Black & Decker HS 800 Food Steamer: Full Review

The Black & Decker HS800 Food Steamer is a functional and convenient kitchen appliance for healthy steaming of foods. It is a medium-sized food steamer with a 60oz water reservoir and two stackable steaming baskets for simultaneous steaming. The 650-watt heating element provides sufficient power for quickly bringing water to a boil and maintaining steam. Key features of this model include an external water-fill inlet that allows for adding water during steaming, an auto shut-off function when the reservoir runs dry, and dishwasher safe parts for easy cleaning. With its compact footprint and cord storage, the HS800 is a versatile steaming appliance suitable for a range of foods from vegetables to seafood.

Design

The Black & Decker HS800 Food Steamer has a sleek and modern aesthetic that will look great on any kitchen countertop. It has a black and stainless steel finish that gives it a premium look and feel.

The main body of the steamer is made of durable plastic that is BPA-free and easy to wipe down after use. It measures approximately 12.2 x 11.8 x 10.2 inches, so it doesn't take up too much counter space but still offers a generous 5.5 quart capacity.

The two transparent plastic trays inside the steamer are dishwasher safe and give you a clear view of your food as it cooks. They stack on top of each other, allowing you to steam different foods at the same time without any flavors mixing together.

The lid is made of glass and features a tight silicone seal to lock in steam and heat. It flips up for easy access to the food trays. There are also cool touch handles on the lid and side of the unit for safe maneuvering even when steamy.

Overall, the design is well-made, attractive, and perfect for any modern kitchen. The materials are durable and easy to maintain, while still providing excellent steaming power.

Steaming Performance

The Black+Decker HS800 steamer's steaming performance is excellent when it comes to quickly and evenly cooking a variety of foods. Its 750-watt heating element provides consistent, powerful steam to thoroughly cook vegetables, seafood, eggs, rice and more.

The steamer generates steam between 212-218°F. This high temperature range allows it to rapidly steam foods in 10-12 minutes. It is effective at steaming firmer vegetables like broccoli, potatoes and carrots as well as quicker-cooking foods like spinach, fish fillets and ground meat. The constant powerful steam penetrates throughout foods to cook them evenly without drying them out.

Many reviewers mention how the steamer cooks vegetables and other foods perfectly in a short amount of time. It provides tender, crisp-cooked results while retaining nutrients that may be lost in other cooking methods. Its consistent high steam output allows you to steam multiple stacked baskets at once while achieving uniform doneness. Overall, the steamer's excellent steaming power makes it a great option for quickly preparing flavorful, healthy steamed meals.

Ease of Use

The Black & Decker HS800 steamer features user-friendly controls and functions for both simplicity and customizability.

The display is clear and bright, allowing you to easily monitor cooking time, temperature, and steam levels. A set of buttons under the display let you program settings like cook time, delay start, and keep warm. You can adjust time in precise one-minute increments up to 60 minutes. This level of customizability enables cooking everything from vegetables to seafood with your ideal doneness.

The built-in water reservoir is easy to access from the side of the unit. It's simple to fill, and a visible water level window lets you check water levels at a glance.

For safety, the appliance won't operate unless the water reservoir is filled to the minimum line. This prevents the heating elements from running dry and damaging the steamer.

A steaming tray fits snugly inside the main cooking bowl. The tray has tiny holes to suspend foods above boiling water for direct and even steaming. It lifts out smoothly when done cooking.

Overall, the intuitive controls, clear display, and well-designed accessories make this steamer very easy to operate. Novices and experts alike will find it user-friendly for daily steaming needs.

Versatility

The Black and Decker HS800 steamer offers great versatility in the types of foods you can prepare with it. While many basic steamers are mainly designed for steaming vegetables, the HS800 can handle a much wider range of ingredients.

The two-tier stacking design, with separate water reservoirs for each tray, provides flexibility in simultaneously cooking different foods that need varying steam times. You can steam fish, chicken, or beef on the bottom tray while also steaming rice, potatoes, or hardier vegetables up top.

The HS800 is large enough to cook a whole chicken, fish fillets, or up to a 2lb roast. The drip trays keep meat juicy while allowing fat to drain away. You can also steam eggs, tamales, dumplings, and other foods.

With its wide range of capabilities, the HS800 can replace several other appliances in your kitchen. You'll be able to prepare complete meals with meats, grains, and vegetables all cooked to perfection using the power of steam.

Safety Features

The Black & Decker HS800 steamer has several useful safety features to prevent accidents while in use.

• Auto Shut-Off: The steamer will automatically shut itself off after 60 minutes of continuous steaming. This prevents the steamer from overheating or boiling dry if you forget to turn it off.

• Cool Touch Exterior: Except for the steaming tray, the exterior of the steamer remains cool to the touch while in operation. This prevents burns if you accidentally touch the sides when removing food.

• Overheat Protection: There are mechanisms inside the steamer to prevent overheating. If the heating element gets too hot, it will automatically turn off before any dangerous temperatures are reached.

These thoughtful safety features give you peace of mind while using the steamer. You don't have to worry about forgetting to turn it off or children accidentally touching hot surfaces. The auto shut-off and overheat protection help prevent fires or damage to the steamer itself. Overall, Black & Decker designed this model with safety in mind.

Cleaning

The Black & Decker HS800 steamer is relatively easy to clean. The water reservoir lifts out for convenient filling and cleaning. The power base can just be wiped down.

The food trays/baskets lift out and are dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze. Users do need to clean the trays promptly after use, as any food residue that dries can become more difficult to remove if left for a long time.

One downside is that descaling needs to be done periodically to remove mineral deposits from the water. The owner's manual recommends descaling monthly in areas with hard water. To descale, a vinegar solution needs to be steamed through the unit. The process isn't too arduous but does require following the instructions closely.

The exterior and interior of the unit can be cleaned with a damp cloth and mild detergent if needed. Overall, while not completely self-cleaning, the process of cleaning the HS800 is straightforward with removable, dishwasher safe parts. Just be sure to wipe it down and descale it regularly.

Noise Level

The Black and Decker HS800 is relatively quiet while operating. When heating up, it produces minimal noise that is comparable to your average microwave. The sound while steaming is similar to a pot of simmering water on the stove-top. You'll hear some light bubbling and hissing, but nothing jarring or disruptive. Even when steaming large batches of food at maximum capacity, the noise remains at reasonable household levels and won't disturb conversation. Some user reviews indicate the noise is quiet enough that they don't notice the steamer is on if they're in another room. If you like to listen to music, watch TV, or chat while cooking, you won't find the noise bothersome. The sound levels are a nice advantage over some competing steamer models that have loud vibration or high-pitched whistling. If you live in close quarters with housemates or need to steam early in the morning, the Black and Decker HS800 operates quietly enough to avoid being a nuisance.

Accessories

The Black and Decker HS800 comes with two steaming baskets and a rice bowl.

The 2-tier steaming basket allows you to steam two different foods at once by stacking them. The lower steamer basket is larger and can hold a good amount of food. The upper basket is smaller and perfect for steaming vegetables, fish fillets, or other smaller items. Both baskets have feet to elevate them off the water.

The rice bowl included is useful for steaming rice, couscous, oats and other grains. It has holes in the bottom to allow steam through.

The food steamer also includes a pair of plastic tongs which make it easy to grab and remove the steamer baskets. The tongs lock into the lid for convenient storage.

Overall, the included accessories provide flexibility to steam a wide variety of foods. The two-tier basket is a nice feature that isn't always included with food steamers at this price point.

Pros and Cons

The Black and Decker HS800 Food Steamer has many positive features but also some downsides to consider:

Pros

• Effective at steaming foods quickly and evenly
• Large capacity holds multiple food trays for batch cooking
• Easy to use digital controls with preset timers
• Keep Warm function holds food at temperature after cooking
• Rice bowl included allows steaming rice and grains
• Affordable price under $50

Cons

• Parts are not dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
• Lid does not seal tightly so some steam is lost
• Water reservoir is difficult to fill and see water level
• No audio alert when timer goes off
• Top gets hot to touch while in use
• Short power cord limits location

Overall, the HS800 is a reasonably priced food steamer that performs well for basic steaming needs despite some minor inconveniences. For those wanting a large capacity, versatile steamer on a budget, it's a good option to consider. More expensive models may have additional features and better construction.