Steaming your veggies and foods has an advantage over other cooking methods in that it retains all their healthy nutrients. It also preserves the natural flavor, shape, texture, and even color of your food.
That said, you can’t think of a better way to steam your food than a bamboo steamer. The pocket-friendly unit will steam your foods at extremely high temperatures to cook your food faster and more efficiently. And its natural water-absorbing properties will keep your food from getting soggy.
In this post, we’re going to unveil our best bamboo steamer reviews plus some helpful info and tips on how to pick the most suitable bamboo steamer for your cooking needs.
Our best bamboo steamer reviews:
1. Mister Kitchenware 10 Inch Handmade Bamboo Steamer
The first steaming basket on our list is the popular 10-inch handmade bamboo steamer from Mister Kitchenware. This unit is designed to offer you a healthier (steaming) method for cooking your veggies, dim sum dumplings, fish and chicken meat, and more.
The steaming basket comes with a 2-tier construction. This is a huge plus as it offers you more space to enable you to cook/reheat more servings at a go. Each tier has an internal diameter of 9.25 inches and measures 2.4 inches deep, meaning it’ll accommodate enough food for the family.
When you receive this steamer basket, you’ll notice it has a circular frame with a slatted bottom. This will facilitate free movement of steam within the cooking chamber for perfect cooking results. What’s more, the steamer has a dome-shaped bamboo-mesh lid that helps circulate heat, further ensuring excellent cooking.
Caring and maintaining this steamer is as simple as wiping it clean with a cloth dipped in hot water. And to disinfect and deodorize it, you simply need the readily available vinegar for the job.
Highlighted Features:
- Features 2-tier construction
- Tier dimensions: 10″ Diameter x 2.4″ Depth
- Slatted bottom for free steam circulation
- Domed bamboo-mesh lid circulates heat
- 60-day 100% moneyback guarantee
2. i-PLAYLOFT Premium 10 Inch Handmade Bamboo Steamer
This is one of the best Chinese bamboo steamers that you can use to prepare all your Chinese, Japanese, or Thai recipes easily. You can count on it to steam your veggies, dumplings, rice, fish, and even meat.
Like the above steamer, this 10-inch unit also presents you with an incredible two-tier design. This means that you can use it to prepare multiple food types at a go.
This steaming basket is unlike the cheaply made models out there. It boasts 100% premium quality bamboo material for a lightweight feel, durability, and long-lasting design. The craftsmanship, too, is forefront and will add to the increased lifespan of this steamer. ONLY bamboo is used to construct the entire unit. No plastics used.
When you order this steamer, you’ll receive a list of goodies that make it convenient for you to use. These goodies include two sets of chopsticks, up to 20 wax steam liners, a sauce plate…not to forget a step-by-step guide on how to cook and what to cook for your family. All these extras allow you to start steaming the moment you receive this unit.
With such a complete bundle that features everything you need to cook Asian food, this steamer will make the best gift for kitchen enthusiasts who love Asian dishes. It’ll also be a nice gift for anyone who wants a different method of preparing regular meals.
Highlighted Features:
- Two-tier design
- 100% premium quality bamboo material
- Includes 2 sets of chopping sticks
- Includes 20 wax steam liners
- Lightweight and durable design
- Made from BPA-free, non-toxic, odorless material
3. Steami – Bamboo Steamer (10 inch)
The 10-inch from Steami is another best bamboo steamer you can try. This is a pretty versatile unit that will surely transform your cooking game by maintaining fresh flavors in all your foods.
It comes with a 3-tier design that enables you to cook even more foods at a time than the 2-tier models above.
While some bamboo steamers will give you headaches trying to fit them into some ports, this incredibly versatile will with just anything! You can conveniently fit it into nearly all woks, pans, and pots. You can also easily interchange its racks and even rotate them to regulate the cooking time as well as temperature.
The complete bundle packs EVERYTHING you need to get started steaming your favorite dishes. It includes up to 10 pre-cut liners that food doesn’t stick on your steaming basket for easy cleanup and prolonged lifespan. It also easy to follow recipes for preparing steamed pro dumplings, soup dumplings, and veggies.
Keep in mind that this steamer is carefully constructed from 100% eco-friendly bamboo. The material is not only lightweight and durable but also safe for human use. It contains no BPA or harsh chemicals that might end up contaminating your food.
Highlighted Features:
- Comes with 3-tier design
- Dimensions: 10” diameter x 5.5” tall
- Fits most woks, pans, and pots
- Up to 10 paper liners included
- Made from 100% natural bamboo
- Bonus recipe guide included
4. Juvale Bamboo Steamer Basket
Juvale bamboo steamer basket lets you cook or reheat your foods naturally and preserve all their minerals and vitamins. It’s made from all-natural bamboo and is suitable for cooking meat, vegetables, seafood, poultry, etc. It’s also great for reheating pasta, rice, quinoa, veggies, and more.
The steamer basket comes with a two-tier construction that lets you cook or reheat more foods at the same time. Unlike most of the steamers out there, this basket has stainless steel rings around it to improves its ability to trap moisture while enabling it to hold up to abuse and last longer.
As long as you use a proper lining when steaming your foods, cleaning this basket should be easy and quick for you.
The slated bottom lets steam easily flow in and cook or heat your food while the dome-shaped lid at the top prevents the steam from escaping for the best cooking results. With an interior diameter of 9.2 inches and an exterior diameter of 10 inches, this steamer will comfortably fit most pots and will be ideal for preparing large meals.
Highlighted Features:
- Made from natural woven bamboo
- 2-tier construction
- Stainless steel rings
- Interior diameter: 9.2-inch
- Exterior diameter: 10 inches
- Height: 6.7 inches
5. Cuisine Natural 10″ Bamboo Steamer
If you have a kitchen enthusiast in your life who loves cooking, this fairly priced bamboo steamer will make the perfect gift for them. It will give you the ability to cook healthy food with all the nutrients plus natural flavor intact.
Because the manufacturer includes up to 20 liners in this steamer, you’ll have an easy time cleaning it every time you use to prepare your favorite dishes. The liners will go between the steamer and your food, ensuring the food doesn’t get stuck and give you a hard time cleaning it.
Easy to use, this steamer does a great job of cooking your food. It’s a multi-use unit that you can trust to prepare anything from veggies, dumplings, dim-sum, crab, pork, chicken, steamed rice, etc. Besides cooking, you can use it as a table serving basket.
Note that this steamer has a two-tier design to enable you to prepare more steamed dishes simultaneously.
As for the quality, this steamer comes with a handwoven all bamboo construction for excellent quality and long service life. The glue used on it is 100% non-toxic and will last a lifetime.
Highlighted Features:
- Handwoven all-natural bamboo basket
- Up to 20 liners included
- 2-tier steam basket
- 10-inch steam for large portions
- Made with non-toxic glue
- 6-month manufacturer guarantee
6. Hcooker 3 Tier Kitchen Bamboo Steamer
As steaming slowly gains popularity as the easiest, healthiest cooking technique, you don’t want to be left behind. And this steaming basket allows you to experience the benefits of steaming your food firsthand.
Unlike all the units we have previously discussed, this steamer comes with 3-tier design. This makes it possible for you to prepare up to 3 different dishes of steamed foods at a go, saving you time and fuel. It’s made from 100% natural bamboo for durability.
What’s more, this steamer presents you with a tight-fitting to trap as much as steam as possible and promote even and fast cooking for your foods. Plus, the sealing helps keep the food nutrients inside, so you’re sure you’re making healthy meals at all times.
Most users also appreciate that the steamer comes with 3 reusable liners (one for each tier) to make it easier and effortless to clean your steaming basket.
You’ll quickly notice that this steamer comes with stainless steel bands. These offer the unit additional strength, increase the bamboo’s moisture trapping capability, and boost its overall sturdiness and durability.
Highlighted Features:
- Includes 3 reusable liners
- Made from natural bamboo
- Tight-fitting lid traps steam inside
- 3-tier steam basket
- Reinforced with stainless steel bands
7. DEALZNDEALZ 08 inch Handmade Natural Bamboo Steamer
Do you love Asian foods? Are you looking for the healthiest way of preparing different Asian dishes in your kitchen? If yes, this 8-inch steamer will make a worthy investment for you.
The unit comes in an Asian-inspired design, handmade from 100% natural, sturdy, and durable bamboo. In addition, the manufacturers toxic-free glue, making the steamer safe for you to use.
It presents you with a two-tier design to enable you to prepare different styles of Asian cuisine all at the same time. Since it fits most pans and woks, it makes the perfect size for preparing steamed meals for your family. Its tight-fitting lid helps keep the steam in to ensure your food is fully cooked.
We love that this dumplings steamer is water-resistant. And like all the other units featured on this list, it’ll preserve all the nutrients and allow your food to maintains its shape, texture, and even flavor.
Apart from the 2-tier bamboo steamer, you’ll get additional items in the complete package to make your cooking more convenient. These extras included 2 sets of chopsticks, up to 50 wax liner papers, and an instructional booklet.
Highlighted Features:
- Two-tier steaming basket
- Made of 100% natural bamboo
- Made with non-toxic glue
- Comes with 2 pairs of chopsticks
- Includes 50 wax liner papers
- Tight-fitting lid ensures fully cooked foods
- Prepares a long list of steamed foods
8. Yuho 12–Inch Asian Kitchen Bamboo Steamer
If you’re specifically looking for a great 12 inch bamboo steamer, you should get this Yuho 12-inch bamboo steamer. Not only is it an excellent tool for cooking traditional Chinese dishes like dumplings but also lets you steam fresh veggies, poultry, meat, fish, seafood, etc.
This steamer is purely handcrafted by masters with over a decade of experience with 100% natural bamboo with an age of 3plus years. No wires, metals, or plastics used in its construction.
Using this steamer is easy and straightforward. You simply put it above hot water to cook with steam. And the fact that it features 2-tiers means it offers you more room for preparing several steamed dishes at the same time.
As a Bonus, this steamer will come packed with up to 10 perforated parchment bamboo steamer liners to offer protection to your basket and make it easy to clean. Also, this steamer comes packed in an individual color box to offer you convenient storage when not in use.
Highlighted Features:
- 100% natural bamboo construction
- 10 bamboo liners included
- Features 2-tiers construction
- Size: 12-inch diameter
9. Helen Chen’s Asian Kitchen 10″ Bamboo Steamer Basket
As we get close to wrapping up our list, we also have this highly popular steamer from Helen’s Chen kitchen. Like all the other units mentioned above, this steaming basket offers you a truly authentic way of steaming your meats, seafood, veggies, or serving dim sum at the table.
The steamer features a sturdy two-tier design to offer you years of healthy steaming of your food. Apart from being durable, the bamboo used for this basket is all-natural and features a light and attractive design. The bamboo used is harvested from a responsible and constantly replenished source.
This basket will easily sit over your pot. It features open slats at the bottom that give steam a free passage into the steam to cook your food. To ensure the steam is contained inside and doesn’t escape out of the basket, this steamer also comes with a lid.
Thanks to bamboo’s natural water-absorbing properties, this steamer will easily absorb all the condensation—keeping water from dripping back to your food and make it all soggy. An instruction booklet with easy steaming recipes to give you an easy start with this steamer.
Highlighted Features:
- Made of durable bamboo
- Heat and stain-resistant bamboo
- Tightly constructed and woven
- Two-tiered bamboo steamer
- Tier size: 10″ diameter x 7-1/2″ H
10. BirdRock Home 10 Inch Bamboo Steamer
Whether you’re a fan of Asian foods or simply a health enthusiast, you must try this bamboo steamer. Just as we have seen with the other units above, this steamer lets you cook your foods without oil while ensuring your meals don’t lose their nutrients.
It comes designed from 100% natural bamboo, which gives it a true mark of authenticity. It ensures you have a natural cooking method that’s durable and free of harsh chemicals associated with plastic and metal steamers.
This is a pretty versatile steamer that fits most kitchen pots. In other words, you’ll conveniently use it with woks, pans, and pots you already have in your kitchen. Also, note that it comes with a 2-tier design to let you separately cook meat and veggies/rice.
Each tire is up to 10-inch wide, meaning you can cook enough for the entire family.
Overall, this is a great dumpling steamer for you. You can use it to steam vegetables, chicken, fish, rice, and other foods. It passes steam over your meals evenly for perfect cooking results. It’s durable and offers you easy cooking and easy cleanup.
Highlighted Features:
- Fits most kitchen pots
- Designed with two-tiers
- Tier dimensions: 10″ Diameter x 2.4″ Depth
- Made of 100% natural bamboo
How to use a bamboo steamer basket?
Using a bamboo steamer correctly is the SECRET to enjoying perfectly steamed foods with all the nutrients intact. Follow these simple steps to use your new steamer for the first time:
Step 1. Bring water to simmer.
The first step involves putting water in a wok or pan up to 2-3 inches. Keep the water level low, so it doesn’t touch the food in the steamer. Turn on medium heat and let the water come up to simmer (DON’T boil).
Step 2. Put in the steaming basket.
As you wait for the water to come up to simmer, take a paper liner and place it at the bottom of your bamboo steamer. Place the food you wish to steam on top of this liner. Lastly, put the lid over the steamer.
Step 3. Start steaming your food.
When water starts simmering, place your bamboo steamer into the middle of the wok/pan and let it cook. During the cooking, ensure water doesn’t boil as it’ll evaporate or cook your food unevenly.
TIP: Keep an eye on the water level and keep replenishing it if necessary. Make sure it doesn’t get too low as this can cause your steaming basket to burn or stop cooking your food.
Step 4. Let the food cook.
Depending on the type of food you’re cooking, it can take anywhere from a few minutes up to an hour to cook. ONLY open the lid when the food is fully cooked to ensure you don’t let out the steam and affect the cooking process.
When the cooking time is up, remove the basket from the pan and turn the heat off. Open the lid, remove your food from the steamer, get rid of the liners, and that’s it!
You can enjoy your perfectly steamed dinner.
What Makes The Right Bamboo Steamer?
If you want to get the best bamboo steamer for your unique food steaming needs, here’s what to look for in a bamboo steamer:
Construction
One thing you’ll notice when you go shopping for a bamboo steamer is that different units come with varying methods of construction.
Though you might not easily notice this, they even feature different qualities of bamboo.
The best one should be made from premium bamboo, so it doesn’t add any unpleasant smells to your food.
If you want to go all-natural, you should look for one joined natural with bamboo wick or nails instead of glue, stainless steel, or copper wires (though these add strength and toughness to your steamer).
You should also ensure the steamer you get feature wide enough slats to let in steam to all the tiers. It should also come with a tight-fitting lid to keep steam from escaping and promote perfect cooking results.
Size
Size, too, matters when it comes to getting the right steaming basket for your needs.
From our list of the top steamers reviews above, you might have noted that the size of a steamer is expressed in diameter.
The most popular units are 10-inch bamboo steamers. Such a size is sufficient for preparing enough meals for a dinner party gathering.
They’re also preferred because they’re pretty versatile and can easily work with nearly any wok, pot, or pan in your kitchen.
Tiers
Another helpful feature to look for in a bamboo steamer is the number of tiers or levels it comes with. Each row lets you cook a steamed dish. The more levels a steaming basket offers you, the more foods you can cook with it at a go. Needless to say, this means faster cooking time and less usage of fuel.
Other features:
- Safety: a unit that comes with heat-resistant coatings will allow you to hold it using your bare hands without getting burned. Some models also offer you gripping tongs for safe handling.
- Easy cleaning: like any other kitchen utensil you own, you’ll need to keep your bamboo steamer clean at all times. Look for one that’s effortless to clean. Units that come with reusable liners make cleaning easy for you.
- Bonus items: any unit that comes with additional items will make it even more convenient for you to use. You’ll bump on steamers with extra such as liners, chopsticks, recipe booklets, etc., all of which add to user convenience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are bamboo steamers toxic?
Bamboo steamers are non-toxic, unlike the metallic and plastic steamers. This is because they are made from all-natural materials and won’t release any undesired odors or toxins into your food.
Q: Can bamboo steamer sit in water?
Sure! The bamboo steaming basket is intended for sitting on hot water so that steam can easily enter through its slated bottom to cook your food. Just be mindful of the water level, so it doesn’t end up touching your food.
Q: Do you need to line a bamboo steamer?
Lining up your bamboo steamer before placing food in it helps prevent food from sticking on the steamer, facilitating easy cleanup. Liners also help protect your steamer basket and extend its service life.
Q: Why does my bamboo steamer smell?
Since bamboo is porous, it can easily absorb the detergent you use to clean it and let the smell into your food when you use it for cooking your next dish. You can prevent this by using a detergent without a strong odor.
Final Verdict
All bamboo steaming baskets aren’t built the same. They come in varying qualities, designs, sizes, etc. For you to get a steaming basket that meets your unique food steaming needs, you need to know what to look for in a steaming basket.
The guide above will offer you expert tips on how to pick the best bamboo steamer for you. Get your bamboo steamer today from our list above and start cooking your foods the healthiest way!