As I sit writing this, I am surrounded by a kitchen which has been pulled apart. Units have been removed and the contents of these strew here, there and everywhere. Deciding to refurbish the kitchen was such a great idea at the time. Now, I’m not so sure!
Up to now, cooking in the kitchen hasn’t been an issue, despite the mess. However, the stove and oven will soon be removed which could have potentially left us in a pickle. One thing we didn’t want to do, during this time, is to turn to ready meals and take aways. A slow cooker was one option but we’re not the most organised so we wanted an option that didn’t need planning hours in advance. That’s where the Sensio Home Steamer came in handy.
The Sensio Home Steamer
The Sensio Home Steamer is a stainless steel food steamer with 3 stackable pans. Allowing up to 60 minutes cooking time, an assortment of meat, fish, vegetables and rice can be cooked healthily, maintaining nutrition and flavour.
With a capacity of 6.8L, the steamer is ideal for family meals. You can cook the whole meal together to save time. Alternatively, add the tiered pans one by one. The pans can even be stored in the fridge or freezer ready for cooking.
Our Cooking Experience
To begin using the steamer, pour water into the base. There are min/max water line indicators and the booklet included will help decide how much water you need.
Once you’ve filled the base, you are ready to go. There is no heating time needed. Just set the dial for the amount of cooking time required and the steam starts immediately. I found this extremely handy because it saved waiting time.
As I was cooking vegetables which needed different amounts of cooking time, I stacked my pans one by one. I have to admit, I was a bit scared removing the lid to add the next pan but the steam did not pour out like I expected. Although, do remember to use a towel or oven gloves!
Once the time runs out, the dial should sound a bell. Personally, I wouldn’t rely on hearing the bell as for somebody with partial hearing, the bell was non-existent. I asked my husband, the ears of our house, what he thought of the bell and his response – “what bell?” – says it all! However, this is a very small niggle.
The majority of the food cooked perfectly. It was the correct texture and had kept its flavour. I even felt that the carrots tasted better than when we boil them. However, the asparagus was a little on the…floppy side. Three out of four ain’t bad though!
Cleaning and Storing
Cleaning the pans was straight forward and took no effort at all. And there is a removable drip tray for easy cleaning. They’re dishwasher friendly too. The only issue for me was the heating device in the base. Living in an area with hard water, the heater ended up covered in limescale which took a little more effort to get off.
Once finished with, the steamer can be collapsed so that it is compact and stored away easily.
Final Thoughts
I was a little bit sceptical about the Sensio Home Steamer as I had read a couple of negative reviews. Having tested it myself, I have to say I disagree with these. The steamer was sturdy, easy to use and worked a treat. I loved that I could easily store it away and that the pans were robust (I accidentally dropped one and it survived unscathed!).
The steamer offers a great alternative for healthy cooking!
Tip: Add chicken broth, white wine, herbs or spices before steaming to add flavour to your food.
Giveaway
Sensio are giving my readers the chance to win their own Sensio Home Steamer. To be in with a chance, complete the Gleam options below.
Win a Sensio Home 3 Tier Steamer #2
* Giveaway is hosted by third party. Please see their Terms and Conditions on the Gleam platform (above).
* * We were gifted the Sensio Home Steamer in return for an honest review. However, all words and opinions are my own.
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