Black & Decker Divided Food Steamer
by Black & Decker
(Click here)
Product Summary
Manufacturer: Black & DeckerBrand: Black & Decker
Model: HS900
Product features:
- Measures 10-3/8 by 8-4/5 by 10-5/8-inch.
- Includes a 4-quart steaming/serving bowl and an 8-cup rice bowl
- 75-Minute timer with a signal bell and auto shut-off
- Built-in flavor scenter screen for adding herbs and spices
- Divider for steaming 2 different types of food at once
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Black & Decker Divided Food Steamer
Customer Review: Painless way to add more vegetables and rice to your diet.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'd toyed around for years with the idea of purchasing a steamer as an upgrade to my Joyce Chen microwave steamer, and after reading reviews on Epinions and Amazon, decided on the Black and Decker HS900.
This steamer is capable of handling numerous varieties of fresh vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, potatoes, spinach, squash, carrots...), frozen vegetables, seafood and fish (fresh or frozen), chicken and frankfurters, rice (white and brown short, medium, and long grain), and other foods (eggs, apples, pears, prunes). Being vegetarian, I've used mine exclusively for fresh vegetables and rice. I've used it to make divine mashed cauliflower as a replacement for white potatoes, steamed sweet potatoes, and plan on trying some of the steamed fruits (baked apples).
About cooking rice: my favorite feature of the HS900 is the ability to perfectly cook all kinds of rice (white, brown and parboiled, short, medium, and long grain) with minimal fuss; you simply add water to the Reservoir, add your uncooked rice and additional water to the rice bowl, set the timer and walk away. In the past, I attempted to use a regular rice cooker, and was forever frustrated by the foamy, slimy, starchy mess that inevitably erupted as the rice cooked. However, not once have I had that problem with the HS900, even when I don't prerinse to remove excess starch. The rice always comes out perfectly tender and fluffy (try checking for doneness at the shortest recommended time).
One of the neat features of the HS900 is the Flavor Scenter Tray. By adding fresh or dried herbs, your vegetables are infused with flavor without adding extra salt. Recommended spices include thyme, cilantro, basil, dill, curry, and tarragon. In addition, under the steaming instructions, there are suggested spices paired with the appropriate food (dill for carrots, caraway seed for cabbage, etc.). You can also add extra flavor by using lemon juice, broth, or white wine to the water in the reservoir (when cooking rice, you add the broth directly to the uncooked rice). It's not recommended to use beer, red wine, oil, extracts, or fruit juices in the Reservoir, as they might stain (one of my complaints is that the plastic discolors very easily).
There are few parts to assemble, only the base, steaming bowl, drip tray, rice bowl, and a cover. Cleaning is generally simple: allow the bowl to cool, wash with hot soapy water, dry (do not immerse the base). According to the directions, the bowls, cover, divider and drip tray are dishwasher safe, but I continue to hand wash mine. Depending on your water, you may want to use filtered water to avoid chalky buildup on the heating element (if buildup occurs, simply fill the Reservoir with white vinegar and run the steamer without the bowls for 20 minutes).
One last word of advice: when the unit is in use, try to position it so that the steam is not directed at the underside of your cabinets. There are four powerful steam vents on the cover, and I can only imagine that repeated close-range steamblasting of woodwork might result in deterioration. Also, this may seem obvious, but always use potholders when removing the cover, and flip it towards you to shield yourself from escaping steam. My initial carelessness resulted in some painful minor steam burns!
Description of Black & Decker Divided Food Steamer
Item Info: ? Divided steamer steams allows you to steam 2 types of food at the same time. Cooks without adding fat or calories. ,? 75-Minute timer with signal bell and auto shut-off. ,? 4-Quart steaming/serving bowl. ,? Includes 8-cup rice bowl. ,Dimensions: 10.38"H x 8.8"W x 10.63"D and Weight: 3.6 lbs . .Small Appliances
Kitchen and Housewares
Bestsellers in Small Appliances
Hamilton Beach 26290 Meal Maker Waffle Baker & Sandwich GriddleHamilton Beach; Hamilton Beach; Kitchen
Hamilton Beach 65250 Classic DrinkMaster Drink Mixer, Retro GreenHamilton Beach; Hamilton Beach; Kitchen
Cuisinart DLC-2014N PowerPrep Plus 14-Cup Capacity Food Processor, WhiteCuisinart; Cuisinart; Kitchen
Best price: $199.99
Price in other shops:
Waring PDM1 Drink MixerWaring; Waring; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Cuisinart DLC-8S 11-Cup Pro Custom 11 Food ProcessorCuisinart; Cuisinart; Kitchen
Salton YM9 1-Quart Yogurt MakerSalton; Salton; Kitchen
Best price: $169.95
KitchenAid KSM5PS 5-Quart Stand Mixer, Almond CreamKitchenAid; KitchenAid; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
DeLonghi XU450 Toaster OvenDeLonghi; DeLonghi; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Salton KM44WHT 2-Liter Iced Tea Maker, WhiteSalton; Salton; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Cuisinart SPB-7CH SmartPower 40-Ounce 7-Speed Electronic Bar Blender, ChromeCuisinart; Cuisinart; Kitchen
Price in other shops: