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See why.The Best Collapsible Steamer Baskets
A bad steamer basket can be a hot mess. Could we find a good one?
By Published July 1, 2018
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See Everything We Tested
What You Need To Know
Steamer baskets allow you to cook your food quickly, consistently, and efficiently. Boiling as little as ½ inch of water under one of these perforated platforms can produce enough gentle, humid steam to cook meat, vegetables, and other foods. Steamer baskets come in different styles, but we generally prefer collapsible versions, which are easier to clean and can be folded down after use for more compact storage. Since we last tested steamer baskets, our winner, the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Steamer with Extendable Handle ($17.95), was slightly redesigned. Curious to see if the new version held up to the competition, we pitted it against six other collapsible models (three metal, two silicone, and one plastic) priced from $8.41 to $28.52. We used each to steam broccoli and dumplings, hard-cook eggs, and poach chicken.
Size Matters
All the steamers fit into the same array of pots and pans (we tested with a 10-quart stockpot, 7.5-quart Dutch oven, and 4-quart saucepan) and were capable of producing evenly cooked food. Unfortunately, some were just too small to make very much of it. The two silicone models had bases of less than 30 square inches, so they held only two to three chicken breasts or five to six dumplings; the other models, including a spacious two-tiered steamer, fit four chicken breasts and up to 26 dumplings. And while we could technically fit 1½ pounds of broccoli (enough for four people as a side dish) in the silicone models, we had to pile the florets on top of each other in so many layers that steam couldn't penetrate to the center, leaving the innermost ones undercooked. We preferred bigger steamers: Those with at least 60 square inches of usable area gave us plenty of space to position and cook a full recipe in one go.
You've Steamed the Food—But Can You Get It Out?
Other design flaws made certain steamers harder to use. All four of the metal steamers had looped or rod-like handles that stemmed from their centers, but at less than 3 inches high, the handles on three of the models weren't tall enough to grasp securely with tongs or an oven mitt. That meant that as we tried to remove them from a hot pot, these steamers often tilted and spilled food back into the water.
Still, height wasn't everything. The two silicone steamers had longer handles stemming from the outer edges of the baskets. These interlocked and were easy to grab, but they sprung a little too high in some pots, preventing the lid from closing tightly and allowing steam to escape. Another downside to these models was that their floppy sides didn't always do a good job of containing food. They pitched outward when eggs or dumplings slid agai...
Everything We Tested
Recommended
- Capacity: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
Our old favorite fits a good amount of food, and we love its new telescoping handle: When the handle is extended to the full 4 inches, it's easy to grip to move the steamer in and out of the pot. The handle can also collapse to 2.5 inches when the steamer is in the pot or for compact storage. Our only quibbles? The metal leaves are a bit finicky to clean and bent a little during testing, though the unit remained perfectly functional throughout.
Recommended with reservations
- Capacity: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
This utilitarian stainless-steel steamer held plenty of food, and it survived testing intact. But its short, coat hanger–like hook of a handle was tricky to grasp without tilting the whole unit, making it easy to accidentally tip food into the water. Its overlapping metal leaves took a little more work to clean than did the smooth silicone models. Finally, while we appreciated the fact that its interlocking legs folded up for easier storage, they refused to stand evenly in any pot, making it feel a bit less secure.
- Capacity: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
Though many testers thought this model's colorful plastic construction looked a bit flimsy, it was relatively durable, with just a few mildly misshapen (but still functional) leaves at the conclusion of testing. Its long handle made it easy to insert or remove from the pot. But with steeply sloping sides, it had less usable flat space than our winner, just barely fitting four chicken breasts in a single layer and holding only 12 dumplings at a time. Finally, it was a little fussy to clean.
- Capacity: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
This spacious metal steamer was pretty sturdy, with just some minor cosmetic leaf deformation over the course of testing. But its handle was dinky, made of two short loops that lowered the unit's center of gravity so that it tilted precariously during removal, and the loops were hard to grab with oven mitts or tongs. Like the other metal models, it can be a pain to clean.
- Capacity: 3 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
Testers liked the options promised by this capacious tiered steamer, whose two baskets could be used together for bigger jobs (they held 26 dumplings) or separately for smaller tasks such as cooking a half-dozen eggs. But regardless of how the tiers were used, the central handle was too short to grab easily, making it dicey to remove the steamer from the pot. The handle broke after we dropped the steamer off the counter three times. And, like the other metal models, it's fussy to clean.
Not Recommended
- Capacity: 1 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1 stars out of 3.
Made out of nonstick silicone, this steamer basket was impervious to damage and easy to clean. But its steeply sloping sides limited the amount of usable flat space, preventing us from cooking much food at a time. And because those sides were floppy, the steamer didn't always contain food well, sagging and requiring some effort to avoid dropping eggs or broccoli. Finally, while its handles were big and easy to grab, they often popped up inside the pot, preventing the lid from closing tightly.
- Capacity: 1 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 0.5 stars out of 3.
This slick silicone steamer was easy to clean and looked as good as new at the end of testing. But it held a paltry amount of food, and its soft sides drooped readily, threatening to send fragile eggs or broccoli into the water. As with the other silicone model, its large handles—though easy to grip—sometimes rose too high in the pot, preventing its lid from sitting tightly and allowing steam to escape.
Reviews you can trust
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them.
Miye Bromberg
Miye is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She covers booze, blades, and gadgets of questionable value.
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