Advantages of steam cookers: 10 reasons why you should try steam cooking

#1 - Gentle cooking

Fish, meat & vegetables retain their nutrients

As already mentioned, gentle preparation is one of the greatest advantages of steam cookers. A study on nutrient retention by the Justus Liebig University in Giessen came to the conclusion that more vitamins and nutrients are retained when blanching with a Miele steam cooker than, for example, when cooking in a pot or in the microwave.

The University of Koblenz-Landau also came to similar conclusions: In a 2006 study, the influence of the cooking processes of steaming, steaming and microwave cooking on fish and vegetables was examined. The sensory and vitamin content factors became the focus of the scientists.

The study found that steaming fish produced the best sensory results: color, smell, taste and texture were significantly better when prepared in a steamer than when steaming in a pot or cooking in the microwave. The steamer also produced the best results in terms of color, shape and taste when it came to vegetables, tested on broccoli and peppers.

Steaming vegetables in a pot performed the worst in the study. When it comes to the content of sensitive ingredients such as vitamin C, steaming is far ahead of steaming vegetables in a pot: around twice as many nutrients are retained.

#2 - Regenerate instead of defrost

Food from the day before tastes like it was freshly cooked

The steam from the steamer also has a decisive advantage when defrosting: the consistently low temperature means that food is defrosted gently - and sometimes even faster than in the microwave. The steamer is best suited for frozen vegetables or reheating food from the day before.

#3 - Intense taste

This is what vegetables from the steamer taste like

We tried out in the office whether the steamer delivers the taste that the studies at the University of Giessen and Koblenz-Landau promise: Our conclusion is that you can taste the extra nutrients especially in vegetables. Meat becomes particularly juicy and light in the steamer and the device is the best cooking method for fish. The gentle steam preserves the structure and delivers a pure taste experience.

#4 - No intense smells

No frying or cooking smells

The taste experience is pure because you need to use less frying oil and spices. The taste of the food cooked in the steamer is so intense that you hardly need to add any seasoning. And because the smell is hardly transferred via the steam, you don't have any annoying frying smells in your kitchen.

#6 - Low calorie & healthy

Cooking healthily with few calories

Another advantage of steam cookers is that you can use them to cook very healthily. The lack of oil, the high nutrient content and the option of cooking with sous vide support you in a low-calorie and healthy diet.

#7 - Bright colors

Beautiful appearance stimulates the appetite

Another advantage of the steamer is the appearance, because the food is not washed out by water like when cooking in a pot, but retains its appearance and structure. Your carrots and peppers have never looked so bright!

#8 - No burning

Low temperatures prevent overcooking

The energy supply to the steamer causes a thermal and material change in the food being cooked. This means that the food does not brown - it does not get a roasted aroma, which is particularly popular with meat. But this also means that the food cannot burn in the steamer.

#9 - Time saving

Due to minimal intervention in the cooking process

This saves you time when cooking because you don't have to constantly stand next to the stove or oven and check the food. You can use the time you save better, for example with the guests you are cooking for.

#10 - Energy-efficient

Because you can prepare several dishes at the same time

When steaming, the hot steam surrounds the food on all sides. The food and the cooking liquid are completely separated from each other. This means that you can cook several dishes at the same time in the steamer and prepare a complete meal: with fish or meat and side dishes. The smell is not transferred via the steam. This not only saves you a lot of time when cooking, but also energy. Because you only use one device, the steamer.

#1 - No roasted aroma

Due to lack of chemical compounds

The appliance reaches its limits when it comes to dishes with roasted aromas. You cannot use the steamer to prepare grilled vegetables, steaks or roast chicken, where the browned character is the most important thing. Even baked dishes such as casseroles or dishes that require high temperatures such as baking bread cannot be prepared with a steamer. You need an oven for that. You can read what an oven can do better than the steamer and what you should definitely look out for when buying one in The Oven - tasty & multimedia.

The steamer is therefore not recommended as a standalone kitchen appliance. But here too, the suppliers have the solution: an oven with a steam cooking function. You get two appliances in one, an oven with all its functions plus steam support. A special feature on the market is the Miele Dialoggarer. It can steam, grill, bake, climate cook, roast – basically everything a kitchen appliance needs to be able to do to prepare food.

#2 - Cooking times remain the same

Steamers are not faster than ovens

Whether this is a real disadvantage is rather questionable. However, the fact is that the steamer prepares food just as quickly as an oven or pot. This is because the cooking time depends on the size of the piece. The cooking process therefore remains roughly the same regardless of the preparation device. Nevertheless, you can save time with a steamer because you can cook several dishes at the same time.