Kitchen electric appliances, whether a multicooker or a steamer, can cook food without human participation. And store employees, relying on these primitive functions, simply offer the most expensive solutions. Citing a list of some functions without delving into the technology and capabilities of devices of different types.
What is a Multicooker or Steamer
Steamer is a kitchen electric appliance that processes food with hot steam. The feature of a steamer is preserving the value of dishes. The impact of steam partially destroys vitamins and microelements. But it fully preserves amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. A steamer guarantees the preservation of food benefits and is convenient for healthy or dietary nutrition.
A multicooker performs thermal processing of products based on the same principle as a frying pan (or a pot). But it does this automatically, without human intervention. The electric appliance does not guarantee the preservation of vitamins and microelements. Improper operation can lead to the formation of burnt residues and other harmful products. Some multicookers have a “steam processing” function. But the purpose of this function is to keep food warm for a long period. And multicookers with a steaming function are very expensive.
Which to Buy – Steamer or Multicooker
There is no direct answer to this question. It is better to buy both types of kitchen appliances and use them as needed. After all, a multicooker and a steamer cook food based on different principles and have different functionalities. And all that unites these devices is the absence of human intervention in the cooking process.
Steamer can cook any products (fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, cereals). But it does so in a single way – by exposing them to hot steam for a set period. A multicooker can cook soups, stew, bake, fry any foods through direct contact with the heating element. That is, the functions of both devices are completely different.
Advantages of a steamer include the ability to sterilize dishes by processing them with hot steam. A multicooker can prepare more dishes and make them tastier. By the way, even with spices, a steamer makes dishes bland, which can cause dissatisfaction among consumers.
In terms of cooking speed, the leader is definitely the steamer. You can cook any vegetables, cereals, fish, and some meat dishes in just 40-50 minutes. A multicooker takes 2-3 hours to prepare similar dishes.
Which Food is Better – from a Multicooker or Steamer
In terms of usefulness, the steamer will always lead in this matter. Thermal processing of products with steam is a guarantee of health for any human organism. But bland taste is a big drawback for steamers. It is very hard to get used to the taste of food. Especially if you have favorite dishes whose flavor is hard to forget. It is better to use a steamer if you have health problems:
- Obesity.
- Pancreatic issues.
- Gastric acidity problems.
A multicooker is a more interesting kitchen electric appliance. Although its price is several times higher, you won’t have problems with the taste of your favorite food. And for health concerns, you can buy a steamer and a multicooker as two separate devices. Or opt for a combined solution – a multicooker-steamer. This is practical and convenient.
When choosing, it is better to consider the device’s power consumption, volume, and the availability of useful functions for cooking. Do not forget about the brand – quality appliances, although more expensive, will serve faithfully for decades.