Total volume
The volume of all steam baskets is indicated. The larger it is, the more food/dishes can be cooked at the same time. Meanwhile, do not forget that this parameter also affects the dimensions and price of the device. Therefore, it is worth specifically looking for a capacious steamer if you cannot do without it.
For a family of 3 – 4 people, the volume of about 6 – 7 L is considered optimal. At the same time, we note that most steamers are equipped with several baskets, and it is not necessary to use them all at once when cooking. Therefore, for the same family of 3 – 4 people, a
larger volume model may be suitable, for 10 – 11 L: for everyday cooking, you can use part of the baskets, and the reserve by volume can come in handy if you have to cook in large quantities (for example, for the holiday).
Capacity
The number of individual baskets in a steamer or seats for eggs in an egg boiler (see “Type”).
In the first case
, 2–3 baskets are most often provided, depending on the volume of the device. A larger quantity is unjustified from the point of view of cooking efficiency - in “multi-story” designs, the products in the upper baskets potentially will not be able to cook properly, since there will not be enough warm steam reaching them. There are
4-basket steamers, however they are rare and usually have a 2x2 layout - 2 stacks of 2 tiers. The other extreme -
1 basket - is typical for the most compact devices (volume up to 3 - 4 liters).
In the case of egg cookers, everything is simple - the choice is based on how many eggs are supposed to be regularly cooked in the device at a time. The most popular options have a capacity of
7 - 8 eggs, less often -
9 - 10 eggs. This is quite enough, for example, to prepare breakfast for an average family. The minimum number of nests for eggs is 3, devices with the number of slots
≤ 6 pcs. designed for one, maximum two people. And in the most capacious egg boilers this figure can
exceed a dozen eggs.
Power
The maximum power consumed by the steamer during the cooking process; in many modes, the actual power consumption may be lower, but you should focus on the maximum power. The
more powerful the device, the more intense heating it provides, the faster the water in it will heat up to the desired temperature and the more powerful the release of steam, which is useful for large volumes of cooking. On the other hand, high power usually affects the cost, and power consumption increases accordingly.
