Best Double Boilers For Steamed Food
The double boiler is designed for providing slow and indirect heat that is essential for preparing delicate foods.
This way of cooking is healthy and gives you wholesome food which along with exercise and daily workouts may give you a healthy body and a good life.
There are many double boilers mentioned ahead of that you can consider buying. In this article, we will guide you through How do you use a double boiler, types of boiler, Buyers guide, FAQ’s and top 8 recommendations.
Top 8 Double Boilers For Steamed Food in India
How do you use a double boiler?
A double boiler is used to cook or boil anything which otherwise might split when placed over a direct heat source. Thus, it uses steam from the bottom pan to cook the ingredients of the top pan.
It consists of two tiers a bottom and a top pan. The bottom pan should have water until it reaches one to inches from the base. This water is heated by placing the pan on a heat source, i.e., gas stove, electric halogen, or induction. Now the top pan or bowl is placed on the bottom pan in a way that fits perfectly. Ensure that the base of the top pan does not touch the boiling water.
The items to be cooked or boiled or steamed is to be placed on the top pan and should be covered using a transparent cover. The steam from the bottom pan now will cook the food without placing it directly on the heat source.
Types of Boiler
Egg Boiler
This is used for boiling the egg. It is used the same as any regular boiler. The lower pan is heated with boiling water and the upper pan is filled with eggs according to the requirement. Eggs are boiled so that the egg yolk and egg whites solidify. This gives the perfect boiled eggs which are rich in proteins. So, if you are going to use the boiler for cooking eggs only, then make certain you buy this one.
Chocolate Boiler
This is for all those baking maniacs and the dessert lovers. This is like a heaven-sent gift. The lower pot is filled with water and the upper pot has chocolate. The vessel is put on gas on the higher flame in order to get the liquid consistency, this chocolate syrup is used for many desserts like ganache, cakes, pastries, cupcakes, or mousse, etc.
Milk Boiler
This is a lifesaver for the times when you are in a hurry in the morning. It has a whistle through which water is filled in the outer vessel and the milk is poured in the inner utensil.
The milk vessel is kept on the gas for boiling on low flame, once the milk is heated the whistle blows off indicating that the milk is heated. This replaces the standing near the milk vessel for it not to overflow when it gets heated.
Rice Cooker
This is mainly used for steaming rice. Rice cooker uses the same double boiling technique giving that softness to the rice and adds the steaming flavor to it. This is the replacement of your traditional cooking technique of cooking rice. The double boiling method keeps the nutrients in the rice and cooks the rice quickly.
Double Boiler Buyers Guide
Performance:
It is necessary to analyze the number of inserts present in the pot bottom in order to understand the performance of the product. It is important to check the capacity of the bowl, 1qt to 4qt is perfect for home use, but for commercial use, the capacity should be 10qt to 12qt
Design:
A double boiler has two pots one should be filled with water and the upper with the vegetables. The pots should be perforated which are really good for home-usage. The handles should be heat resistant making it easy to hold the utensil.
Cooking facilities:
If the boiler has a feature of cooking at the higher flame, really it is considered good as the food can retain its nutrients. Usually, double boilers are made of stainless steel along which is attrition resistant material. The lids can be of glass or stainless steel, but tempered glass lid is preferable as it is easy to check the food.
Convenience:
The most important factor is to select the correct boiler. The handles can be soldered or riveted to the pot. Riveted handles are cool even when the pot is hot. It is also really important that the boiler should not consume much space in the kitchen and also be very efficient. It is not always necessary if the boiler is more expensive it is good. It should also be easily accessible so that any person can use it, along with lightweight but yet sturdy so it is not difficult to pick up the pots.
Usage:
Steaming vegetables is a very old way of cooking food. It preserves vitamins and minerals in the vegetable. Instead of frying or boiling, steaming is the best way to cook food to regain nutrients.
The lower pot is like a saucepan, water is added to this pan and then put on the gas with the high flame, then place the upper pan with vegetables on the boiling water pan, place the lid on top of the pan and let it steam for an appropriate time.
It takes a minimum of 15 minutes to steam (depending on the food) which makes it really easy for those who do not have much time for cooking and spending their mornings in the kitchen.
1. Vinod Cookware 2 Tier Steamer
This is the healthiest way of cooking. It is based on steaming way of cooking which avoids overcooking and deplenish the nutrients. So investing in this double boiler cookware is one step closer to healthy living. This not only steams veggies but it can be used for making momos and other delicacies which need steaming.
- Multi-purpose boiler
- Colour: Silver
- Stainless steel
- Glass Lid
- Includes: 1 steamer with glass lid, 1 pot
- 20cm in size
- 2 tier storage
- Thick gauge stainless steel vents
- Hollow steel handles for easy handling
- It is made of stainless steel
- It has a tempered glass lid
- Both the pots can be used separately
- The handles are heat resistant
- It is durable
- Good quality material
- It is not compatible for induction stoves
- It is lightweight
2. Tormeti Double Layer Egg Boiler
This is a double layer boiler that enables you to cook 7-14 eggs in just about 10 minutes. The product is compact and light-weight, making it a suitable choice for small kitchens, college dorms, and hostels. It also has multi-functional use as it can also boil milk, steam vegetables, seafood or makes dumplings.
- Type: Egg Double Boiler.
- The outer shell is made of ABS plastic, and the heating plates are made of stainless steel.
- Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 8.7 inches approx.
- Power rating: 350 watt.
- Voltage: AC 220-240 V 50-60 Hz.
- It comes with a measuring cup, a transparent cover and 2 egg trays which can hold up to 7 eggs each.
- It takes 10 minutes to cook the eggs.
- It can also be used to boil milk, steam vegetables, dumplings, seafood, steam buns, etc.
- Has a light-weight and portable design making it suitable for small kitchen or college dorm.
- Uses less energy than boiling water.
- Saves time and water.
- Easy to wash.
- A user have stated that the size is small.
3. Pristine Induction Base Steamer
Pristine has been producing numerous products. This steamer is made of stainless steel and has a glass lid. It really helps in steaming vegetables and rice along with the South Indian delicacies. The product is made of high-quality material which makes it durable also. It is very stylish and presentable which may look great on your dinner table.
- Capacity: 1 L
- Made of Stainless Steel
- Induction Safe
- Color-Silver
- Number of Tiers-2
- Lid Type-Tempered Glass Lid
- Handle Material-Stainless Steel
- Suitable For-Vegetables, Meat, Fish, Pasta, Soup, etc
- Microwave Safe-No
- Dishwasher Safe-Yes
- Induction Safe-Yes
- Other Features-Steam Release Glass Lid
- product dimension –25.9 x 19.8 x 14.6 cm; 1.2 Kg
- Can be used to steam vegetables, rice, and eggs
- It has multi-purpose use
- Cooking momos
- Good quality steel and glass lid
- It is sturdy and attractive
- It is very convenient
- It is not complicated to use
- It may cause rust on early stage
- Handles are made of steel which gets hot after cooking and causes discomfort while touching
4. JVL Boiler Storage
The milk boiler comes really handy. You do not have to stand near the gas to avoid the overflowing of milk after it is heated. In this boiler you need to add water through the whistle and pour milk in the bucket, let it set on low flame as the water boils the whistle goes off indicating that the milk has been heated and there is no overflow of milk. There are a lot of people who have been using this boiler for a long time now.
- Double-wall stainless steel construction
- Cool-touch handle
- Refrigerator safe
- Good coverage edge
- Whistle indicator
- Lid with a cool-touch knob
- It is made of high-quality material
- It has knobs which won’t get hot and are easy in handling
- It comes along with a whistle so when the milk is boiled the whistle blows
- Also comes along with lid which helps in covering the milk
- It is used only to heat milk and not for any other purpose
5. ExcelSteel 579 Boiler
For the price the product is offered it is a really good one. It is 2.5 quarts which suffice for a family of 3-4 people. It is really easy to use the same as other boilers. It does not overcook the food, making it a worthy purchase. It is a stainless steel boiler which means it is very durable and can be used for quite a long time without any issue.
- Made of highly polished stainless steel
- The lid has a transparent tempered glass
- Transparent lid
- Cool Handles
- It is dishwasher safe
- It is made of top-quality steel
- It has two pots which are both useful
- It is durable
- It is easy to operate
- There may be cases of metal poisoning
- The pans are very light and thin
- No aluminum clad at the bottom
6. Pigeon Double Pot Rice Cooker
Pigeon has been established its name in the Indian market for quite a long time. It has come up with a variety of kitchen appliances to make your kitchen more modern and easily accessible. This is rice cooker is no exception, It is really useful to cook rice there is no need to wait for the cooker whistle to blow off when it is done. Just plug the boiler, add water in lower pot and rice in above and in a few minutes the rice is done.
- Capacity: 1.8 L
- Color-Red
- Auto Keep Warm Function-Yes
- Cooking-Yes
- Steaming-Yes
- Measuring Cup-Yes
- Spatula-Yes
- Power Requirement-220
- Power Consumption-400 W
- Other Features-Aluminium Cooking Bowl, 1.8 L Capacity after Cooking
- It is really attractive looking and stylish
- It is not complicated to use
- It can be used for steaming as well as cooking
- Has auto keep-warm function
- It consumes a lot of power
- It is not multipurpose
7. Amazon Brand – Solimo Stainless Steel Induction Bottom Steamer
Amazon Brand Solimo induction bottom steamer is a high-quality double boiler that is prepared from 100% food-grade stainless steel. It is an ideal cooking appliance that helps you to prepare a wide range of steamed delicacies such as Momos, Khandvi. Dhokla, or Modaks.
It can also be used for preparing steaming vegetables such as tapioca, potatoes, etc. It is an ideal cooking tool for daily usage. It comes with toughened glass lid and heavy gauge induction bottom.
It is a durable cooking tool that shows compatibility with both gas stove and induction cooking. It makes up an ideal addition to your contemporary kitchen.
- This double boiler is prepared from 100% food-grade stainless steel that makes it a sturdy utensil.
- It comes with a heavy-gauge induction bottom that ensures gentle and delicate heating.
- The top casserole as well as the bottom steamer has 2 liters capacity.
- It features double-riveted stainless steel ear handles on its both pots
- It is designed to be compatible with an induction cooktop as well as a gas stove.
- The package comprises 1 stainless steel steamer pot and 1 stainless steel casserole along with a glass lid.
- It is safe for cooking on a regular basis as it is prepared from food-safe stainless steel.
- Its large capacity ensures you can prepare meals or snacks for your large family.
- The presence of sturdy and durable riveted handles makes it a safe steamer for convenient handling during cooking.
- It gives you flexibility and more options for cooking with a gas stove or induction cooking.
- It is best suited for cooking all types of steamed dishes such as modaks, momos, khandvi, etc.
- You can also use it for steaming vegetables like broccoli or fruits like apple, sweet potato, or pear.
- It is a dish-washer safe utensil.
- No negative points were observed.
8. SDB-08 Double Boiler
This product is really good and gives amazing results. It is made of sturdy stainless steel as it is more durable and lasts for a longer period. It is also not complicated to use and easily accessible. The design of the product is also attractive and will suit your kitchen layout.
- Natural finish
- Can be used on the induction base
- Double boiler with cover
- Comes with 8-quart capacity
- It is made up of stainless steel
- It can be used over induction
- It comes with 8-quarts capacity
- It is durable
- It is easy to cook
- It does not have heat resistant handle
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do we use a double boiler?
We use a double boiler for cooking or boiling ingredients that might separate when placed over direct heat. Hence, it is used for melting or tempering chocolate, keeping gravy warm, cook soups and boil milk.
2. What temperature does a double boiler reach?
A double boiler is constructed in a way that limits the maximum temperature to the boiling point of water. It is usually between 200 degrees F to 212 degrees F.
3. What can I make in a double boiler?
A double boiler can be used to boil eggs and milk, cook soups, gravy, steam vegetables, and seafood, make steam buns or dumplings, hollandaise sauce, etc. It can also be used to melt or temper chocolate and cheese for fondue. You can make anything which otherwise might split when placed directly overheat.
4. What can I use if I don’t have a double boiler?
In case you don’t have a double boiler you can make your own by taking a saucepan with a small base as the bottom of the boiler. Now pour water into the pan till it’s filled one to two inches from the bottom and simmer it over a gas stove or induction. You can then place a bowl made of glass or metal over the saucepan, ensuring that it has a snugly fit.
Conclusion
Designed for providing the gentlest heat possible, the double boiler brings about a revolution in your culinary skills. You can churn out a wide range of delicious dishes that aren’t possible with a gas stove, microwave, or induction.
Some dishes like melting chocolate or hollandaise sauce require slight and gentle heating as direct heating may result in loss of their emulsifying properties and ruin their intended taste.
The double boiler uses the steam from the simmering water for warming the content gently. It serves as a perfect kitchen appliance whenever you need gentle cooking.
It is necessary to invest in good cookware because it not only affects healthy living but also saves a lot of time while cooking and makes your dining table look sleek and stylish. Vinod Cookware 2 Tier Steamer is a really good product and highly recommended.
