Steamer Reviews

As for the product: I'm not into modern rice cookers. My parents have a double-lid contraption from the 60's, and it cooks the best rice out of any other place/person/cooker I've ever experienced. The new swing-lid, sealed ones cook well, but I have a soft spot for cooking mine in a plain ol' pot, as I can monkey with it while it's cooking (spices, etc.).

The real reason I'm writing this review is some misinformation from another review...
I live in the middle of rice-country in California (The last statistic I had was that CA was #2 or #3 in US rice production, following either TX or LA...), and have -literally- eaten rice 3 times per day, sometimes. I LOVE rice, and there are so many ways to cook and enjoy it that I consider it a "perfect" food.

A statement in a past review caught my attention, and I feel it needs clarification. Another reviewer wrote that rice needs to be rinsed before cooking so it won't foam. According to the reviewer, foaming is the result of packer-applied talcum powder.

Talc is NOT used by rice manufacturers and packers in the US. It was used in the past, but not now. I don't know if it's still used in Asia.

Talc wasn't used to keep rice dry, like with an infant. Talc was used to make the rice look shiny. I guess people thought shiny rice was good, or something. So, rice would have to be rinsed before cooking in order to wash away the powdered rock. People in the US still rinse rice out of habit, though there is no need. A family friend told me that she always saw her mother rinse rice, so she thought that was something "that just had to be done".

NOTE: There is no such thing as white rice. All rice is brown rice. White rice is merely brown rice with the "brown" ground off through the process of milling.

As a consumer, you wouldn't want your rice "dry". Ever. I won't go into the whole harvest-drying-milling process, but dry rice is a bad, bad thing.

In the end, you have rice with some moisture in it (around 12-13% average moisture), even after it's in a bag, sitting on a store shelf. Totally dry rice cracks and breaks easily, so that's why it needs to have some moisture when being hulled and milled, or else you'd be left with nothing but little broken bits of rice instead of nice, whole grains. Dry rice also doesn't cook as well as rice with some residual moisture.

Currently, rice is coated with glucose in order to make it more shiny (I guess people still like shiny rice...). One could argue that the glucose and some bran residues from milling would cause the boiling water in your rice cooker to foam. More likely, the starches being drawn out of the rice are causing the foaming. Think of how risotto becomes creamy -it's the starch being drawn out- and of sticky rice, which is really starchy.

The steamer insert can be used to steam broccoli or other vegetables like carrots while the rice is cooking. Simply put them in the top of the steamer after filling with rice and the water. I will often add special ingredients to the rice and love the fact that I can just leave the rice to cook. I know it will turn out perfect every time. Here is my favorite recipe. Depending on the rice you use, you can adjust the amount of water. This works well for me, but there are so many varieties.

SIMPLY RICE

When a mother calls her family to a meal in Thailand she simply says, "Eat rice." Rice is an integral part of meals in many countries. Over 29,000 grains of rice can be found in one pound of long grain rice. Lemon juice and butter can be added at the end of cooking to compliment a meal with fish.

2 cups uncooked long grain or brown rice

4 cups water

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon butter or favorite oil is optional

1. Place rice in a sieve with small holes, rinse rice in cold water.

2. Rice cooker: Place rice, water, salt and butter or oil in cooker. Turn on and check when done.

Hint: Serve in a large dish or press rice into small custard cups or a rice mold; invert on individual plates. This gives a professional look to your meal. For variety, two teaspoons chicken or beef base added to the rice adapts the rice to different meals. Sautéed onions, mushrooms and leftover frozen green bell peppers may also be added.

Makes 6 servings.

I haven't used it to cook rice yet. I decided to try steaming vegetables in it first. This is a great device. I use to own a cheaper steamer but it just didn't hold up. I really love my steamer and use it several times a day to steam vegetables or fish.

This is the best frothing (milk & steam) machine at an exceptionally low price. It took me 10 minutes to figure it out and its been producing superb cappucinos, lattes etc. It really works and in an unbelievable 90 seconds is ready to produce 170 degree steam and hot milk. All you have to understand is turning the rubber regulator knob slightly to the right to produce hot steam or you will get warm, not hot froth. Also, you must clean 3 small parts in the machine each time under running water ( it literally takes one minute) or used milk will clog it up. I have used $1,000 machines which produce worse steam (of course they give you expresso which this one does not do.)

All-in-all an exceptional machine. I loved it!

Someone told me about this frother, but she had not used one. I looked for reviews and was not entirely convinced by them. So I put the Capresso Froth Xpress on my Christmas list. I received a black one (wanted white but out of stock), have been using it for almost a week and I love it. All the things listed in the other reviews are true. I have not had difficulty with the temperature of the milk however, and we make mochas/lattes twice a day. My husband commented about so many little parts (there are 4), since you must assemble them and disassemble them each time to wash them, but I'm the one who does it.. and it literally takes seconds! I bought a little plastic mesh basket at the store for $1 and I just put them in it to drain-dry after use. My former frother/steamer was part of a coffee machine (not an espresso frother). It had only two parts but one had to be cleaned with a brush and the other was a milk tank which had to be cleaned with at least a sponge - it couldn't be simply rinsed out. Worst of all, the smaller part wore out twice a year and I needed to replace the entire tank assemblage. I bought the Capresso because DeLonghi no longer manufactures that assemblage!! My Capresso came with a parts replacement list and you can replace any small piece you need. Further, Capresso has a website with plenty of information. (I still think buying from Amazon is best though.. great price and reliable service.) The only thing I don't care about the Capresso is the Tupperware-like container that holds the milk to be frothed. It just seems too bulky to clean and use for only two people. But the machine comes with a small tube that can be placed directly into a carton of milk. I take that tube and place it a smaller container of milk. I've tried it in my stainless steel frothing cup (from my espresso machine days), in a regular coffee cup, and in a glass custard cup. All of these are easier for me than the Capresso container and take up less space, during use as well as while drying afterward. The custard cup works best... it holds exactly the amount of milk I use for the two of us. But any small container like a small bowl, measuring cup, etc. would work perfectly. It need not be heat resistant, since it will only hold the cold milk from your fridge. You need to experiment with the Capresso to see what works best for your situation, and to get to know how it works (especially since the steam continues after you release the steam button). Also, after frothing the milk, I fill another small container with water and flush out the frothing line before I disassemble and wash the parts. This is not the exact sequence for flushing the line as in the instructions, so be sure to read them. All in all, I am delighted with this little machine and much more satisfied than I expected to be. I hope my comments help you make your choice.

I love steamed milk with foam in my coffee. Years ago I had an attachment for my tea kettle that was a copper tube that you put into a pitcher of milk, steaming it. Then I had a manual frother, which was good for the arm muscles but not much foam. THEN I received the Capresso FrothXpress, and I could not be more pleased. I had a little difficulty at first with the button not engaging, but a quick call to Capresso solved the problem quickly, all parts have to be FIRMLY attached, and though I thought they were, they weren't. One day,I just got steam and no milk....this time, the milk adjustment lever that was raised a bit. When I pressed it down, the machine worked like a charm. It's easy to adjust it to get the perfect combo of steam and milk. It is simple to clean, just takes a few seconds. I find the milk plenty hot. It also looks great on my counter.

I really enjoyed this steamer in the early days. We even named it Rosie, for its robot-like appearance. However, last week (after about 1.5 years) of service, Rosie almost started a fire in my laundry room.

I had noticed from time to time that the power plug would get a bit hot. But this time, I discovered black smoke eminating from the outlet ... and the machine was still producing steam, which tells me that it has insufficient short-circut protection.

There is no recall that I know of, and perhaps it is a fluke, but nonetheless BE CAREFUL.

Don't throw your iron away, but take down that old ironing board and leave it down for the most part! This is an amazing appliance for someone on the go. It's small and collapsible so it can be easily stored in your closet. You can wheel it out of your closet and have it ready to go in one minute. It handles some fabrics better than others but it is great on knits. Also great on cottons and linens, but true to form washable silk is still a challenge. One thing is for sure -- you won't burn the garment, like you can when using iron that is set too hot. If your looking for a crisp seam you might be a little disappointed, but not in all cases because once you get the knack and with a little effort you can have that sharp crease.
I used a professional garment steamer while working for small clothing retailer. I admit I was skeptical about how well this would perform stacked against a professional steamer, but I was pleasantly surprised. Additionally, I was hoping that this purchase would not be one of those things that sat around the house and never get used or the type of purchase you try once, hate it, and end up returning it. When I purchased the garment steamer I also purchased an iron. The iron stayed in the box for 4 weeks, untouched, while the Conair GS10 Deluxe Fabric Streamer got used almost every day. I am keeping both, this fabric steamer makes things much easier in most cases. I say go ahead and indulge - you won't be sorry.

I've just used my new Conair steamer and I love it. This device is lightweight and easy to maneuver. The hose, although very stiff when coming out of the box, becomes extremely pliable and easy to work with once the machine heats up. The machine heats up in minutes and steam flows steady and strong without gurgling or spitting out water. I steamed a very wrinkled couch slipcover in approximately 10 minutes without fighting with a cumbersome machine and without any water spots! My experience was much faster, easier and more efficient than my usual experiences with a 10 year old Jif steamer. I highly recommend this product for anyone who steams even occasionally. It is worth it.

I got this to replace an old hitachi rice cooker (lasted 9 years). After trying it for a few times, I returned it. It takes too long to cook the rice, you have to soak the rice for 30 minutes before cooking, then turn it on, then it takes about another 30 minutes. (I can make rice quicker using the stove). I followed the manufacturer's instructions, rice browned on the bottom, and cooked uneven. I tried to adjust the water, either rice turned out uncooked or too soft. The only thing good it was easy to clean, but so was my old Hitachi rice cooker that did not had the nonstick surface.

This is an inexpensive rice cooker, and as such does not quite turn out the quality of rice that some of the more expensive models do. It IS, however, a terrific value for your money. I've owned mine for over 6 months now and it has consistantly turned out delicious rice and steamed veggies. Occasionally the rice gets a little over-cooked on the bottom, but in general it is a great inexpensive rice cooker, and I have no real complaints!

It is excellent one except for a little bit long cooking time.
Non-stick pot and some fun in steaming food. And I never burned the rice on the bottom.

I received my rice cooker today, it was packaged terribly, (I think Amazon skimps on packaging when you go with free shipping)manufactures box was open, foam was all broken and item was dirty. I thought at first it must of been a return or used. I suspect this item will be discontinued soon because of the drop in price and also I saw a similar item with more features and a Krupp name badge that looked like it was made by panasonic that Amazon was taking pre-orders on.

I am not a rice professional, this is my first rice cooker and cant judge it against others.

Rice cooker is not stainless steel but a grey metal and black parts are plastic. The spoon holder doesnt do anything for me and it looks like it would easily break. Not sure how long automatic cord rewind will last either, didnt work that great and not that handy in my opinon. The instructions are ok I didnt have any trouble with them and everything was addressed. Rice cooker will make more rice than our family will ever eat at one time, (could of used a smaller one as this unit is about the size of a small crock pot)
I cooked brown rice $1.15 bag, made 3 cups which our family of three couldnt eat all. Rice was a little burnt on bottom but overall was very tasty and didnt effect taste just texture. Clean up was easy, but had to do more than just rinse as other reviewers claim, sponge with soapy water but no big deal, also had to clean inner lid and I suspect you will have to clean it everytime. At $59.00 (the price I paid) I would have given it 3 stars because I dont think it is that great, its not high tech and its kind of chintsey. At the current price ($39.99) I would be happier with it.

This is the third or fourth rice cooker I hava purchased in the last year.So far it has been the best!It is very easy to use and the rice comes out perfectly each time.It has a retractable cord.Unlike other rice cookers the rice does not brown when you leave the cooker in the keep position.Rice remains hot without browning for five hours.Clean up is a breeze!Get this one!

Having worn out many rice cookers in my lifetime, it was time to buy a new one. So what makes this one so different and better than the others I've had?

- This one has a gasket that completely seals the cooking pot. The steam is allowed to escape in only one place. This makes for very fluffy rice! All of my others did not have this feature, and the ones that did were much more expensive than this one.

- Other conveniences include the cover drip catcher - to relieve wet countertops when the lid is opened....

- The locking cover helps to - to keep people from opening up the unit and release all of the steam.

- Add to this the non-stick coated pot inside, and clean up is a snap - just a rinse will do.

This is a professional rice maker, at a fair price! Beware - for those of you who like the bottom rice browned and crispy - this is not the one to get - it's fluffy all the way to the bottom.

I purchased a Surfline in 2001. It worked fine up until October 2003. I have mixed emotions. I never expected an iron that cost $69.99 to malfunction in just 2 years. I like convenience and if I have to pay to send the iron to the manufacturer and purchase another during this time, what's the point? This is not my idea of convenience. I will more than likely purchase another more affordable brand.

Bought this iron the first week of February (2004) at a local Target store. So far, my husband and I both love it! (We each do our own ironing.) We have tried other brands, but really like this Rowenta the best. The stainless steel soleplate glides across clothes effortlessly and the steam feature is wonderful. No dripping of water, however, we do use bottled drinking water to fill it since our tap water is very soft. (Highly recommend that you review the Rowenta users manual prior to using the iron the first time. Very concise and user-friendly.) This iron is designed very well and is not as heavy to lift as some other brands of irons have been. Very impressed so far with this product!

My previous iron, a good standard issue Sunbeam fell of the ironing board and would not stop leaking. Thinking about the old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ I stood staring at the various irons at Target. The practical me wanted to just pick up another 20 or 30 dollar iron, its all I’ve ever used. I also remembered how those irons performed, not all that well. I finally decided to take the plunge. After using sub par irons for a long time, I could not believe the night and day difference. The first thing I noticed is how it glides, almost hovers, over what you’re ironing. No more dragging the iron across, pulling the fabric with it! The steam is not going to fog up your glasses, but I don’t think it needs to gush out a cloud to work. If you really need the steam to combat out a nasty wrinkle, the steam button delivers a BLAST of steam that powers though the fabric (you can actually feel the iron trying to move). Overall, this is a great iron and has made me a true believer in paying a bit more for a quality iron that does the job quicker and makes it much easier! If you can afford it, get this iron, its is very unlikely to disappoint. What you spend today, you will save in time and effort.

This is my first time using a carpet shampooer. It gets the job done and very easy to clean the machine. I help with saving stray cats and get them homes. I have to clean the porch and shampoo the rugs every week. I was amazed the first time. I was alittle concerned cause the machine wasnt big,heavy or bulky. I really didnt think it would get the job done. It did! If your looking to simplify cleaning carpets this is for you.

I bought one of these a few years ago when they first came out and it is still going strong. I had a bulky hoover prior to purchasing the dirt devil. I hated it because it was so bulky and difficult to fill and empty. The dirt devil is much easier to use. It is perfect for apartment dwellers such as myself. It's light and easy to pull out for the occasional spill. I'm allergic to dust so I do the entire apartment every two or three months and it works great. I love that it is small and light weight.

I've read some of the other reviews and disagree. I have two cats and find that as long as you vacuum prior to shampooing, there are no issues with it becoming clogged. If you do your research, you'll find that very few actually heat the water -- those that do are in the $300+ price range. I paid close to that for the hoover (it didn't heat the water either) and ended up giving it to a friend of mine to put in a garage sale. I've also used a few brands of shampoo and find that as long as you follow the mixing instructions, it doesn't suds up.

If you are looking for a low-hassle carpet cleaner, this is the one for you. Especially if you have kids or pets. This is an affordable unit that does a great job and is easy to use.

I have been looking for a light weight easy to handle carpet cleaner since my back surgery fusion...This Is It!!! It glides across my Berber carpet and cleans beautifully. The water extractor allows my carpet to dry within one hour. Easy to put together, fill and empty. I recommend it highly and am purchasing one for my Mother-In-Law.

This is my second Rowenta. The first one lasted 3 years, it was OK just that it wasn't warming anymore, I liked the weight. The DM 991 has a nice temperature but it leaks a lot. I'm very disappointed.

I've owned this iron for 7-8 months now. At first I loved it and didn't mind paying the "higher" price for it. Now I have some regrets. The iron totally leaks when you add water to it and when it's sitting upright on it's base. Once it starts steaming and the iron is horizontal it doesn't leak as much. Surprisingly the iron doesn't get hot enough to remove wrinkles from cotton clothes even when it's set on high. I'm only realizing this now since I've always used the steam function(which always gets all the wrinkles out) until like I said above, water started leaking everywhere. I thought I was buying the best product to make my ironing chore easier. I was wrong. I'm guessing that all the 5 star ratings came from reviewers who rated it within a week or so of purchase and who hadn't truly experienced all the problems yet. And/or from reviewers whose other iron was really, really bad...making this one look good in comparison. I'm rating the iron a 2 instead of a 1 b/c despite the leakage, I love that the steam quickly gets out wrinkles.

You might think this is expensive, but it's worth every penny. Amazon had the best price for brand-new out of the box. This iron makes ironing almost enjoyable. It glides across the fabric, and it's easy to control the steam and spray. It has a solid feel but is not heavy for me (and I have skinny arms!)

I am now ironing things that sat in my closet for years because it was such a chore to use my old irons. I got a little carried away, ironing my shorts, jeans, T-shirts, pillowcases, etc. I even ironed a shirt for my husband(-gasp-).

It uses regular tap water, and all you need to do is wipe it clean with a damp cloth if you use spray starch or finish. I've had this product for about 5 months, and am absolutely delighted - it's worth every penny and then some. (And no, I don't work for Rowenta!)

This is a versatile appliance but since I purchased it to cook small amounts of rice, it's a bit of a disappointment. Everytime I steam rice, lots of water overflows onto the counter top. I am afraid that it will reach another appliance and electrocute someone or start a fire. According to the instructions, you're to add water to the bowl of rice itself, but it seems to be too much for the steamer to handle. The rice comes out perfect, but I think this will be my last time using it for that purpose. It sometimes overflows [from the base] when steaming other foods for a long time, so it's not always just the rice. Don't buy this steamer. Nice concept, not so smart design.

This is the only steamer I have experience with so I don't know if it's better or worse then others. It cooks decent white rice in less time than a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker which I also own. Rice cooker results are more predictable and you can make a lot of rice in a large rice cooker. The steamer is less sophisticated but if you only cook 2-3 cups of rice, this steamer is all you need. Vegetables come out very good but you need to watch them, because every vegetable requires different cooking time. Overall I like this steamer but these are some negatives: 1) If you steam a lot of vegetables the bottom water collection tray may overflow. 2) In summer time in hot and humid climate, more steam in the kitchen is the last thing you want. 3) When I use a tray for steaming fish, it collects water, and fish sometimes comes out boiled rather than steamed. However there was no odor left after steaming fish. Regardless of the above, this is a good way to prepare food and sometimes the only way.

This is the only steamer I have experience with so I don't know if it's better or worse then others. It cooks decent rice in less time than a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker which I also own. Rice cooker results are more predictable and you can make a lot of rice in a large rice cooker. The steamer is less sophisticated but if you only cook 2-3 cups of rice, this steamer is all you need. Vegetables come out very good but you need to watch them, because every vegetable requires different cooking time. Overall I like this steamer but these are some negatives: 1) If you steam a lot of vegetables the bottom water collection tray may overflow. 2) In summer time in hot and humid climate, more steam in the kitchen is the last thing you want. 3) When I use a tray for steaming fish, it collects water, and fish sometimes comes out boiled rather than steamed. Regardless of the above, this is a good way to prepare food and sometimes the only way.

I bought my steamer almost two years ago, primarily to sanitize the ceramic tiles on my kitchen floor. And after all this time, I still have to say I am not terribly impressed with this product. In fact, this is my second review of it and my rating has not changed.

On the positive side, it's good for softening stuck-on food or stubborn spots on the kitchen floor. It was excellent for cleaning the oven grill. I also use it with one of the small nozzles to clean my wedding rings. But the reason it was able to do these jobs very well, in my view, is that it provided a steady stream of hot water NOT steam.

Another reviewer on this site seemed to think it was a lack of common sense or basic education which made other reviewers complain about the product spurting water, but I assure you it did and in significant quantities. I expected some steam condensate, but my Enviro-Steamer produces more hot water than it does steam. In fact, I get a continuous and messy flow of water, as opposed to the steam it is supposed to produce (no matter how long I wait for it to heat up). This makes it completely unsuitable for steaming clothes or using it on upholstery. I have tried it time and time again on our clothes, each time following the manual on what to do when it spurts water, but I have never been able to do anything more than drench the clothes. As a result, I would not chance using it on upholstery. It may simply be that I got a faulty unit, but I have to agree with the others who feel it spurts far too much water.

I also think that it is not powerful enough; i.e. the jet of steam was not powerful enough, which might be because it didn't produce a sufficient volume of steam to begin with.

In fact, I am so underwhelmed by my Enviro-Steamer that I am hoping that I just got a faulty unit and didn't actually waste my money on what seems to be an under-performing appliance. My advice would be to spend a little extra on a better steamer. I sure wish I had!

Very smart tool for cleaning just about anything. I cleaned my oven burners, floor tile, and have so much confidence in it that I will be cleaning my pool tile with it this weekend.

Floor Tile: I used the narrow brush tool to clean the .5" grout lines that I have in my kitchen and It looks like it removed a thin layer to make the them appear brand new. I went fairly slow and agitated with the brush while applying direct steam. I noticed a thin dust layer on the edges of the tile after I performed this which may be a the top layer of grout or the packed in dust - The grout looks fantastic, but I may need to limit how often I use this technique considering I may be taking off layers or the seal - but I'm very impressed with how effective this technique can be.

Cleaning the tile is a joy as well - This unit comes with two cloths that hook on to the floor tool that basically act as a catcher for dirt and dust. I would still recommend sweeping floors with heavy dust or debris first as you would if you were going to use a mop - the cloth picks up objects that stick to it - but anything too big will be pushed around. These cloths are very durable and I have washed one several times and it seems as good as new.

I have not used the tool as a steamer for clothing yet, but I am pretty confident it will work to get all the wrinkles out.

The times between refills seem to be a little over a half an hour. The process of re-filling the tank can be a little tedious considering you have to wait for the unit to cool down before opening the tank - I would compare the annoyance factor to waiting for a slice of pizza to cool down before chowing it - not a big deal.

The 370 is fun to use, has tools to do about anything, and will kick the crud out of any stubborn stains or dirt that have been plaguing you. If this thing doesn't beat it it probably needed to be replaced and not cleaned in the first place.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars - I would have given it 5 if it had come with a remote control and I could clean things from my couch.

I had been shopping around for a while for a steamer hot and powerful enough to do more than de-wrinkle and this thing is it! It's a combination of a professional garment steamer (as used in clothing stores for displays) and a canister vacuum cleaner.

I read several reviews where people gripe about the time and tediousness to refill. Okay, while it's true if you follow the safety guidelines it can be. Having said that, it takes almost no time if you use your brain. Turn the unit off, lean away from it, and use a heavy duty oven mitt to open the water tank. Fill it with the funnel, close it and go. Only takes me three minutes. Of course safety first but product safety guidelines are written to keep the dumbest person from hurting themselves.

As to performance, I love it. Someone noted it only sprayed water on clothes. Well, if you read the directions and recall high school physics, condensation can form and so when you trigger the unit it spits out any condensed water. Takes two seconds. I've used it to clean an entire white bathroom, tile, tub, toilet, grout. Its best performance was on my sofa which has never cleaned easily unless I rented a big Rug Doctor.

If you want a steamer, this is the most versatile and affordable unit out there, way better than what Black & Decker offers and not as bulky as a Wet/Dry Vac. Don't expect the sun and moon, it's just steam.

And now if anyone at Amazon actually reads these, I"m sure my review will get thrown away for telling people this:
I just bought this unit at CostCo for [$$$] which means The Special Gold Box Price both sucks and blows.