SUSTEAS 03-Food Steamer Food Steamer: Full Review

The SUSTEAS 03 Food Steamer is a countertop electric steamer designed to offer a healthy cooking alternative for a variety of foods. Steaming is a cooking method that uses steam heat to cook food. It's praised as a healthy cooking technique that preserves nutrients and retains moisture better than other cooking methods.

The SUSTEAS 03 aims to provide an easy way to steam foods at home. It features a simple design with adjustable timer settings and a water level window so you can easily monitor the water level. The steamer has a 600 watt heating element to produce steam and includes a drip tray and steaming trays. It's compact in size to save counter space but offers enough capacity to steam food for 2-6 people depending on portion sizes.

With its entry-level price point, the SUSTEAS 03 targets home cooks looking for an affordable and healthier way to cook vegetables, fish, chicken and more. This review will dive into the features, performance and ease of use of the SUSTEAS 03 to help consumers determine if it fits their needs. Key areas we will cover include the design, settings, ease of use, results, safety features, noise level and included accessories.

Design and Appearance

The SUSTEAS 03 Food Steamer has a sleek and modern design perfect for any kitchen. It is made of stainless steel for durability and has an attractive brushed finish.

With dimensions of 12.2 x 11.4 x 9.8 inches, the steamer is a great size and doesn't take up too much counter space. The oval shape allows for multi-level steaming and the clear tempered glass lid lets you monitor the cooking process.

Aesthetically, the SUSTEAS 03 has clean lines and a minimalist style. The stainless steel and glass give it an elegant, upscale look. The LED touch screen adds a high-tech element. Overall, the steamer has a premium feel and appearance that would enhance any kitchen decor.

The BELLA 17291 is another fantastic option for those looking for an efficient steamer. This steamer features a versatile three-tier design, allowing you to cook multiple foods simultaneously. It also includes a removable rice and grains tray for added functionality. The BELLA 17291 is compact with dimensions of 11 x 11 x 13 inches, and is designed with an easy-to-use timer and automatic shut-off feature for safety and convenience. Its sleek stainless steel construction ensures durability and a modern aesthetic that fits seamlessly into any kitchen environment.

Settings and Features

The SUSTEAS 03-Food Steamer has several useful settings and features that allow you to customize your cooking.

Cooking Modes

The steamer has multiple cooking modes including steam, slow cook, rice, pasta, meat/poultry, seafood, cake, egg, and yogurt. This versatility allows you to steam, cook, or reheat a wide variety of foods.

Temperature Control

There are variable temperature controls ranging from 105°F to 212°F so you can select the ideal temperature for different foods. For example, delicate foods like fish can be cooked at lower temperatures while vegetables and rice need higher temperatures.

Timer

A 60-minute timer with auto shut off allows you to steam foods hands-free. You don't have to worry about overcooking. The timer can be set in 1-minute increments up to 60 minutes. There is also a delay start function so you can have the steaming start automatically later.

The OVENTE FS62S is another excellent option for those looking to make healthy meals quickly. This versatile food steamer comes with three stackable transparent containers, allowing you to cook different types of food simultaneously. The built-in water level indicator ensures you never run out of water during the steaming process. With its 60-minute timer, auto shut-off feature, and BPA-free materials, the OVENTE FS62S offers both convenience and safety. Its compact design makes it ideal for kitchens with limited counter space, and the easy-to-clean parts make upkeep simple.

Ease of Use

The SUSTEAS 03 food steamer is designed to be user-friendly and hassle-free.

Setup

Setting up the steamer is very straightforward. The water tank lifts out easily to fill under the faucet. The steaming trays stack neatly inside the main unit and lock into place with a turn of the knob. All of the parts fit together seamlessly.

Cleaning

Keeping the steamer clean is simple since the parts can be washed by hand or placed in the dishwasher. The water tank detaches and has a wide opening, making it easy to rinse out. The lid comes off smoothly, providing access to wipe down the interior. The trays have an open design without lots of nooks and crannies.

User-Friendliness

Overall, the SUSTEAS 03 is intuitive to operate. The digital controls are laid out logically with clear markings. It's easy to choose the steaming time and temperature. The auto shut-off provides peace of mind. The handles stay cool while steaming. All of these user-centric features make this steamer a pleasure to use.

Performance and Results

The SUSTEAS 03 food steamer delivers excellent performance when it comes to heating time, cooking evenness, and end results.

• Quick Heating Time: The 800W heating element brings water to a boil rapidly, so you don't have to wait long for it to start steaming. It only takes around 2 minutes for the steamer to be ready to start cooking.

• Even Cooking: The food steamer does an amazing job at evenly cooking food. The steam circulates completely around the two tiers, ensuring food is evenly heated from all sides. Vegetables and proteins come out uniformly cooked with no raw or overcooked spots.

• Great Results: Food steamed in the SUSTEAS 03 has wonderful taste and texture. Vegetables retain their vibrant colors, flavors, nutrients, and crisp-tender bite. Proteins come out moist, tender and not rubbery. Rice, grains and dumplings turn out light and fluffy. One of the benefits of steaming is that very little water is required, so flavors are not diluted. You get delicious results using this steamer.

Safety

The SUSTEAS 03 food steamer prioritizes safety in several key ways.

• It has an auto shutoff feature that turns the steamer off after 12 minutes of continuous steam, preventing overcooking or burning food. This gives peace of mind if you get distracted while cooking.

• The exterior of the steamer remains cool to the touch even during prolonged steaming. The heating element is sealed away from the outside, preventing potential burns if accidentally touched.

• A safety lock keeps the lid firmly in place during operation. This prevents any steam burns that could happen if the lid was accidentally opened during steaming.

• The non-stick cooking bowl is BPA-free and easy to clean. You don't have to worry about chemicals leaching into foods.

• All parts that contact food are BPA-free and dishwasher safe. Clean-up is quick and efficient.

Overall, SUSTEAS designed this steamer with several thoughtful safety features to prevent burns, overcooking, and exposure to unwanted chemicals during the cooking process. You can feel confident using this appliance even if you are busy doing other tasks while food is steaming.

Noise Level

The Susteas food steamer operates at a reasonable noise level. The main steaming compartment is well insulated to contain noise from the boiling water and steaming process.

The audible alerts and timer beeps are at a moderate volume - loud enough to hear in an average kitchen setting without being overly intrusive. Users mention the alarms are helpful for knowing when time is up or water needs refilling, without being annoying or startling.

The noise level stays relatively consistent during operation. It does not get significantly louder as the steaming time goes on. There are no high-pitched whistling noises from steam escaping. Overall, customers find the noise from the steamer acceptable for home kitchen use.

Some buyers wish there was an option to adjust the timer beep volume or turn it off completely. This could be helpful for using the steamer overnight or when noise needs to be kept to a minimum. However, the beeps are not excessively loud. With a bit of kitchen background noise like a fan or music, they likely would not be disruptive.

Accessories

The SUSTEAS 03 Food Steamer comes with two stainless steel steaming baskets that stack inside the main unit. The bottom basket has larger holes to allow steam to rise up through the layers.

The two baskets provide flexibility to cook different foods simultaneously that require different steaming times. For example, you could steam carrots or broccoli in the bottom basket that cooks faster, while meat or fish cooks more slowly in the top basket.

The baskets have folding handles that tuck away neatly when stored inside the base, saving space. The baskets are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

While the included baskets should handle most steaming tasks, SUSTEAS does sell additional accessories separately. They offer an egg steaming tray that can hold up to 12 eggs at a time, as well as a cake/dumpling steaming tray. For larger batches, steaming basket extenders can double the capacity.

There are also silicone molds and steaming bags available to further customize the steaming process. The extenders and extra trays stack nicely for storage.

Overall, the included baskets will satisfy most users' needs. But the optional accessories allow you to expand the functionality as needed for larger meals or more customized steaming.

Price and Value

The Susteas 03 Food Steamer is available for $49.99 on Amazon, which puts it at the lower end of food steamer prices. This makes it an extremely affordable option compared to many other food steamers that can cost over $100.

For under $50, the Susteas 03 offers excellent value. It has a generous 5.5 quart capacity, 3 stackable baskets, and useful features like delay start and keep warm functions. The steaming performance is on par with more expensive models.

Some key factors that impact the value proposition:

• The 1 year warranty provides peace of mind against defects or issues. This is pretty standard for appliances in this price range.

• The components and construction quality seem durable and made to last. Owners mention the steamer still functioning well after years of regular use.

• Easy to operate and clean. No major usability complaints. Simple design translates to good reliability.

• Energy efficient operation. Doesn't require significantly more electricity than comparable steamers.

Overall, for under $50, it's hard to find a food steamer that offers more quality, capabilities, and reliability than the Susteas 03 model. It delivers excellent value for money that outshines many pricier options.

Summary

Overall, the SUSTEAS 03 Food Steamer is a recommended buy for those looking for an affordable and effective steamer to cook healthy meals.

The main pros of this steamer are its spacious 3-tier design that can cook multiple ingredients at once, intuitive controls with auto shut-off, and budget-friendly price. It's able to cook food quickly and evenly using steam heat that locks in nutrients and flavor. The transparent lid allows monitoring food without releasing steam and heat.

In terms of cons, the plastic housing may not be as durable as some pricier models. There have also been some reports of water dripping from the lid, so keeping an eye on the water levels is advised. Additionally, the steamer racks are not removable, so cleaning in between batches takes more effort.

For those seeking an easy-to-use and wallet-friendly steamer for making flavorful steamed veggies, fish, dumplings and more, the SUSTEAS 03 is a solid choice to consider. While not perfect, it delivers very good performance and value for the price point. For shoppers wanting additional features or more heavy-duty construction, spending more on a higher-end model may be worthwhile. But overall, this steamer gets the job done well for basic steaming needs.