Steamer Reviews

I was looking for a rice cooker and read good things about this one, Zojirushi has a very good reputation. I unpacked it and washed the spoon, non stick pan and measuring cup and started my first batch of rice. It is a 5 cup and it says 1 to 5 cups of uncooked rice so I tried 1 cup. I opened the cover 10 minutes after the cook cycle ended and stirred it and quite a bit of the rice was very brown on the bottom. Also there were little what looked like plastic sheets very lightly stuck to the side of the pan and you could peel them off it was definitely from the rice. I tried another batch with the same results. I contacted Zojirushi directly. I was using Nishiki rice the tech said they used the same. He told me that it can be hard to cook 1 cup of rice. He said ignore the markings in the pan and mix equal amounts of water and rice. He also told me to fill the pan with just enough water to cover the bottom and no rice and run it through the cook cycle and if it looked like raindrops inside when finished it was working properly but if there was a puddle of water left in the pan then the pan was bad. I ended up with a puddle of water and called Zujiroshi back and got a different tech and explained step by step what I did and he said I must have a warped pan, but that should not cause the rice to brown. He told me I should be able to cook 1 cup of rice and to make sure I rinsed the rice until the water was clear. This person told me I should use the markings on the pan. I made sure I rinsed it very good and tried again. With a lot of effort and trying all different things you can get it to be less brown but it also seems like the rice is hard when the cook cycle ends and even after 15 minutes or so after that it seems harder than it should. I have had rice at different peoples houses from basic rice cookers and you just add the water and rice and it comes out great with very little effort and there is no reason why it should take so much efort with this to get just ok rice. I ordered it online and am sending it back(30 day money back refund) and it sounds like the company I ordered it from is saying if they plug it in and the light comes on they will not consider it defective and they will not try to make rice with it. I like the design, it comes apart for easy clean up and I would have to believe something is not right with this but because of the way the company that I bought it from is willing to handle this I am just going to get my 30 day refund back which I am entitled to. My next purchase will be at a local store. So I am left to wonder what was wrong? Would another one do the same? There are not a lot of 5 cup rice cookers around here. My next choice will probably be either the Panasonic SR-SH15PS Which is an 8 cup, a little bigger than I need or a basic National with a glass cover which I would probably go for but I can get the Panasonic for just about the same price maybe a little cheaper.

If you are looking for an easy way to cook rice without the mess, this is it! Add your washed rice, add your water, close the lid..and its done! Cleanup is a snap! And the rice turns out perfect every time....

Hassle free, easy-to-clean, and makes the perfect rice. I have no complaints and would not trade it in for anything else.

We purchased this about 2 years ago and faithfully get it out of the cupboard when we are down with a cold or flu. We do not use it so much as a facial steamer or pore "opener-upper", but more as a personal vaporizor. It does, however, leave your skin feeling great which is a nice treat when you're sick! It is a nice product, and I do recommend it to any who are interested in this purchase. The only drawback or annoyance would be the small amount of water it holds, not that big of a deal but if it were bigger, the steam would last longer, and you wouldn't have to fill it so often. *TIP* Keep a tall glass of water close by for quick refills! Overall, though, a great product.

This is a compact little facial sauna/ vaporizer combo! It heats up quickly and is simple to use. It is very helpful in cleaning one's pores when using it as a sauna. It is very helpful to unclog ones nose when used as a vaporizer! This item comes with a special vaporizer attachment which is very comfortable and pleasant to use! The only disappointment I have with this item is that the directions tell us not to put medication in the little cup, only water. I would of liked to put some Vicks in, when I use it for my sinus/ allergy condition. I am afraid to try this, I guess if the directions say not to do it, I will break my sauna/vaporizer. :-(

This product is really worth getting it really does do what it says.I recommend it to any body that is looking for a healthier looking skin.

Several times the rubber gasket has blown out (same place on the lid). I E-mailed the company, no responce. The last time it actually slid the pan several inches on my glass top range not to mention making a mess out of my kitchen. I have checked and no cooking vents are plugged. I love cooking with a pressure cooker, but I'm throwing this pan away before some one gets burned and I will never buy from this company again.

Here are the features I wanted in a pressure cooker and for which I chose the Innova: protected thick aluminum base for even heat distribution, easy quick pressure release, extra lid for regular cooking, long handle with opposite helper handle, steamer basket insert for vegetables and pasta, and pressure regular with alternative pressure settings.

I'm totally delighted with this cooker. Easy to clean and use, looks beautiful. No problems with sticking foods. And all the things they say about pressure cooking seem to be true. Pick up Lorna Sass 'Complete Vegetarian Kitchen': great book for using the pressure cooker. Almost all of the recipes I've tried have garnered rave reviews from family and friends.

The quick release is important for many recipes, but holding the button long gets to be a drag; so after venting with the button a moment I just tip the regulator on top to vent the rest while doing something else.

At first I was a surprised to discover it was a jiggle-top model which I hadn't expected. Lorna Sass, in her 'Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure' (great book!) says the new generation of stationary pressure regulator cookers 'provide a number of advantages worth considering', but she does not elaborate. So I decided to try it anyway and I must say I am delighted. After several weeks of regular cooking, I have yet to find any reason to question this jiggle-top. Maybe I don't know what I'm missing, but I would have to pay double for a WMF or Kuhn-Rikon (which some say is not easy to regulate) to find out, and trying to find information about the Magefesa seems to be a joke - by website or by phone. I could find no confirming information that the Fagor has the aluminum sandwiched base for even heat distribution. So the Innova seemed the best value for meeting my wish list.

Some of the Sass recipes have notes for jiggle-top cookers like adding a tablespoon of oil when cooking some grains to control foaming and prevent clogging the regulator, and adding a little more water to compensate for escaping steam. But these seem very minor issues to me.

The rocking hiss of the regulator is an excellent signal. I can tell from the sound when the pressure is up or needs adjusting without having to go look at a gage. When the pressure is right, it has a gentile, quiet rock. I've noticed the pressure gradually builds after cooking a while and even the lowest setting becomes too high for some burners on my stove.

I did find the 'American Culinary Institute' in contention in another review; it seems they were sued by Culinary Institute of America to protect its name, which could explain why information about the 'Gold Medal Awards' program is now hard to find. (..) So I don't think that one-star review is merited.

The review complaining of the gasket blowing is a serious issue, but I've had no problems at all.

All in all, I'm totally happy with my Innova; I wonder what I may be missing if I were willing to pay twice as much, but I don't seem to be willing to spend that much to find out.

The first week I received this cooker, I jumped right in and canned 30 pints of green beans and 4 pints of corn. WHAT A GREAT FEELING TO SEE THESE BEAUTIFUL JARS. I had never canned before and did not purchase this cooker with canning in mind. I was given so much produce from my mother, canning was the only thing I could do to keep the food from spoiling. The cooker will process 5 regular pint jars at a time. It was easy to do with the manufactures directions. Since then I have used this cooker to make fork tender round steak in 20 minuets. I am ready to try preparing new dishes from the enclosed "Use and Care" guide and other pressure cooker cookbooks I have purchased. Replacement parts are available to order if you need them, like the rubber sealing ring, pressure weights and regulator, canning disk, and others. Clean up has not been a problem. Highly recommend! At home in Indiana.

The size is great, the design works well, but after only a few uses, the "stainless steel" is rusting. I'll be returning it.

Got this for Xmas, have used it to make soup, rice, pasta, etc. Excellent SS set. Highly recommend.

What can I say? For a pasta cooker / veggie steamer, you don't need tri ply super pots. You need something that works well, saves time, and can be thrown in the dishwasher when done. This set does it all. I pride myself in trying to outfit my kitchen with nothing but high quality utensils. Sometimes that means top brands and top prices, sometimes there are bargains that excell. In this case, I can see no reason to pay for exotic materials when they have no effect on the final outcome of your kitchen efforts. In this case, the multi cooker does everything it is supposed to do in fine style. You even get the bonus of a light duty stockpot to help out in a pinch. Get this set, and put your savings toward a good tri metal skillet.

I can't rate it, I am still waiting for delivery, your one to two weeks isn't true. I ordered this item 18 days ago, and you still have not shipped.

I would have rated this steamer a top 5 stars 9 months ago.

I LOVE t-fal ! I have been so impressed by the quality and longevity of their products, I replaced nearly all my kitchen appliances, pots and pans to t-fal items. Until now, I have never been unhappy with any of my purchases.

Unfortunately, the timer suddenly ceased to work last month. Nothing was broken off, and the care of the product has been gentle and appropriate. We used the steamer about two times a week, rarely more. While the unit still steams well , the fact that I have lost this very essential function is a disappointment and renders the steamer handicapped, not to mention the food items that have been overcooked recently. I very much relied on that timer to calculate food preparation and done times.

I will attempt to contact the company and see what their response will be, as certainly I expect T-Fal to do the right thing and either replace the timer/and or the unit itself. I will update the review when I reach a resolution.

Until then: 3 stars, T-fal.

I noticed a change in my skin the first time I used this little machine. It does a great job of cleaning pores and exfoliating dead skin. My skin feels tighter and I look 10 years younger!! Highly recommended!!!

I have to say that I am a bit disappointed with the quality of this steamer. For example, the walls (which are made of thin layers of bamboo bonded together) are a bit rough and unevenly bonded, and fastened into their circular shape with copper wire. Thin strips of bamboo are interwoven to form the base of each of the steamer sections. Today, I bought a Typhoon brand one (8" diameter), which, by contrast, is really nicely made of all natural materials, has a base made of thicker pieces of bamboo rather than thin strips, and cost less. Of course, the Norpro one will do the job and if you need a larger steamer, it should work just fine--I am just overall happier with the Typhoon product.

For healthy, nutritional, quick, low mess cooking, make almost any dish with a steamer. This steamer is mid range in terms of quality of material and build. It isn't the El Cheapo department store variety that is held together with metal staples, bound to end up in the trash can after several uses. With proper care, this steamer should last you several years. Soak the new steamer in cold water for a few hours when you first get it. Always store in an open air place to prevent mildew. Clean up is a breeze, just wipe with a paper towel, or if needed a quick dunk in soapy water and then rinse.

Steamers fit best on woks that are 2 inches larger than the steamer, therefore, a 12 inch wok would work best with this steamer. Other than the recipe on the side of the box, there is nothing in the box other than the steamer. You can cook or reheat your food by placing it directly on the bamboo, paper towel, leaves, parchment paper or by placing it on a heat resistant plate or in a bowl. Also, you can add or remove steamer layers while cooking. For even quicker food prep, if you're having noodles with the meal, you can cook them in the water in the bottom of the wok - a one pan meal. Steaming is truly quick and efficient cooking at its best.

I fill this 2-Tier Bamboo Steamer with fish steaks, such as sea bass or halibut, and veggies, such as asparagus or broccoli. Then I place the steamer baskets with the lid over a wok containing a cup or so of water, and, in about fifteen minutes, dinner is ready. I put the fish steaks on top of plain white folded paper towels, so it is easy to wipe off the steamer basket when done. I store the baskets on top of a hanging pot rack. Because these baskets and lid are 10 inches in diameter, they work best on a small to medium-sized round wok placed on a gas ring. I have found this method works better on a gas range rather than on an electric or ceramic stove top.

I had this unit for about a year. When it worked, it worked great! But,the internals rusted which caused a wire to break. This resulted in me getting shocked(big time) and knocked to the floor. They use a tin mounting plate for the wires-go figure. We were very carefull about cleaning this, too(as it says not to submerse the base). So, we were extremely pleased with it until it tried to kill me. We will try a different steamer next time. BEWARE THE SHOCK HAZARD!

This steamer is literally the most used small appliance in my kitchen. My favorite steamer recipe: steamed red potatoes and carrots tossed with 2T parsley, 1/2t rosemary, and 1/2t thyme sauteed in 2T butter. I use it for asparagus, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and all sorts of stuff. When I'm cooking vegetables, I just don't enjoy results as consistent as the steamer when I'm using the microwave or the stovetop.

Although I can do as good a job with rice by other means, I still prefer using the steamer. It frees up the microwave to reheat something, and the cleanup is a breeze since there is only one bowl that really gets dirty. However, the timer on my steamer does run a tad slow. I have to shorten the booklet's cooking times by 10% or so.

A nice stainless steamer with a glass lid that lets you see when the broccoli starts turning bright green, the crab legs turn bright red, etc. without lifting the lid and letting all the steam out. It does fit over a variety of pans so it's very versatile.
The only problem is that the steamer handles and the lid handle get very very hot. You must use mitts or you'll burn your hands.

This Calphalon 18/10 Stainless Steel All-Purpose Stack Steamer is one of the newer line of steamers and inserts in the Calphalon line. I own several of the Calphalon hard-anodized aluminum steamers, and even though they are supposed to be non-reactive to foods and "safe," I am upgrading to the stainless steel ones. This stack steamer is for the larger Calphalon pans and stockpots (4 1/2-quart to 8-quart). They are large enough to hold asparagus when trimmed and placed flat in the steamer. Another great feature of these steamers is that they can be stacked on top of the pot filled with boiling water, similar to the use of a wok with bamboo steamer inserts and top. Thus, you can prepare a whole meal of fish and vegetables using only one burner on your stove top.

Be sure to hand-wash and dry this beautiful heavy-gauge stainless steamer. Highly recommended!

This little gem, used in connection with the 8 quart stockpot and pasta insert are just what you will need to either build or complement your perfect kitchen setup.

The steamer is well constructed and designed to really fit with the corresponding pots with very little wiggle room....thusly avoiding the usual water splatter that is common with a lot of the lesser quality sets on the market.

Storage is a breeze! Find a spot that is about 12x12 inches in a tall cabinet and you are set!

As a closing note, I HIGHLY recommend the purchase of the pasta insert!

First off, it does not keep the rice warm, according to the owner's manual. Second, I defy anyone over 35 to read -- or find -- the measurement markers on the rice tin. I purchased it for my mother who lives alone. Very disappointing. You can find the same qualities in a 14.99 rice cooker/steamer.

This was my first rice cooker after failing in the kitchen making it by the directions on the bag. This cooker is a good starter product for the occasional user. I was hoping it had a warmer but I really dont eat rice all day so It worked out good for me.

Specs say it keeps rice warm for 5 hours. True of higher priced models, not true of this one. Instruction book clearly states the it shuts off when cooking is complete.

Specs and instruction book say a cookbook comes with it. It does not.

We've found this fabric steamer has several uses. It's perfect for removing the "fall-in" wrinkles that form on a silk vanity skirt, and for freshening draperies.

It's also great for sweaters so they don't have that "ironed flat" look which can flatten the wool's natural nap.

It would be possible to work for up to 90 minutes with this steamer without refilling, which we feel is another advantage.

I used to work in retail and the one thing I missed at home was a steamer to get wrinkles out fast! This steamer is just want I needed and at a very reasonable price. I only have a few complaints. It did not get my linen shirt 100% wrinkle free but certainly took out the majority. Had some trouble around the collar and hem where the fabric is thicker. Also, I would have liked it if there was some place on the machine to store the extra attachments. Otherwise, some good things the description did not mention are that the steamer heats up very quickly so you can use it right away. Also, it has some great foot pedals to turn it on and to retract the cord. The retractable pole is also nice for storage and there is a side hose holder you can use if you choose to store it like this. All in all, a great option if you are looking for a steamer.

I love, love, love this steamer and haven't had to get the old ironing board and iron out since I bought it. Frankly, I had debated buying one of these for years because I despise ironing and have been known to wear wrinkled clothes rather than take the time to iron them. At this price, I honestly thought I would be sending it back because I doubted it could do the job. I have had several travel steamers and a variety of home cleaning steamers and have been extremely disappointed with all of them because they just didn't work.

This steamer is the exception. It heats up in seconds (much faster than an iron). I keep it in the corner of my bathroom and use it almost every day. I can quickly steam an outfit in a few minutes and be on my way without having to bother with weekly ironing (which I have never been able to force myself to do any way).

The retractable cord is a wonderful feature, it was so easy to put together and is so simple to operate even a technologically handicapped person like myself mastered it right away. It doesn't take up much space like a permanently set-up ironing board does and the steaming actually freshens and helps release stains on woolens enabling me to get more wear out of my suits before drycleaning. That was an unexpected bonus.

All in all, I doubt if you can buy a better one for the money.