Best Steam Ovens of 2025
Enhance the flavors, textures, and nutritional value of your favorite foods with a brand new steam oven! Read on to learn how to pick a steam oven like an appliance expert and check out all our top picks have to offer.
Steam ovens are versatile cooking appliances that enhance both the preparation and presentation of recipes so you can prepare restaurant-quality meals at home! Cooking with steam is a healthy alternative to traditional baking that has numerous benefits we’ll go through below. We’ll also cover how steam cooking works and which food types it’s ideal for.
As your appliance authority, AjMadison not only wants to offer you the best steam ovens for your home, but also empower you to shop our wide selection of steam ovens like an appliance pro! Let’s go through all there is to know about steam ovens before checking out what our top picks have to offer.
How Does a Steam Oven Work?
A steamer oven utilizes a direct water line in plumbed models or a refillable water reservoir in non-plumbed models. When the oven is turned on, a heating element raises the water temperature to 212°F, producing steam which is then released into the oven cavity. The steam that circulates around the oven and quickly transfers heat to your food. Luxury steam ovens even let you set precise humidity levels according to the specific requirements of the dish you’re preparing.
Benefits of Steam Ovens
Healthier Cooking – Steam cooking retains more vitamins, nutrients, and minerals than traditional cooking methods because it uses minimal water and shorter cooking times, resulting in higher vitamin C retention in foods such as vegetables.
Reduces Oil Usage – The moist cooking method of a steam oven negates the need to use cooking oils and butter to prevent foods from sticking.
Even Cooking – Since the best steam ovens can sit at a precise 212°F, food is cooked evenly at every shelf level.
Enhances Flavor and Rehydrates Food – Steam preserves natural flavors and moisture, which results in richer, juicier results. Even when reheating foods, steam will rehydrate your leftovers to ensure they don’t dry out.
Color Preservation – If you love making your meals look as good as they taste, you’ll be happy to know that steam preserves the vibrant colors of vegetables and other foods.
Multi-Function Designs – Many models are not standalone steam cookers. Some of the best combi steam ovens include steam convection oven features and several other cooking modes for versatility.
Can Reduce Cross Contamination of Foods – Since steam can be used for cooking styles such as sous vide, vacuum-sealed items can be kept from exchanging odors or flavors. This allows you to cook different sous vide dishes simultaneously.
Energy Efficient – Steam transfers heat much faster than hot air, allowing steam ovens to preheat and cook faster than traditional ovens. This reduces overall cooking times and electricity usage over the appliance’s entire lifespan.
Gentle Cooking – Steam cooking protects delicate foods that can be easily burnt or otherwise damaged by intense, dry heat.
Easy to Clean – Normal self-clean cycles in ovens utilize a combination of high heat and moisture to unstick burnt on messes after cooking. Since steam ovens use moisture from the start, the difficulty of wiping down your oven after cooking is significantly reduced.
How to Prepare Foods for Steaming
While there are no uniform rules for steam cooking all food types, there are several strategies you can employ depending on the type of dish you are preparing! These include:
Vacuum Sealing – Not only does this enhance all the flavor and texture benefits mentioned above, but vacuum sealing also extends the shelf life of food since it is not exposed to air or bacteria. It also locks in marinades and seasonings, intensifying their flavors as the food cooks in its own juices.
Uniform Sizing – Slicing meat and vegetables into even chunks will ensure consistent doneness across the entire dish.
Clean and Trim Ingredients – Remove extraneous items like meat fat that can absorb heat (slowing down the cooking process) or are inedible such as stems and seeds.
Season Lightly – Steam cooking preserves the natural flavors of foods, so the standard amount of seasoning you use with traditional baking may overpower them.
Avoid Overcrowding – Make sure to evenly space cookware so steam can circulate around the oven cavity.
Layering – When steaming multiple dishes simultaneously, place items that require less cooking time on the top shelf. Heat rises to the top of the oven cavity, and the heating element of a steam oven is usually located there as well. That means the top shelf is where the highest concentration of heat is, resulting in faster cooking.
Use Cooking Accessories – Use steaming baskets, racks, or perforated trays which allow steam to circulate underneath for even cooking.
Infuse Water or Use Broth – Instead of using plain water in your reservoir, infuse it with citrus, spices, or herbs for added flavor.
Best Foods to Steam Cook
Steaming is a gentle cooking process, making it ideal for the following foods:
Vegetables – Steaming preserves the vibrant and crisp textures of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, asparagus, green beans, and spinach.
Fish and Shellfish – Steaming keeps delicate fish moist and tender. It also preserves the sweetness and tenderness of shellfish while gently opening them.
Poultry – Steam prevents common mishaps with cooking chicken and turkey such as drying them out.
Rice and Grains – Steam gives rice and grains a fluffy texture without them sticking.
Dumplings and Buns – Steaming keeps them soft and tender.
Eggs – Steaming an egg creates a perfectly cooked yolk and an easily peelable shell.
Tofu – Steaming preserves tofu’s structure and is much healthier than frying it.
Disadvantages of Steam Cooking
There are two common downsides to cooking with a steam oven. However, with the right model and some time to adjust, they can be easily overcome.
The first is that your browning and caramelization potential is limited, so you won’t be able to achieve the crispy, flaky crusts of traditional baking with steam alone. However, as mentioned earlier, steam cooking is just one of the functions of the best steam ovens out there, so in most cases you can combine steam with convection for browning when necessary.
The second is that there is a learning curve to the art of steam cooking. Experimenting with marinades, humidity levels, cooking times, and other factors will take some getting used to before you’re able to prepare gourmet meals like a professional chef.
