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The Best Countertop Steam Ovens

Steam ovens are restaurants’ best-kept secret. Does the smaller consumer version deserve a space in your kitchen?

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Published Jan. 18, 2023.

The Best Countertop Steam Ovens
See Everything We Tested

What You Need To Know

Countertop steam ovens resemble toaster ovens but differ in a key way: They inject steam into the oven cavity during cooking. Steam speeds up the cooking process and is especially useful when baking, preparing large cuts of meat, or steaming vegetables or fish. We recommend the Anova Precision Oven as the best countertop steam oven as it offers customization and precision for enthusiasts who want to dial in the perfect settings for a recipe.

What You Need to Know

Traditional ovens use dry, hot air and radiant heat to cook food. By adding steam—which transfers heat more effectively than dry air—you can speed up the process and cook more evenly. Advanced steam ovens also allow for more precision and customization of not only the oven temperature but also how much steam you’re adding and when. German company Rational pioneered the concept in 1973 and it was then widely adopted by commercial kitchens. These ovens can steam, convection bake, or do a combination of the two, which is why they’re sometimes referred to as “combi ovens.” Interest in both countertop and traditional steam ovens is growing in America, according to Steve Sheinkopf, CEO of the Boston-area kitchen-appliance chain Yale Appliance.

The Different Ways Steam Ovens Use Steam

Countertop steam ovens have an external water tank located either under the cooking chamber or on the side. The regular steam function is similar to steaming on the stovetop, where food is fully immersed in hot, wet air in a sealed space at 212 degrees—great for poaching delicate proteins and vegetables. 

Then there’s the “steam-bake” function, which injects steam into the oven during the baking process. It’s especially helpful for breadmaking. The initial release of steam softens the exterior of the dough, which allows the interior to expand more, creating a taller loaf. In a traditional oven, dry air will harden the exterior, so the interior can’t push the crust up as much. Steam ovens can also help with proofing dough, as you can calibrate the warmth and humidity for the optimal environment for yeast development. 

The basic models we tested offer “steam” and “steam-bake” functions, the latter programmed to inject a set amount of steam. With a more advanced model, we could adjust the humidity level when steaming and steam baking in increments of 5 percent. The percentage of water vapor held by the air (the “dew point”) in the cooking chamber can reach 100 percent. The higher the percentage, the faster food cooks. 

In addition, this model offers another feature: a “sous vide” mode that allows for sous vide cooking without plastic bags or a water bath. It keeps the oven at the con...

Everything We Tested

Good : 3 stars out of 3.Fair : 2 stars out of 3.Poor : 1 stars out of 3.
*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.
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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.

Valerie Sizhe Li

Valerie Sizhe Li

Valerie is an assistant editor for ATK Reviews. In addition to cooking, she loves skiing, traveling, and spending time outdoors.

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