Oster Double Tiered Food Steamer, 5 Quart, White (CKSTSTMD5-W-015)

This steamer is just the right size for a family of two. We used it the first time on the day it arrived from Amazon, and the result was fantastic! It took 40 minutes to steam a bag of frozen dumplings. I set the timer to 30 minutes, but then had to add another 10 minutes to make the dumplings were cooked thoroughly.The two steaming trays were designed for food like in the picture: meat, chicken or fish at the lower tray and vegetable on top tray. But since we steam same product in both trays, we had to swap trays and add 10 minutes, as we thought the dumplings in upper tray were not cooked thoroughly. But as mentioned, result was fantastic.After that, we put the trays and lid in the dishwasher (on top level as recommended) and they came out fine and clean. The trays feel flimsy so extra care is required. I wish the trays and lid were made with heavier plastic or glass; I am willing to pay more for it. Washing the water reservoir is a bit of hassle as you need to take not getting water into the electrical part. But it only take a few minutes.It is certainly a starter steamer. For the price, if I can get a year use of it I would be happy. Here is my wish list:1. Separate tray for water reservoir to make cleaning easy (grease and stuff will drop to the reservoir, so you have to clean it)2. Heavier gage plastic or class tray3. Some wire trays to lift food from steam ventIf there is on with this size and all three items above, I would gladly pay for it. For now, I am happy with this steamer.

To me, this is a perfectly made steamer. I'll tell you why...1. It's not too big nor too small2. It's very simple to use3. It's easy to clean and pack away.4. Very affordable5. Most importantly, veggies are steamed to perfection and taste so delicious. Nevermind all those concerns about it not being BPA free and not being certified or approved by this one or that one, hey, we all still gonna die of something some day lol. There's a lot of things affecting our health these days that if you begin counting them, doomsday will catch you and your list still won't be complete. You may as well enjoy great tasting steam veggies while you're alive!Tip: don't steam pork or sausage in it. Well, I guess you can, but I tried pork chops and sausage once and while the meat does cook well, it was too messy for me. All the fat dripped down on the water reservoir and even after washing it had a porky smell. Had to clean it several times with Clorox to get the smell out. Chicken and fish are less fatty so maybe it wouldn't be that malodorous but it's not something I want to try. I'll just keep using it to steam veggies.

I tried to cancel this order, and buy a metal pot with a steamer basket but I couldn’t. I am glad I couldn’t. I have used this item every day since I received it. It is the perfect size for two people. I have used it for broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and reheating rice with a wet paper towel under the rice so it does not fall through the holes. It works beautifully. It creates a lot of steam quickly. There is a timer, so it shuts off automatically at the appointed time. The plastic is durable, and cleans up nicely in the dishwasher. You pour water into the base for steal. After finishing, you just pour out the water, and wipe it out. It is compact, and a great deal for the price. This unit is so much better than buying a big pot with a steamer insert that takes up a huge amount of space, is expensive, and pits, bends, and boils dry way too quickly, as I have experienced in the past with cheap pots and inserts. I highly recommend this item as a great compact alternative to the huge pot and steamer basket of the past. The only problem is that the timer only works one way: you can increase the time but you can’t decrease the time, so if your food is finished before the timer runs out, you have to unplug the unit from the wal, and let the timer time out. It’s not that big of a deal. I still love this unit.

When I decided to try to make some baby food for my son, I boiled his fruits and vegetables every week before putting them in the blender. Later, when he was older, I found out that doing that cooks all the nutrients out of them. So, when I had my next child, I decided to buy a steamer to keep things a little healthier.I purchased the Oster Food Steamer. To use it you fill the bottom compartment with water. There is a minimum line & a maximum line. I usually fill it right in between both. Then fill the plastic compartments with fruits, vegetables, meats or whatever else you want to cook. There’s a plastic ring you place in the middle to separate the two compartments. This allows you to make two different things at the same time. You can use them both or just one. After you cover it, there is a knob to use to set the amount of time to the steamer. It can take a while. I usually set it for about 40-45 minutes for fruits and 45-50 minutes for vegetables. This is to make the food very soft to purée. You can cook it for a shorter time to keep the veggies firmer. I’ve never used it for meat, so I can not speak on that.Some people have said that their steamer has leaked when used. I’ve only had that happen one time when I put too much water in it and it passed the maximum line. You have to be careful not to do that.Pros:-Easy to use-Lightweight-Easy to cleanCons:-Leaks if filled with too much water-The bottom compartment does bubble up and look foamy at times when cooking, but it doesn’t seem to hurt the fruits or vegetablesIt’s a plastic steamer with plastic compartments compared to other more durable steamers, but it gets the job done for me. I’ve had it for almost 8 Months, using it about once a week and it still works the same. I’m happy with my purchase.