The Best Two Tier Food Steamer - Oster CKSTSTMD5 vs Nesco ST-25F Review

Updated 14 Jul 2021
By Intan
Food Steamer Category
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The Best Two Tier Food Steamer - Oster CKSTSTMD5 vs Nesco ST-25F Review

Along with the rise of a healthier lifestyle, healthy eating becomes a huge part of it. People start to prepare their own food instead of buying it. Some of the most popular methods of getting healthy food is making mix juice on your own, less oil in cooking with air fryer and steaming them.

There are so many reasons why steaming your food is great for your health. First, you don't need to use oils in your cooking process. You can say goodbye to extra fat, extra calories, cholesterol, and other negative effects of cooking food with oils. The second reason would be a steamer keeps the food's nutrition including vitamins and minerals. This is what makes steaming your food better than boiling them. Boiling your food will cook the nutrition out while steaming will keep most of them. Third, a steamer also keeps the food's natural flavor so you can eat healthy without having to sacrifice taste. 

A food steamer is so convenient you can use it to cook different meals for meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and grains. You can use the steamer to cook rice while preparing the proteins or vegetables at the same time.

Now it is the time for you to find the one that serves you the most. The best food steamer will depend on your needs and overall schedule. Below, we create a side by side comparison between Oster CKSTSTMD5 v.s Nesco ST-25F to help you find the perfect food steamer for your kitchen. 

 

Oster CKSTSTMD5 v.s Nesco ST-25F Similarities

Similarities #1: Double Steamer Bowl

Both products have a double tiered design with two separate bowls so you can cook two types of food at the same time. For example, you can cook the proteins on the bottom and the vegetables on the top bowl. You can even cook rice and eggs at the same time. This design makes the products convenient and time saver. 

Similarities #2: Transparent Bowl

It is not only the slow cooker that needs such a transparent window view. Both products come in transparent bowls so you can watch the food being cooked. This is very useful especially if you want to achieve a certain texture so you can stop the steamer before the time is up so you can avoid the food from being overcooked. 

Similarities #3: Stainless Steel Base

Both products have a stainless steel base that is durable and easy to clean. The bases are not transparent. They come with a water indicator inside but you can't see the water level while the steamer is running. You need to open it to see how much water is left.

 

Oster CKSTSTMD5 v.s Nesco ST-25F Differences

Differences #1: Automatic Timer

The Oster CKSTSTMD5 comes with an automatic timer that will notify you when the food is done. This is a very useful feature especially if you need to do a lot of tasks at the same time. While the Nesco ST-25F doesn't come with one. Even though it will shut down automatically once the water tank is empty so you need to measure the water right if you can't watch it. 

Differences #2: BPA

The Nesco ST-25F plastic components are BPA free so it is safe to use even for making baby food. Meanwhile, the Oster CKSTSTMD5 components are not BPA free. The product even comes with a warning that the product contains a chemical that can cause birth defects and reproductive harm. 

Differences #3: Separator

Oster CKSTSTMD5 comes with two separate bowls that cannot be joined together into a large bowl. The Nesco ST-25F also comes with two separate bowls but it has a removable separator called the vent that you can remove so you can combine the two bowls together.

 

 

Oster CKSTSTMD5 v.s Nesco ST-25F Comparison

Oster CKSTSTMD5 

The Oster CKSTSTMD5 is a double-tiered food steamer that will help you to prepare a full meal in a single step. The two separated steamer bowls allow you to cook multiple meals at a time. For example, you can cook the protein on the first bowl and vegetables on the other all at once. So when you stop the steamer, you have two meals ready. The steamer keeps the food moist and delicious but maintains its nutrition. It is a better choice for healthier meals. 

It is designed in a way so you can control your cooking process. It is known as mistake-proof so you can cook easily even if you are a beginner. You will achieve your healthy eating goals while eating delicious food. It is perfect to use to cook vegetables and protein either fish or poultry. By using the steamer you can avoid using oils so you can get healthier meals with no extra fat. The steamer works in a way to cook your food perfectly while maintaining its texture and nutrition. 

Transparent bowls allow you to watch your food while cooking so you know when the food is done. It is completed with an automatic timer you can set so you can leave the steamer work while you do other kitchen tasks. 

Pros:

  • Simple and easy
  • Dual steaming
  • Automatic timer
  • Compact storage

 

Cons:

  • Low quality food grade material

Nesco ST-25F

A multi-function steamer that will steam vegetables, proteins, and other types of food such as fruits and grains. Using this steamer, you will be able to cook different meals from seafood, meat, poultry, and fish. The steamer cooks the food while maintaining its quality. It keeps the vitamins and minerals in the food and brings out the natural flavors. A perfect way to introduce healthy and tasty food to your kids. 

The food bowl is BPA free so you can use it safely with no worries. It is also break-resistant, so it is safe to use even in the busiest kitchen hour. The unit is dishwasher safe and you can clean the components easily. It has a stainless steel base that is durable and easy to clean. 

The steamer will automatically shut down once the water tank is empty so you don't need to keep watching the steamer while it's working. You can leave it to steam and you can focus your mind and energy doing other tasks. 

It comes with a double steamer bowl so you can cook two types of food at a time. It also comes with a pan to place your proteins. The bowls are transparent allowing you to see the food being cooked. It is easy to use. Perfect for you whether you are a beginner cook, a student, or a super busy mom. You can put the food in the steamer, start it, and leave it to do the job for you. 

Pros:

  • Break resistant
  • Stainless steel base
  • Automatically shuts down when the water tank is empty
  • BPA Free food zone

 

Cons:

  • No water level indicator

 

 

Summary

A food steamer is a good investment if you are into healthy food and a healthy lifestyle. It is easy to use and mistake proof. Just perfect if you want to prepare your own healthy meal and you're not familiar with cooking yet. Opposite to the mainstream opinions, steamed food is not boring. You can cook different types of food in the steamer. You can also enhance the flavor using herbs and other condiments you have made out of your food processor

Before buying any food steamer, you need to pay attention to the features and make sure that you buy the right one for you. For example, if you don't have much time to work in the kitchen, you may need to get a steamer with a timer so you don't have to worry about the cooking process since the timer will stop automatically and notify you when the process is done. Our recommendation pick will be Nesco ST-25F. This food steamer is worth its better material and many users have said it is best in value for money, durability and pretty much simple to easy daily.

 

FAQ Oster CKSTSTMD5 

How is it for steaming rice?
The Best Two Tier Food Steamer - Oster CKSTSTMD5 vs Nesco ST-25F Review
It works perfectly to steam and cooks rice. You need to measure the rice and water first. The measurement depends on the type of the rice. Put the rice in the bowl. Fill the water tank and start the steamer. The time setting also depends on the type of the rice but on average you need to steam it for about 45 minutes to get perfectly cooked rice. 

Is there a water level indicator?
Yes, there is a water level indicator inside the base that shows a minimum of 250 ml of water and a maximum of 500 ml. Since you put the water in the base and it is not transparent, you need to open it up to see how much water is left. 

Can you remove the divider to make a large bowl instead of two small ones?
No. The bowls are separated and cannot be combined. The main goal of using a double steamer is so you can cook two types of food at a time. If you need to cook one type of food in a larger quantity, you can put it in both bowls.  

 

FAQ Nesco ST-25F

Where can I see the water level?
The water is in the base and since the base is not transparent, you won't be able to see the water level while the steamer is running. You need to open it to see how much water is left. But the steamer will stop working when the water tank is empty so don't need to worry. 

Will corn fit in it?
The bowls are pretty small in size, but you can still fit corn by cutting them into smaller pieces first. 

Can you steam hot dogs or hamburgers with this steamer?
Yes, of course, you can. The product can steam different types of foods either they are fresh or frozen including hot dogs and hamburgers.

 

 

Good to Know about Food Steamer

After you learn the differences between food steamers, you may need to learn something more about them so you can use the steamer to their maximum capacity. Below are some things you need to know about food steamers so you can avoid getting troubles using them. 

The Right Amount of Water

It is very important for you to put the right amount of water. If your steamer doesn't come with a timer, putting too much water will make your food overcooked and you will end up with lumpy non-appetizing food. Meanwhile, if your steamer doesn't shut automatically when the water tank is empty, putting too little amount of water may make it burn. Read the instructions clearly and be mindful when putting the water. 

Boil the Water First

Even when it seems easier to just put everything in and let the steamer run it is actually better for you to preheat the water. This way, you don't have to let the cook sit too long in the steamer. Some people wonder why the steamer produces so little steam and cooks too long, it is because they don't preheat the water. The best way you can do this is by putting the water to the tank first, run the steamer until it produces steams, then you can put your food in the bowl. 

Arrangement

Multi-tiered steamers are convenient. However, there are some problems that come with it. For example, the steam doesn't reach the top bowl, or the food juices from the top bowl drips to the food on the bottom. You need to be wise and arrange the food better. For example, if you cook proteins with rice, you may want to put the rice on the top. Make sure that you don't overfill the bottom bowl to make sure the steams can go through and reach the top bowl. You also need to be mindful when cooking different food together since the smell and the flavor will circulate around the bowl. For example, you better avoid cooking fish and cakes together. 

 

Just like any other appliances, you may need some time to get used to the steamer. But it is one of the easiest kitchen gadgets to use and you almost can't do anything wrong with it. If you are new to kitchen stuff, this product is the perfect one to buy first. You can learn so much while maintaining your healthy eating habit with ease.

 

Reference

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Intan
She is experienced writer, cat lover, and appliances addict.
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