amp...