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The cool features of the best steamer basket for pressure cookers help you prepare healthy and delicious food without using any cooking oil that contains extra fat. Moreover, cooking with a steamer basket never reduces any nutritious ingredients from your food.
This cooking method uses the water vapor rising from the boiling water, which makes it one of the healthiest ways to cook food, and there are immeasurable health benefits of eating steamed food.
But, I’m sure that only knowing those benefits isn’t enough to consider buying this peculiar type of kitchen utensil.
So, let’s dive deep and discover exactly why you need one of these baskets which are becoming so popular day by day.
5 Best Steamer Basket For Pressure Cooker
I’ve tested more than 20 steamer baskets over the years, and listed the top 5 selective steamer baskets based on their durability, versatility, and capacity as well. Here’s what I found, and made a comparison chart according to their overall qualities and performance.
Quick Decision-Making Chart
| Comparison | Sturdy Steamer Basket | Official Mesh Steamer Basket | Top Rated Steamer Basket |
| Brand | House Again | Lifetime Brands | Hatrigo |
| Material | 18/8 Stainless Steel | Rust-resistant Stainless Steel | Top Quality Stainless Steel |
| Available Size | 3 Qt, 6 Qt, 8 Qt | Small, Large, Set of 2 | 3 Qt, 6 Qt, 8 Qt |
| Silicone Handle | Yes | No | Yes |
| The Hallmarks | Quality, Durability & Versatility | Smart Design, and Durability | High-Quality Materials, Versatility |
| Special Feature | Dishwasher Washable | Also, use as a Strainer | It can save huge time (faster) |
| Price | Check on Amazon | Check on Amazon | Check on Amazon |
Original Sturdy Steamer Basket for Pressure Cooker by House Again
The ‘House Again’ company’s pithy steamer basket is nothing but a solid example of perfection. It is a premium quality product for all the people who love to cook. The large and wide area inside it let the steam go inside perfectly, and for this, the cooking time gets reduced.
This item is made of stainless steel that is more durable than any other regular steel. The handles and the corners on the downside of the steamer are covered with silicon wrap so that you won’t need to wear gloves, and the heat will not touch you too.
Top 5 Features
- Large space availability.
- Handles and corners are covered with silicon.
- Stainless steel is used for more durability.
- They are brilliantly designed
- Rust-resistant
| Dimensions | 9″ x 9″ x 5″ |
| Weight | 10.2 ounces |
You can use the steamer basket as an excellent and fast strainer. Moreover, it is easier to clean it than the regular steam baskets. Just take a regular cleaning sponge with liquid dishwashing soap and rub it under slightly runny water. That’s it! Pretty easy and a go-to steamer basket this is.
Pros
- The size inside the steamer basket is ideal for daily usage.
- It has elevated trivets so that it can stay a bit above inside the cooker.
- Silicon covers will protect your hands from burning.
- Ample space will give you evenly steamed food.
- Stainless steel will not let the basket get rusty. That’s why you will eat fresh steamed foods even after using the basket several times.
Cons
- The steam doesn’t get evenly inside the food through it when the steam pressure is high.
- Though there is stainless steel, it can get rusty just after regular use for a few months.
- The metal is very slender, which may quickly get damaged.
Small Stainless Steel Official Mesh Steamer Basket
This small forged pot works both as a steamer basket and a good filter. The double-layered nets are so frequent that they can quickly get rid of the water from tiny grains too. This mesh steamer net basket from ‘Lifetime Brands’ is non-magnetic and made of stainless steel.
It is one of the best steamer baskets you can have. Not all baskets’ net is so frequent that even fish and light-weighted sliced meat can get steamed here. The frequent nets make it look smarter and durable.
Top 5 Features
- Premium in quality.
- Perfect in size
- Durable and strong enough
- Smart-looking steamer basket.
- Elevated feet protect the food from getting soaked.
| Dimensions | 8.35″ x 7.87″ x 4.13″ |
| Weight | 6.4 ounces |
The stainless steel used in it is rust-resistant that will keep your food fresh. Its feet are raised so that the food inside it will not get touched onto the water and bring new and even steam. Get this amazingly featured steaming basket and enjoy your deliciously cooked meal.
Pros
- Perfect size for those who use small steam pots or cookers.
- Designed accurately to steam fish too.
- Tall feet are used for protection.
- It works as a filter along with being a steamer basket.
- It can be used for steaming fish.
- Made of stainless steel that is rust free.
Cons
- This steamer basket is pretty hard to clean as the cleaning sponge might get stuck on the nets while cleaning the grainy items.
- As it is small in size, you may not get enough space for many items at a time.
Stainless Steel Set of 2 Official Mesh Steamer Basket
Instant Pot official mesh steamer basket comes with two sets of it. What’s more impressive than buying something dual at a single’s price? ‘Lifetime Brands’ has done a fantastic deal with this item.
Both of the baskets are in different sizes- one is smaller than another so that you can use both altogether by keeping one on the other and do double-layered cooking. This will do your cooking or steaming faster.
Top 5 Features
- Half oval-shaped handling.
- Durable stainless steel.
- High legs for protection.
- Double layered steaming ability.
- Multi-purpose usage.
| Dimensions | 8.67″ x 8.67″ x 6.3″ |
| Weight | 4.39 lbs |
The handles are half oval-shaped so that you can pick them up quickly from the cooking pot. Both the legs of the basket are made a bit higher as these will keep the food above the boiling water and ensure the perfect steaming environment. Give a try at this best steamer basket, and surely you will be satisfied.
Pros
- You can do double-layered steaming through these too.
- Suitable quality steamer baskets that work as a filter too.
- Two sets of baskets so that you can use the correct one according to your need.
- You are getting not only two sized steamer baskets but also two sized strainers too.
Cons
- Hard to clean up.
- Sometimes the size won’t fit in your cooker.
- Foods get stuck quickly, and it’s pretty tough to get them off
Premium Quality Stainless Steel vegetable Steamer Basket by Sayfine
Not satisfied with any steamer? The best one is yet to come. Let’s get introduced to the best steamer basket. After knowing all of its features, you can’t say no for sure. This Sayfine vegetable steamer basket is more than top-notch in premium quality.
It is made with 18 panels and gives a floral look which is so beautiful! You can adjust it inside any cooking pot as it is super comfy to use. Just modify it according to your steaming pot’s size. That’s it. You can move it outwards or inwards according to your need.
Top 5 Features
- Attractive floral designed steamer basket.
- Premium in quality.
- Easily adjustable to any size.
- Quickly get fit inside any pot.
- Smart and attractive look
- Easy to clean.
| Dimensions | 5.9″ x 5.9″ x 2.7″ |
| Weight | 9.6 ounces |
Any vegetables will quickly get steamed inside it. The trivets under it keep it away from getting soaked. The most attractive and beneficial steamer basket is easy to clean up too. So, don’t wait and grab this excellent product now.
Pros
- Smart steamer basket with attractive looks.
- Helps to steam quickly.
- Cool down quickly after steaming so that you can wash it faster and complete your work.
Cons
- Making the panels move gets difficult sometimes as there is a risk of making the food’s position wrong, or the soft blades may tear them up.
- Cleaning it is easy, but sometimes it might take a long time as you have to clean the panels individually.
- Sharp corners of the panels are risky.
Top Rated Steamer Basket for Pressure Cooker by Hatrigo
The body is made of rust-free stainless steel and, handle is fully wrapped in nice-looking silicone. Small, medium, and large-size (3,5,6, and 8 quarts) are available for your needs. You’ll get this steamer basket having silicone wrapped feet which automatically prevents scratching on your inner pot.
Easy to take out from the pressure cooker when cooking is done. It Made of high-quality material. There is no possibility of rust or a loose handle. This basket is suitable for cooking new recipes.
- Easily adjustable with instant pot
- Food safe silicone handle and feet
- High quality stainless steel
- Rust-free body
- Also tested by my mom
![The Original Steamer Basket for Pressure Cooker Accessories 3qt [6qt 8qt avail] Compatible with Instant Pot Accessories, Ninja Foodi, Strainer Insert with Silicone Handle, Mini 3 Quart](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51-gBnubiqL._SL160_.jpg)
| Dimensions | 6.89″ x 6.89″ x 4.49″ |
| Weight | 4.8 ounces |
Its silicone legs help prevent slipping when placing it on the counter So, there’s no chance of your cooked food getting spilled on the floor. You can enjoy cooking with your friends, family, even with your kids too. It will provide you a lot of fun while steaming asparagus, broccoli, egg, rice, or even a whole chicken too.
To ensure the best use of your steamer basket, you have to know how to steam food using a steamer basket, and also, you have to know how to clean it after every use.
Thank God, steaming food using a steamer basket is very easy, and so is cleaning it. No need to trust me. Just keep reading for two more minutes, and you’ll see everything.
As you can see in the above picture, a steamer basket is a metal basket made of metal (such as stainless steel) used to hold various delicate food items over the boiling hot water so that the hot steam can cook those food items.
So it’s just a steamer inserter into the instant pot of your pressure cooker. A steamer basket is a kitchen device made of various colors, sizes, shapes, and styles. It is designed to be inserted within another kitchen device suitable to steam food in a healthy way.
And I like it most as I can make various types of delicious cakes using it.
Bamboo Steamer basket vs Metal Steamer Basket
Actually, both of them have the same purpose of action. Steaming by bamboo steamer basket is a conventional and traditional process, whereas metal steamer basket is just a new invention.
Which one is better amongst the two, it is a controversial matter. Some people think bamboo steamer baskets are natural, and they are very good.
Again some are thinking that it is not mandatory to destroy the natural resource of bamboo using this natural steamer basket.
Hence we can use a metal steamer basket made of stainless steel where there is no health issue.
However, the only difference between the two types of steamer baskets is that bamboo steamer baskets can absorb some moisture from the steam rather than allowing it to condense and fall back onto food.
It is possible that recondense moisture can contain some amount of water-soluble nutrients and vitamins in it but the bamboo’s limited ability to absorb the moisture and the limited amount of time that water could come into contact with the food is very negligible.
So it doesn’t make any sense, particularly If anybody thinks that the bamboo steamer basket is capable of absorbing a lot of water from the steam.
The steaming procedure by both the steamer basket is more or less the same, but our metallic steamer basket becomes hotter than the bamboo steamer basket.
The bottom of any of your metal steamer basket’s food remains more crispy than from a bamboo steamer basket.
So it actually depends on your food category whether you want to make it more crispy or not.
Less heat means less sticking on the basket wall, so some may choose bamboo baskets for this purpose too.
A bamboo steamer basket can absorb some flavor while steaming, but again it will retain the absorbed flavor (which can be good or bad) onto the food after steaming is finished.
Some said that bamboo steamer baskets have no delicate qualities, they just opposed using a bamboo steamer basket.
Steaming is a steamer equipment and steaming process, not whether the steamer is bamboo or metallic!
A bamboo steamer is made from natural plants ( bamboo) and is very sustainable. But metal steamer baskets are also made of food-grade metal.
I usually tend to avoid any plastic-made steamer basket (whether made of BPH or not).
The bamboo steamer basket and stainless steel basket steamer are both sensed to be very similar and normal to me.
How to Use Steamer Basket Into Your Pressure Cooker
Using a steamer basket into any pressure cooker is a very simple matter. Actually, a user instruction is always supplied with the manufacturer guideline, which is provided with the steamer basket or with the pressure cooker.
So this manufacturer guidelines will tell you how to use the steamer basket, how long you have to steam the food, etc.
Anyway, I am giving you some additional instructions for using a steamer basket in your pressure cooker.
- Before start steaming, set the instant pot/bowl into your pressure cooker.
- Raise water level up to one inch or two inches into the instant pot.
- Put the power supply on.
- Wait until the water is boiled for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Set the steamer basket into the instant bowl very carefully so that hot water cannot burn your hand.
- Place the meal on the bottom of the steamer basket.
- Close the lid of the instant pot.
- Let the food steam at your desired time and choice.
- If your pressure cooker has a facility to adjust the pressure level, always try to steam your food at the lowest pressure (unless it is indicated in the recipe).
- For steaming of seafood, always try to steam at the recommended cooking setting because over steaming these foods may degrade the food taste and quality.
- For steaming of any succulent food or fish, always breeze your steamer basket by a few drops of oil brushing to prevent adhering to soggy food with the basket.
- After finishing steaming, turn off the power supply and let the pressure cooker cool at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- And then serve the food by opening the lid of the instant bowl.
Conclusion
As everyone knows, the use of cooking oil increases the risk of heart disease. Many people started cooking with this magical basket as many of them are sitting for a long time at their work.
Again another may stand on their feet for a long time. So physical labor may not be the same for all people. Many people may not always be regular in walking or exercise. Thus excess oils and fats cause obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in their body.
So, to avoid these health issues, smart people become inclined to steamed foods. And you’ll be surprised to know that steamed foods are also yummy if you properly cook them. Just get one of the best steamer basket for pressure cooker, follow your favorite steamed recipe, then enjoy the exclusive taste and say goodbye to those health risks.
