To date, in stores you can see a huge number of diverse kitchen appliances. Sometimes, choosing exactly what you need becomes an impossible task even for the most experienced housewife.
Our article will talk about such a kitchen helper as a double boiler. You still do not know what it is? Or are you thinking about how to choose a double boiler? Well then, you definitely went to the address! We will help you not to make a mistake and buy a unit that will please you for many years and will answer all your requests and desires.
Why do we need a double boiler?
Now a huge number of people pay increased attention to food consumed. This is very correct. As you know, the healthiest food is this one that is steamed. With this processing method, all useful substances, minerals and vitamins are stored in it. When frying and cooking, they are destroyed, and as a result, people consume “dead” food. To prevent this from happening, get a double boiler.
Such a kitchen unit is also an excellent assistant in the household. Sterilize the dishes? You are welcome! Defrost foods? No problem! Heat cooled food? Easy! See how many functions this true “kitchen treasure” has put together! It turns out that with one device you can easily replace the sterilizer and microwave. What else is a good double boiler?
In it you can cook not one dish, but three at once. And in such portions that enough for a whole horde of guests. Another plus - in a double boiler, your culinary delights will never burn and will not become tasteless. And one more thing: in order to wash this miracle, one does not need to make titanic efforts, as, for example, in the case of a frying pan after frying. If the above arguments convinced you to run to the store tomorrow for a purchase, you only need to find out how to choose the right double boiler. We’ll talk about this.
What dishes can be cooked in a double boiler?
This is a universal unit in which you can cook almost everything! Fish, meat, cereals and vegetables - the queen of the kitchen can easily cope with all this variety. And if seasoning is added to the dish, then it will become even tastier and more aromatic. The huge advantage of the double boiler is that the products cooked in it remain very juicy and tasty, they retain their color and appetizing appearance.
At the same time, there is no need to constantly “watch” in the kitchen. This alone is sufficient reason for its acquisition. And to cook it was also nice, we will tell you which double boiler to choose. Reviews of people who, due to their health, are forced to eat only dietary products, confirm that for these purposes the said unit is simply necessary and 100% perfect.
Device device
One of the main advantages of the double boiler is its simplicity. There are no sophisticated devices, and even a teenager can deal with it. What does a double boiler consist of? Let's get it right.
1. Base. In this section (the lowest) are the water tank and the control panel, which can be mechanical or electronic.
2. Steam tanks. There can be several (up to three) or just one. The material for their manufacture is high-quality plastic. It is food, and therefore does not pose any threat to health. At the bottom of these tanks there are holes through which steam enters. The top section is tightly closed by a lid.
3. Pallets. They can also be several (to each capacity) or one common.
Gas double boiler: pros and cons. How to choose a double boiler for gas?
The simplest double boiler is gas.It does not have an electric "filling", and in order to prepare food in it, you just need to pour water and put it on a gas stove. The question of choice is also quite simple. Here it is worth paying attention only to the number and volume of bowls, based on the needs of the family. But is everything so perfect? Let's look at its pros and cons.
Advantages:
- Simplicity.
- Lifetime. Since there is simply nothing to break into it, it can serve faithfully for many years.
- Profitability. Indeed, natural gas in our country is much cheaper than electricity.
Disadvantages:
- Requires control when cooking.
- Lack of functionality.
Based on this, it becomes clear that a gas double boiler has much less capabilities than an electric one, and is often simply not able to compete with it. For this reason, further material will reveal the question of how to choose the right double boiler, taking into account only electric models.
Electronic or mechanical control?
Mechanical control is the simplest. This is its main advantage. You just need to turn the lever for the required number of minutes of cooking, and the process will begin. Steam cookers with such a panel are the cheapest.
More expensive models have electronic control, their capabilities are much wider. On such a panel, you can turn on the timer, delay the start of the steam generation process, and set the required operating mode.
What kind of steamer to choose (with which control panel) - by and large depends on the desired set of functions and financial capabilities.
Pallet: what exactly to pay attention to?
In order to answer this question, you need to understand: why do you need a pan in a double boiler? During cooking, he “collects” condensate and juice from the products.
There can be one pallet, then it is installed under the lowest bowl, and juices from all available containers get into it. In this case, a through construction is obtained, and moisture with smells from the upper bowls fall into the lower.
If you want to avoid this, then you should choose a double boiler with several pallets, that is, they should be installed under each bowl. Then the isolation of each dish is ensured.
If liquid from the lower sump flows over its edges, this can lead to damage to the unit. Accordingly, the height of its sides should be sufficient, 2-3 cm is a good indicator. You can calmly do current affairs and not run into the kitchen every 10 minutes.
You should also pay attention to the presence of handles on the pallet. Then it will be almost impossible to get burned.
Now you know how to choose a double boiler wisely. It turns out that such an insignificant detail as a pallet should also be taken very carefully.
Steam bowls (baskets): which ones to choose?
First of all, pay attention to the number of containers. They, as already stated earlier, can be from one to three. The more people in the family, the more you will need.
In addition, there are different volumes of bowls. It ranges from 1 to 3.5 liters.
An important factor, which, however, not everyone knows about is the shape of the baskets. The fact is that there are such models of steamers that have different diameter bowls. The lowest is large, the middle is smaller, and the upper is the smallest. It is not comfortable. Owners who leave feedback on double boiler of this type do not recommend purchasing these models. And the reason for this is simple: for different types of products, the cooking time is different.
In the case when the food from the lower bowl is ready, but not from the upper, you just need to rearrange the baskets. As you might have guessed, in the double boiler of the last type this can not be done precisely because of the design of the tanks. Therefore, the shape, size and volume of the bowls must be approached thoroughly and responsibly. Pay attention to the presence of handles in each container. With them, the probability of getting burned will be minimized.
Keep Warm feature - what is it?
Translated from English, keep warm means "keep warm." This is exactly what happens with the contents, if this function is available in the double boiler. That is, after the dish is cooked, the unit will not turn off, but will keep the food in a warm, suitable form for consumption. Agree, this is a very pleasant trifle. Especially in combination with the delayed start function, which will be discussed below.
“Delayed start” - a necessity or a nice bonus?
With this wonderful function, food can be cooked in your absence by yourself. All you need to do is turn on the double boiler in the outlet, put the products in it in advance, pour water and set the timer to delay the cooking for the required time. It can be from one to twelve hours. This function is simply necessary for very busy people, when upon returning home they want to see a finished dinner on the table, rather than raw convenience foods.
This nice button on the control panel of your electric “cook” will save a lot of free time, so it’s definitely worth remembering when asking the store how to choose a double boiler. Customer reviews unanimously confirm this, characterizing the delayed start function only positively.
Quick Steam Feature
In modern steam cookers with an electronic control panel, quite often you can find the presence of such a function as “Quick Steam”. What it is? Why is it needed? And is it possible to do without it? This issue needs to be sorted out. Then you will even more clearly understand for yourself how to choose the right double boiler and which unit is right for you.
We already know that this kitchen appliance cooks products quite quickly, while preserving their useful properties. And with the “Quick Steam” function, dishes on your table will appear 2 times faster and will be even more useful. So the manufacturer assures. The principle is simple: the fact is that when you press the corresponding button, the double boiler starts to warm up even before the products get into it. That is, they immediately and immediately find themselves in a "hot bath".
Is such a nice little thing needed? Probably, yes, when you expect guests, and there is catastrophically little time for cooking.
What important little things are worth paying attention to?
In addition to the above functions, a double boiler can have other useful little things. Of course, you can live without them. But they add comfort and thoughtfulness to the cooking process. And this, you see, is always nice. So this is:
- The ability to top up water during operation of the unit, thanks to a special hole. That is, you do not have to remove all the bowls of food for this.
- Water level indicator in a double boiler.
- Overheat protection.
Power. Which one to choose?
How to choose a double boiler for home? What power should I give preference to? This is perhaps one of the most important parameters, because it is no secret that the smaller it is, the slower the food will be prepared.
In stores you can find very different models, with power from 500 to 2000 watts. There are those in which this parameter is adjustable.
It is not necessary to choose the unit with the highest power. In fact, the most important point here is its optimal ratio with the number and volume of baskets. For example, if a double boiler has only one bowl with a capacity of 1 liter, then 500 watts will be quite enough. If there are three bowls, and the volume of each of them is 2.5–3 liters, then, of course, it is better to play it safe and take more power (so as not to bite your elbows later). But, as practice shows, 900 watts is usually enough with a head.
How to choose a double boiler for home? Reviews Rating of the best models
To date, a large number of firms produce double boiler. Manufacturers compete among themselves, coming up with an original design, new highlights and features. Sometimes the question “which company to choose a double boiler” seems insoluble. To make it easier to find the answer, we present to your attention a table in which the seven most popular models of double boiler are presented with a description of their advantages and disadvantages (according to consumers).
| № | Manufacturer, Model | Price, average value in rubles | Model description | Advantages | disadvantages |
| 1 | Braun, FS20 | 3800 | 2 baskets mechanical control power 850 watts |
Good quality plastic easy to clean very easy to manage, the presence of pallets in each bowl, in the kit there are bowls for cereals and coloring products |
There is no water level indicator, high cost in comparison with other models |
| 2 | Tefal, VC1014 | 2350 | 3 baskets, mechanical control, power 900 watts | Volumetric baskets, maximum number of bowls, thoughtful design, heating function |
Lack of full instructions no topping function |
| 3 | Scarlett, SC343 | 1280 | 2 baskets, mechanical control, power 850 watts | Low price, compact, rarely breaks, easy to clean, easy to manage |
There is no hole for adding water, the plastic is slightly deformed |
| 4 | Philips, HD9120 | 1720 | 3 baskets, mechanical control, power 900 watts | Reasonable price, maximum number of bowls, compact, a special bowl for cooking porridges there is a function of adding water, there is a container for spices |
Short cord noisy |
| 5 | Supra, FSS-310 | 1390 | 3 baskets, electronic control, power 800 watts | Availability of a timer, low price, protection against overheating, delayed start function, easy to clean |
No water level indicator, short cord, no backlight on display |
| 6 | Philips, HD9189 | 3850 | 3 baskets, electronic control, power 2000 W | Beautiful design, spice container, heating function and delayed start, convenient topping up, powerful, folding bowls |
No rice bowl |
| 7 | Tefal, VS 4003 VitaCabin Compact | 4690 | 3 baskets, electronic control, power 1800 watts | Easy to clean, powerful odors do not mix, excellent quality plastic |
High cost no rice bowl, no hole for topping up water |
Now you know how to choose a double boiler. This wonderful device will make your food tasty and healthy without unnecessary hassle! As for the criteria for choosing the ideal aggregate ... There is no concrete answer to this question. Yes, reviews of double boiler can clarify and help you choose a reliable manufacturer. But only the housewife herself can choose the final set of functions, control system and design for herself, knowing the needs and characteristics of her family. It is necessary to evaluate all the parameters together in order to choose the perfect model for each individual case.
