There are several ways to cook your food, but if eating clean is your number one priority, your options are a bit more limited. You can choose to grill your food, which isn’t always practical, especially in colder weather or boil it, which is, well, you know where this is going. There is one alternative that is perhaps the healthiest option and also tastes pretty good, the best of both worlds, if you will, and that’s steaming your food. It’s the perfect way to preserve the nutrients in your food and cook it in a quick, efficient manner. And if seasoned properly, it still tastes great too. Whether you’re using it for vegetables, shellfish, or poultry, a food steamer has a number of fantastic benefits. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the best ones we came across — for a variety of uses — and you can determine which one works best for you.
Take a look at our favorites
For starters (no pun intended), you can’t go wrong with the BELLA 7.4 Quart Healthy Food Steamer with 2-Tier Stackable Baskets, a comprehensive food steaming system that has everything you’ll need to make great-tasting and healthy dishes. This particular steamer is great for cooking full family-sized meals, as it features 7.4 quarts of cooking capacity and two separate steaming containers to cook the main course and sides at once. It also contains a bunch of super convenient features, such as auto shutoff, boil-dry protection, and 30-second quick heat for fast and easy meal prep. The full setup comes with two steaming containers, a grain tray, and a lid — all of which are dishwasher friendly and a breeze to clean.
Key Features:
- 7.4 quarts of cooking capacity
- Two steaming containers
- Dishwasher-friendly
Set it and move on
If you want something a little more in-line with today’s “digital” age, the Cuisinart STM-1000 Digital Glass Steamer is a fantastic alternative. This intuitive device makes steaming — an inherently simple process as it is — that much easier, thanks to its LCD control pane complete with Start/Stop function, pause and reheat buttons, a 60-minute countdown timer, and an audible alert. Plus, there are five pre-programmed food settings — seafood, poultry, grains, vegetables, and manual — to make cooking a full meal as simple as pressing a single button. The full set comes with a stainless steel steaming tray, a glass lid with a durable stainless steel rim, and a one-liter water tank.
Key Features:
- 60-minute countdown timer
- Audible alerts
- Five pre-programmed food settings
Keep an eye on it
The Farberware 70043 Stack ‘N’ Steam 3-Qt. Covered Saucepot Insert Stainless Steel Steamer Set is a traditional steamer set that might not have the bells and whistles of the aforementioned pieces of equipment, but that’s still ultra-effective, nonetheless. As you can see from its name, the setup contains a three-quart cooking capacity, while the two pots stack on top of each other for easy stovetop steaming. This device from Farberware also utilizes a self-basting lid and comfortable handles for your safety and convenience. Plus, you’re basically getting two items in one here, as the saucepot can be used with or without the handy steamer insert and can function like, well, a regular saucepot. It’s like a two for one special for steam fiends!
Key Features:
- Self-basting lid
- Three-quart cooking capacity
- Comfortable handles
Eat your veggies
Steamed vegetables are probably the cream of the crop amongst steamed foods (again, no pun intended. Well, maybe a little intention there…). If you’re using it strictly for veggies, this Sunsella Vegetable Steamer is a great option. This wonderful piece of equipment is made of 100% high-grade stainless steel. It expands to fit a variety of different pot sizes and, of course, it’s also fully collapsible for storage to save you space. Plus, it is super easy to remove from the pan, thanks to its sturdy central ring. This particular steamer is best for vegetables, due to its fluidity and ability to fit in virtually any pot or pan, but it can also be used to steamed meats, eggs, etc.
Key Features:
- Fully collapsible
- Super easy to remove from the pan
- Fluid and versatile
Add it to your device
For those who already have an Instant Pot, this Kitchen Deluxe Steamer Basket is a great add-on feature for steaming your food. This setup is made of durable stainless steel, and while it’s great for an Instant Pot, it also adjusts to fit a wide variety of pot and pan sizes to instantly turn any of your pre-existing cookware into a steamer. It fits in the Instant Pot Ultra, Duo, Lux, Plus, and Mini, and the full set comes complete with the stainless steel vegetable steamer basket, and ultra-sharp Julienne veggie peeler, a safety tool that allows for easy removal, and a digital cookbook with a variety of recipes to choose from.
Key Features:
- Adjusts to a wide variety of pots and pans
- Works with Instant Pot Ultra, Duo, Lux, Plus, and Mini
- Comes with a digital cookbook
