With a steam cooker, you prepare an entire meal at once by putting the ingredients (potatoes, vegetables, fish and even meat) each in a separate pan.
By Frank
Those pans are stacked on the steamer, cooking the ingredients by steam. Whether you make a tasty Indian chicken tandoori or just potatoes, vegetables, meat, you cook healthy, preserving vitamins and without having to use oil or fat.
What is the best steam cooker for you?
What the best steam cooker is for you will depend on your budget, the size of your household and your desired ease of use, both steaming and cleaning. In our Top 10, we’ve figured out the best 2024 steam cooker for a wide range of preferences.
The best steam cooker in the test
Magimix Le Cuiseur Vapeur
The Magimix Le Cuiseur Vapeur has 2 large stainless steel bowls, one of which allows the bottom to be removed, creating one large bowl. So flexibility combined with large capacity and professional Magimix quality. 4 temperature settings and a timer ensure ease of use and perfect results. Arguably the best steam cooker, but one you have to spend some money for.
- Large capacity
- Easy to operate
- Many options
- Robust construction
- Expensive to buy
- Stackable steam trays: 2, stainless steel
- Capacity per tray: 5.5 liters
- Water tank capacity: 1 liter
- Power consumption: 1,900 W
- Heating time 15 seconds
- Number of settings: 4
- Keep warm setting: yes
- Housing: stainless steel
The steam cooker with the best value for money
Russell Hobbs Cook@Home stoomkoker 19270
The Russell Hobbs Cook@Home steam cooker works very simply. You fill the reservoir with water, put ingredients in the three pans and set the time. Handy is the extra insert basket you get with it for steaming rice. Too bad you can’t set the temperature on this steam cooker, but by choosing the right time, all dishes are cooked perfectly. A great appliance for a low price.
- Three trays
- Easy to operate
- 60 minute timer
- Steaming basket for rice
- Low purchasing price
- No temperature setting
- Stackable steam trays: 3, glass
- Capacity per tray: 3 liters
- Water tank capacity: 1.2 liters
- Power consumption: 800 W
- Keep warm setting: yes
- Housing material: stainless steel
The best cheap steam cooker
Aigostar Fitfoodie 30 CFO
If you have little budget and still want a good steam cooker, the Aigostar Fitfoodie 30 CFO is an excellent choice. For less than 40 euros, you have a functional device with 3 steam bowls of 3 liters each. The Aigostar Fitfoodie 30 CFO features a 60-minute timer and comes with a basket for steaming rice. In addition, this steam cooker heats up very quickly.
- Three Stackable Steam Trays
- Easy to operate
- 60 minute timer
- Steaming basket for rice
- Low purchasing price
- Short power cord
- No temperature settings
- Bowls: 3, plastic
- Capacity per bowl: 3 liters
- Water tank capacity: 1.5 liters
- Power consumption: 800 W
- Heat setting: no
- Housing material: plastic
The best large steam cooker
Russell Hobbs MaxiCook 32560
With three steam bowls with a total capacity of 10.5 liters, this Russell Hobbs MaxiCook 32560 steam cooker lets you make a complete meal for quite a few people in one go. The built-in timer ensures perfect cooking. The special rice basket is handy, the short connecting cord is not.
- Three large trays
- Easy to operate
- Electrical timer
- Steamer basket for rice
- No temperature settings
- Short power cord
- Stackable steam trays: 3, plastic
- Capacity per bowl: 3.5 liters
- Power consumption: 1,000 W
- Heating mode: no
- Housing material: stainless steel
The best compact steamer
WMF KitchenMinis
Small in size, but big in performance, that’s the WMF KitchenMinis steam cooker very easy you quickly prepare a healthy meal with it. Thanks to the partition in one of the dishes you also prepare three ingredients at the same time. with a special basket you steam rice easily. The sturdy stainless steel guarantees years of steaming pleasure. The WMF KitchenMinis is a top quality steam cooker, which unfortunately also shows in its price.
- Tray with partition
- Easy to operate
- Electric timer
- 1 liter steaming basket for rice
- Porcelain tray for pudding
- No temperature settings
- Refilling while in use
- Expensive to buy
- Stackable steam trays: 2, stainless steel
- Capacity per tray: 2.15 liters
- Water tank capacity: 1.1 liter
- Power consumption: 900 W
- Heating time 15 seconds
- Number of settings: 4
- Keep warm mode: yes, 40 minutes
- Housing material: stainless steel
The best steam cooker with programs
Tefal Convenient Series Deluxe VC502D
The Tefal Convenient Series Deluxe VC502D steam cooker offers optimum ease of operation thanks to eight automatic cooking programs for vegetables, fish, chicken, defrosting and keeping warm, among others. You operate the steam cooker with an intuitive touchscreen. The Tefal Convenient Series Deluxe VC502D features three generously sized stainless steel bowls and comes with an additional steaming basket for rice. In short, it allows you to make a healthy meal for quite a company in no time.
- Large capacity
- Easy to operate
- 8 cooking programmes
- Compact to store
- Expensive to buy
- Stackable steam trays: 3, stainless steel
- Volume per bowl: 3 liters
- Water tank capacity: 1.2 liters
- Power consumption: 900 W
- Number of settings: 8
- Warm mode: yes
- Housing material: lacquered metal
The best stainless steel steam cooker
SEB Convenient VC1451
The SEB Convenient VC1451 steam cooker has 2 large stainless steel bowls, each with a capacity of 4.5 liters. Operation is very simple, with only a timer. Next to the dial, the required times are listed for the most common dishes. If necessary, you can refill water while steaming. You store the SEB Convenient VC1451 compactly, by placing the dishes upside down on the housing with the water tank.
- Large capacity
- Easy to operate
- Durable stainless steel
- Compact for storage
- No temperature control setting
- Stackable steam trays: 2, stainless steel
- Capacity per bowl: 4.5 liters
- Water tank capacity: 1.7 liters
- Power consumption: 980 W
- Housing material: lacquered metal
The best design steam cooker
Braun FS 3000
If you love design, then the Braun FS 3000 will definitely appeal to you. This beautifully designed steam cooker is plastic, with a black bowl preventing discoloration when steaming carrots or red cabbage, for example. It can be stored compactly by putting the bowls together upside down, after which the bottom housing fits back in there. In addition, the Braun FS 3000 is very user-friendly and fast: you have steam within 45 seconds.
- Beautiful design
- Large capacity
- Easy to operate
- Black steamer pan included
- Compact to store
- No temperature control setting
- Stackable steam trays: 2, plastic
- Capacity per tray: 2 liters
- Water tank capacity: 3.1 liter
- Power consumption: 850 W
- Heating mode: no
- Housing material: plastic
The best steamer for baby food
Babymoov Nutribaby Plus
The Babymoov Nutribaby Plus is much more than just a steamer. It is a complete station, which not only allows you to steam healthy baby food, but also a blender, a bottle warmer and a warmer for jars of baby food. It also lets you defrost food and comes with three flexible bottles for feeding.
- Defrost, blending, sterilizing
- Also for heating
- Includes 3 bottles
- High purchase price
- Small capacity
- Stackable steam trays: 2, plastic
- Capacity per tray: 0.75 liter
- Water tank capacity: 0.7 liter
- Power consumption: 500 W
- Keep warm setting: yes
- Housing material: plastic
The best steam cooker for the microwave
Joseph Joseph M-Cuisine Stomer
Finally, an oddball: the Joseph Joseph M-Cuisine Stomer for the microwave. Especially if you’re short on space and already have a microwave on hand anyway, this steamer offers a solution. You put it filled with water and ingredients in the microwave and it does the rest. very user friendly.
- Steam in the microwave
- Compact sized
- Easy to clean
- Low purchasing price
- Limited content
- Stackable steam trays: 3
- Capacity: 2 liters
- Material: plastic
The 10 best steam cookers in a table
Do you already know which steam cooker suits you best? Or are you still in doubt? To make choosing between all those different steam cookers easier, we put the best 10 conveniently together in a table.
Steam cooker or steamer?
First we need to agree on something: the difference between a steamer and a steam cooker. These are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably. We mean by a steam cooker an electric device for steaming food. A steam cooker you put on the stove, for this category we have compiled a separate Top 10.
So here we are talking about electric steam cookers. We have tested several of them and reviewed many reviews. Thus, we have compiled a Top 10 to help you choose the steam cooker that suits you.
Why choose a steam cooker?
Steaming is an easy cooking method. You use steamed water to feed stackable steaming dishes with steam. A lid keeps the steam from escaping. This way you preserve maximum nutrients. Cooking with a steam cooker has several advantages over traditional cooking and baking:
- Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are better preserved because the temperature does not exceed 96 degrees.
- You don’t use oil or fat, which is healthy.
- You taste the pure flavor of all the ingredients.
- It’s easy: you put the ingredients in the trays, plug in the power cord, turn on the appliance and the rest is automatic.
- You prepare different parts of your meal at the same time.
- A steam cooker is electric, so you don’t use natural gas.
Buying a steam cooker: what to look out for?
With a steam cooker, you can put a healthy meal on the table in no time. A delicious steamed salmon fillet, a tasty piece of cod or a tasty Indian chicken tandoori. But what should you pay attention to when buying the best steam cooker for you?
What is the total capacity?
The larger your household, the more capacity the steamers should have. For a family of 4, a steam cooker with a total capacity of 9 liters is perfectly adequate.
What is the power?
The more power your steam cooker has, the faster and the more steam per minute it produces. With a powerful steam cooker, you can make a complete meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
What are the options?
Almost all steam cookers have a timer, with which you set the steaming time, and an indication of the water level. usually they also have automatic shut-off after the steaming process. some steam cookers also have a keep-warm mode. Additional features include temperature settings and pre-programmed steaming processes. It can also be convenient to have the option to refill water through one or two filler openings while steaming.
What is your budget?
Which product you buy also depends, of course, on how much you have to spend. For less than 50 euros you can already buy an excellent steam cooker, but there are also more expensive products with many extra features.
Conclusion: the best steam cooker for you
In our opinion, the best steam cooker of 2024 is the Magimix Le Cuiseur Vapeur, which allows you to easily prepare meals in a professional way. The only downside is the price. If you have a little less to spend, consider the Russell Hobbs Cook@Home steam cooker or the even cheaper Aigostar Fitfoodie 30 CFO. Otherwise, check out our top 10 if you have special features on your wish list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. In fact, a steam cooker preserves the maximum nutrients in your food. Plus, you cook without oil or butter.
Steaming is a way of cooking that allows you to put a complete healthy meal on the table without spending hours in the kitchen. You fill the reservoir with water and put the ingredients in the pans. Cover and steam away!
No. You can get one for just a few bucks. If you’re looking for the best buy, read the product description of the Russell Hobbs Cook@Home steam cooker.