Oster CKSTSTMD5-W 5-Quart Food Steamer, White CKSTSTMD5-W

This steamer is just the right size for a family of two. We used it the first time on the day it arrived from Amazon, and the result was fantastic! It took 40 minutes to steam a bag of frozen dumplings. I set the timer to 30 minutes, but then had to add another 10 minutes to make the dumplings were cooked thoroughly. The two steaming trays were designed for food like in the picture: meat, chicken or fish at the lower tray and vegetable on top tray. But since we steam same product in both trays, we had to swap trays and add 10 minutes, as we thought the dumplings in upper tray were not cooked thoroughly. But as mentioned, result was fantastic. After that, we put the trays and lid in the dishwasher (on top level as recommended) and they came out fine and clean. The trays feel flimsy so extra care is required. I wish the trays and lid were made with heavier plastic or glass; I am willing to pay more for it. Washing the water reservoir is a bit of hassle as you need to take not getting water into the electrical part. But it only take a few minutes. It is certainly a starter steamer. For the price, if I can get a year use of it I would be happy. Here is my wish list: 1. Separate tray for water reservoir to make cleaning easy (grease and stuff will drop to the reservoir, so you have to clean it) 2. Heavier gage plastic or class tray 3. Some wire trays to lift food from steam vent If there is on with this size and all three items above, I would gladly pay for it. For now, I am happy with this steamer.

To me, this is a perfectly made steamer. I'll tell you why... 1. It's not too big nor too small 2. It's very simple to use 3. It's easy to clean and pack away. 4. Very affordable 5. Most importantly, veggies are steamed to perfection and taste so delicious. Nevermind all those concerns about it not being BPA free and not being certified or approved by this one or that one, hey, we all still gonna die of something some day lol. There's a lot of things affecting our health these days that if you begin counting them, doomsday will catch you and your list still won't be complete. You may as well enjoy great tasting steam veggies while you're alive! Tip: don't steam pork or sausage in it. Well, I guess you can, but I tried pork chops and sausage once and while the meat does cook well, it was too messy for me. All the fat dripped down on the water reservoir and even after washing it had a porky smell. Had to clean it several times with Clorox to get the smell out. Chicken and fish are less fatty so maybe it wouldn't be that malodorous but it's not something I want to try. I'll just keep using it to steam veggies.

When I decided to try to make some baby food for my son, I boiled his fruits and vegetables every week before putting them in the blender. Later, when he was older, I found out that doing that cooks all the nutrients out of them. So, when I had my next child, I decided to buy a steamer to keep things a little healthier. I purchased the Oster Food Steamer. To use it you fill the bottom compartment with water. There is a minimum line & a maximum line. I usually fill it right in between both. Then fill the plastic compartments with fruits, vegetables, meats or whatever else you want to cook. There’s a plastic ring you place in the middle to separate the two compartments. This allows you to make two different things at the same time. You can use them both or just one. After you cover it, there is a knob to use to set the amount of time to the steamer. It can take a while. I usually set it for about 40-45 minutes for fruits and 45-50 minutes for vegetables. This is to make the food very soft to purée. You can cook it for a shorter time to keep the veggies firmer. I’ve never used it for meat, so I can not speak on that. Some people have said that their steamer has leaked when used. I’ve only had that happen one time when I put too much water in it and it passed the maximum line. You have to be careful not to do that. Pros: -Easy to use -Lightweight -Easy to clean Cons: -Leaks if filled with too much water -The bottom compartment does bubble up and look foamy at times when cooking, but it doesn’t seem to hurt the fruits or vegetables It’s a plastic steamer with plastic compartments compared to other more durable steamers, but it gets the job done for me. I’ve had it for almost 8 Months, using it about once a week and it still works the same. I’m happy with my purchase.

I tried to cancel this order, and buy a metal pot with a steamer basket but I couldn’t. I am glad I couldn’t. I have used this item every day since I received it. It is the perfect size for two people. I have used it for broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and reheating rice with a wet paper towel under the rice so it does not fall through the holes. It works beautifully. It creates a lot of steam quickly. There is a timer, so it shuts off automatically at the appointed time. The plastic is durable, and cleans up nicely in the dishwasher. You pour water into the base for steal. After finishing, you just pour out the water, and wipe it out. It is compact, and a great deal for the price. This unit is so much better than buying a big pot with a steamer insert that takes up a huge amount of space, is expensive, and pits, bends, and boils dry way too quickly, as I have experienced in the past with cheap pots and inserts. I highly recommend this item as a great compact alternative to the huge pot and steamer basket of the past. The only problem is that the timer only works one way: you can increase the time but you can’t decrease the time, so if your food is finished before the timer runs out, you have to unplug the unit from the wal, and let the timer time out. It’s not that big of a deal. I still love this unit.

I love love love this steamer. The very first thing we steamed was two heads of broccoli and they came out so tender and so moist. It was amazing. The next thing we did was cauliflower so we could make cauliflower mash. It would quite hold two full heads of cauliflower but what we put in there was super tender and so good. This is not a giant steamer....but it works as well as a big one. This would be perfect for 1-2 people to prepare a full meal with. We are a family of 5 so we are just steaming vegetables so far and it's been great. I've seen reviews where people say it leaks like crazy and that has NOT been our experience so far. It is smaller so we have been able to keep it on the counter without it getting in the way. The containers are a lighter plastic so hand wash only. For the $20 we paid, I feel that we already have our money's worth out of it. Love this thing!

I've used this steamer for more than two years and can conclusively say that it's fantastic! The two baskets for steaming multiple veggies and potatoes at once has made life so much easier, not to mention the fact that it encourages my family to eat healthier. As long as you give the food the right amount of time, everything tastes delicious. A few tips: 30 mins for corn on the cob, 10 minutes for broccoli, 15 minutes for baby carrots and 15-20 minutes for chopped or mini potatoes works great. Haricot verts can get squishy if you leave them in for too long, so keep a close eye on them (10-12 minutes, usually). If you're not fastidious about cleaning the bottom area out after the water has been drained, it can accumulate some funk. This is pretty easy to clean out with a scouring pad, soap, and warm water, though. I've owned a few steamers, and this one is by far my favorite. Worth every penny!

I bought this to replace my Oster model 5712, which after many, many years of pretty regular use, is starting to peter out. While there is nothing wrong with this item, it is just too small for my needs (I usually make a couple of salmon filets in the first tier, and asparagus or another veggie in the second tier), and I really prefer the time setting functions on the 5712, which can be changed at any time, versus the timer mechanism on this model that really can't be dialed back if you set it too high; as well as the loud audible "ding" when the 5712 is done cooking versus the very quiet (very easy to miss), noise of the timer ending on this model. I would say that if you want a very good quality food steamer, you can't beat the Oster 5712 model. One plus for this model, though - clean up is super quick and easy - just rinse it with soapy hot water and your done for the bottom (being careful not to get any water in the vents on the outside bottom), and all of the other pieces can just go in the dishwasher or be quickly hand washed in hot soapy water.

I absolutely love this food steamer veggies cooked and super soft in under 30 minutes! And you can get a large about into these containers. My son is 8 months old so I could it so he could do baby lead weaning soon. He's a vary hungry baby and I need something quick and easy I could use daily to make him soft foods. I have also struggled with crunchy veggies and this make me want to eat way more veggies than before. We are both enjoying the end products out of this device. I have not tried to cook meat in it yet but plan to. The tray’s or bowls are machine washable and stack able. I am sure you cooked get and extra set if you need more than they provide you with. Just fill the water reservoir up to the line holds about 500mls/ I clean it after every use. I have mainly been cooking carrots and potatoes in it so they are very starchy and it seeps down there and makes it all brown and sticky. Very easy to clean. Great product!

Worked for a month

Excelente producto, de gran calidad, el tamaño es perfecto para cocinar una porción grande o dos porciones “medianas”. Solo la he utilizado una vez, pero me dejo la comida exquisita. En un solo uso cocine pescado, una papa grande entera, media cebolla y medio chile morrón, y los 4 quedaron excelentes, lo que más me gusto fue como dejo la papa la cual la puse entera, la dejo muy suave. ¡100% recomendable!

Great little steamer for one or two people Food tastes so much better using this steamer

Excellent but plastic a little thin

Es muy funcional, tiene un buen tamaño para preparar alimentos cocidos para 2 o 3 personas, la usamos sobre todo para verduras y se limpia muy facilmente. Mi unica recomendacion es que tengan cuidado con los vetabeles, manchan mucho pero si se pueden limpiar despues.