Electric vegetable steamers: your recommendations?

[rotuts]

My sister is thinking about getting an electric vegetable steamer

 

I think along these lines :

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dkitchen&field-keywords=vegetable+steamers

 

any recommendations ?  ease of use, durablitity

 

she says no to the 'InstaPot'

 

http://www.amazon.com/Oster-5712-Electronic-6-1-Quart-Steamer/dp/B00019G8IS/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1442944171&sr=1-1&keywords=vegetable+steamers

 

the multi-layer items.

Edited September 22, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[palo]

I'd like to hear someone's experiences with the multi-level models, otherwise my pick would be:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sunsella-Stainless-Steel-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B00KYDZHSI/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1442965743&sr=1-2&keywords=vegetable+steamers

 

p

[andiesenji]

I've got an older Aroma steamer that I use when I make candied ginger, rehydrate dried fruits that have dried too much or when preparing them for candying.

 

 

I also use it to steam dumplings, dim sum, and some vegetables. 

 

There are also steamped "puddings" - individual ones in cupcake liners -

 

I have a cookbook, almost 20 years old, Cooking with Steam.  I'm sure there are newer ones but this has a lot of recipes and ideas. 

[Anna N]

The electric vegetable steamers both the single level and the multi layered are in almost every thrift shop Kerry Beal and I frequent. If your sister has any thrift shops in the area you might suggest that she check there first. Owned one of the single level ones at one time but was never much of a fan of steamed anything and so it soon found its way to a thrift shop having been hardly used.

[rotuts]

AnnaN   this is pretty much what i thought, knowing nothing about them.

 

now I can tell my sister to Move On with much more authority.

[Toliver]

My mom has an old Black and Decker Steamer and she loves it mainly for the convenience of setting it (the timer) and "forgetting" it. It has a dial timer that "dings" when it's done steaming and shuts itself off.

Unfortunately, they've stopped making the model she has and the newer versions don't have anywhere near as good reviews as the reviews of the original model that she has. It's not huge so you're limited to a set amount of veggies that will fit in the steamer basket. Newer models (from other companies) now have stackable baskets, like what Asian cooks have been using forever, so you can steam multiple items at one time should the need arise.

[Smithy]

AnnaN   this is pretty much what i thought, knowing nothing about them.

 

now I can tell my sister to Move On with much more authority.

No, now you can hypnotize her into buying an Instant Pot, as you've done with so many here. I'm astonished that she told you she wasn't interested, when it obviously can steam vegetables but do much more besides.

[rotuts]

 Im still working on that.

 

I think she would get one if she would see it  and realize its not the old fashioned kind.

 

stay tuned.

[andiesenji]

I'm using my vegetable steamer now to re-hydrate dried chestnuts.  It takes about 45 minutes. 

And no, the pressure cooker does not work - they end up blasting apart under pressure and I want them in large chunks or whole, for the most part.

 

Later I will also use it to re-hydrate some dried coconut in large chips (organic). 

[Anna N]

I'm using my vegetable steamer now to re-hydrate dried chestnuts.  It takes about 45 minutes. 

And no, the pressure cooker does not work - they end up blasting apart under pressure and I want them in large chunks or whole, for the most part.

 

Later I will also use it to re-hydrate some dried coconut in large chips (organic).

But the IP, in steam mode, works without pressure.