Steamers

[sammd]

I've been using one of those wicker/Chinese style steamers to steam my vegetables which you just pop over the top of a saucepan of boiling water. I was looking at proper steamers online (i.e. a whole appliance in themselves - plastic/metal) and was wondering are these better than the method i'm currently using?

[nickmo]

Personnaly, no. Save your money.

[Donquixote]

No...don't bother. They do exactly the same job as a bamboo steamer, and nothing more. If anything, buy a good quality pan with a steamer insert - it'll never break down or blow a fuse!

[Bohne]

I've just seen one at ASDA, last week, and was actually considering getting it for a friend who does a lot of steaming.

The disadvantage I see is that of (yet another) kitchen appliance cluttering up the cupboards, so I decided against it.

[kitty1950]

I agree with you all. I had one bought for me one christmas and it's in the back of a cupboard. I have a steamer insert that fits any of a normal 3 pan set bought from matalan years ago (�6.99) it also is used as a colander.

[WendyS]

One can probably do just as well using an ordinary saucepan with a lid and using the absolute minimum of boiling water - barely enough to cover the vegetables.

Most kitchens (and definitely ours) are absolutely cluttered up with gadgets which are purchased or gifted and which are hardly ever used.

I doubt with the steamers advertised are any more effective than the method you're already using.

[Poppy]

We have a Tefal steamer and use it most evenings for vegetables. They are a bit of a faff to clean so I really think you're best off with your Chinese one! The only good thing I suppose is that there are three layers so you can do your potatoes on the bottom one, vegetables and then fish for example on th top one. Quite easy! Maybe you can get multi layered bamboo ones too.

[sammd]

Thanks for all your posts! Seems that what i expected is true - think i'll avoid cluttering up my kitchen with an unnecessary appliance!

Poppy - the bamboo ones are also multilayered :)

[Cathyhuns]

I disagree. I am on my 4th or 5th and wouldn't be without it. As Poppy says you can separate different vegetables and cook them for different lengths of time. They taste better than boiling and, once set up, you don't have to keep checking that they're not boiling too hard or slow and keep adjusting the temperature like you do with a saucepan. Rice is particularly good - 50 minutes in the steamer with no checking. To clean, just pop the baskets in the dishwasher, wipe off the outside and descale regularly.

However, they aren't very reliable (but then most new appliances aren't) so I'd only go for a cheap one as the expensive ones are no better and break down just as quickly.

[sammd]

Hmm, thanks Cathyhuns but as i'm just steaming vegetables for 5 minutes or so and don't have a family to feed yet i think i'll stick with the bamboo - not only cheaper and less likely to break down but also biodegradable when it eventually gets thrown away :o)