The Greatest Steamer Baskets of 2022

In terms of steamer baskets, there are two camps: individuals who already know and love the useful little instrument…and the individuals who don’t (but). A steamer basket makes fast work out greens, the easiest-to-peel “boiled” eggs, and extra.

There are several types of steamer baskets (trays, bamboo steamers), however this evaluate is concentrated on common steamer basket inserts that are supposed to be used with quite a lot of cookware, like saucepans and Dutch ovens. Lots of the fashions we examined have some capacity to increase or collapse based mostly on the vessel you might have, moderately than units or brand-specific inserts. 

A flexible and high-performing steamer basket doesn’t need to be a splurge. All the inserts we checked out have been between $10 and $30 (on the time of publish). We evaluated 10 totally different fashions—made from stainless-steel, silicone, and even plastic—to seek out the very best ones.

The Winners, at a Look

The Greatest General Steamer Basket: KitchenAid Common Steamer Basket

In comparison with the super-shiny and simply scratched surfaces of different stainless-steel fashions, the polished end of the KitchenAid steamer basket made it really feel high-end, and the sturdy building proved it. This steamer was additionally amongst probably the most sturdy when repeatedly dropped. It slot in a smaller saucepan, and might totally increase for bigger vessels.

The Greatest Price range Steamer Basket: Consevisen Steamer Basket

The Consevisen Steamer Basket carried out higher than the opposite lower-priced fashions and among the higher-priced ones, too. It was rather less sturdy than our different winners, however steamed simply as effectively. It was narrower than different steel steamers, making it a great decide for smaller saucepans and Dutch ovens.

The Greatest Silicone Steamer Basket: OXO Good Grips Silicone Steamer

Whereas the stainless-steel fashions’ foldable petals made them extra versatile, in addition they made them tougher to scrub. This OXO silicone steamer basket was a breeze to clean and could be nice for cooking piles of greens or lengthy fish fillets.

The Exams

• Steamed Broccoli Take a look at: We cooked a 1/2-pound of broccoli with every steamer basket in a 3-quart saucepan to check how the fashions carried out in a smaller pot. After steaming, we famous how effectively every basket contained the recent broccoli inside whereas lifting it out of the saucepan.
• Frozen Dumpling Take a look at: To estimate capability, we stuffed every steamer basket with as many frozen dumplings because it may match (with out overcrowding), then steamed the dumplings in a large, 7-quart stockpot.
• Drop Exams: We dropped every basket from a foot above the countertop 5 instances, then from hip top onto the ground 5 instances to gauge sturdiness.
• Open and Shut Take a look at: We opened and closed our profitable steamer baskets 20 instances every to duplicate repeated makes use of, and famous any modifications that would have an effect on sturdiness.
• Usability Exams: All through our analysis, we examined how simple every steamer basket was to make use of. We additionally checked out how straightforward every one was to maneuver whereas scorching with both tongs or a fork (if the deal with had a gap for one).
• Cleanup Exams: We cleaned the steamer baskets by hand with a sponge and soapy water after every use, noting any difficulties.

What We Discovered

Handles Mattered for Ease (and Security)

The handles of steamer baskets are available all kinds of shapes and types, and might enormously have an effect on a steamer’s ease of use. Essentially the most easy to handle straight from the pot have been the double silicone handles of the OXO Good Grips Silicone Steamer, which stayed manageably cool to the contact even after lengthy steaming classes. On all of the others, although, there have been variations on a deal with within the heart of the basket. Among the handles had holes built-in, excellent for slipping the tines of a fork into and lifting that approach; others simply supplied a knob on the high to know with oven mitts or tongs. Each types labored effectively, relying on one’s choice. On a majority of stainless-steel fashions, these handles have been detachable for cooking bigger gadgets, both through a built-in mechanism just like the Starfrit Stainless Metal Vegetable Steamer’s straightforward twist-to-unlock methodology or (extra generally) by unscrewing the deal with manually, like with the Consevisen Steamer Basket. 

On among the steamer baskets, the deal with had a telescoping functionality that was meant to increase easily when the highest of the knob was lifted, designed to maintain one’s fingers away from scorching meals and steam. This function tended to be impartial and even damaging to the general expertise of the steamer basket, as many telescoping handles both didn’t perform appropriately (just like the Martha Stewart Stainless Metal Folding Steamer Insert, which had a stiff deal with that may not telescope except forcibly pulled) or grew to become wobbly after use (just like the OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Steamer). The exception was our winner, the KitchenAid Common Steamer Basket. Its deal with expanded fluidly when lifted, then fell again into place when launched. Typically, we discovered that handles that didn’t telescope have been preferable to ones which will accomplish that unpredictably, doubtlessly inflicting splashes of boiling water or falling meals.

For Capability and Versatility, Flatter Was Higher

Throughout testing, we discovered stainless-steel fashions to be extra adaptable than the silicone and plastic fashions—not due to the steel itself, however due to the construction it supplied. A static basket- or bowl-shaped steamer basket, just like the MSC Worldwide Joie Silicone Steamer was wonderful for steaming piles of veggies, however supplied restricted house for meals that wanted to be positioned in a single layer or with room in between items, like dumplings. As soon as expanded, the foldable petals of the stainless-steel fashions supplied further floor space to set gadgets with out overcrowding. Throughout testing, the Joie Silicone Steamer may solely maintain 5 dumplings round its base; the typical for the steel steamers was 16!

Even between the stainless-steel steamer baskets, there have been some variations. Some fashions just like the KitchenAid had petals that expanded down right into a flatter layer, which made it simpler to prepare dinner extra meals without delay. It additionally made it much less doubtless that the meals would shift whereas shifting the steamer into the pot or throughout cooking, which may end in sticking or tearing of the outer layer on delicate gadgets like dumplings.

The Standards: What to Search for In a Steamer Basket

A fantastic steamer ought to be a workhorse within the kitchen and handy to make use of, with a deal with that’s straightforward to elevate and maneuver (both with a gap for a fork or a knob that may be grasped with tongs). It doesn’t want a telescoping deal with—but when it has one, the deal with ought to increase and collapse simply, so it doesn’t drop without warning when the basket is loaded with substances. For households that largely steam greens, a silicone bowl-shaped steamer is an easy-to-clean answer. For bigger meals or gadgets that must be spaced out, a chrome steel steamer basket that may increase down right into a flat layer not solely provides extra floor space to steam on, however is sensible to fold up and retailer away.

The Greatest General Steamer Basket: KitchenAid Common Steamer Basket

What we preferred: All through every take a look at, the KitchenAid Common Steamer Basket proved to be sturdy and straightforward to make use of. Its middle-of-the-road measurement made good use of house in a smaller, 3-quart saucepan whereas steaming broccoli, then expanded practically flat to carry loads of dumplings within the bigger 7-quart stockpot. In comparison with the opposite steel fashions, the polished stainless-steel was thick and didn’t dent as a lot across the base in the course of the drop exams. Even after the sturdiness exams, the motion of the petals remained managed and clean as an alternative of turning into unfastened and floppy (one in every of only some fashions to realize this).

What we didn’t like: Like the remainder of the collapsible stainless-steel steamers, the KitchenAid required further care throughout hand washing to take away each little bit of meals within the perforations and across the folding petals after every use. 

Worth at time of publish: $22.

Key Specs

• Dumpling Capability: 19
• Base diameter: 6.5 inches
• Prolonged diameter: 10 inches
• Supplies: Chrome steel with silicone toes protectors and plastic deal with
• Care directions: Dishwasher-safe, however handwashing advisable
• Instantaneous Pot-friendly?: Sure

The Greatest Price range Steamer Basket: Consevisen Steamer Basket

What we preferred: This cheap steamer accomplished all of our exams with few complaints. In design, it’s practically an identical to the costlier Farberware Skilled Stainless Metal Vegetable Steamer, however features a fork opening within the deal with. It was the smallest of the stainless-steel fashions—however as soon as prolonged, it nonetheless held extra dumplings than all three non-stainless metal baskets and practically as many because the Farberware (which held 12). Its 5.5-inch base means it may match smaller pots, too.

What we didn’t like: The deal with of the Consevisen basket—which needed to be assembled by pushing it into the bottom earlier than use—remained extraordinarily stiff all through all the exams and would solely prolong or collapse when pressured, rendering the telescoping skills moot (though not missed). Due to some minor denting and petal loosening, it ranked barely decrease in sturdiness than the KitchenAid, Farberware, and Martha Stewart steamer baskets throughout our drop exams. Nevertheless, it could be cheap to interchange, ought to extra critical harm happen.

Worth at time of publish: $11.

Key Specs

• Dumpling Capability: 11
• Base diameter: 5.5 inches
• Prolonged diameter: 8.5 inches
• Supplies: Chrome steel with silicone toes protectors and plastic deal with
• Care directions: Dishwasher-safe
• Instantaneous Pot-friendly?: Sure

The Greatest Silicone Steamer Basket: OXO Good Grips Silicone Steamer

What we preferred: The silicone was naturally nonstick and a cinch to scrub. The facet handles could be interlocked throughout the highest of the steamer throughout cooking and have been cool sufficient to the touch afterward, eliminating the necessity for tongs or a fork to elevate it out of the recent pot. With no deal with within the heart, this steamer basket could be wonderful for cooking bigger greens (like corn on the cob) or a protracted piece of fish.

What we didn’t like: When used within the smaller pot, the basket’s handles simply grew to become unhooked from each other and pushed the lid up barely, permitting steam to flee. With no sturdy construction, the silicone folds right into a sling when lifted—which may result in meals shifting or falling out from the open sides. As a result of the partitions are slanted, capability is restricted for gadgets that need to be spaced aside from each other, like dumplings.

Worth at time of publish: $17.

Key Specs

• Dumpling Capability: 8
• Diameter: 8.5 inches
• Supplies: Silicone
• Care directions: Dishwasher-safe
• Instantaneous Pot-friendly?: Sure

The Competitors

• OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Steamer with Extendable Deal with: This mannequin had a detachable deal with that was straightforward to maneuver with each tongs and a fork, but it surely suffered within the sturdiness exams. The deal with grew to become wobbly after it was eliminated based on instructions the primary time, and the skinny metal petals felt flimsy and floppy. Each points worsened considerably after the drop exams.
• Starfrit Stainless Metal Vegetable Steamer: The Starfrit steamer carried out equally to the opposite steel baskets, however its perforations have been barely jagged and roughed up our sponge and fingertips throughout cleansing.
• Joseph Joseph Bloom Steamer Basket: Whereas the aptly named Bloom Steamer Basket was some of the visually interesting fashions, the slanted, concave petals wrapped up and across the contents of the basket within the smaller pot, limiting the capability and crowding the greens inside.
• Sayfine Vegetable Steamer Basket: This steamer basket sustained probably the most harm in the course of the drop exams with vital dents across the backside. It had uncovered screw tops within the base which made cleansing tougher and lacked each a real deal with (it solely had a skinny key ring on the high) in addition to protecting covers on the steel toes to forestall scratches on the underside of the pot.
• MSC Worldwide Joie Silicone Steamer: Whereas cute, the Joie Silicone Steamer was too small to suit something past a serving or two. It does finest with small items of meals (like chopped greens) that may be piled contained in the “bowl” of the steamer, because the partitions don’t simply fold right down to accommodate gadgets that want extra space (like dumplings).
• Farberware Skilled Stainless Metal Vegetable Steamer: The Farberware steamer carried out practically in addition to the KitchenAid in each take a look at, however was $2 extra in value and had a decrease capability (it held 11 dumplings versus our winner’s 19). 
• Martha Stewart Stainless Metal Folding Steamer Insert: This mannequin was probably the most sturdy of all those we examined: the thick stainless-steel barely dented when repeatedly dropped. It was additionally the biggest, with a 7-inch base and 11-inch diameter as soon as expanded. Sadly, its extensive measurement meant it barely match within the 3-quart pot and didn’t even totally increase within the 7-quart, making it too cumbersome to be environment friendly for on a regular basis use.

FAQs

What’s a steamer basket?

Steamer baskets are used to carry meals (usually substances like greens, fish, frozen dumplings, and so forth.) simply above simmering water, permitting it to prepare dinner rapidly and gently within the steam that builds up in a coated pot.

How do you utilize a steamer basket?

Steamer baskets could be inserted right into a pot that has about an inch of simmering water within the backside. For finest outcomes, the water degree ought to be just under the steamer basket so the meals within the backside of the basket just isn’t sitting or boiling within the water, and the pot ought to have a well-fitting lid that stops steam from escaping. For gadgets that require quarter-hour or extra to steam, you’ll want to verify the pot and add extra water if essential to keep away from the pot from boiling dry, which might harm each the steamer basket and your cookware.

Can I exploit a steamer basket in an Instantaneous Pot?

Most stainless-steel and silicone steamer baskets can be utilized within the Instantaneous Pot, however it is suggested that you simply verify the producer’s pointers in your steamer basket earlier than utilizing it underneath stress.