How to choose a steamer: the analysis of all functions, types, designs

If there was a question "How to choose a steamer?", So the decision to purchase it already made. Then we will not argue long about the benefits of food, steamed, and immediately talk about the types of structural features and functions of steamers.

Steamer for cooking on the stove

Made of stainless steel. They consist of a large core of the pan under the water and other - from 1 minutes to 4 pots with perforated bottom. Some models can be used in the oven.

There steamers Russian manufacture, made from aluminum, costing only a few hundred rubles. Their counterparts from steel are much more expensive, on average, from 2.5 to 5 thousand.

Minus these steamers - they do not cook yourself, you always have to follow the plate and the time.

Electric steamers (recessed and board)

Built-in models like the electric oven. If your daily diet consists of food, steamed, thus you have a large family, and you like when performing many functions of equipment itself, to buy and install an embedded model.

The total volume of the chamber such Steamer from 24 to 38 liters. Here are just ready to spend more than a dozen thousand. The average cost of such steamers ranging from 40 to 80 thousand.

Board the steamer. It is considered the most popular due to the optimal combination of cost and quality of the result. The simplest models of steamers cost about 1,000 rubles, to more complex options will need to spend up to several thousand.

Next, we will only talk about the board steamers, as the most used in the household.

power Steamer

Starting at 400 W and 2000 W reaches the indicator. This parameter is important, but not always is in direct proportion to the speed and the cooking time. You can quickly cook the dish in a double boiler with one steam basket with 400-500 W power, but this power can not suffice to prepare two or three meals in a double boiler with a large amount of steam baskets or in the case of cooking meat dishes.

You are going to prepare only a small amount of steamed vegetables, choose the model easier - with one or two baskets of small volume and capacity of 400-800 Watt. You this is quite enough, and the cost of a double boiler will be released within a maximum of two thousand rubles.

If sustainability in food preparation is very important to you, look in the direction of aerogrill.

Control

The cheapest model steamers are simple in their design and management of the cooking process, it will have a mechanical. Usually, this is a round knob that set the cooking time. After a time the timer beeps, and very good, if also stops the cooking process.

Steamers with electronic control is usually more difficult and more expensive, but the extra features that they have to compensate the cost of the purchase. Functions Steamer read below.

Design features

The sense of a double boiler is simple, and therefore its design for a fact, too simple. The apparatus consists of the main base where there is a heating element, a water tank and a control panel as well as from steam baskets where directly prepare food. The more baskets, the greater must be the water tank to ensure all dishes steam.

Number of baskets varies the most popular models from 1 to 3. There are models with 4 baskets. As practice shows, the steamer with a cup not use special demand. Even if you live alone and do not cook often, will always arise the need to prepare for one unit of time, not one, but two products.

There are models of steamers, where baskets have additional removable grille, allowing in one basket to cook two dishes, thereby increasing the productivity of the steamer 2 times.

Displacement baskets ranges from 1 to 5 liters. The most common limit volumes of 1.5 to 3.5 liters. And, accordingly, the total desktop steamers can reach 10 liters, plus or minus 1 liter.

Form baskets is circular and oval. If you often cook fish or chicken, it is more convenient to buy a steamer with oval bowls.

basket size can be identical to a double boiler, and may be different. Different amounts can distribute products of different sizes in different baskets. And the storage is very convenient to fold one basket to another. But in all there are nuances, there he is. At the bottom of the bowl dish is always prepared quickly than in the upper. When the bowls are the same, you can easily swap them if the bottom of the dish is left to mature a little, and top requires more steam. Baskets of various sizes, unfortunately, are not interchangeable.

Removable bottom from steam bowls will be a great help when the product is not in one basket, such as chicken. Then take off the bottom in the upper basket, increasing the total area under the product, and prepare your desired dish without problems.

Materials of construction for steamers and baskets - plastic and metal. Durable metal and it is perhaps his only advantage. The plastic can be clear and tinted. Believe me, the difference in color of plastic no. Watch the cooking process still does not work, the basket very quickly and heavily misted. For metal baskets have a good silicone handle to protect hands from burns.

Almost all desktop Steamer models have included additional steaming bowl of rice. As you can imagine, except rice in a bowl is safe to cook any other cereals, legumes, as well as liquid meals such as soups.

In addition, the more expensive options steamers equipped with special bowls:

• an egg;
• to spices and herbs;
• for baking muffins and cupcakes.

The number and amount of pallets. When cooking begins from each cup collected condensate containing juice product. If you do not mind that the condensate from the upper bowls will drain to the bottom and add its taste other foods, then take the model with one tray. If this is you do not like, pay attention to each steaming bowl had its own individual pallet.

it is necessary to say a few words about the pallet, if there is one on the entire structure. It is important that the pallet has ledges from 1.5 to 2.5 cm. The more baskets, the greater must be the pallet, and the less it will have to merge with the accumulated liquid, stopping the process of cooking. The tray should be comfortable not heated handles. When draining the hot liquid, as you know, this is important.

Useful thing, especially if the steamer has no automatic shutdown in the absence of water - water level indicator in the tank. Take a mental note.

In order to prevent the formation of scale, use filtered water.

If the water in the tank steamer over to how to prepare a dish, it is necessary to remove all the trash, pour the water and re-adjust the cooking mode. To avoid this, you can purchase the device, which provides the function of structurally watering. Without stopping the process, you can easily pour the required amount of water.

function Steamer

Most of these features are only available for Steamer with electronic control. The most important, which is not worth saving - a protection against overheating. It is activated when the water ends up in the tank.

The "Fast pairs" will allow you to cook the dish in 2 times faster. This occurs due to increase in temperature and, respectively, a pair of force.

The "Delayed Start" will help you to program a double boiler at the time, which is convenient to you, that was the dish is ready. It is only necessary in advance to lay in a basket products and set the desired cooking mode. The appliance will automatically, without your participation, including at the right time and will prepare breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can sleep or away from home on business.

Function «Keep warm» good complete with a delayed start feature, as it allows you to maintain a warm meal after the end of the cooking, and as long as you define for it.

Preset programs with recipes. Most models have a perfect steamer function to define your own time and effort to prepare steam. What is required of you, so this is to specify the product and its weight. Further, the machine can handle herself. It is very convenient for people who have little experience in the culinary arts.

Consider all options and choose the most optimal variant for you steamers.