The Ovente Three Layer Electric Food Steamer is a compact steamer that's easy to operate and easy to clean. While it's a little light on features and doesn't have a large capacity when compared to the best food steamers, it's good for smaller portions and side dishes.
Ovente Three Layer: How it performed
A common issue we found with smaller steamers with low wattages, like the Ovente, is that they don't cook rice very well. Rice tended to be underdone and gritty. The rice we tested in the Ovente steamer didn’t finish cooking as quickly as the higher-watt steamers, and the final product had an unpleasant texture. The vegetables we tested were excellent, however, and the chicken and fish we tested both came out reasonably well. Some of the best food steamers we tested were able to handle proteins, vegetables and rice with good outcomes.
The Ovente food steamer was easy to assemble and use. The three-tier, 400-watt steamer evenly cooks food among all three of its levels, and the exterior manages to keep fairly cool compared to other steamers.
There were some drawbacks with this food steamer. The baskets are quite small, and the total capacity is five quarts. Likewise, the water reservoir is only 18 ounces of water – among the smallest in our lineup. Furthermore, you can’t see the water level from the outside, and you can’t refill the reservoir without removing the cooking trays. With such a small reservoir and a cumbersome refilling method, maintaining the water level can be a hassle. We also missed having a delayed start and warming setting. Likewise, the trays don’t collapse and nest in each other, making storage a bit of a hassle. The Ovente steamer was easy to clean, however, and the trays are dishwasher safe.
Ovente provides a one-year warranty for their food steamer. We were able to quickly contact customer service by phone, but we couldn’t find an email address or live chat support on the website. We also weren’t able to find warranty information or an online product manual. Ovente will refund your purchase if you’re not completely satisfied in the first 30 days, and if you find defects, you have 60 days to get a replacement or refund.
Should you buy the Ovente Three Layer food steamer?
If you don’t plan on cooking rice and you’re looking for a smaller food steamer, the Ovente is a decent choice. You can’t steam entire meals for many people, but Ovente’s steamer is an inexpensive model that will take up little space in your kitchen.
