When it comes to vegetables, there is hardly any other better way to make them edible while retaining most of its nutrients than steaming. When you boil vegetables in hot water, up to 70 percent of the nutrients get denatured. On the other hand, when steaming, the vegetables do not contact the hot water. The steam from the boiling water makes the vegetable edible while preserving up to 80 percent of the health-boosting nutrients.
Vegetable steamers come in a variety of designs and make steaming vegetables in your kitchen easier and faster. Most cookware sets come with a steamer, but using a specialized vegetable steamer will offer you better results.
You would find steamers made of steel, bamboo, and even some digital ones. Don’t get confused about which one to choose for perfect results. We have compiled some really good ones. Below are our five (5) best vegetable steamer reviews.
Table of Contents
Best Vegetable Steamers
| Image | Best Vegetable Steamers | Rating |
|---|---|---|
 | 1. Hamilton Beach Digital Vegetable Steamer | 99% |
 | 2. Cuisinart STM-1000 Digital Glass Vegetable Steamer | 96% |
 | 3. Oster Double Tiered Vegetable Steamer | 92% |
 | 4. OXO Stainless Steel Good Grips Vegetable Steamer | 89% |
 | 5. Sistema Microwave Collection Vegetable Steamer | 85% |
Want to learn more?
Here are our Best Vegetable Steamer reviews.
1. Hamilton Beach Digital Vegetable Steamer
Get your veggies steamed up and ready with the Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer. You’ll be getting more than 80 percent of the nutrients in the vegetable you steam by using its easy to set timer. Overcooking your vegetables is not an option when you steam them with this vegetable steamer. Its large bowls will fit corn on the cobs and heads of broccoli without being jam-packed. More so, this steamer offers you the versatility of steaming delicate seafood like shrimps and lobsters. You can also convert your soft-cooked eggs to hard-boiled ones by placing them in this steamer and setting the timer to a few minutes.
One very interesting feature of the Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer is its two-tier stackable bowls. Steaming multiple sets of vegetables at once is totally possible. If the center divider obstructs adding more vegetables, you can easily remove it to create more space. However, you don’t have to start steaming immediately; you can simply use the delay start function.
Remarkably, it also features an automatic shut-off function that switches off the steamer once the timer stops. Storing this vegetable steamer is easy. It measures 13.7 x 7.28 x 12.6-inches and will fit nicely in your cabinet.
Why do we like it?
- Comes with an additional rice basket
- 5-quarts cooking capacity
- BPA free plastic bowls
2. Cuisinart STM-1000 Digital Glass Vegetable Steamer
Healthy cooking is trending a lot lately. The Cuisinart STM-1000 Glass Steamer is the one we recommend for you if you want to hop on the healthy cooking train. A powerful steam system present in this vegetable steamer gives it a performance that can not be compared to its competitors. A glass lid with stainless steel rim ensures that no steam escapes from the glass pot during steaming. Steaming vegetables and seafood for a large number of people with the 5-liter glass pot is easy. More so, it saves you a lot of time that could have been wasted by doing it in batches. Interestingly, apart from vegetables and seafood, this steamer has 5 pre-programmed food steaming settings to cater to grains and poultry.
The Cuisinart STM-1000 has some other noteworthy functions that come into action by the press of a button. This includes the reheat function that releases a wave of steam to warm up cold vegetables, audible alerts, start and stop buttons, a pause button, and an interactive LCD control panel.
We are impressed with the 1-liter water tank of this steamer. More so, it has an incredible steaming tray that flips to hold a variety of foods.
Why do we like it?
- It has a 60-minute countdown timer
- Highly durable
- Easily programmable
3. Oster Double Tiered Vegetable Steamer
Perhaps you just want a high-performing and durable vegetable steamer. The Oster Double Tiered Food Steamer is one of the best we can recommend for you. Due to its design, you can steam your fish or meat while steaming your vegetables separately. Uniquely, the bowls are transparent and allow you to monitor the entire steaming process. Your veggies will not get overcooked because you can set the timer to the recommended number of minutes and let it do the steaming. Fortunately, this vegetable steamer automatically shuts itself off once the set cycle is completed. All the vegetables you steam with this unit retain up to 80 percent of their nutrients.
The controls are mistake-proof, and it has a power indicator light that lets you know when the steamer is still working. Healthier living is possible with this steamer as it eliminates the need to apply oil to your vegetables to make them crisp and edible.
Storage will not be a problem. The Oster Double Tiered Food Steamer has a solution to that. Its two bowls nest into each other, thereby requiring lesser storage space. Cleaning the unit is remarkably simple. Just put it in the top rack of the dishwasher.
Why do we like it?
- Automatically shuts off when water is empty
- Highly versatile
- 5-quart capacity
4. OXO Stainless Steel Good Grips Vegetable Steamer
You might just want a simple stainless steel vegetable steamer. The OXO Stainless Steel Steamer is the perfect one for you. This vegetable steamer comes with an extendable handle for good grip. If you have larger Ingredients to accommodate, the handle can be easily removed. Remarkably, when there is the need to fill up and transport this steamer, the handle extends and locks in place. You will then be able to carry it without spilling the contents. It is important to note that this vegetable steamer fits into pots with a diameter of 8-inches and above. Pressure cookers and multi-cookers with the right diameter can also contain this excellent stainless steel vegetable steamer.
Impressively, the OXO Stainless Steel Steamer features happy feet that do a good job of elevating the steamer 1.75-inches (4.4cm) above the boiling water. These feet prevent the water from touching your vegetables and reducing the nutrient content. Uniquely, when they are not in use, the feet fold flat under the steamer. You certainly won’t need a large storage space to store this steamer.
Cleaning this 7 x 3 x 7-inches vegetable steamer after use is a breeze. It has no hidden corners that harbor dirt. If you want a rust and corrosion-resistant vegetable steamer, we recommend OXO.
Why do we like it?
- The handle retracts to accommodate pot lids
- Dishwasher safe
- Highly reliable
5. Sistema Microwave Collection Vegetable Steamer
Create another use for your microwave. Steam your vegetables in it with the Sistema Microwave Steamer. Made with 100 percent virgin plastic that is BPA-free. Its versatility allows it to be used to steam other foods apart from vegetables. One very unique feature it has is the presence of a stalk at the center of the steam basket. This stalk and the tabs used for opening the steamer stay cool throughout the steaming process. While this vegetable steamer is compatible with all microwaves, do not use it in a convection oven.
A few more things about the Sistema Microwave Steamer include the fact that it is freezer safe. This implies that apart from steaming, you can use it to store your ingredients in the freezer for a long period of time. Remarkably, the components of this steamer are stackable and reduce the amount of storage space required to store it conveniently. Probably your dishes are dirty in the sink. You can easily eat your health-boosting vegetables directly from this steamer.
A steam release vent on the lid of this steamer offers you splatter-free heating. Additionally, when it gets dirty, you can either hand wash it or put it in the top rack of your dishwasher.
Why do we like it?
- Phthalate-free
- Very unique
- Highly durable
Vegetable Steamer Buyer’s Guide
Steamers are a great addition to your kitchen, especially if you are bent on eating healthy. To get the most suitable one to meet your steaming needs, they are important things to look out for. Read them in our buyer’s guide below.
Types
If you live a modern lifestyle, you will find digital vegetable steamers worth the price. They come with timers, removable bowls and can sometimes be tiered. Microwave steamers are usually made of plastic, and the timing can easily be regulated because you basically use them in a microwave. Steamer baskets have the simplest design. They can fit into any container that is filled with water and set on a cooktop. You will just have to make sure that the water doesn’t come in contact with the vegetables. Also, you will have to monitor the steaming process so that your vegetables don’t overcook.
Size
Just like most cookware, the number of ingredients you intend to cook regularly should determine the size of the steamer you should buy. If you only need to steam small portions of vegetables regularly, there’s no need to spend so much money on a large steamer. But if you frequently host large gatherings of people, buying a small vegetable steamer will cause you to steam in batches which can be quite stressful.
Cleaning and Storage
We are very certain that you do not like to spend a lot of valuable time cleaning a kitchen gadget. It is essential that you only go for steamers that are very easy to clean or, if possible, dishwasher safe. Be on the lookout for ones with tight corners and, preferably, ones with a removable base.
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