Buy Steam Oven
Steam ovens are the fast, modern way to cook healthy meals and side dishes. They may be relative newcomers to the appliance world, but they're taking off as a popular kitchen addition, and they've earned their reputation. Not only does a steam oven save you time and effort, but it also preserves food's moisture, nutrients, and flavor.
buy steam oven
If you're planning to renovate your kitchen or replace an existing oven, a steam oven is an easy upgrade. It fits into the same niche as a traditional wall oven while giving you many more cooking possibilities, and stacks easily with other 24-inch-wide appliances like a second oven or built-in coffee maker.
After serving hundreds of thousands of customers, we've found that people who're interested in steam ovens want one that's versatile and dependable. All of the models we reviewed below fit these criteria.
Miele does offer one legacy steam only model, the $2,600 DG6500 / DG6600, but we think it makes more sense to install a combination oven. That way, you'll get more value and versatility from your investment.
Sous Vide cooking: Miele combi-steam ovens are great for sous-vide cooking, which requires low and even temperatures for an extended period of time. Along with the EVS6114 24-inch vacuum seal drawer, this cooking mode makes it easy for home chefs to experiment with sous-vide techniques.
Thermador made major changes to the design and performance of its steam ovens back in September 2018. Its latest models with their large 2.8 cu. ft. cavity (in single ovens) are perfect for people who love to cook.
Design wise, you can install one fully flush with your cabinets, giving you a seamless kitchen design. Thermador made that change in response to feedback from designers; you couldn't get a flush install with the previous versions of its steam ovens. Now that's no problem.
Wolf is famous for its signature ranges with iconic red knobs. These distinctive stoves equip high-end kitchens around the world. (We've heard them described as the Birkin bags ofthe appliance world.) In addition to ranges, Wolf also makes some of the best wall ovens, including a wide array of convection steam ovens.
Wolf's Gourmet Mode flattens the learning curve for new steam oven users. Simply select the type of food you want to cook, and the oven will automatically detect its volume, shape, and consistency using a climate sensor that'll then adjust the cook time, temperature, and humidity for guesswork-free, delicious results. Wolf regularly publishes new recipes to help you make the most of your appliance.
Sous Vide CookingAll Wolf steam ovens are equipped for sous-vide cooking. Wolf also recently introduced a vacuum seal drawer VS24 to simplify the process. This drawer comes in 24- and 30-inch widths to match your oven.
A steam oven may look like a typical oven, but it cooks in a completely different way. Instead of having a heating element (the coils that glow red when you fire it up), a steam oven brings water to a boiling hot 212 degrees F, converting it into steam and filling the oven cavity with moist heat.
For example, you've probably reached into a 400 degree oven to pull out a baking sheet without yelping in pain. But you wouldn't even think about sticking your hand into a boiling hot 212 degree pot of water, right? That's how hot your oven will be, too.
Today, however, many steam ovens have a convection mode and a top broiler so you can even use them to brown meat. Standard settings include steam-only mode, convection vs conventional mode, gourmet mode (i.e., preset recipes; each manufacturer tends to give this mode a branded name, such as Master Chef by Miele). Just to show you how versatile this is, some of the things you can cook are:
You might be thinking, Won't my food come out soggy cooking with steam? One of the drawbacks of traditional steam cooking is that you can't get crispy, browned results. Browning typically happens at temperatures over 300 degrees, and like we said earlier, steam ovens heat up only to 212 degrees. While that's fine for some dishes, like vegetables or fish, items like chicken may come out lacking in flavor and texture.
To solve that problem, many manufacturers now offer combination convection steam ovens, which combine a traditional heating element, a convection fan, and steam into one unit. The end result is the best of both worlds, quickly cooked, moist foods with a crispy exterior. These ovens have programs that automatically switch from steam to convection heat and allow you to cook exclusively with either.
We love using the convection steam ovens in our showrooms to make lunch, and we're excited that you're considering getting one for your family. We're confident that you'll enjoy this fresh, healthy new way to cook.
Don't be confused by manufacturers that offer a steam assist feature on their ovens. For example, Samsung offers a wall oven with a steam assist. This is not cooking with steam. Steam assist is a different feature that helps with the browning process during a normal cooking program.
How can I defrost a frozen whole chicken without cooking it?Using a steam oven is a safe, easy, and fast way to defrost all kinds of meat. Microwaves are essential for heating up drinks and popping popcorn, but they tend to cook meat, at least the outer edges, in defrost mode. A steam oven won't turn your frozen chicken white and rubbery.
If budget allows (see the next point) I would always recommend a combination or convection steam oven. It gives you far more usability because the appliance will function as a steam-only; combination/convection steam AND a regular convection oven.
Hi Emily, your write-up is timely because I have started to question what kind of steamer I am actually getting when I purchased the Anova Precision Oven recently and I cannot figure out whether I can achieve the pure robust steaming for quick heat transfer (steaming fresh fish) like I can from a straight forward steamer.
Hi Emily. Thank for the very informative article. We are remodelling our kitchen. We have a stacked conventional and microwave wall units. We use the microwave a lot and only have the space to replace both of these two units. We would like to have a second oven as well as we are limited in oven space when we have guests over. I was thinking of getting the Miele XXL combi steam oven (30") and Miele speed oven (has microwave functionality) as well. We use the broil and oven functionality.
The interior of this oven is big enough to fit two ten-inch pizzas or a whole roasting chicken. Our countertop combi steam oven has self-cleaning capability, a low-water warning, auto shut-off, and a bright interior light.
This powerful combi does it all, including cooking up a Sunday roast thanks to its 29 auto-cook programs that include roast lamb and beef. Not to mention, when we used the convection oven and microwave combination, we tucked into a succulent chicken after just 45 minutes.
Another impressive offering from Panasonic, this one does all that the above model can, and it steams food too. Its large 31-litre capacity means it competently doubles as an oven, with ample room to roast a big chicken or bake a generously sized cake.
The defrost function let it down as our beef was still frozen after the program concluded, but its intuitive, easy-to-use display and controls, plus a range of accessories to suit your cooking preferences (including a steaming trivet), makes this a versatile buy.
Note though that condensation built up when we used the steam function alongside the microwave one, meaning we had to wipe it down after we used it to cook our jacket potatoes. But a tea towel should absorb it in seconds, and it cleans up nicely, too.
Tovala has come out with the ultimate life-saver for busy families! Not only is the Tovala Steam Oven a great addition to any kitchen, the option of having reasonably-priced and extremely delicious and fresh meals shipped to you for easy cooking in the steam oven the knock-out punch!
The Tovala Steam oven lets you cook using steam, convection baking, or broiling. With the Tovala meals, you can have fresh meals shipped to you and have them cooked and on the table with 1-2 minutes of prep time and about 20 minutes cook time. The $12 meals are made with healthy, preservative-free ingredients and the recipes vary regularly so there is always a good choice of meals even for those finicky eaters. And the Tovala oven can be used without a meal plan, with new recipes posted regularly. The Tovala oven plus meal plan is a life-saver for busy parents, working professionals, or anyone who wants a little changes from regular, humdrum meals.
Owning one of the best steam ovens will give you a healthy alternative to cook food in its own juices to retain nutrients and flavour, which is essential given our current lockdown situ. Cooking with steam has been an emerging kitchen appliance trend over the recent years, which has soared in popularity as more brands jump on the bandwagon.
If you want the best steam oven (in our opinion), then we wouldn't hesitate to buy the Fisher & Paykel OS60NDB1 Built-In Combination Steam Oven (opens in new tab). It has nine functions and is easy to use, plus easy to clean, making it a great choice for a busy household.
If you're looking for the best built-in steam oven then this one should fit the bill. This option from Fisher & Paykel is compact, easy to use, easy to clean AND easy to install. Buy the Fisher & Paykel OS60NDB1 Built-In Combination Steam Oven (opens in new tab)
This compact oven can be placed pretty much anywhere in your kitchen. It's just 60cm wide so it can sit alongside companion products at a convenient height, so you create a cooking space which works for you. 041b061a72