The 9 Best Food Steamers of 2024

Best Overall

Hamilton Beach 37530A Digital Food Steamer

View On Amazon $50 View On Wayfair $50 View On Walmart $50

This 5.5-quart electric steamer has two tiers that stack for cooking and nest for more compact storage, so you can use just one tier for cooking smaller batches or two tiers for larger batches. The tiers have a removable center divider so that you can keep foods separated or remove the divider to cook larger ingredients.

The rice bowl can be used for rice or for other small foods that need to be contained, like peas or corn kernels. When the steaming is done, the machine automatically switches to a keep-warm setting for one hour before turning off to avoid overcooking the food, although we found that it can sometimes continue cooking the food past the point of doneness. We left our extra vegetables in the steamer on the warm setting, and after just five minutes, they were too soft and mushy.

That said, we steamed broccoli and green beans in the top basket and salmon in the lower basket (at the same time), and the meal turned out deliciously (and better than the same dish cooked on a stovetop steamer) minus the keep-warm mishap. Other items that came out near-perfect included steamed rice (using the included insert), steamed carrots and potatoes, and steamed pears. 

The delay-start feature lets you fill the steamer with produce in advance and start the cooking later. This feature shouldn’t be used for highly perishable foods like fish, poultry, or meat. This steamer includes a drip tray and rice bowl that are dishwasher-safe, but the food containers should be washed by hand.

Capacity: 5.5 quarts | Weight: 3.97 pounds | Dimensions: 12.6 x 13.7 x 7.28 inches | Warranty: 1 year

Best Design

Caraway Steamer

View On Carawayhome.com

Caraway, known for its popular and near-perfect cookware set, launched a steamer set, which is just as gorgeous and high-performing as the former. The collection, dubbed the Steamer Duo, includes two sturdy, nonstick ceramic steamer baskets that fit right inside the Caraway Dutch oven and saucepan. The lids included with those pans fit snugly on top, too.

We steamed frozen broccoli and fresh carrots in the Dutch oven and its steamer, and they were ready in about 15 minutes. Just note that the lid handle gets hot during use, so you'll want to keep an oven mitt or kitchen towel handy. Once the cookware has cooled and you've given it a wash and dry, the steamers can be nested into their respective pots, with only a small amount of extra space needed for vertical cabinet or cupboard clearance.

Another potential downside: Caraway's steamers can only be used with Caraway cookware, so you can't just buy these and expect them to fit in the pots you already own. The good news is, if you only have the Caraway Dutch oven or saucepan, each steamer can be purchased individually outside of the set. So, if you have Caraway cookware, we highly recommend the steamers: They're sleek, strong, perform very well, and are easy to clean.

Size: Large fits in the 6.5-quart Dutch oven, small fits in the 3-quart sauce pan | Material: Nonstick ceramic, aluminum core, and stainless steel handles

Best High-End

Cuisinart Digital Glass Steamer

View On Amazon $160 View On Kohls.com $160 View On Cuisinart.com

If you don’t like the idea of cooking in plastic, this steamer has a 5.2-quart glass cooking pot, a stainless steel steaming tray, and a glass lid with stainless steel trim: All parts are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. The LCD control panel includes start/stop, pause, and reheat buttons along with pre-programmed food settings to make cooking easy. You can also set the controls manually for custom cooking.

The steam comes from the top down, surrounding the food and cooking it quickly and evenly. The water tank is removable for easy filling and two handles on the steamer tray make it easy to remove the cooked food. During testing, everything we made turned out perfectly, and even though it only has one steamer basket, the capacity was enough food for a family of five.

This steamer is available with either stainless steel or white exterior trim.

Capacity: 5.2 quarts | Weight: 15.75 pounds | Dimensions: 13.7 x 13.2 x 9.4 inches | Warranty: Lifetime

Best Multicooker

Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooker

View On Amazon $123 View On Walmart $98 View On Newegg.com $109

A pressure cooker may not be the first appliance that comes to mind when you think about steaming food, but this one has a number of functions up its sleeve. In fact, there are 14 pre-set programs, including Steam. For this program, the InstantPot heats up steep and quick, to bring the contents to pressure, without fear of overcooking them.

This is a great option for someone who has limited space in their kitchen, or who just doesn't want to buy a number of different single-function appliances. We put the InstantPot Duo through a gamut of tests, and it impressed us nearly every time. Slow cooking made a delicious chili with tender beans and beef chuck, the sauté feature cooked both onions, meat, and mushrooms really well, and even when manually programming the InstantPot ourselves, we were able to create a mushroom risotto and salmon filets.

There were a few functions that didn't impress us (we're looking at you, Yogurt button) since some didn't come up to temperature, but the pros absolutely outweigh the cons.

Capacity: 3, 6, 8 quarts | Weight: 11.8 pounds | Dimensions: 13.39 x 12.21 x 12.48 inches

Best Stovetop

Anolon Classic Stainless Steel Steamer Insert

View On Amazon $40 View On Dillards.com

This steamer insert fits onto just about any 2-, 3-, or 4-quart saucepan, including both straight-sided and tulip-shaped pots. It rests on the sides of the pot, so the food in the steamer bowl remains well above the simmering water.

The steamer is made from stainless steel and has a shatter-resistant glass lid that fits snugly and keeps the steam contained while also allowing you to peek into the steamer to watch the progress of the cooking. The steamer and lid are dishwasher safe. If you have a use for it, the steamer is oven-safe to 500 degrees. We don't love that this one is only one tier, but its ability to fit in a multitude of different-sized pans makes it worth it.

Capacity: 2 quarts | Weight: 2.13 pounds | Dimensions: 10.98 x 8.23 x 6.69 inches | Warranty: Lifetime

Best Budget

Bella Food Steamer

View On Amazon $35 View On Walmart $53 View On Boscovs.com

Most electric steamers are surprisingly expensive, but this one is both affordable and widely raved about. The 7.4-quart capacity can fit a lot of food, whether you're steaming meat, fish, or vegetables or cooking dim sum, hard-boiled eggs, or grains (the steamer comes with a 5-cup capacity rice bowl). Setup is quick and easy, and the electric base heats up quickly to minimize your wait time. The base features a water level indicator, an external water filler for easy refill without having to interrupt the cooking process, and an auto-shutoff when the water runs out, which is a great safety feature. You just add your food to the steamer, set your dial, and go about your business—very "set it and forget it" style.

Whether you're washing the removable parts by hand or in the dishwasher, cleanup is very easy. A few users note experiencing a bit of leaking from their steamer, so you may want to place it on a towel as you get the hang of using it. There is a warm setting, but like with most electric steamers, it can be good to keep an eye on your food so that it doesn't overcook while in warm mode. A guide is included with cook times so that you can get just the right level of doneness for different foods.

Capacity: 7.4 quarts | Weight: 4.58 pounds | Dimensions: 11.61 x 8.94 x 11.73 inches | Warranty: 2 years

Best Compact

OXO Good Grips Silicone Steamer

View On Amazon $19 View On Walmart $9 View On Ace Hardware $20

If you don’t want another appliance on your counter, this silicone steamer will fit into any pot with a 7-inch diameter or greater, and it rolls up for easy storage. The stay-cool handles make it easy to lower food into the pot. Not only can you use this steamer on the stovetop, but it also fits neatly into an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, multi-cooker, or rice cooker. The handles lock together to keep them out of the way when you seal the cooker’s lid.

Silicone is naturally nonstick, so it is easy to clean and dishwasher-safe. For even more versatility, it can also be used in the microwave. It's definitely smaller compared to other options on this list, but this can be a good thing for some cooks with a smaller kitchen/storage space.

Material: Silicone | Weight: 0.525 pounds | Dimensions: 13.3 x 9.1 x 6.5 inches

Best Bamboo

Mister Kitchenware 10 Inch Handmade Bamboo Steamer

View On Amazon $33 View On Walmart $54

Bamboo steamers are traditional for Chinese dumplings and dim sum dishes, but they’re just as handy for steaming vegetables, chicken, fish, and tamales. This set includes two stacking steamer baskets plus a domed lid, so there’s plenty of space for dinner and sides. The two baskets can be used together when there’s a lot to cook, or they can be used separately. The baskets are 10 inches in diameter and designed for use in a wok, but can also be used over a pot that’s an appropriate size.

This set includes a sample of 10 disposable basket liners for foods that might stick to the bamboo, so cleaning is easier. Since the 10-inch size is standard, it’s easy to find additional disposable liners that fit the baskets, as well as reusable silicone liners. It also includes a set of chopsticks that can come in handy for placing and removing the foods and a sauce dish for when it’s time to serve.

Weight: 1.69 pounds | Dimensions: 10-inch diameter