Types of Commercial Steam Cookers

• Steam cookers are available as gas- or electric-powered units. The two types of cookers available are the pressurized and the atmospheric, or pressureless, models. Pressurized cookers operate similarly to a pressure cooker. The closed unit is sealed so pressure accumulates within the compartments. The atmospheric steam cooker is not a sealed unit, so the cooking staff is able to open and close the compartments to remove, insert or inspect food. Some manufacturers offer a sleep mode for their cookers to help businesses conserve energy. When the cooker isn't actively steaming food, the model reverts to a sleep or standby mode. This consumes less energy than repowering the unit to begin another cooking cycle
  
  

Water Consumption

• Newer steam cookers are more energy conscious than older models. Cookers labeled with the Energy Star qualification use about three gallons of water every hour. The difference in water consumption between an energy efficient cooker and a standard cooker is evident in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's statistics of the estimated 40 gallons of water used hourly by the standard steam model. There are two systems of water delivery available: connected and connectionless. A connected unit is just that, connected to the water source and to water drains. Pipes connecting into and out of the steam cooker can lead to leaking steam. Connectionless cookers contain reservoirs where water is drained and added as needed by a manual process. This water delivery method reduces the quickness of cooking times but also reduces loss of steam, as there are controlled outlets for steam to escape.
  
  

Compartment Capabilities

• Commercial steam cookers feature from three to six tiers, also known as pans. These tiers are sliding shelves of perforated, solid or slotted metal. The food to be steam cooked is placed in sealed paper, foil packages or cooking pans onto the tiers. Food is never exposed to a direct heating unit, but is cooked solely by steam. When purchasing commercial steam cookers, choose a well-insulated unit to see results of decreased cooking times and energy consumption.
  
  

Operating Costs to Consider

• Owners of commercial steam cookers should consider the unit size. Units require preheating and a unit that is not full wastes energy. Some models have the ability to turn off the pans not in use. Electric or gas models should be purchased based on the affordability of energy rates in the location of the business. The steam cooker's water requirements should be examined as the gallons of water per hour that the cooker consumes and the sewer charges associated with draining the steam cooker should factor in to daily operational costs. Units with a sleep mode reduce the consumption of energy by resting when not actively cooking food.
  
  

Home Steam Cookers

• Steam cookers intended for home usage are made of various materials,including metal and bamboo. The cooker features a series of stacked trays similar to commercial units but on a much smaller scale. A home steamer cooker is a small kitchen appliance. Water is placed into the cooker manually at least one inch below the lowest tier. Steam cooks the food, but not as uniformly as a commercial steam cooker. Extra time must be allowed for the top tier because it is farther away from the steam source. Steam cookers for the home can be purchased at discount, cooking, department and appliance stores.