Our Krups vegetable/rice steamer is due for replacement. But my wife
doesn't want another plastic steamer because she's afraid they might
have harmful chemicals. She also doesn't want an aluminum steamer.

Are there any good steamers out there that aren't plastic or aluminum?
I know there's bamboo, but I want a machine that's reliable and easy
to use (throw in the food and set the timer).

DT

wrote in message
...
On Tue, 25 May 2004 07:47:41 GMT, (D.
Tomato) wrote:

Are there any good steamers out there that aren't plastic or aluminum?
I know there's bamboo, but I want a machine that's reliable and easy
to use (throw in the food and set the timer).

I have a nice (two-tier) steamer: it's plastic. I've never
seen one that wasn't plastic.

I also have a little stainless steel 'steamer basket' - it
opens like a flower.

Take look at the zori rice cooker with steaming basket. I have one and it
works great. Terry



[moderator's note - quoting trimmed heavily - geraint]

D. Tomato wrote:

Our Krups vegetable/rice steamer is due for replacement. But my wife
doesn't want another plastic steamer because she's afraid they might
have harmful chemicals.

I realize this may border on off-topic, but upon what evidence does she base
such fears? Hard plastics, such as those used for steamers and other
"heat-proof" uses, are chemically stable. It's the soft ones like cling wraps
(estrogens, etc.) that might have some valid concerns.

...
Are there any good steamers out there that aren't plastic or aluminum?
I know there's bamboo, but I want a machine that's reliable and easy
to use (throw in the food and set the timer).

Unless you opt for bamboo, I think your only other choice will be stainless
steel. You have two choices and both are inserts for pots. First is the standard
collapsible basket that only costs a few bucks. Second is a steamer insert,
which can also be used for pasta if your pot and the steamer fit together right.
The following link has a variety of those.

http://www.cooking.com/products/shpr...0&ClassNo=0121

The only "standalone" SS steamers I'm familiar with are very large and for
restaurant use. Those are way too big for the typical home kitchen, much less
for the countertop. They also run in excess of $1500 new (for the smaller ones).

Years ago I bought a small plastic microwave rice cooker from the
shopping mall store Lechters. It was small, compact and I used it
hundreds of times.

Memory dims, but I remember it was "bowl" shaped and you put water
into it and there was a basket for the rice, and a lid.

I use Basmati, and the cooker yielded two cups of perfect, fragrant,
non-sticky rice ready for an accompiantment of spicy chili or szechwan
"chicken" and peanuts made with TVP. Perfect rice in about ten
minutes.

Several years ago, in a great hurry, I put the cooker in the microwave
with rice but no water and the cooker was burnt and ruined. I went
back to Lechters and asked about a replacement and they looked at me
as if I was crazy and said they had never heard of such a thing.

I've searched the web and other places and have not found any
replacement. Has any one else here heard of such a rice cooker? Or
even better do you have a source for a new one?

Thanks!

Robert


On Tue, 25 May 2004 07:47:41 GMT, (D. Tomato)
wrote:

Our Krups vegetable/rice steamer is due for replacement. But my wife
doesn't want another plastic steamer because she's afraid they might
have harmful chemicals. She also doesn't want an aluminum steamer.

Are there any good steamers out there that aren't plastic or aluminum?
I know there's bamboo, but I want a machine that's reliable and easy
to use (throw in the food and set the timer).

DT