How does a steam cooker work?

A steam cooker has a heating element and a water reservoir with steam dishes above it for different foods. At the bottom of the shells there are openings that let the steam through. The heating element evaporates the water from the reservoir. 

Since the temperature in the dishes is never higher than 100 degrees, the taste is better preserved. You can prepare vegetables, rice, meat, eggs and fish in a steamer. Most devices are also suitable for making cakes.That is the standard operation of a steam cooker.

What are the benefits of a steam cooker?

A steam cooker ensures that your food retains its flavor and nutrients. Thanks to the color retention of the food, it also looks much tastier. You don’t need to use oil or butter.

The steamer provides you with a healthy meal. The different layers allow you to steam different preparations at the same time. You save time preparing.

Buy a steam cooker What to watch out for?

Contents pan

Choose a size that best suits your use and family. A format that is too large takes up too much space and will consume more than is necessary for your quantities. The volume is indicated in litres. But be careful, this has nothing to do with the amount of water that can go in the device.

Peel

The more bowls, the more different preparations you can prepare in one go. Go for a steamer that also has dark dishes. White or transparent bowls are sensitive to discoloration when preparing carrots, peppers, etc.
If you choose a steam cooker with many bowls, you may have some in reserve for when the others are in the dishwasher.

Extra’s

Do you want to get the most out of your device? Then check the extras. Is there an extra bowl for cooking rice? An included cookbook is very handy and offers extra inspiration. There are also appliances with a baking mold for baking cakes, for example. With a keep warm function, you can keep your preparations warm for the late comers.

5 Best Steam Ovens Of 2022

The steam oven is increasing in popularity and is no longer reserved for real chefs. Steamed salmon with vegetables, sounds good! Cooking with a steam oven is not only tastier, but also healthier, but is it better to use a 100% steam, a combi or high-pressure steam oven and what should you pay attention to to get the best steam oven at home?

Based on our research, we prepare a suggestive top 5 best steam ovens. Read on to learn how to choose and what to look for when comparing.

Calphalon Air Fry Convection Oven

Like any combi steam oven, you can steam, bake, roast and grill with this oven. The oven is large with a capacity of 70 liters and has various heating functions and dozens of weight programs.

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Your dishes will be cooked evenly, regardless of the number of oven plates. The recipe help function with integrated dishes helps you to prepare every dish optimally. Automatic shutdown and core temperature sensor are also included in this formula.

Pros

• 11 precision cooking functions
• Quartz Heat Technology
• Turbo Convection
• Large capacity fits up to a 12″ pizza
• exterior dimentions: 18.7″ x 15.8″ x 11.6″
• interior dimensions: 12.5″ x 13″ x 4.47″
• Built-in light
• High contrast LCD screen
• Air Fry Basket
• Durable Non-Stick Baking Pan
• Wire Rack
• Removable Crumb Tray
• Durable dark stainless steel metal
• 1400 watts

F.BLUMLEIN Steam Convection Oven

If you know that you are looking for a solo steam oven, an oven that can only steam, then this F.Blumlein is the best for us at the moment. This is a built-in appliance that has standard dimensions of 21.9 x 15.9 x 17.9 inches. So you can place it in almost any standard (IKEA, for example) cabinet.

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With this steam oven you can steam between 40° and 100°. This is without pressure, a steam oven with pressure is a lot more expensive. Not that much space, with 40 liters of volume you still have enough volume. The automatic cooking programs are convenient for your preparations without making mistakes.

A cleaning and descaling program is also available. Handy, but present in most devices. The 4 baking levels is also useful, usually limited to 3.

With the purchase you also get two steam oven pans with holes and one without holes. The grid is also supplied as standard.

Pros

• 1 Product, 10 Functions
• Family Sized
• Faster Cook Times
• User-Friendly
• Front-Cooling Exhaust
• Stainless steel outer panels
• Cooking time from 5 minutes up to 3 hours
• Triple-layer glass oven door
• 18-pound turkey or a 12-inch pizza with room to spare
• Steam+grill+convection
• Also a preheat and defrost mode.

Ninja Air Fry Oven 

You can also opt for a freestanding steam oven. There is much less choice, but there are certainly some worthy alternatives. The best freestanding steam oven is the Ninja. Top class in performance and quality.

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A power of 1800 W and a volume of 24 liters. Fairly large but smaller than built-in steam ovens. The water tank can hold 1.2 liters of water and you can use the oven on three different baking levels.

Detalking and cleaning is easy with the set programs. With this solo steam oven you can only bake with steam. This is not a combi oven, so there is no other way of heating possible. The reviews of this device are also always 5 stars. If you have the budget and are looking for a freestanding steam oven, consider this Ninja.

• True Surround Convection
• 10 Versatile Function
• Smart Cook System
• Quick Family Meals
• Extra Large Capacity
• Air Fryer Healthy Meals
• Digital display handle
• Up to 30% crispier results

Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven

This AEG is a good alternative from the top 5 best steam ovens. Many steam ovens quickly cost 1000 dollers, but this AEG does more than decent for half the price. This oven is very budget-friendly, has a beautiful design and is easy to use.

You can simply indicate what you want to prepare and the oven will select the correct settings for your dish. Cleaning is also easy, and you have the descaling function for descaling.

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Important to know, the steam functions of this appliance are limited to baking bread, dough, cakes and pizzas. This is a combi steam oven, so it is not possible to use 100% steam for heating here.

The steam temperature is limited to 100°. Outside of that, the oven is very efficient, you can bake up to 300°. The device is also A+. This way your consumption is not unnecessarily high.

• Specially engineered 1800-watt motor
• Wide range of toaster oven functions
• Low temperature setting to slow cook
• Air fry function
• More options to customize your cooking include
• Dedicated functions for dehydrating and proofing
• Defrost and high/low convection fan speed options
• Temperature range: 80°f to 450°f

Robam Portable Convection Oven

With high-pressure steam ovens you will encounter prices around 900$. This Miele model is described by the manufacturer as the fastest and most powerful steam oven in the world.

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Prepare potatoes? The job is done in just three minutes! By draining the steam immediately after cooking, your meals will not continue cooking and you can open the door without getting hot steam in your face.

Pros

• Seven cooking modes
• Temperature Precision
• Convinent & portable design
• Specious interior capacity
• All of the features you want

What is a steam oven?

What is the difference between a regular oven and a steam oven? A steam oven contains a water reservoir that pumps water into the oven cavity where it is converted into steam. This ensures more hydration and even heating of the dish.

Why buy a steam oven?

The main reason why more and more people are cooking with a steam oven is that steaming food is healthier than frying it in oil or butter. The vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are lost with another cooking method are preserved in the steaming.

The natural colours, textures and aromas also retain their intensity. The food looks more colorful, retains the (crunchy) texture, smells and tastes better. The humidity ensures that the food does not dry out, but remains nice and tender.

In addition to health, there are also a number of practical benefits:

• cooking is faster with large quantities, especially with the high-pressure steam oven
• the oven is easier to clean because there are no fat splashes
• you have little preparation. You put the ingredients in an oven dish and slide it in
• you don’t have to buy oil or butter, which is good for the line
• your food is so tasty that you need less salt, which is healthier for your body
• it consumes less energy than the traditional oven
• there are many applications: defrosting food, heating it up, disinfecting baby bottles…

Which steam oven is best to buy?

Which steam oven you should buy depends on what you want to do with it, what your budget is and what you attach importance to. Working with a steam oven takes some getting used to at first, but once you get used to it, it can bring you many benefits.

Is a steam oven for you mainly something to live a healthier life, or do you mainly want to save time? Do you like to make large quantities or is a compact model sufficient? Do you also want to prepare cakes and a crispy crust on your meat? And how much money do you have for this?

The answers to these questions will guide you to the best steam oven for your needs. Below we explain which types there are.

The different types of steam ovens

There are generally three types of steam ovens: the ones that run 100% on steam (solo steam oven), the combi steam ovens and the high pressure steam oven. Then you can also distinguish between pressureless steam ovens with partial and full steam function .

The partial steam one cooks your dish initially with steam and then with hot air (ideal for pastries and dishes that you want to make crispy), while the other works with continuous steam and you can use it to cook full meals. Steam ovens are available in different sizes, from 36 to 60 cm., by 45 cm. as the standard size.

The solo steam oven

The solo steam oven is ideal for preparing bread, fish, vegetables and desserts. You can open the oven at different times and add a dish, so that everything is prepared at the right time.

You can also heat and defrost prepared meals with it. This takes a little longer than with the microwave (read more about the best microwave ), but the flavors are better preserved. You cannot use a grill or hot air for your preparations. Preparing pizza or pastry is therefore a ‘no go’.

The combi steam oven

With the combi, a convection oven with steam function, you can also add hot air to the cooking process, ideal for those who steam a lot, but also like to have a crispy crust on their meat or pastries. The handy thing about combis is that you can do all kinds of things with them.

The high-pressure steam oven

The high-pressure steam oven was invented relatively recently by Combi and is directly connected to the water and drainage pipes. This has the advantage that you never have to interrupt the cooking process to refill the water reservoir and there will be no water problems. Now, if you fill the reservoir of the others enough, you normally have no problem with this either.

Furthermore, these ovens have a hermetically closed door, which increases safety, but also does not allow adding new foods during the cooking process. High pressure cooking is faster, so the dishes are ready very quickly and lose even less vitamins and minerals than the solo or combi oven. High-pressure steam ovens are very professional and advanced, but also have a higher price tag.

How do you maintain a steam oven?

Most of the steam ovens we have listed have a self-cleaning and descaling function. In that case, you only have to press a button to prepare your oven for use again.

If they do not have this, it is best to wipe the walls dry after using the oven and make sure that the residual water has disappeared. Some people find this tiring, so check whether this is an important criterion for you when buying your steam oven. With a solo steam oven, you will not be bothered by splashing stains due to the low cooking temperature.

In the case of a combi oven, there will also be grease splashes that you have to clean as with a regular oven. When it’s time for descaling, the oven will give a signal, after which you have to clean it with a descaling product.