6 Best Vegetable Steamers for Nutrient-Rich, Plant-Based Meals

Given vegetables are one of the most important parts of a plant-based diet, it’s essential to own the best tools for cooking vegetable-forward dishes.

Here we’ve rounded up the best vegetable steamers to get you on the right foot toward a healthy, plant-based lifestyle.

In a Hurry? Here’s Our Quick List of Top Picks

• Classic Cuisine Vegetable Steamer Rice Cooker
• OXO Good Grips Silicone Steamer
• Mister Kitchenware 10 Inch Handmade Bamboo Steamer
• QuickerNest Instant Pot Silicone Steamer Basket
• Cuisinart STM-1000 Digital Glass Steamer
• Cuisinart 77-35CG Chef’s Classic Stainless 3-Piece 3-Quart Steamer Set

Benefits to Steaming Vegetables

No doubt vegetables are super healthy for us, but when we cook veggies it helps increase the amount of nutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamins available to our bodies.

Boiling vegetables causes most veggies to lose essential vitamins and minerals into the water due to their water-soluble nature.

Examples of particularly vulnerable vitamins and minerals lost when boiling are vitamins C and B, folate, thiamine, and polyphenols (as found in kale, spinach and broccoli).

Steaming is by far the best cooking method to gain the most from vegetables.

This process helps break down the plant cell walls and thereby assists our digestive system in absorbing the most nutrients.

In other words, you will gain more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, iron and protein from eating steamed vegetables versus eating them raw or boiled.

For instance, eating steamed spinach or carrots leads to higher levels of beta carotene in the blood which converts to vitamin A.

The Low-Down on Vegetable Steamers

In general, you’ll find a few different kinds of steamers on the market, and those include steamer baskets and electric steamers.

The baskets are basically accessories you add to pots and steam veggies using a little water in the bottom of the pot.

There are basic steamers which usually have petals or ‘wings’ which fold out or in, and are typically made of stainless steel.

Then there are silicone baskets or slings made to use in pressure cookers, but you can also put them in pots.

Electric steamers include a basin for water and often allow for more than one food item to be cooked simultaneously or for large batches.  If you steam lots of veggies often, electric steamers are usually the best option.

Some helpful tips to keep in mind when steaming veggies – remember different kinds of produce require longer or shorter cook times.

Also, cutting veggies uniformly will enable even cooking while steaming, and try to arrange them in a single layer within the steamer.

If you want to spruce up blander tasting foods, try adding something like leeks, tea, onions, or herbs to the water.

It’s also important to not use too much water when using a basket steamer since it could end up boiling your veggies; this would be counterproductive to retaining the essential nutrients.

Things to Look for That Differentiate These Products

Each steamer in our roundup is unique and offers different features which are designed to suit your needs.

While they all steam veggies and other items such as grains, there are a few differences to note.

The more traditional steamers are made with stainless steel and are collapsible to fit inside various pots.

There are a couple silicone steamer baskets which are compatible with pressure cookers or stovetop pots.

If you are looking for a stand-alone steamer, check out the electric steamers we have here which hold water and have a self-contained steam system (there is a translucent plastic or glass model).

Multi-tasking is also possible with a few steamers which offer tiers stacked over one another so you can cook more than one food item at a time.

Also, check out the all-in-one set which includes a large pot, steamer basket and tight-fitting lid.

The most unique of our steamers is the handmade bamboo model with slats to circulate the steam throughout the 2-tiers.

6 Top Picks for Vegetable Steamers

Whether you are looking for a self-contained vegetable steamer, or one compatible with pots or an instant pot, we have one here for you to check out!

Classic Cuisine Vegetable Steamer Rice Cooker

Steam 2 foods at once with Classic Cuisine’s vegetable and rice steamer! I like the versatility this steamer offers, and since it is clear, you can monitor the food while it’s cooking.

There is a convenient, built-in timer and water gauge which puts you in control and ensures the water level is consistently the correct amount.

Stacked on top of one another, the layers include the strategically designed rice bowl, the upper and lower steam trays, and the drip tray.

This is an electric steamer; so it is all self-contained without a need for boiling water or any pots and pans.

There is a tray built-in to hold eggs, which is of no use on a plant-based diet; so I think this is perhaps one unneeded feature on this steamer.

Dishwasher-safe and holding up to 6.4 quarts, the steamer’s dimensions are 1” (L) x 12.25″ (H) x 7″ (W). The base is 4.5” and the bottom and top steamer trays are 3.5.”

OXO Good Grips Silicone Steamer

From OXO, this silicone steamer is ideal for pressure cookers and can be used elsewhere such as in pots on the stove or even in the microwave.

The basket is designed with high walls to hold all your veggies securely while steaming and will keep them from falling into the water.

Also, the silicone feet stabilize the steamer over water and won’t scratch your pots!

The pleats allow the steamer to flex to accommodate pots or pressure cookers which are 7” in diameter or greater.

The flexible handles stay cool for easy removal after steaming, and they also fold and lock in place making way for a pot lid.

This steamer is all one piece! It is dishwasher safe and easy to store since it will roll up and the handles hook onto the feet.

Fun fact – silicone is not plastic and therefore is BPA-free and much safer. It is also heat resistant hence the cool touch handles.

Mister Kitchenware 10 Inch Handmade Bamboo Steamer

Allowing you to steam multiple food items at once using the 2-tier construction, the bamboo steamer by Mister Kitchenware is really unique and also handmade!

Bamboo naturally absorbs condensation and prevents it from dripping onto the food, while the circular shape and slatted bamboo bottom of each layer allows for steaming of different foods at the same time.

The domed lid helps the steam circulate evenly throughout the layers making this a very efficient process and it won’t leave you with soggy veggies.

Each tier is 10 inches in diameter (9.25 inch internal diameter) and 2.4 inches deep.

Since bamboo is not dishwasher-safe, it is recommended you clean the steamer with vinegar – you’ll need a half cup of vinegar to a gallon of hot water and a cloth. The liners are also reusable after cleaning.

Mister Kitchenware offers a 60-day money back guarantee if you aren’t fully satisfied, but the company is pretty confident you will be.

QuickerNest Instant Pot Silicone Steamer Basket

If you are looking for a compatible steamer to use as a sling for your instant pot, this is a great one to check out! The QuickerNest Instant Pot Silicone Steamer Basket uses FDA-approved silicone which sustains heat and will not break.

Unlike stainless steel or plastics, you need not worry about harmful chemicals leaching into your food.

I like the large capacity of the basket which utilizes the most space in the instant pot or regular stovetop pot, the high walls hold food, and the sturdy legs keep it from causing any potential damage.

The many holes throughout the steamer allow for the steam to circulate within the pressure cooker, and the cool touch handles lock together.

As mentioned, this is great for instant pots which are 6 and 8 quart size or other pressure cooker brands or rice cookers.

This steamer is dishwasher safe and it folds flat for easy storage!

Cuisinart STM-1000 Digital Glass Steamer

If you are like me (and many other vegans) who cook the majority of your meals at home, handy self-contained kitchenware is something to get excited about.

If this is true for you as well, you may want to check out this Digital Glass Steamer by Cuisinart!

It delivers a powerful steam system moving the steam from top down and surrounding food all within a large 5 liter glass pot (which is also dishwasher safe)!

There is a LCD control panel which enables you to start, stop or pause cooking and there’s even a reheat button.

Also included is a 60-minute countdown timer and 5 preprogrammed settings. Granted you will not have any use for the poultry and seafood settings, it is nice to have vegetable and grain settings ready-to-go.

Not to worry if you are steaming other foods, there’s also a manual setting!

The 1 liter water tank is removable for easy filling and the stainless steel steaming tray flips to accommodate different kinds of food.

Overall, a great investment which will make cooking meals at home a whole lot easier, and it comes with a limited 3 year warranty.

Cuisinart 77-35CG Chef’s Classic Stainless 3-Piece 3-Quart Steamer Set

This 3-piece, 3-Quart stainless steel steamer set is complete with everything you’ll need to steam veggies without needing to buy separate pots or find a steamer basket which fits the ones you own already.

The lid fits tightly to seal in the steam for effective cooking and the pot is even oven safe up to 500 degrees F (and freezer safe too!).

Encapsulated by stainless steel, the pure aluminum core distributes heat evenly without any hot spots.

This will hold a decent amount of veggies such as a full head or 2 of broccoli, about 2 bundles of asparagus, or even a couple medium-sized artichokes.

It looks professional-grade and is well-constructed with riveted stainless steel handles and side grips, tapered rim for easy pouring, and measurement markings.

This steamer set is dishwasher-safe and comes with Cuisinart’s lifetime warranty.

Top Choice for the Best Vegetable Steamer

All of the vegetable steamers in our roundup are, well, the best! So as you can imagine it’s hard to pick a top choice among them.

Depending on your needs, and usual cooking methods, one steamer may have more use to you than another.

For instance, if you cook most of your dinners and/or have a large family, the electric steamers are probably a great choice.

If you typically only need to steam veggies for side dishes then perhaps the small, collapsible stainless steel steamer is the way to go.

However, overall for its versatility, construction, and usefulness we choose the OXO Good Grips Silicone Steamer!

The silicone, cool-touch handles allow for safe transport of your veggies, and the deep basket will hold everything in.

I really like how this can be used in a pressure cooker, on the stove or even the microwave, the side panels help it adjust to the pot size, and it easily folds up for storage.

The price is affordable and the material is non-toxic and has longevity without risking damage to pots.

Overall, a great little vegetable steamer basket and our #1 choice!