Best Electric Food steamer in India 2023

Are you looking for the best Food steamer in India?

A food steamer or steam cooker helps cook food using steam by holding the food in a closed vessel, reducing steam escape.

Due to their health aspect (cooking without any oil), stainless steel food steamers are getting popular in India.

In this article, we have listed the best electric Food steamers, that work with Gas stoves, Induction cooktops or on Electricity.

Best Food Steamer in India

Food Steamers	Type	Capacity
Steemo Electric Food Steamer	Electric	5 L
Panasonic Food Steamer	Electric	4.4 L
Glen 3052 Steam Cooker	Electric	3 L
Amazon Brand Food Steamer	Stainless Steel	4 L
Vinayak Food Steamer	Gas stove	4.5 L
Vinod Stainless Steel Steam Cooker	Induction compatible	2 L
Pristine Tri Ply Food Steamer	Stainless Steel	2
Vinod Cookware Food Steamer	Stainless Steel	2

Best overall: Steemo Electric Food Steamer

When it comes to food steamers, Steemo is one of the top recommended brands to choose from.

This Steemo cooker comes with 600 Watts of power and has a 5-litre cooking capacity.

It has a turbo steam generator that starts within 30 seconds of turning this steamer ON.

This is an electric steam cooker and the base is made of plastic. It comes with 6 timer settings – 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes.

It comes with 3 baskets and a transparent glass lid. 2 baskets are stainless steel type and one is glass type.

The glass basket sits near the base and other baskets sit on top of it.

It can make soup (extract) with the soup attachment. You can steam other food items like idly, soft dhokla, khichdi, pulao, kheer, noodles, cake, pudding, sprouts, sweet corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, seafood, and boiled eggs.

Warranty: 1-year warranty.

Weight: 3.75 kg

Wattage: 600 Watts

 Pros:

• Power indicator light.
• Safety provisions of timer and “no water” cut off
• Cleaning up the appliance is easy

Cons:

• It is sufficient for a family of two adults plus two kids, but for a larger family, you need a bigger steamer.
• Price is a bit on the higher side

Rice Cooker: Panasonic SR-WA18H

If you’re looking for an electric steam rice cooker, then Panasonic SR-WA18H model is worth mentioning.

Wattage: 660 Watts.

Capacity: 4.4 L.

Warranty: 5-years warranty.

Weight: 3.83 kg.

The rice cooking pan is made of anodized aluminium which makes it corrosion-resistant.

This Panasonic SR-WA 18H can keep your food warm for up to 5 hours.

It is a 4.4-litre compact food steamer that does not take up too much space, and hence can be kept anywhere. 

In addition to the pan, the food steamer also has 2 baskets and a cooking plate for cooking food and vegetables separately. 

Panasonic cooker is integrated with a thermostat that allows you to regulate the temperature as per requirement. 

Pros:

• Cook up to 1.25 kg rice.
• 5 years warranty is not given by other brands.
• Easy to use.

Cons:

• No soup extractor.
• Requires precision measuring of water.
• After cooking rice sticks on the pan and plate surface, are difficult to wash.

Affordable Steam Cooker: Glen 3052

Glen is an affordable steam cooker manufacturer in India. They are superior in chimney and gas hobs manufacturing.

The Glen 3052 model comes with 900 watts of power. It is best for steaming vegetables and boiling eggs.

Wattage: 900 Watts.

Capacity: Unknown

Warranty: 2-year warranty.

Weight: 2.90 kg.

Pros:

• Precise timer with 5 to 20 minutes divider.
• Easy to refill water (1 L tank).
• Slots for holding eggs.
• Lighter in weight. (2.9 Kg)
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• Not for cooking rice.

Large Cooking Capacity: Russell Hobs

Solimo Stainless Steel Food steamer

Solimo is Amazon’s private label that provides high-quality home, kitchen and personal care products at affordable prices.

This steamer is best for everyday use and is made of food-grade stainless steel.

This appliance comes in two parts. While one is a casserole, the other is a steamer. So, you can boil veggies in the casserole and make momos, khandvi, chicken or meat in the steamer.

Both of them combinedly comes with a capacity of 4 litres, allowing you to prepare delicious recipes for 4 to 5 people at once.

You also get a sturdy glass lid to help you monitor the steaming process. Also, the glass material has good heat retention properties to keep the food hot for 3 hours.

Benefits:

• The casserole has a heavy gauge steel bottom. So, you can use it alone on the stovetop or induction top to make curries, dal or any other dish. 
• The entire unit except the lid is dishwasher-safe. So, it is easy to maintain.

Warranty: N/A

Weight: 1.46 kgs

Pros:

• Takes just 10 minutes to steam vegetables.
• Sturdy steel handles help you lift the containers with ease.
• Dishwasher-safe and easy to maintain.
• Lightweight.
• Has a long-lasting shine.
• Rustproof.
• Compatible with induction cooktops.

Cons:

• No warranty from the brand.

Gas stove Compatible: Vinayak Steamer set

Induction compatible: Vinod Stainless Steel Steamer

Buying Guide

If you check online, you will find a variety of Food steamers available in the market and this can get you confused too. Here is a buying guide that will help you pick the best one for you.

Types of Food Steamers

Based on the source of power that they use for steaming, food steamers are categorized into different types. Let’s learn more about all the basic types of food steamers that you can find in the market.

Electric Food Steamers

Electric steamers are standalone kitchen appliances that need AC power to run. These steamers require timely maintenance.

Electric steamers feature a chamber where you can add water that will be used for steaming. There is a heating element that heats water to generate steam to cook food. Electric steamers generally come with perforated and stackable trays so that the steam can pass through the holes easily.

There are multiple trays so that you can cook multiple foods at the same time. Electric food steamers are portable and hence, they are travel-friendly too. These steamers don’t usually release a lot of heat in the kitchen or wherever you are using them. In some electric steamers, you will find dividers in a container.

Most electric food steamers feature great and advanced functions like an LCD control panel, audible alerts, digital timers, and different cooking modes. Some rice cookers can be used as steamers too. They have special basket inserts.

Pressure Steamers

Pressure steamers make use of steam and pressure to cook varieties of food items. These models can be either stovetop or electric pressure cookers.

They generate steam under optimal temperatures and promote heat transfer in an adequate amount. Pressure steamers generally come with a locking lid that helps in holding high pressure inside the cooking chamber. The lid also prevents the heat from escaping out.

After steaming, it takes some time for the steamer to depressurize completely. You can open the lid and take out the food only after depressurizing is done completely. Even though these steamers use low temperatures to cook food, the cooking time is reduced drastically because of the pressurized way of cooking.

Stovetop Steamers

Using a steamer basket is an easy and simple way to cook food on the stovetop. You can simply place the food in the steamer basket and place it in the pot or pan containing water. This pot is then kept over the stovetop. You can begin the steaming process after shutting the lid.

The pot must contain enough water so that the food cooks properly in the steam. Some models of stovetop steamers even have one or more platforms that fit properly on the pan.

These platforms are generally perforated so that you can add them or remove them whenever required. They can also be used as double boilers. In some models, you can even find stovetop steamers where one pan can be placed on the top of the other.

Microwave Steamers

Microwave food steamers can be put directly in a microwave. These steamers are less expensive and are generally made using plastic. However, you can find some models that are made using microwave-safe materials like ceramic, silicone, and polycarbonate.

Microwave steamers made using plastic can affect the overall quality of food.

The non-stick materials used are resistant to heat and have scratch-resistant surfaces. They come in different shapes and are dishwasher safe as well.

Material

The materials that are used to make steamers can also make a huge difference. While some materials are eco-friendly, others are heat efficient. Some materials also promote a healthy way of cooking. You should look for a steamer that offers a combination of all these useful factors.

• Metal Steamers:

You can use these metal steamers over both gas stoves and inductions. Metal steamers have been around in the market for a long time.

They either come with one or multiple tiers and are made using aluminium or stainless steel. They mostly have glass lids. Even though glass lids are more prone to breakage, it is easier for you to monitor the cooking process without removing the lid multiple times. In this way, you can prevent the steam from escaping out.

When compared to aluminium steamers, the models of steamers made using stainless are more expensive. Not only these models are eco-friendly but are stable and durable too.

• Bamboo Steamers:

Bamboo steamers are also eco-friendly options and usually come with 2 or more identical baskets that can sit on top of each of them. Foods that take a long time can be placed in the bottom-most basket.

Items that take less cooking time like vegetables can be put on the upper baskets. When the foods in the upper basket are cooked, you can remove them.

However, you cannot use a bamboo steamer on a gas stove, induction, or any other heating device directly. Instead, you will have to keep the steamer in a large and closed cooking pot with water. This water will be used to build the stem inside the pot.

Also, you must use liners like parchment paper or banana leaves while cooking in bamboo steamers. Using liners prevent the base of the bamboo basket from staining.

• Glass Steamers:

In glass steamers, both the cooking pot and the lid are made using glass. It is then attached to an electric steamer. The container is placed above the water tank.

Glass steamers can be used to make a variety of dishes. You can even use these cooking pots as serving dishes and you can keep them in the fridge too. They are dishwasher safe.

• Plastic Steamers:

Some models of electric steamers have plastic containers and trays. They are very light in weight. However, these cheaper options of containers can harm the taste of the food.

Some users feel that plastic is not healthy when it comes to cooking. Hence, while buying, make sure that it is BPA-free and safe for cooking. The advantage of using plastic steamers is they are transparent like glass. This helps you in monitoring the cooking process.

Steamer Capacity

You can select the size of the steamer depending on the number of members in your family and your style of cooking,

Food steamers are available in different capacities. Smaller steamers are available from 1 litre and the size can go up to 10 litres or more.

If you live alone, you can buy a mini stovetop steamer or the smallest model of an electric steamer. But, if there are 4 or more members in your family, you can opt for a large and multi-tiered steamer.

For people who plan to steam dishes only once in a while, you can go for tiny and space-saving models of food steamers.

But, if you want to make a complete meal for the entire family, you should buy a steamer with a minimum of 5-litre capacity. If there are more members in your family or if you want to make food for a special event at your place, you can even go for an 8-litre capacity.

Wattage

Electric food steamers generally have a power of about 850 to 1000 watts. It is recommended for household usage.

Timer

The timer option in an electric food steamer prevents the food from getting overcooked. You can set the timer and let it cook. The steamer will turn off automatically after reaching the designated time. While the old and conventional models feature mechanical dials, advanced and modern models have digital displays.

There is another feature called Delay-start that can be helpful too. The steamer will start work at the time that you have set already using this function.

Keep Warm

A few models of food steamers have an automatic keep-warm feature while in a few models, you have to set the steamer to warm function manually after the steaming is done. Most steamers can keep the food warm for a long time.

However, the steamer must have enough water to keep this keep warm function working.

Visible Water Gauge

A visible water gauge option is available in electric food steamers so that you can check the water levels. Some models of steamers even come with an external water inlet so that you can fill the water in the container without taking the container out. This also prevents the chances of accidental burns.

Counter Space

Electric steamers are those types of kitchen appliances where you can simply keep the food and let it cook without the need for monitoring. Hence, they require some counter space, preferably near an electric outlet. This might be an issue for people with smaller kitchen spaces.

If there is less space on the kitchen counter, you can buy a traditional stovetop steamer. Even though these models require constant attention when required to the electric models, they help maximize the space available in the kitchen. They can easily fit inside pots and can be stored easily.

Storage

An ideal kitchen appliance can be stored in a kitchen cabinet easily. Sometimes, it is a bit difficult to store the entire unit in the cabinet. Some units can be disassembled and stored.

If there are bowls available with the steamer, they should be nested within each other. This makes it easier to store the unit. There are some collapsible models available too. It is very easy to store such models.

Number of Tiers

Before buying a steamer, you should think of the type of food that you are making and the total number of members in your family. Steamers that have multiple tiers allow you to cook different types of foods at the same time. It allows you to keep the food items separately.

You can also add or remove the food items at different times. This is especially important if the cooking time for each item is different.

Steamer Baskets

Most of the steamers contain three stackable baskets with holes at the bottom so that the steam can pass through. These steam baskets are either of the same sizes or different sizes.

There are 3 different types of baskets that come with food steamers:

• Equal-size Baskets:

You can stack these equal-sized baskets in any order you want. These types of baskets are very helpful in controlling the intensity of temperature.

You can also rearrange the order of the baskets so that the food does not get overcooked or burnt.

• Variable-Sized Baskets:

Since the size of baskets is different, you will have to plan the cooking sequence in advance and then keep them or arrange them in that order.

The advantage of variable-sized baskets is that that that you can stack them inside each other to easily and conveniently store.

• Baskets with Removable Bases:

In some models of food steamers, you get an option to remove the base. By removing the base, you can fit all the baskets together to make a tall steam compartment. This is very helpful while cooking food in large quantities.

These baskets that have removable bases are easy to clean.

Steaming Process

Not all steamers are designed to make all types of food. Hence, you must decide the type of food that you want to steam before only and then buy a steamer accordingly.

Apart from this, you should also consider the steaming time. It should meet your cooking requirements too. Thus, you must consider the water holding capacity as well.

Ease of Cleaning

Similar to any other kitchen accessory, food steamers should also be easy to clean. There are a few models that are easy to clean whereas some models are a bit difficult to clean. Thus, you must consider this factor and check whether it is easy to clean or not.

Some models even have containers and lids that are dishwasher safe.

Brand

It is always suggested to buy a steamer from a trusted brand as they offer guaranteed services. With new or infamous brands, you might face quality or service issues.

Buying a steamer from a well-known brand will prevent you from facing such issues. You also get a warranty on such products along with good after-sale service.

Reviews

If you are buying a food steamer for the first time, you must always do some background research and check all the pros and cons of the model that you are willing to buy. You can check the reviews of the customers who have already bought that steamer to get more about it.

Warranty

Even after buying a steamer from a well-known brand that is made using good quality materials, there are chances that it might be defective. Hence, you must check if the brand offers a warranty period or not.

Using this warranty, you can either replace or get a refund for the defective product. The longer the warranty period is, the better it is.

Conclusion

We hope that you liked this article on the best electric food steamer in India.

We found that Glen and Panasonic model is the best according to internal testing.