Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGB Food Steamer: Full Review

The Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGB is a compact and versatile food steamer that allows for healthy cooking using steam to prepare meals. This 2-tier steamer features a 3.5 quart covered pot and 6.5 quart rice cooker pot to cook rice, steamed vegetables, seafood, eggs and more all at the same time.

With easy to use digital controls, delay timer, and modest countertop footprint, the Aroma Housewares food steamer is designed to provide flexible and efficient cooking for individuals or families. The steamer accommodates the cooking of multiple foods simultaneously without the worry of transferring flavors or contamination.

This steamer aims to deliver healthy and delicious steamed meals with minimal prep work required. The Aroma Housewares food steamer offers a simple and affordable alternative to fried or high-calorie food preparation.

Design

The Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGB has a classic stainless steel two-tier pot-style design that will look great in any kitchen. It measures approximately 10.5 x 9.5 x 9 inches, so it doesn't take up too much counter space. The inner pot and rice bowl are made of surgical-grade 304 stainless steel which is durable, easy to clean, and won't react with foods. The outer housing has a brushed stainless steel finish with black accents. There are also cool-touch silicone handles on each side of the unit for safe lifting and transport after steaming. Overall, the sleek and modern stainless steel aesthetic gives it an elegant look perfect for any style of kitchen.

Additionally, the JOYDEEM JD-DZG15B offers a versatile steaming solution with multiple layers to accommodate various foods simultaneously. Its compact design and efficient steam circulation allow for quick cooking while retaining the nutrients in your meals. The intuitive controls make it easy to operate, ensuring perfectly steamed vegetables, rice, and more. This makes it a great complement to the Aroma Housewares steamer, providing added functionality and convenience in your kitchen.

Features

The Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGB food steamer has a 7-quart capacity, which allows you to steam vegetables, seafood, chicken, and more for an entire family. It has a 60-minute timer so you can walk away while your food steams to tender perfection.

This steamer features 800 watts of power for fast steam production. It has two steamer baskets - a 5-quart basket on bottom and 2.5-quart basket on top, allowing you to cook two foods at once. The baskets have handles that make removing them easy and safe.

There are variable temperature settings from Warm to High, so you can customize the cooking process for different foods. An embedded vent hole in the lid allows you to set it to steam or shut it off for slow cooking/rice cooking.

The accessories include two steaming baskets, a rice bowl, and a measuring cup. The accessories are BPA-free plastic and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

Overall, the generous capacity, power, accessories, and adjustable settings make this steamer versatile for steaming all kinds of foods for the whole family.

Another excellent option is the Nesco ST-25F, which features a unique stackable design that allows for efficient use of space. This model also offers a 5-quart capacity with adjustable steaming times and an automatic shut-off feature to ensure safety. Ideal for smaller kitchens, the Nesco ST-25F is perfect for preparing healthy meals while preserving the nutrients in your food.

Ease of Use

The Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGB food steamer is designed for ultimate convenience and simplicity. The controls consist of a simple dial timer that you set based on the steaming time required. There are no complex buttons or digital displays to deal with.

Setup takes just minutes. The base houses a water reservoir that you simply fill to the marked water line. The food trays stack together and fit inside the base. Place your food in the trays, set the timer, and you're ready to start steaming.

Cleaning up is straightforward since the food trays, lid, and base are all dishwasher safe. The water reservoir detaches from the base for easy cleaning. There are no small parts or crevices that are difficult to access. With mainly stainless steel and plastic construction, you don't have to worry about corrosion or wear.

Performance

The Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGB steamer delivers excellent performance for both steaming and slow cooking. The unit heats up quickly and reaches full steam in just minutes. Once at temperature, it maintains a consistent level of steam to properly cook foods.

The steaming basket heats evenly, ensuring food is cooked through without any cold spots. Vegetables come out perfectly crisp-tender after the preset steaming times. Meats also cook thoroughly and come out moist and tender after slow cooking. The steamer has enough power to cook a full meal, though very large loads may require slightly longer cook times.

Overall, the performance is reliable and consistent. The Aroma steamer delivers quality results comparable to more expensive models. Foods are properly cooked with good texture and moisture. For the price, most users are impressed with the performance.

Versatility

The Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGB rice cooker and food steamer offers excellent versatility for preparing a variety of foods. Its 3-quart capacity allows you to steam meat, fish, vegetables, and more all at the same time. The separate steam tray inserts directly into the rice cooker and allows steaming and rice cooking simultaneously. This saves time and lets you make complete meals with just one appliance.

You can steam firmer vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and potatoes on the bottom layer while placing more delicate foods like fish and seafood on the top tray. The steamer accommodates everything from seafood, tamales, and dumplings to eggs, veggies, and meat. It's perfect for healthy, low-fat cooking. Meats come out tender and juicy instead of dried out from other cooking methods. You can quickly steam artichokes, green beans, squash, and other fresh veggies to retain nutrients without overcooking. It’s also great for reheating leftovers without losing quality.

The spacious 3-quart capacity enables you to cook 6 cups of rice and steam multiple foods at once. You can prepare several servings or an entire meal for your family in one go. This makes it easy to get dinner or other meals on the table with minimal time and effort. Overall, the versatile steaming and rice cooking lets you produce flavorful, healthy dishes your whole family will love.

Durability

The Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGB food steamer is built to last thanks to its stainless steel body and tempered glass lid. The stainless steel construction makes it more durable and resistant to dents compared to plastic models.

Users mention this steamer standing up well to regular use without any issues with breaking or malfunctioning parts. The stainless steel body shows minimal signs of wear even after years of use.

Aroma Housewares provides a limited 1-year warranty on the product which covers defects in materials and workmanship. While the warranty is decent, it would be better if it was extended to 2 or 3 years to really showcase the durability of this steamer.

Overall, the metal and glass design along with solid construction allows this steamer to maintain its structural integrity for years of steaming. It's a reliable option for those seeking a durable countertop steamer.

Noise Level

The Aroma Housewares Food Steamer produces minimal noise during operation. The appliance runs quietly, allowing it to be used without disturbing others. The noise level remains low and unobtrusive whether you are steaming vegetables, rice, fish, or any other types of food.

There is a very soft hum when the unit is turned on and heating up. However, once the desired temperature is reached, the Aroma Housewares Food Steamer emits almost no noise at all. Only a bit of light steam hissing can be heard, but this is hardly noticeable. This makes it an excellent option for those who live in close quarters with others, such as dorm rooms or apartments.

The quiet performance can be attributed to the high-quality heating element and well-insulated design. There is no loud rattling or banging as the water boils. The noise level remains soft and muted even when steaming large batches of food at maximum capacity. The lack of annoying noise makes the use of this steamer much more enjoyable.

You can confidently use the Aroma Housewares Food Steamer any time of day without disturbing family members, roommates, or neighbors. For those who live in smaller spaces or shared settings, the steamer's quiet operation is a major advantage. The minimal noise produced during steaming makes this an ideal appliance for a wide range of living situations.

Pros of the Aroma Housewares Food Steamer

• Fast cooking: The Aroma Housewares food steamer cooks food very quickly. The two tiers allow you to steam multiple foods at once, so you can cook a complete meal up to 40% faster than traditional cooking methods.

• Healthy cooking: Steaming locks in nutrients and vitamins without added fats or oils. It's a great healthy cooking option compared to frying or baking. Steams vegetables, rice, fish, and more while preserving freshness and flavor.

• Easy to use: With an intuitive dial timer, 60-minute cooking time, and "Keep Warm" function, the Aroma Housewares steamer is simple to operate. The rice tray doubles as a drip tray for tidier cooking. It also has an auto shut-off and audible alert when done.

• Compact size: At under 12 inches wide, this 2-tier food steamer has a small footprint. Perfect for apartments, dorms, or other kitchens with limited space. The nesting design allows for easy storage.

Cons

• The controls can get a little hot to the touch after prolonged steaming. While it has an "auto shut off" feature for when water runs out, you have to be careful not to burn yourself if checking food or adjusting settings after 30+ minutes of steaming.

• The water reservoir capacity is fairly small at 2 liters. This requires refilling about every 30 minutes for larger batches or big vegetables like artichokes or potatoes. More frequent refilling can disrupt the steaming process.

• There are some reports of rust developing over time around the rim of the water reservoir, likely from condensation. This appears to be mainly a cosmetic issue but could indicate potential durability problems long-term.

• The lid can be tricky to align perfectly, allowing a small amount of steam to escape during cooking. This mostly impacts heating efficiency rather than cooking performance. But it requires fiddling with the lid to get a tight seal.