A new type of appliance is slowly catching on – the steam oven. A steam oven is a separate appliance from your traditional range. Its purpose is to steam food – quickly and accurately. Steaming is growing in popularity because of the health benefits of the cooking method. Steam cooking is versatile and can help food retain more moisture than baking.
Does this Replace my Range?
No, a steam oven is an extra appliance used for specific cooking purposes. Many steam ovens can steam items very accurately – which is a definite advantage over steaming with pots. Timers on many ovens let you steam for a chosen number of minutes. When steaming vegetables, timing is everything. Too long and the vegetables are overdone. Too short and they are crunchy.
Does it take the same amount of time as a regular oven?
Cooking with an oven powered by steam is actually less time consuming than traditional dry heat ovens. This may be another reason the ovens are becoming more popular. In today’s hectic world, time is crucial. The oven saves time as well as helps seal in vitamins and nutrients.
Check to see if your Appliance Brand makes Steam Ovens
If you’d like to keep the same look as your existing appliances, check if your brand makes a model of steam oven to match. Many manufacturers make steam ovens these days, so even if your exact brand doesn’t carry them, you can probably find a company who has a similar look. Stainless steel fronts are popular as well as black with stainless.
Price Points
You’ll find a large difference in prices between entry level steam ovens and top of the line models. Depending on your needs you can find a variety of different features. Some models sit on top of the counter (similar to a microwave in size) and some are meant to be built into the cabinets.
Miele makes a high end steam oven with unique features in model DG4080. Instead of the steam building up in the oven slowly, the steam is collected in a separate area and then released all at once. This helps steam food quickly and thoroughly. Three levels of cooking can be used at the same time.
Depending on how comfortable you are with steam cooking, entire meals can be made in a steam oven.
Some items are best left for conventional ovens. You can’t brown items in steam ovens, so foods which require browning may require additional browning.