How to choose a steamer?

The steamer did not immediately occupy an honorable place in the kitchen. For a long time, steamed dishes were considered insipid and were intended mainly for those to whom the doctor prescribed diet food. However, now the food cooked in such an aggregate is not only more useful, but often tastier than fried, boiled or stewed. How to choose a steamer so that it really turned out to be a desirable and demanded appliance in the kitchen, and not getting dusty in the corner? This will be discussed in the article.

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And why is it even needed?

Do we need such a complex device for a person who is not a fan of a healthy lifestyle? Why not?

Steamer is valuable not only because it preserves all vitamins and trace elements that are ruthlessly destroyed in any other way of processing products. You can cook almost everything in it:

• meat;
• fish;
• vegetables;
• porridge;
• any other products to your liking.

The steamer has many advantages:

• autonomy - do not constantly mix and watch, so as not to burn;
• possibility to cook several dishes at the same time;
• possibility to quickly heat up the dinner;
• some models have the function of delaying cooking, which, you will agree, is important for a business person;
• in the steamer can defrost frozen food.

Is it really worth it to look for the best steamer?- A little deeper understand the capabilities of this technique:

1. Such an assembly is simply necessary for someone who appreciates time. Uploaded products to the basket - and play with the baby, write a coursework or knit a husband scarf. If the steamer has several baskets, you can immediately prepare the entire dinner, going into the kitchen only twice - to turn the device on and off.
2. The cooker perfectly warms up the dishes, and the cold meat dishes taste like they have just been cooked. And another important advantage - the dishes do not burn.
3. Among other things, such a device is defiantly defrosting products. What is most pleasant - meat and fish do not lose moisture. This steamer is favorably different from a microwave oven.
4. Do you like to bake, but you do not always have enough time to withstand yeast dough? The steamer will help out and here - the dough will rise faster than at room temperature, because the "smart" device will create ideal conditions for this.
5. Delay cooking feature allows you to get a hot lunch exactly by the time you get home. To do this, just load the products in the morning and put the timer at the right time. And even more so. If you can not come to dinner, and you will only be ripe for dinner, your reliable assistant will have time to warm up several times that which is in her baskets, so you will still be served a delicious hot dish.

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Gas or electric?

Before you choose a steamer for your home, think about exactly what you need. On sale it is possible to meet devices:

• gas;
• electric.

A gas steamer is cheap, but is it worth it?

The unit operating on gas has its advantages:

• simplicity;
• longevity;
• low price.

This steamer has almost nothing, except baskets and pallets - no electronic devices, additional functions and so on. Accordingly - it is very cheap, and it serves sometimes for decades, because there is simply nothing to break in it. Of course, it does not consume electricity, so there will not be any additional costs during operation.

But the gas steamer does not exactly cook dinner for the right time - she just does not know how, and so much more. It is suitable mainly for cooking dietary dishes.

Important! The gas steamer should not be left unattended!

What does an electric steamer consist of?

The electric unit is also not too complicated. It necessarily has:

• base;
• baskets;
• tray.

Why all this is necessary: ​​

• The base is the heart of such a device. This is where all the electronics needed to heat water are. There is also a reservoir, and the control panel also refers to the base.
• Baskets are made from good food plastic, which is non-toxic and withstands high temperatures. At the bottom there are holes, it is through them that steam passes.
• The upper basket, of course, should be closed, and the denser the better. For this, she has a lid.
• In the pallets, the juice is collected, which products are released during cooking, as well as the condensate inevitable in such cases.

Important! Most often there is one pallet, but some models can have two, and even three - in the number of baskets. Which is it to choose a steamer for the device - each solves itself, based on the expected intensity of operation of the device.

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What to look at?

So what should the best steamer meet? There are several, and each depends on the operation of the device and the quality of the cooked food:

• type of control;
• power;
• number of baskets;
• number of pallets;
• water indicator.

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Control type

On sale you will find the units with one of two types of control:

• electromechanical;
• electronic.

Which is better?- Let's see:

1. Most of the steamers you see on showcases and in catalogs have electromechanical control - sometimes it's called simply mechanical. On the front panel of such models is clearly visible handle, which should simply rotate to set the time.

Important! Models with electromechanical control are reliable, simple and quite cheap.

1. The electronic control method is found in expensive models. On such an aggregate you will see a panel with buttons and a screen, allowing you to control the selected modes. The task of the hostess is to correctly determine the time, set the cooking mode and select additional functions, everything else - the "smart" machine will do itself. This is certainly convenient.

Important! Electronically controlled devices have several very significant drawbacks:

• , they are rather capricious and require careful care;
• not all hosts can quickly understand the functions;
• and the unit itself, and its repair costs are not cheap.

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Let's talk about the power of the

The more powerful the steamer is, the faster the food will be cooked in it. But does everyone need the most powerful device? A lot depends:

• on the number of baskets;
• from the number of consumers.

On sale you can meet steamers of different power - the minimum is 400 W, the maximum - 1200 W.

Important! If you are suitable devices with one basket, it is enough if it will issue 400-500 watts, more and nothing. For a steamer with two bowls you will need 600-800 watts, with three 900-1200 watts.

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Baskets

The simplest steam cooking device has only one basket. This is enough if you do not really like these dishes and do not want to cook them several times a day. But those who would like to make a meal of two or three dishes, this option is unlikely to suit. It is better to choose a device with two or three bowls, then it will be possible to cook both a cutlet and a complex garnish at the same time.

Form and size

Manufacturers of household appliances produce "multi-storey" double-basket steamers:

• of the same diameter;
• of different diameters.

Important! Each type has its own advantages:

• Different bowls are easy to store - they are simply put in one another.
• But the basket with the same diameter during cooking can be swapped. This is necessary if the garnish, which is brewed in the lower bowl, is almost ready, and the cutlets, which are in the upper basket, are not yet available.

Round or oval?

Round baskets are convenient for cooking garnishes, meat in small pieces, cutlets. However, in order to make, for example, a chicken or fish, an oval large bowl will be more suitable. Proceeding from the fact that most often you like to cook, it will be right to choose a steamer of the desired model.

Materials

The walls of baskets are made of transparent, heat-resistant plastic. At the beginning of cooking it is convenient, because it is possible to observe the process. But then the cups become foggy. Sometimes there are metal bowls, but such models can now be found except in a commission shop, and this, in the main, is a gas cooker.

As for the bottom, when buying, be sure to look:

• of what it is made of;
• collapsible or non-separable.

Important! Removable bottom - a very convenient thing! It allows you to turn two small bowls into one big bowl. In addition, such baskets are easier to wash.

On sale you will find bowls:

• stainless steel;
• with non-stick coating.

Important! In fact, in a double boiler food rarely soaks, so the steel bottom is quite suitable, especially since such units are cheaper. But the bowl with non-stick coating is still safer. In addition, it makes it possible to boil the meat in its own juice.

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Pallet

If you are puzzled over how to choose the best steamer, you definitely need to know that the taste of the dishes, strangely enough, largely depends on the number of pallets. It would seem, what have the trays to which the liquid flows?

In fact, very much even "with what", because there gets both condensate and juice, which is released during cooking from products that are cooked in all bowls, both lower and upper.

What happens? It turns out that the juice from the upper basket permeates what is being cooked down. Sometimes it is appropriate, more often - no. Therefore it is better if a multi-storey steamer has several trays.

Depth

Note the depth of the pallet. The more - the better, since the fine tray will quickly overflow, it is necessary to stop the process and pour out the liquid.

Important! The standard depth is one and a half centimeters. This tray contains a lot of condensate and juice. But it's better still, if the depth is at least two centimeters, or even two and a half.

Very convenient part - handles, especially if the tray is small. The presence of such parts will allow to pour out the liquid without burning and not smearing everything around.

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Water Indicator and Capability

Many modern models have a water level indicator. This allows you to better control the process, because you can see how much liquid boiled up and whether it should be added. Of course, without the possibility of topping up, such an indicator is almost useless.

Important! The possibility of topping up is especially important if the steamer has several tiers.

What you pour before cooking, may not be enough. The device for topping is of two types:

• funnel;
• hollow handles.

The overwhelming majority of steamers have such a function. The exception is the simplest and cheapest models. The most expensive built-in models provide for automatic topping up of water from the water pipe. In this case, excess condensate and juice without any involvement of the hostess merge into the sewer.

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Additional functions

If you are satisfied with the shape, dimensions, number of baskets and everything else, pay attention to what else the steamer can do - for additional functions. So you will be sure that the steamer you have chosen is the best.

These options include:

• automatic shut-off at full evaporation of water;
• delayed start;
• keeping meals in a warm state;
• fast steam;
• automatic cooking.

What all these functions give and should you pay attention to them to choose a steamer for the house?- We specify:

1. Automatic shutdown is the guarantee of your safety. If the water evaporates completely - the steamer simply stops working, food will not burn, there will be no fire in the house.
2. The function of delayed start allows you to prepare food for a certain time, and the need to maintain the desired temperature of the food makes it possible not to switch off the steamer after dinner is cooked.
3. Fast steam is formed in less than a minute. Accordingly - the dish will be ready much earlier than under normal mode. There is evidence that with this method of cooking, more vitamins are stored.
4. Automatic cooking function, it's "recipes", means that the steamer can cook several simple dishes, the recipes of which are stored in its memory, without your participation. Ideal function for inexperienced housewives - you just need to note which products and in what quantity you need to cook. The smart device itself will find and install the program.

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Package Contents

There are a lot of options to choose a good steamer "by yourself".For example, many now prefer a steamer connected to the hob. But you can buy a stand-alone device.

In any case, the following can be attached to the steamer:

• container for garnish;
• stand for eggs;
• grating for large products;
• container for bulk and liquid products;
• trays for condensate;
• stand for "shedding" products;
• device for temperature control.

Important! Manufacturers are constantly improving their models, so it is possible that you will see a model with details on the window, the purpose of which is not entirely clear to you. Ask the consultant what these components are for - maybe you dreamed about this new opportunity.

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Let's talk about

brands. Like any complex device, it is better to buy a steamer from a trusted manufacturer that guarantees quality and has a network of service centers where it is possible, if necessary, to repair the unit and buy additional bowls or a probe for ittemperature control.

Tefal

The recognized leader in the market of kitchen equipment is Tefal. In the catalogs you will find several steamers from this manufacturer - VC1014, VC4003, VC4008, and VS4003.

Absolutely all products of the company - large baskets and pallets, many functions, non-stick coating. According to both clients and experts, this is the best steamer for today.

Philips

Philips also offers customers some very successful and at the same time relatively inexpensive models with three baskets, large capacity. Particularly popular among the products of this company are the HD9120 and HD9140.

Moulinex

The MV1000 Principio and MV1003 Accessimo units from Moulinex are well proven. They are compact, convenient, they have two baskets, they have a function of adding water and many others. Very worthy products - and at an affordable price.

Brown

One can not help but recall the good word and the company Braun. Solid, reliable, powerful devices. The Braun FS20 is equipped, among other things, with a dark cup for "shedding" products. The model is inexpensive and high-quality.

Scarlett

Cheap and quite quality steamers. Customers especially like Scarlett SC343 and Scarlett SC1143.They have all the necessary functions for quality cooking, and in addition, they are convenient to store.

In a word, the choice of steamers on the market is quite large. To find an aggregate to your own taste and financial capabilities is not at all difficult. The only thing that should be refrained from is the purchase of products from unknown manufacturers, even if they are cheaper. A nice supplement can be a book of recipes - reputable producers usually make their customers such a gift.