Food Steamers
Commercial food steamers cook vegetables, rice, fish and proteins using pressurised or atmospheric steam, preserving nutrients and texture better than boiling, and are used in hotel kitchens, care homes and healthy-menu dark kitchens needing consistent, gentle batch cooking.
Key specifications
Pan capacity (usually measured in 1/1 or 2/1 GN pan sizes) and power rating set the shortlist — countertop models run 1-1.5kW on 13A, while floor-standing pressure steamers draw 18-27kW on three-phase. An undersized steamer slows service during peak batch cooking, and automatic water-level sensing and easy-descale features matter in hard UK water areas.
Food Steamers — FAQs
How many GN pans does a hotel kitchen steamer need?
A hotel kitchen doing high-volume banqueting typically needs a 6-10 pan steamer capacity, while a smaller pub or café kitchen can manage with 3-4 pan models.
Do steamers need special plumbing?
Larger boiler-based steamers usually need a direct water and drain connection, while smaller countertop or connectionless models use a manual fill tank suited to kitchens without easy plumbing access.
Caterlite and Hobart lead the stock, with Buffalo also represented.