Commercial Countertop Steamers

Countertop Food Steamer: What You Need to Know

Countertop steamers have different methods for adding food, such as drawer-like trays and baskets for sandwich steamers. Food pans as large as full size can fit in these steamers. Depths range from 12 to 35 inches and widths vary from 11 to 27 inches, with models heated by electricity or gas.

Common Questions About Countertop Steamers

Which brands are most popular?

Many well-known restaurant equipment manufacturers produce commercial countertop steamers. Our most popular sandwich steamer is the 16.5-inch Nemco 6625B Fresh-O-Matic Steamer, which is an electric countertop steamer with manual water refill. The Cleveland steamers are also frequently searched for, as are the Vulcan steamer and Antunes steamers lines.

What features should I consider when purchasing a countertop food steamer?

As you search for the commercial steamer that'll suit your needs, we recommend considering available space, types and quantities of foods you'll steam, and available gas or electric utilities. Ensure your kitchen has either the necessary gas connection – LP or natural gas – or appropriate electric voltage to operate your chosen unit.

While some people believe these can only serve as commercial vegetable steamers, their versatility is almost limitless, and in some kitchens, steamers are used to prepare meat, bread, and even dessert. The steamer design you choose will be dictated by the foods you cook, because those with drawers, baskets, and top-loading pans are best for sandwiches, frozen vegetables, and other small quantities of foods that must be rethermed. Larger models that accept full-size or fractional-size hotel pans can cook almost anything on the menu and do so while providing moist results in less time than dry methods. Commercial steam cookers are relied upon to provide greater yields, which can save you money and increase profits by providing a higher-quality product.

Which commercial countertop steamer configurations should I choose?

There are three primary steamer configurations and operators should consider each before choosing. You'll find a brief description of the three types below.

Drawer Style

Countertop steamers can be configured with one drawer or multiple drawers. A sandwich steamer, also called a deli steamer, is the only type that would come with drawers. In addition to sandwiches, these models are preferred for light cooking and retherming small portions.

Portion Baskets

Countertop steamers with portion baskets can be used to heat foods such as meat, pasta, rice, veggies, and more. Portion baskets come in various sizes.

Top-loading Capabilities

Steamers of this type have a lid with a handle that is lifted to reveal the cooking compartment. Top-loading steamers can steam sandwiches, tortillas, bread, and sides, among other things.

How much pan capacity do I need?

Countertop food steamers come in pan capacities from one to six, with that measure based on 2¹⁄₂-inch, vertically loaded hotel pans. Some models can be stacked to double your steaming capacity, and these can be as tall as 45 inches, so it's important to verify the condensate hood above the steamers will accommodate them.

Different countertop steamer models accommodate different pan sizes. Most sandwich steamers that take a food pan use half-size pans. However, there's a range of steamers to fit any size you might need, including models that support a mixture of full- and half-size pans.

Should I use perforated or solid pans?

Different types of pans can be used in your steamer, including perforated and solid pans. For most foods, you should use perforated pans to maximize exposure to cooking steam. Solid pans only channel steam to the top portion of the food, while food below is warmed by conductive heat from the pan and gets saturated by the condensation. However, if you're cooking something that contains lots of liquid, you'll need a solid pan to keep the liquid from running out.

Which heat source should I choose?

Like the floor-standing members of the commercial steamer family, commercial countertop steamer models are available in electric, natural gas (NG), or propane (LP) heat sources. While electric steamers are fairly flexible, they usually must be wired in by an electrician. Electric steamers take a bit longer to heat up than their gas-operated counterparts, and gas versions use one of two types of fuel – propane or natural gas. LP steamers burn fairly efficiently, although you may want to consider the tank location. Natural gas (NG) is a more efficient choice, though it isn't available everywhere, so check with your utilities provider to confirm if your facility has access to it.

You may also consider a steamer that uses a steam coil or one that uses steam from an outside source, such as a dedicated steam generator. In the latter, steam from that external producer contacts food directly, so it's critical to ensure it is clean. If you intend to use your building's boiler or some other source that may not provide clean steam, a steam coil unit will push that evaporate through a pipe in the steamer's water reservoir, heating the water for cooking. One of the key advantages of these units is that steam produced by the boiler can be used by multiple pieces of equipment, which can save space and cut the costs of buying units with integral boilers.

What do the BTU and kW options mean?

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, which is the amount of heat energy required to raise 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit at sea level. BTU measurements are assigned exclusively to gas equipment, with electric steamers similarly rated in kilowatts (kW).

Countertop steamers come with BTU ratings ranging from 32,000 to 70,000 BTU and 6 to 16 kW. The higher the BTU or kW rating, the more gas or energy is consumed to heat 16 ounces of water. So, if reducing utility use is a priority in your establishment, you may want to consider a lower-rated unit, such as the ENERGY STAR-certified models.

Do I need a steam generator?

The way steam is generated is one of the key considerations when purchasing a steamer. You can choose between boiler-based steamers and boilerless steamers – the only type that includes connectionless models. Boiler-based steamers use a pressurized vessel to produce steam that's distributed throughout the cooking cabinet. On the other hand, boilerless steamers use an open reservoir of boiling water to steam cook the food, or they have a spritzer that sprays water onto a hot metal surface where it instantly turns to steam. Connectionless steamer models tend to use considerably less water than their connected counterparts and may require more effort on the part of the operator, who must refill the water supply. If you don't have a steam generator for other pieces in your kitchen, a boilerless model will usually result in lower overall costs.

What special features are available?

• A countertop steamer with a compensating thermostat will adjust the cooking time based on the temperature in the cooking compartment. So, if the temperature drops significantly, such as when frozen products are added, the timer pauses until the correct cooking temperature is recovered.
• Descaling ports are critical in preventive maintenance for boiler-based units. Deliming solutions are poured into the ports, removing and preventing residue buildup that can lead to poor performance and equipment damage.
• A condensate drain can cool the condensation to meet local codes before it empties into the sewer. Additionally, it creates a vacuum that pulls the steam out of the chamber after it has released its heat into the food, preventing the contents from becoming soggy. However, if reducing water use is important to you, these models will use as much as 10 times the water of boilerless models.

How do I maintain my steamer?

As with all restaurant equipment, it's important to clean and maintain your countertop steamer per the recommendations in the manufacturer manual so you can ensure food safety and extend the life of the steamer. Energy.gov recommends that commercial steamer owners properly maintain their steamers by working with a service agent to fix any leaks and replace or repair parts of the steamer that have broken. Energy.gov also suggests you clean out mineral deposits that have settled in the steamer using the recommended cleaner.