What is better than a slow cooker or a double boiler? Advantages and disadvantages of devices

Manufacturers of modern household appliances are in a state of fierce competition for each buyer. At the same time, the latter only win: devices are becoming more functional, and their prices are becoming more affordable. There remains one “but” - not to get lost in the sea of ​​offers and choose exactly what is useful to you.

Steamer - an attribute of a healthy diet

The method of cooking steamed or in a water bath has long been known. If earlier you had to use an unreliable design of several pots, today the double boiler is convenient, easy to use and does not require acrobatic skills from the hostess.

Modern electric double boiler consists of a pallet in which a heating element, a control unit and a water niche are located. Bowls for products are installed on top of the pallet, which are reliably connected to a single multi-storey structure. At any time, you can remove one of the tiers, which is important while cooking several dishes that require different durations of heat treatment. During cooking, filtered filtered water is poured into the pan, which, when boiled, forms steam.

Tefal offers an unusual solution: the main food bowls are located nearby, and on top there is the opportunity to place a tray for preparing liquid dishes and cereals. The material from which the bowls are made is stainless steel of the highest quality. This model is suitable for those who are especially jealous of their health.

The benefits of a double boiler

• Simplicity and ease of use. Most models of steamers require only a few actions from the hostess: pour water, set up food bowls, set a timer. There are more complex models: with the function of heating cooked dishes, with a delayed start, with a turbo mode to maintain the maximum vitamins contained in the products. But all additional functions are turned on with the help of several buttons / switches, so it will not be difficult to deal with such a device.
• Portability. Most steam cookers are quite compact and take up little space. The cooking bowls are stacked one by one according to the principle of nesting dolls, so during storage or transportation the device will occupy a minimum of space. Also, the double boiler is lightweight, because the main working element is a small heater, and all other parts are mainly made of light plastic. That is why you can take a double boiler with you on a trip, even in the absence of a car: it will take up little space in your luggage, and you will be provided with tasty and healthy food, from soups to hot tea.
• Simultaneous cooking of several dishes. Since each dish is cooked in a separate tier in a double boiler, it is possible to cook meat, fish and a side dish of vegetables or porridge at the same time. Some steamers are equipped with special pallets that are located between the bowls. They are needed so that during cooking to avoid the ingress of juice products from the upper tiers to the lower. Although, of course, the simultaneous preparation of fish and dessert is still impossible, because due to the constant circulation of steam there is an active mixing of the smells of cooked foods.

Double boiler Braun - with pallets separating tiers from each other.

• Preservation of vitamins. Steam cooking preserves the maximum amount of vitamins in the finished dish. Dishes from a double boiler remain juicy, retain their natural taste and aroma, practically do not require the addition of salt. Some models are equipped with Turbo mode: products are exposed to short-term exposure to high temperatures, which allows you to save even more vitamins.
• Cost. Low cost directly depends on the simplicity of the device.

Disadvantages of the double boiler

• The uniformity of the dishes. Whatever you do, whatever one may do, the dishes that can be cooked with the help of a double boiler will be quite uniform. No, of course, with the help of a double boiler you can cook soups, and porridge, and fish / meat dishes, and vegetables, and much more, but the menu remains quite monotonous and can get bored after a while if you are not a true adherent of the right nutrition.

What you need to know about the multicooker

Slow cooker or, more simply, an electric pan, confidently bypasses the popularity of all other kitchen devices. The principle of operation of the multicooker is quite simple - a bowl with a non-stick coating (Teflon or ceramic) is placed in the body, where the products are stacked. The device is sealed with a lid, and inside the case the temperature is pumped up using a heating element, due to which the products are “boiled in their own juice”.

Slow Cooker Advantages

• Functionality. The main advantage of the multicooker, for which it got its name, is a wide variety of cooking modes. "Cartoon" can be used for cooking, frying, stewing, baking. In the presence of additional devices, it acts as a deep fryer, a double boiler, bread machine. The opportunity to delay the start and warm up the finished dish will help you manage your time - breakfast, lunch or dinner will be waiting for you when you planned it. Your personal presence will not be needed, so you can safely download groceries and go on vacation or go about your business - the crock-pot will cook soup itself, bake a biscuit or cook the jelly.

The complete set of the Redmond multicooker with the function of a deep fryer and a double boiler.

• Large capacity for products. There is only one bowl for cooking in the multicooker, but roomy - up to 7 liters in some models. Such a portion can already feed a very large and friendly family, and the next day will remain.

Cons of the slow cooker

• One bowl for cooking. You will have to choose one dish to cook it in a slow cooker. If you have a grill for steam cooking, you can cook steamed meatballs and a side dish in a bowl at the same time, for example, but this is where the possibilities end.
• More cooking time. A slow cooker or an electronic pan on average spends more time cooking. This is due to the fact that the products languish and boil in their own juice. But this minus can well be attributed to the pluses: due to slow cooking, the taste of the finished dishes pleases the most sophisticated gourmets. In addition, some manufacturers have provided the function of a pressure cooker and a double boiler, which significantly reduce the cooking time.

Exclusive multicooker model from the Korean brand Cuckoo - with a stone bowl for products

What is still better to buy?

If right now you cannot decide whether to buy a double boiler or a slow cooker in your kitchen, make a list of the required functions that must be present in the device.

Write down your usual menu, which dishes you cook most often, which you hardly eat, and then compare with what a slow cooker or a double boiler can cook.

Browse the offers and evaluate your budget, perhaps the key criterion will be the price.

Rate your kitchen: will you find a place to place new appliances?

If you plan to transport the device, use it not only at home, estimate your strength and availability of resources (free space in the trunk of the car and a pair of strong male hands).

Think about your purchase by weighing the pros and cons, because only you can answer the question “What is best for you?”

Magio multicooker overview with deep fryer and steamer features.