If you are looking to eat healthier, you don’t have to spend much money to get yourself a basic vegetable steamer. For under $50 you can easily find a plug in appliance with two or three racks to steam vegetables and rice.
But what if you’re looking for something more professional, versatile and permanent? Built-in steam ovens are growing in popularity both as a standalone option and combination models with a stove. The question becomes choosing a plumbed vs non plumbed steam oven and what is best for you.
A plumbed steam oven has a constant water supply with less maintenance required than a non plumbed steamer which has a refillable plastic water tank. Plumbed steam ovens cost more up front and also require a plumber-installed water supply line and can also include a drying feature to reduce cleaning.
Having used both a steam oven and plug in electric steamers (we’ll discuss that below, too) I can speak from personal experience about the real usage of each type and benefits.
Plumbed vs non plumbed steam oven pros and cons
| Plumbed steam oven | Non-plumbed steam oven |
| Uses a water source fitted by a plumber to provide water supply automatically and continuously. | Uses a water tank that must be manually filled regularly as required much like you’d fill a coffee maker or jug water filter. |
| The unit has to be descaled on a schedule depending on your usage especially if you have hard water. | The water tank has to be emptied and washed after each use. Plastic water tanks can get slimy when they are not washed regularly. |
| The plumbed hose and pipe adds to the chance that a flood or damaging water leak could occur. | Rinse water that accumulates after use has to be emptied regularly. |
| Some models come with a drying feature to minimize wiping of the unit following use and will also help to dry out the water pipe to avoid contamination of stagnant water. | The cooking compartment has to be wiped and manually dried after each use. |
| Overall you pay more for additional convenience and automation. | You pay less for fewer automated features and generally more maintenance. |
Steam oven costs and considerations
Samsung sells steam oven models starting at around $2,000. Miele, Thermador, JennAir and other brands can easily run $3,000 – $5,000 and up. Higher end steam oven models from Gaggenau are over $6,000.
The cost of a built in steam oven is based more on whether you choose a standalone model over a combination one than whether it is plumbed or non plumbed. Some models come with a plumbed option included, too.
Whereas a plumbed steam oven may cost an additional $300 or more compared to a similar non plumbed model, a standalone steam is cheaper than a combination steamer/oven. The real cost difference is usually the actual plumbing work required to install the water supply line.
Note: Steam-assisted ovens are not the same as a steam oven so be careful not to be fooled.
When searching for steam ovens you may see terms like Euro-style or European design since the ovens are popular in Europe and many manufacturers are European.
Cost versus convenience of steam oven water supply options
The question of a plumbed vs non plumbed steam oven comes down to your budget and desire for automation versus doing some additional work yourself. A plumbed steam oven provides the convenience of a constant flow of water which doesn’t have to be replenished. The cost includes a higher up front charge for the steam oven itself plus the cost of plumbing work to add the water supply.
A non-plumbed steam oven requires manual filling and emptying of the removable and refillable water container and more wiping and cleaning of the oven following use.
So while the benefits of the oven itself is the same, the up front cost and ongoing work involved to use each version of the oven differs.
One additional factor to think about: If you’re building a new home, you can account for the addition of a water supply line for the plumbed steam oven. In an existing home with cabinets in place, there is often more work and cost involved to add a new water supply. You may also be limited as to where you can install the water line.
How a steam oven works
A steam oven uses high temperature steam from a water source – a water container that you fill or a plumbed water line – to gently steam food rather than baking or cooking it with convection heat. A steam oven adds versatility to your kitchen while also increasing the chance you can eat healthier without much work on your part.
When you turn a steam oven on, it takes up to 10 minutes to reach the desired temperature at which point you can begin cooking. So just like you preheat an oven, a steam oven works in a similar fashion in terms of its warm up.
Your steamer uses the water source and heats it to boiling (212 °F / 100 °C). Steam is produced and released into the cooking area. When the steamer has reached the temperature you set, you can place your dish inside the oven and the steaming process begins just like using a regular oven.
The steam oven maintains a consistent temperature along with uniform heat and moisture distribution producing evenly cooked foods.
What can you cook in a steam oven?
You might be surprised to learn about the breadth of dishes you can prepare in a steam oven regardless of whether you choose a plumbed or non plumbed version. Here’s a short list:
- Vegetables
- Rice
- Meat
- Eggs
- Fish
- Pasta
- Bread and dumplings
- Pudding
- Souffle
- Crème brûlée
Given the way that a steamer works, you can even cook a combination of these dishes at the same time and not worry about the smell and taste of one dish affecting another. This is a great example of the versatility of steam cooking.
Something you can’t cook in a steam oven? Popcorn. You’ll need to find another method for that.
What is the effect of steaming on food?
A steam oven has the unique effect of creating a crispy outside and moist inside of the food you cook. Steaming retains the flavor and color of foods and reduces fat content while maintaining nutritional values better than oven baking or boiling in water. Steaming also reduces cooking time where overcooking is often a major downside of oven baking.
Steam cooking has long been used in industrial food processing for foods such as cooked ham, ready to eat meals and especially vegetables. Asian cuisines have long used steam as a method of cooking whereas western cuisines are slower to the uptake.
Steam cooking of meat such as pork or turkey at lower temperatures requires a shorter cooking time with better results related to the meat’s color, texture and water holding abilities. If you’ve ever overcooked pork or other meats and ended up with a dry dish, you know what I mean.
A regular oven on the other hand will crisp up the outside of a food and can also have a drying effect – think meat that is left in an oven too long – and produce dry tasteless food that gets thrown out or otherwise not eaten when overcooked.
Research shows that vitamin loss can be substantial in oven cooking leading to decreased nutritional value in some foods such as meats, cereals, breads and cakes. The loss of thiamine
alone in oven-cooked meats can be as high as 40% – 60% in some cases. Vitamin B, protein and amino acids loss is also noted.
Steam ovens offer many health and versatility benefits
Steam ovens prepare food in a healthy way that retains more nutrients, taste and color than other forms of cooking. They are versatile appliances that cook and reheat food faster than regular ovens and can simultaneously cook different foods without transferring taste or smell.
But there are other benefits of steam cooking that you’ll notice:
- A steam oven eliminates the use of oils and other calorie-dense additives that make foods less healthy.
- Steamers retain more of a food’s nutrients certainly when you steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
- A steam oven keeps a food’s color and flavor more so than other methods. An obvious example is steaming versus boiling broccoli. Steamed broccoli retains its dark green coloring whereas boiled broccoli tends to fade.
- Steaming prevents cross flavoring between foods. This means you can put two very different dishes in a steamer at the same time and not worry about each dish inheriting the other’s flavor or smell.
- The cooking time with a steam oven – particularly larger dishes – is significantly reduced compared to a regular oven. Some steam oven manufacturers recommend reducing the temperature and cook time on a recipe by up to 25% each when using a steamer.
- Steam ovens often come with a temperature probe that functions just like one in a regular oven so you can cook by temperature in addition to time. This is important as you’ll find that you tend to need less time to steam than with a regular oven.
Can a steam oven replace a regular oven?
A steam oven won’t replace a regular oven 100% unless you buy a combination oven steamer that does both. Some people choose to buy a separate steam oven and still have their regular oven too. Having both appliances clearly increases both the cost and space required in your kitchen.
But it also gives you more flexibility. You can use your oven for baking while also using your steamer simultaneously for something else. By having both a regular oven and steamer, if one breaks down you still have the other to use.
You should consider a combination oven and steamer built in one if you’re short of space and don’t have room for two separate side by side units.
That way you can use the steamer for a chicken and then near the end of cooking, turn the steamer function off and crisp up the chicken using the baking functionality.
Steam oven versus combi-steam oven
Should you look at a standalone steam oven or a combination steam oven that combines a regular oven and steamer in one? Other than the space constraint, why else might you consider a combination unit?
There are benefits and drawbacks to each so let’s take a closer look.
| Standalone steam oven | Combi-steam oven |
| Offers more cooking space since you can bake something in the oven and have something else in the steamer at the same time. | As with all steamers, you can put different types of food (ie. a meat dish and dessert) in the steamer at the same time and not worry about flavor or smells combining. |
| Requires two separate spots in your kitchen: One for your oven and another for your steamer. | A space saver as it’s two appliances built into one so it requires less space in your kitchen. |
| More expensive relatively speaking and if you add a steam oven to your existing regular oven, the combined cost will exceed a combi-steam oven. | Replaces a microwave so it’s very versatile but it can’t make popcorn. |
| Less maintenance than a combi-steamer. | If your combi-steamer breaks, you lose access to both your oven and steamer. |
A cost effective replacement is an electric steamer
A plumbed vs non plumbed steam oven still comes with a high cost regardless. Each option additionally requires enough space in your kitchen to add the unit in permanently which also means adding wiring if you have a separate steam oven in addition to a regular oven and lack a separate electrical outlet.
If you don’t have the money or space for a built-in oven steamer, a smaller portable electric steamer like the one shown above that I own works well too. This particular model has three clear plastic compartments to use at one time and a smaller white plastic container to steam rice.
The differences between an electric steamer and built-in steam oven are enormous however. An electric steamer like the one above has an on off feature so the unit either produces steam or it doesn’t. There is no temperature setting and it simply has a timer function to shut off the steam after the time has expired.
If you are using all three levels of the steamer at once, it stands to reason that the second and top levels will receive less hot steam than the compartment at the bottom so there is no guarantee that cooking will be consistent.
While an electric steamer can be good for steaming vegetables and rice, in practice it is very limited when compared to a much more expensive built-in steam oven. If you are only looking to steam basic dishes such as these however, it may suffice for your needs.
Summary
The choice between a plumbed vs non plumbed steam oven comes down to price and convenience. While the cooking benefits of both styles are the same, a plumbed steam oven requires less work since there is no water tank to manually fill and clean up tends to be less too.
A plumbed steam oven does need to be descaled and higher end brands have an automatic descaling feature to clean off water deposits from the unit which can be troublesome if you live in an area with hard water and have no water softener.
If you can’t afford or fit a built-in steam oven in your kitchen, you can at least opt for a much cheaper plug in electric version. While certainly more limited than a built-in steamer, it does offer steaming functionality that is more than suitable for basic dishes like vegetables and rice.
Ready to start shopping for a steam oven? Major brands you will come across and may consider include Samsung, Thermador, Gaggenau, Bosch, JennAir, Miele and AEG among others to get you started.
Finally, check out my other article including my thoughts and experience with our built-in steamer from Siemens by clicking here. It also discusses microwavable steamers vs electric steamers vs built-ins to compare them against one another.
