Having a steamer in the house makes preparing food for your baby easier. At the press of a button, you get to cook the baby's veggies, fruits, or meats. But how do you choose the best baby food steamer out there?
In this review, I take you through a list of the best ones out there and tips on what to look for when buying a suitable food steamer for you and your baby. Now, let's take a look and see what I have for you today.
Products | Weight | Dimensions | Editor's rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BEABA Babycook 4 in 1 Steam Baby Food Cooker & Blender | 4 pounds | 9 x 7 x 9.5 inches | ||
Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer | 4 pounds | 7.3 x 13.7 x 12.6 inches | ||
Philips Avent Scf870/21 Combined Food Steamer And Blender | 6 pounds | 6.5 x 6.5 x 12.1 inches | ||
Magic Bullet Baby Bullet Turbo Food Steamer | 2.6 pounds | 10.6 x 7.2 x 7.6 inches | ||
Fresh Starts Baby Food Prep | 5.1 ounces | 5 x 4.7 x 3.5 inches |
BEABA Babycook Baby Food Cooker Blender
What we like
With high water steaming capacity and blending option, this one cooks your baby food in just under 15 minutes and beeps an alert once the food is ready. It allows you to attend to other duties without having to keep checking the food.
This baby food maker is easy to operate, even with one hand while you hold your baby in the other. It has a large capacity of 4.7 cups which allows you to steam and blend so much food in one session, in case you want to store some.
The water reservoir is made from nonreactive steel and the plastic bowls from BPA and phthalate free plastic, so there's no heath risk when you use this to prepare your baby's food. It's also easy to clean and operate.
What we don't like
Comes with a high water steaming capacity and blending option is the problem: the portability. It combines a steamer and a blender, both with large capacities which results in a size too big to carry around. So you will have to content with having it sit in one place.
Hamilton Beach Digital Baby Food Steamer
What we like
It's an easy-to-use baby food maker. You should have no trouble to operate it, even if it's your first time. The digital touch-pad allows you to set everything from timing to auto switching when the food is ready. It has a two-tier steaming capability which allows you to steam two different foods at the same time.
It's dishwasher safe which makes cleaning it easy. The plastic parts that make it are BPA-free and pose no health risk to your baby. It comes with ten containers which you can use to put healthy made baby food for refrigeration.
What we don't like
The blades are a bit sharp, so, you better be careful when washing this baby food processor.
Philips Avent SCF870/21 Baby Food Maker
What we like
This premium baby food maker is easy to use. You only need to place your baby food in the steaming basket, fill it with water and press a button. It steams a variety of foods, from fruits to vegetables, and there's almost no limitation to what you can put in for steaming. It's easy to clean too, with parts that are dishwasher-safe.
This baby food processor is also compact and doesn't take a lot of space.
What we don't like
The only drawback is that the opening to the reservoir is too narrow which makes cleaning it a little difficult.
Magic Bullet Baby Bullet Turbo Food Steamer
What we like
This is a small baby food maker that doesn't take much space in your kitchen. Being small in size makes it quite easy to operate and clean. It has parts that are dishwasher-safe. The plastic that makes it is BPA-free and safe for your baby. It comes with baby food storage containers which you can use to refrigerate extra food. The cups are made of BPA-free plastic and therefore safe to use for your baby.
What we don't like
This baby food processor has a water steaming capacity that limits you to little amounts at a time, which is a disadvantage when you need a big amount of food to store and you don't have the time for many small batches.
Fresh Starts Baby Food Prep Food Steamer
What we like
It is a compact option that will not require much space to store. It steams a variety of foods, fruits or vegetables, despite its size. Cleaning the leftover food is no big deal because it has parts that are dishwasher-safe. And it's easy to use too as it doesn't have many complex parts. The plastic that makes it is strong and durable. Being BPA-free, it poses no health risk to your baby.
What we don't like
One disadvantage of this is its size. This baby food processor really limits the amount of food you can steam at a go.
Do you need to buy a baby food steamer?
The answer to that question depends a lot on your lifestyle, what kinds of kitchen tools that you already have in your house and how comfortable you are with making food for your baby.
If you don't have that many tools in your storage and are not comfortable with maneuvering around the kitchen then invest in an easy to use, high-quality baby food steamer is a must. Also, if you have a busy lifestyle and can't spend much time in the kitchen every day but still want to take care of your baby then a baby food processor is also a good investment!
Even though the process of baby food making is the same every time, but with the help of a useful gadget like baby food steamers, you can save A LOT of time each day!
Also, if you think about it, spend just a bit of time every day to make healthy homemade baby food does not only help you save some money in the long run but also make sure your baby has the best quality food. You're the head chef of the restaurant, you can be creative and try a lot of ingredient combinations and adjust the food to your baby likings.
How to buy a good baby food steamer?
Capacity
When buying a new baby food steamer for your little one, its capacity will matter, depending on how much food you will want to steam per session. Large capacity food steamers are more expensive but will save you time because it makes enough food to last you for days. A large capacity food processor will not limit you; you can choose to steam a large or little amount.
Size
The size you choose will depend on how much space you have in your house to store it. Small devices are easy to store, and they steam food just as well. Their only limitation is when you want to steam a large amount of food for your baby.
Functions
Look to see if the product you choose is capable of handling other functions besides steaming. There are times you will need to just defrost or reheat food from the refrigerator. Sometimes, you may need a food blender so you can blend your steamed food without having to transfer it. Make sure the product you choose can perform these extra functions.
Power Rating
The power rating also matters. The higher the rating, the higher the water steaming capacity, the less the time it will take to cook foods. Large capacity steamers should come with higher power ratings because they handle large amounts of water. You don't want to wait forever to cook food for your baby.
Also, make sure the voltage input is compatible with your domestic socket voltage. Some devices require socket a voltage of 220V. Having such device would require you to buy a converter to step up your 110 volts to match its requirement so you won't have any problem steaming the food.
Easy To Clean
Choose a unit that's easy to clean. Ensure it has parts that can be taken apart and put in a dishwasher. Having something that's not dishwasher-safe will subject you to having to wash it manually, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming. If you have to clean it manually, choose a baby food steamer with a wide opening, it will be easier to clean.
Materials
Go for a product that's is made of strong materials that can endure constant steaming. Metal parts make it last longer compared to ones that are all plastic. Durability gives you value for your money, and you shouldn't compromise it.
A strong, efficient and durable device with good steaming capacity will give you a nice experience in making your baby's food. But it depends on how well you make that choice. A poor baby steamer is a good as wasted money, not to mention the stress it subjects you to.
