The Best Bamboo Steamers

This bamboo steamer cooked dumplings, bao, salmon, and greens quickly and efficiently. The thick bamboo slats in the base of each tier were durable and didn’t chip or shred. And because those tiers were reinforced with steel bands, they kept their shapes better than those of the other models, remaining perfectly circular and easy to align after 10 washes.

This all-bamboo steamer basket was well-made enough that it kept its shape throughout testing, never warping or shedding more than a very occasional fiber or two. The thick bamboo slats in its base stayed intact nicely. Best of all, it did a great job of steaming dumplings and bao.

This model is a great option if you’re steaming food for a large family or crowd. It has not only three tiers instead of the two that are more common but also a slightly larger diameter than the other models we tested, fitting a few more dumplings and bao. (It still fit in our favorite skillet and sauté pan.) And with tiers reinforced by steel bands and thick, solid bamboo slats, this model stood up to extended use well.

With a height of 2.8 inches per tier, this extra-roomy steamer is ideal if you like to cook taller foods. It did a great job of steaming dumplings and bao. It’s just a tiny bit less durable than some of the other models we tested. Made only of bamboo, its tiers warped slightly out of alignment after several washes, though we were still able to use it and the warping did not affect its performance. Its thin bamboo slats were also a tad flimsy; a few of the ties that secured them unraveled slightly over time.

Two copies of this steamer arrived in less-than-stellar condition, with lots of loose fibers that had to be pulled off before use. And some of the ties on their thin, flimsy slats came undone after a few washes. Over time, the all-bamboo tiers warped a bit, making it a bit tricky to line them up securely. Still, the tiers fit well enough to contain plenty of steam—they did a perfectly good job of cooking both dumplings and bao.