Best Vegetable Steamer Basket Reviews 2019: Top 5+ Recommended

Best Vegetable Steamer Basket

The other day I was relaxing after lunch with a local health food shop magazine, and something interesting caught my eye.

There was a section about vegetable steamers, which allow you to cook veggies without oil or boiling. This way, you get to keep more nutrients and flavor of your food.

I was planning to try something new for the kids, and this sounded like a good idea.

So I decided to go out and get myself a few of these to try them out, so I can be sure of which is the greatest vegetable steamer basket.

Stick with me to learn that and reap the benefits of these handy baskets!

What is a vegetable steamer basket?

So what exactly is a vegetable steamer basket?

Well, basically, it’s a pot for cooking with tiny holes on the bottom so that the steam can pass through them and cook the vegetables.

It’s made from stainless steel (like most of the top-quality cookware on the market), so it wouldn’t rust, and as such, it’s easy to clean.

Most of the steamer baskets you’ll find are going to be dishwasher friendly, and if you ask me, this is a big plus.

Steamer baskets can be divided into two basic groups:

Fixed-size steamers
Adjustable size steamers

Fixed-size steamers are ok, but I wouldn’t recommend those. Fixed steamers can fit only pots of the same size, so you’ll be limited to what you can use for cooking. If you plan on getting the steamer for one purpose only, this can do, but otherwise, get an adjustable one.

Adjustable size steamers are what I went with. They are compact, easily expandable, and can fit various-sized pots. You can open them very easily, with the use of just one finger.

On the bottom of the steamer, you can find the legs on which it stands. They are important because they keep the vegetables away from the water from the pot.

And that’s basically how the steamer works – once the water is boiled the steam will go through the holes and cook the food, without the food actually touching the boiling water.

You will need to cover the pot, of course, so the steam will circulate and keep cooking the food. Otherwise, the water would just boil out and you wouldn’t get enough heat to cook the food.

Some steamer baskets come with silicone feet. They are good if you are cooking in older pots because silicon feet will protect it from scratching. But most of the modern utensils are scratch-resistant, so you will most likely be fine.

Why use the Vegetable steamer basket?

I am a very health-conscious person and the answer for this one is clear – because of its health benefits. And they are not negligible.

To me, my children are the most important in the world, so because of them, the food on my table must be healthy and tasty. With a steamer basket, you keep vegetables out of waterlogging, so the food stays full of nutrients, juice, and flavor.

With steam cooking, you preserve more nutrients. You get to keep all that extra vitamins that go to waste when boiling or oil cooking. In the long run, this adds up to a significant amount. So your health might get better from eating the exact same food, just by preparing it in a steam basket.

Besides vegetables, using a basket steamer, you can also cook fruit, chicken, seafood, and eggs. In some even rice. With this super utensil, cooking time is much shorter and less messy.

All you need to do is pour some water into the pot (about 3/4 of the steamer leg height), expand the steamer, place some veggies on it, cover the pot and that’s it.

Most veggies will be cooked in under 15 minutes. If the fork slides through, you are good to go.

These baskets are pretty easy to wash; they are dishwasher friendly, so cleaning and maintenance are really minimal.

And since not many dishes are needed for steam cooking, you’ll get the cleaning part in no time.

This is a great thing for all of you busy moms with little kids and all kinds of responsibilities.

They are usually small, so they don’t take up much of your precious storage space. The size of these steamers is usually large enough for a meal for two.

What to look for when buying a Vegetable steamer basket?

The first thing you need to check when purchasing one is the material; it should be stainless steel.
Another thing to look for is the price. There are a lot of steamer baskets on the market that are affordable so don’t be fooled into buying an expensive one.
Most important things to look for in steamers are of course build quality, durability, and usability. The product must work well and must be stable. Otherwise, you might burn yourself and get veggies all over the kitchen. So it’s basic common sense.
While browsing the steamers, I noticed that some of them come with additional free things, such as boiling pots, peelers, or recipe books, so this is an important thing to pay attention to – what can you get with your steamer.

There are plenty of good deals on Amazon.com, as you will see in the review section. Free stuff is always good. So let’s get to business, and see:

Most Recommended vegetable steamer baskets – My Reviews 2022

Kitchen Deluxe Vegetable Steamer Basket

Here’s one nice set right from the start.

The diameter of this steamer basket can vary between 5.5 inches and 9.3 inches, depending on how much you expand it, and the legs are 0.9 inches long. This size will enable you to cook a meal for two people. Cooking for more won’t be much of a hustle since steam cooking doesn’t take long.

Along with the steamer basket, you get a safety tool for easy removal, which will definitely come in handy, because one thing you surely don’t want is to burn yourself while cooking.

Ultra-sharp Julienne Veggie Peeler that comes in the package will be very useful while preparing the veggies for your meal. This stainless steel high-quality ultra-sharp peeler will do a much better job than a kitchen knife; you’ll be done with pealing in no time.

You’ll get the Steaming Cookbook pdf via email from the seller. I haven’t had the time to go through all the recipes, but I already saw some that I’d definitely try out. No matter how hard-core of a cook you are, you’ll find something new to try out.

Things I Liked

Nice bundle with some convenient things to have while cooking
Easy to clean and store
Lifetime warranty
Easy removal from the pot
Great price for the pack
The peeler really works well

Things I Didn’t Like

The Center loop for removal is a bit less stable than I’d like
Edges of the steamer should be duller. You might cut yourself if you are not careful
It could be a bit more sturdy

Sensible Needs – Two-pack Vegetable steamer

This is another pack, it comes with one additional steamer.

Aside from standardly sized 5.3-9.5 inches one, you’ll get a larger 6.4-10.5-inch steamer. The larger one can be useful for bigger meals, and you can use the smaller for side dishes.

One thing I noticed is that the larger steamer has 1.25-inch legs, which is better than the 0.9-inch one because you can pour more water in the pot when you cook and you’ll have to check the water level less often.

Both are, of course, made from 100% stainless steel. This is not negotiable; I wouldn’t even consider anything that’s not stainless steel. This makes it dishwasher friendly which means less mess when cleaning.

The pack also comes with a universal basket hook removal tool so your hands will be at a safe distance from the steam and heat.

I was a bit sad when I found out that this pack doesn’t come with a lifetime warranty. You might not need it, but if you can get it, then why not?

Things I Liked

An obvious one-you get two steamers of different dimensions
Lift handles are stable
You can cook more food at the same time
The larger basket allows bigger meals

Things I Didn’t Like

For some reason, it cleans a bit harder
Doesn’t come with a lifetime warranty
Lift handles could be a little bigger for easier pick-up

TOPOKO Vegetable Steamer Basket for Pots and Cookers 5/6 QT and 8 QT

The Topoko vegetable Steamer basket is an inexpensive yet versatile vegetable steamer basket.
It can easily be adjusted so that you can fit it in a 5/6 quart or an 8-quart pressure cooker or instant pot.
The affordable veggie basket is made of 18/8 food-grade safe stainless steel, which will not leak any harmful toxins in the food you eat.
Thanks to its collapsible design, it is easy to store away when not in use. The basket is also easy to clean by hand washing or in a dishwasher.

You can use it to prepare all types of delicious and healthy steamed foods, including vegetables, fish, seafood, eggs, and others.
The basket has a diameter of 6 to 10.4 inches, and a height with legs of 3 inches so it will fit both shallow and taller pots.
It has a removable handle which can be screwed on either side of the basket for easy hooking and lifting in and out of the pot.
Once out of the pot, you can use it as a strainer, to ensure that all the water has been drained from your food before serving it.

Things I liked

It costs less than $10
The adjustable size of 6-10.4 inches
It can fit in all types of 5/6 and 8 qt. pots – shallow or tall
The foldable design
The fact that it is made of premium and safe stainless steel
It can be used as both a steamer and as a strainer
It can be washed in a dishwasher
It is easy to store
It has a removable handle with a hoop
You can use it as a fruit bowl as well

Things I didn’t like

The feet are made of aluminum, so they may start rusting over time
It doesn’t come with a hook

Consevisen Vegetable Steamer Basket

This is another simple package, just the steamer, and no additional stuff. You’ll have to do some basic assembly, but it’s just three screws, and you are good to go. The diameter is 5.1 to 9 inches.

Consevisen steamer basket has foldable legs with silicon protection that are 1.2 inches long so you can pour more water into your pot and check the water level less often. Once you are done with cooking, just fold the legs toward the center of the basket and it will take less space when stored.

It does not come with a removal hook, but it does have a 2.9 inches long center post that is used for this purpose. It is designed in a way so that you can use any kitchen fork to remove it with, so if you ask me, this is a much better solution than a hook. You can lose the hook, but you’ll always have a fork somewhere in the kitchen.

I like that the post is removable, it is more practical if you plan to take it with you on a trip. Just make sure you have a pocket screwdriver with you and that’s it.

Things I Liked

Foldable legs – very practical
Silicone protection – makes it easier to find a pot for cooking
Center post. Very practical and plastic makes it hard to get hot
It just looks nice. I like the feel of this steamer

Things I Didn’t Like

Not necessarily a dislike-you need a screwdriver for assembly
Not much else. I really liked this one

GA Homefavor Lotus Steamer Basket

And finally, we are at the end of the list with the GA Homefavor steamer.

It looks nice and folds well, it is nicely built and does the job more than fine. It also has foldable legs with silicone protection and I seem to like this in a steamer.

The diameter of this steamer is 7-11 inches. If you plan on cooking larger meals, this is good news. Just make sure you have a big enough pot for it.

The hook system is different in this product as well. You have a center handle made out of plastic that can be extended to protect your hands from steam. However, I don’t like this design as much as I liked Consevisen steamer – this is because it is not fork-friendly.

The only way to remove the steamer from the pot is by hand. It’s designed so you don’t burn yourself, but if the water is hot enough, it can be uncomfortable to remove the steamer.

Other than that, I was pleased with this one. It works like a charm and gets the job done.

Things I Liked

I prefer the centered plastic handle. Works better for me than the metal system
Foldable legs are always a win
Sturdy build and good overall feel
Larger size

Things I Didn’t Like

The handle could be designed better
Can’t fit into smaller pots

Conclusion & My Recommendation

There are some good deals on our today’s list, but my mission today was to find the perfect steamer basket, not the best package deal.

So for me, the obvious winner is Consevisen Steamer. It’s hands down the greatest vegetable steamer basket.

It’s practical, durable, and does the job more than fine. The handle design won me over as the best way to remove the steamer and keep your hands safe.

If you decided to get yourself a steamer basket, this one is definitely a way to go.

Keep safe and stay healthy! 😉

Best Vegetable Steamer Basket Reviews 2022: Top 5+ Recommended