If you want to teach your family about Central American history, there’s no better way to do it than cooking a delicious tamale dinner. The meal has been a staple in Latin cuisines for ages, and the first trace of it goes back to 10,000 years! To cook a tamale, you’ll need a reliable electric steamer that’ll cook for the whole family. It’s time to ditch your old steamer and get an electric one that works faster and more efficiently. Here, we’ll review the best electric tamale steamers on the market to help you meet your match.
The 4 Best Electric Tamale Steamers on the Market
Your electric tamale steamer should be durable, fast-acting, and big enough to fit tamales for the whole family. With these considerations in mind, we rounded up the best four options. Scroll through them and take your pick.
1. Secura 2 Stainless Steel Food Steamer
The Secura tamale steamer offers excellent value for a moderate price. It features two stackable pots made of highly durable stainless steal. The pots’ handles are made of plastic, so you don’t get burnt when holding them. On top of that, the upper lid knob is non-slip to avoid falling incidents.
The steamer runs on 800W, which is pretty powerful for its price range. It delivers the stream from the top, making sure to surround the food and distribute the heat evenly.
The pots have a capacity of 8 liters, which is quite sufficient to cook for the whole family. Along with the tamale, you can use the steamer to cook any healthy food, including chicken, grains, vegetables, meat and fish.
The two pots allow you to cook two different meals at the same time, and they’re BPA-free to make sure you’re cooking healthy meals.
Furthermore, the safety features of the Secure steamer are to speak of. When the water is empty or when the cycle is done, the steamer will automatically shut down to avoid overheating. Plus, you’ll have a clear view of the water level, so you know when it’s going to empty.
Lastly, the Secura is easy to clean. You can finish the job with some warm water and white vinegar. Just make sure you don’t submerge the power base in water.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Auto-shutoff when there’s no water
- The steel pots are dishwasher safe
Cons
- No indicator that the timer is done
2. Nesco ST-25F Food Steamer
If you’re on a tight budget, the Nesco electric steamer may be your best option. For such an affordable price, you get two stackable plastic pots and a sturdy stainless steel power base.
The plastic is BPA-free, so you don’t have to worry about toxicity. Additionally, there’s a rice bowl with a two-cup capacity inside one of the pots. You can use it to make your tamales if you’re making a small dish.
The Nesco runs on a 400W power, which is decent enough for this price range. It’s capable of cooking veggies, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and tamales. The steaming base holds up to two cups of water, meaning you get around one hour of steaming for each refill.
The two pots are ideal for cooking different foods simultaneously. Their transparency also allows you to monitor the tamales while they’re cooking without losing steam. They’re dishwasher safe for easy cleaning, and they’re resistant to breaks.
The Nesco is highly versatile, as well. If you want to cook tall foods, such as corn, all you have to do is remove the detachable divider between the pots.
As for the safety features, the steamer shuts down automatically when the water reservoir is empty. It also has a power indicator light that lets you know when the timer is done.
Pros
- Highly affordable price
- Detachable divider available between the pots
- The pots are dishwasher safe for easier cleaning
Cons
- No audible signal for the timer
3. BELLA Two Tier Food Steamer
When it comes to convenience, the Bella food steamer is hard to match. For the price it comes in, we’d say it’s quite the bargain. It’s easy to use, durable and safe. What more could you ask for?
The Bella steamer features two transparent baskets that allow you to cook different meals at the same time. Their total capacity is 7.4 quarts, which is enough to steam tamale for the whole family.
The steamer is quick-acting, able to steam some dishes in as little as 30 seconds. You can use it for cooking all kinds of foods, including poultry, fish, meat, grains, and vegetables.
You’ll be able to steam your foods with the twist of a knob, thanks to the convenient, user-friendly design of the Bella. All you’ll have to do is pour the water into the reservoir, place your tamales in the baskets, and set the timer.
The water reservoir has a visible window on the outside to let you monitor its level while your meal is cooking. If it gets empty and you forget to monitor it for any reason, no need to worry. The steamer has an auto-shutoff feature that turns the steamer down when the reservoir empties. It also has boil-dry protection for further safety.
The Bella comes bearing an embedded guide chart for steaming different foods. That way, you don’t need to guess before cooking, and you’ll get good results every time.
Pros
- Embedded guide chart for guess-free steaming
- Affordable price and excellent value
- Quick steaming
Cons
- Some users mentioned it leaks sometimes
4. Cuisinart Digital Glass Steamer
If you’re willing to pay some extra cash to get a luxurious, highly durable tamale steamer, the Cuisinart may be the one for you. It sports a single glass pot, making it safe to cook all kinds of foods.
If you don’t want to cook in plastic baskets, the Cuisinart is one of the best alternatives you can find.
The pot has a 5-liter capacity, which should be enough to steam tamales for your family. Its lid is made of glass, too, and it has a stainless steel lining to avoid breakage. All parts of the Cuisinart are safe for dishwasher use to make cleaning a breeze.
The steamer features an LCD control panel that allows you to start, stop, and pause the process. There are also reheat buttons and a timer dial.
The control panel comes with five pre-programmed food settings to make cooking easier for you. They include grains, veggies, poultry, seafood, and manual. Indeed, you can set the controls manually if you want to custom-cook a meal.
Like the Secure steamer, this one delivers steam from the top to surround all the food and distribute the heat evenly.
For your convenience, the water reservoir is detachable, which is a brilliant feature for easy refilling, instead of using sliding trays as other steamers do.
We’d have preferred two stackable pots, especially considering the heavy price tag that comes with this steamer. However, with all the advanced features, we’re not complaining!
Pros
- Removable water tank for convenience
- All parts are dishwasher-safe to make cleaning easy
- Large enough to steam tamales for the whole family
Cons
- On the expensive side of the market
Best Brands for Electric Tamale Steamers
All our listed options are reliable for steaming tamales, but some brands are more trustworthy than others. Here are the three best brands for electric tamale steamers.
Cuisinart
Cuisinart has managed to get itself on top of every appliance-related list in the last decade. As the industry leader, the company doesn’t cease to amaze us with its innovative, luxurious kitchen appliances of all kinds. Electric tamale steamers are no exception.
You can pay for a Cuisinart steamer without a second thought, even if it’s expensive. The company promises and delivers quality.
Bella
Bella is best known for its affordable cookware that offers good value for money. In addition to that, the company is known for eco-friendly products, free of harmful chemicals.
Bella offers some excellent food steamers. You won’t find advanced features, but all the basics you need will be there.
Nesco
Nesco is a highly reputable brand, known for being one of the first companies in the industry to promote electric cookware. In fact, the company invented the first original roaster oven in 1931. Since then, it’s been promoting family food time with its innovative and high-quality kitchen appliances.
Nesco makes a wide variety of appliances, including pressure cookers, water kettles, juice blenders, coffee grinders, and coffee bean roasters.
Final Thoughts
Our top choice for the best electric tamale steamer is the Nesco ST-25F Food Steamer. It has a price most users can afford, and it offers plenty of features for it. You get two stackable plastic pots and a rice bowl, as well as a rust-resistant stainless steel base. The parts are dishwasher safe, too, for your convenience. The steamer has all the safety features you may need, and it runs on decent power. It’ll be an ideal choice for your tamales family night!