When it comes to steaming tools, steamers are the most important item on the list. Steam cooking has been prevalent in the community for a long time now due to the different health benefits of it. So, most individuals are preferring steamers over other cooking utensils.
Steamers can be of different kinds, but regular steamers and bamboo steamers are the commonly used ones. Although both work effectively in steaming the food, there are major differences in their working modes.
If you’re confused about which steamer to get, our analysis on bamboo steamer vs normal steamer will help you out.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Bamboo Steamers
Bamboo steamers are composed of bamboo fibers, straws and lined by leaves or parchment papers. Apart from their structural configuration, they have a few advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages
- Humidity Control
A bamboo steamer will absorb most of the moisture from the steam. This absorption will obstruct the over-boiling of the food products and control the humidity inside the walls of the bamboo container.
Plastic or metallic steamers fail to do this absorption, so humidity is not regulated in them. For this particular reason, bamboo steamers are perfect.
- Flexibility
Bamboo steamers are flexible for use worldwide due to their wide spectrum of use. You can not only use it for preparing wontons, dumplings, or Asian cuisine but for regular dishes as well. From rice to cereals, you can use bamboo steamers for everything.
- Electricity Saving and Cost-Effective
While metallic steamers occupy a lot of electricity for use, you can use bamboo steamers with gas only. So, whatever you cook in your daily life with the help of bamboo steamers, you don’t need to worry about the electricity costs.
Also, they are very cheap compared to most metallic steamers. You can even make them at home and save on the cost of purchasing one.
- Environmental-Friendly
With the advancement of modern civilization, more people are becoming aware of the environment and its proper conservation. For such individuals, using environmental-friendly utensils for cooking is very pivotal.
To make bamboo steamers, no harmful impurities are used, and the entire process is fairly natural. Unlike metallic steamers, bamboo steamers are prepared using merely bamboo fibers and straws, which are in every way extracted naturally. So, they are beneficial in every aspect.
- Uniform Heat Distribution
Bamboo steamers are built-in with many layers, and it might look tough to distribute heat in all the layers. But call it surprising, there is a lot of heat distribution inside the wall of the bamboo steamer.
Adequate heat is distributed in all the layers of the steamer, so the food is steamed quickly, and nothing is left cold or raw behind. For this reason, it is considered one of the fastest cooking methods.
Disadvantages
- Odor Absorption
Bamboo steamers tend to absorb odors at a relatively quick speed. This may interfere with the aromas of the food. If you’re cooking meat items along with fishes and vegetables in different layers, this may become a problem. So, it is advisable to cook each item separately in the steamer.
- Wearing
As bamboo steamers are cost-effective and are built-in with straws and bamboo fibers, they do not last long. However well they are built; they are still vulnerable and wear easily over time. So, they need replacement over some time.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Normal Steamers
While bamboo steamers are made of natural and compact structure, normal steamers are made with plastic or highly durable metal. They also come with different advantages and disadvantages for their use.
Advantages
- Long-Lasting
One of the most important advantages of normal steamers is that they last for a long time. They are built with a strong quality of metals that are resilient enough to withstand pressure. And they are quite durable and do not require replacements frequently.
- Higher Temperature
Metallic steamers cannot absorb moisture from the food, but they tend to get hotter compared to bamboo steamers. This is considered an advantage when you’re cooking bread products.
Due to the higher temperature at the metallic base, the undersurface of bread products obtains a crisp portion. It adds to the flavor and texture of bread items.
- Quick-Cooking
Metallic steamers, particularly those run by electricity, require less ventilation; hence they cook food faster. The distribution of heat is appropriate for the food and heats up faster.
Disadvantages
- Expensive
Unlike bamboo steamers, regular steamers are very expensive, which narrows their utility down. They are also consumers of electricity, so they do not save up on bills either. For this reason, they are avoided by most users for their pricey side.
- Does Not Maintain Humidity
Although metallic steamers use appropriate heat distribution for all their food, they cannot absorb the moisture from the food. The moisture is condensed back into the food in such steamers maintaining poor humidity.
- Not Environment-Friendly
Regular steamers are composed of metallic substances, which means it is in no way naturally made. Most of these substances are extracted with many impurities, so they may be harmful. They are also not biodegradable, so they are not environment-friendly at all.
Conclusion
Bringing it to the end, it is apparent that both bamboo and regular steamers have their pros and cons. Although both are perfect for steaming food, they have their differences in terms of humidity, pricing, sustainability, etc.
So, with the help of our bamboo steamer vs normal steamer comparison, you can select your desired steamer easily.