Joyce Chen 2-Tier Bamboo Steamer Baskets, 12-Inch

I had one of these that came with my wok, and I never used it so I put it in a yard sale. What a mistake! Since I changed my diet and began eating healthier I use it to steam many things. These are not only great for steaming but very versatile and I use it for other things as well. One is carrying pies to picnics and group dinners. This is well made, it’s beautiful and the price beat out one function pie carriers! Glad I got this one and I’ll never take it for granted like my old one!

I bought this to make Chinese pork buns in Eileen Yin-Fe Lo's The Chinese Kitchen: Recipes, Techniques, Ingredients, History, And Memories From America's Leading Authority On Chinese Cooking . I was immediately happy with the nice solid construction of these, was not disappointed when I tested them using the recipe. This can also be used to heat up frozen dumplings, such as Trader Joe's which are pretty good. How to use: This steamer can be used directly in a wok over water without any other equipment. To figure out how much water to use, first place the steamer in the wok and see how much space is left underneath. Then remove the steamer, add water, bring to boil and place steamer directly on top; The sides of the wok will prevent it from slipping and touching the water. As the dumplings steam you can see the steam coming up through the top. The FIRST time you use this, first wash thoroughly and rinse, soak all parts including the lid completely submerged in very hot water for a half hour (I used my sink plugged up for this). Then put the entire thing together and steam for a half hour while empty, turn off heat, and let cool. This causes the bamboo to expand and contract and the layers to fit together perfectly--I have used others without taking this step and I do see the difference in how nicely they fit together. This item has two tiers. My dumplings came out identical in the top and bottom tiers, which is awesome. My one disappointment with this is that there is ring adaptor attachment available that can allow this to fit on a regular pot rather than a wok. I do often use mine on a regular pot because I don't like putting water in my woks regularly. However, most regular pots are slightly smaller in diameter than this, resulting in the steamer hanging a bit off the edge. The result is if the heat is high, the flames can lap up and scorch the outside. I've ruined several and one time actually started a fire I had to put out! To combat this problem, there is a metal ring available (not from Joyce Chen) for the 10-inch steamers, but sadly not for this one! My solution is to turn the heat down a bit and sometimes moisten the bottom portion during steaming with a wet towel. Still, I sure would like an adaptor!

Absolutely a fantastic steamer! I made amazing dumplings in these many times. Was a perfect fit to my wok and a great size overall

I bought this 12" bamboo steamer after reading a Bon Appetit tip that it could be used as a stackable pie caddy, but, of course, I couldn't own one without using it for cooking. I'm a huge fan of Chinese dumplings and steamed buns, and this steamer opened up wonderful possibilities, especially since I can cook two different kinds of dumplings or buns at a time, one on top of the other. The 12" steamer needs a large wok or skillet to work properly since it must fit inside the edge with boiling water more or less sealed underneath. Smaller versions of the bamboo steamer might be more practical for most kitchens, although if I am going through the efforts of making dumplings, I want to cook many at once. I line the bottom of the steamer with parchment paper rounds to keep the food from touching the bamboo directly (it's easier to clean that way and to lift out with chopsticks), a method similar to what I saw in China. I cut these rounds myself, although you can buy the more convenient Helen's Asian Kitchen Parchment Steamer Liners . Foods that take longer to cook must be positioned at the bottom, closer to the steam, with fast-cooking dumplings in the top tier. You can purchase two sets and stack them four tiers high. Cleaning is easy. The instructions advise to never use soap because it will permeate the bamboo and later flavor your foods. I rinse in warm water, rubbing any food particles off the surface, and let dry. Here I go against the instructions because I stack the two trays after towel drying and let them air dry further while in place. I don't want them to warp so that they no longer fit tightly. I dry the top separately, only because if I topped the trays, they wouldn't dry. As for using a bamboo steamer as a pie transportation caddy, kudos for Bon Appetit for suggesting this. I find that the 12" size is the right one to stack 9" pie plates because you need room to get your fingers around the pie tin to lift it out. Because the stacks are limited it height, flat pies -- such as pecan or any single-crust pie -- fit best in it. An apple pie, with its relatively high crust, can only fit in the top tier and then only without the cover. I also intend to use the steamer to transport Christmas cookies to keep them from shifting off their tray while I'm driving. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

Very good product. Sturdy and lightweight. Gets the job done well. A little rough but not a problem.

I am happy with the steamer, especially for the price. Which size to buy? Unless you really need as much space as possible (to cook more food fast), I would mostly go by whether you have a big enough wok/pot for the 12 inch or 10 inch. The 10 inch should be big enough to cook most meals for two. If you buy the 10-inch model instead Joyce Chen 10-Inch Bamboo Steamer Set , you save some money. I also found a steaming ring for sale on Amazon which only works with the 10-inch models. You only need a ring if you plan to use it with regular pots. Helen Chen's Asian Kitchen 11-Inch Steaming Ring They also sell pre-cut parchment paper sized for the 10-Inch model. Helen's Asian Kitchen Parchment Steamer Liners, Pack of 20 (However, I prefer to cut my own, anyway, or use leaves instead of paper. It looks nicer and would save a little time to buy the liners.) Being natural wood, you should expect it to have little "variations" or flaws. Mine had little fibers sticking up/out in a couple areas. I wish mine was also more perfectly round. I understand that it's how they are made, and am not deducting for this, however. Not being perfectly round means sometimes when I want to put the lid on, or stack the trays, I have to rotate the piece. Just takes a couple seconds, but is a definite inconvenience. In the cooking surface area, some of the wood pieces are slightly darkened or greenish in areas. I am paranoid about mold and at first I was upset by this. But I realized it must be from the bamboo natural color variations. I wish it had little handles on the sides, to lift a tray off, but I only see this on stainless steel models. The tiny handle loop on top works great for me. I read a review on Amazon about a bamboo steamer where the guy said it imparted too much wood taste to the food. I was in disbelief and discounted what he said, but now I understand what he was saying. It really does transfer to the food too much for me UNLESS I use parchment paper or lettuce or cabbage. If the food is not touching the bamboo, it's fine. If you use many spices, you may not notice. There is still quite a wood odor coming from the moist steamed bamboo, which I find mildly unpleasant. However I am glad I chose this steamer. Many stainless steel items impart a slight metallic taste to food which I wanted to avoid. Higher quality SS may not. If you don't mind stainless steel, I suggest going with stainless steel over bamboo. I am usually careful, but have occasionally gotten food on the steamer, and was a little frustrated when trying to clean it. If the food gets wedged down in there, it can get stuck. Also, the many crevices trap soap. If I use soapy water, I usually have to rinse each side twice to get the soap out of all crevices. I'm picky about getting all the soap out. When using a standard sponge to clean it, I am careful and don't press hard. But even when being careful, I have gotten tiny bits of my sponge "snagged" by the crevices. So far they have been easy to pick out. BTW, I read that bamboo needs oiling occasionally to keep it in good condition. This maintenance is fine with me. It only takes a few minutes.

At first, the top didn’t fit right after I rinsed and dried the parts. The lid should be better reinforced as it broke a bit on the edges and popped out. Only to discover that the lid handle was inside down. Once I invested the top steamer basket, it fit perfectly. The lid is on correctly and will hold the steam in. I am looking forward to making steamed pork buns and potstickers.

Perfect for steaming my kutsinta

Es la primera vez que pido una vaporera por internet y en verdad estoy encantada con ella, sin embargo, no le puse las cinco estrellas, ya que la base de bambú (dónde se colocan los dumplings, etc) tenía algunas partes fuera de lugar, pero las pude acomodar de vuelta. :)

I love the size but when we opened the box the there was a small torn in the middle of the cover. See attached pic.

It arrived today, I tested it with some veggies, and yes, works fine, but the quality is poor. There is no good finishing, and a lot of splinters, so I am afraid I will hurt myself while cleaning it, and also worried that those splinters will get lost in my food, when stirring it on the steamer. I've read many reviews and I thought this is the best quality, but this was big disappointment. I am not sure if I would want to return it, ad now I am afraid all those steamers have so poor quality. Also the trays are kind of loose (those horizontal parts), and my food (cauliflower) already stuck in between them and the ring. I think I will return it.

Fell apart as we opened package expensive poor quality steamer

Awesome for steaming pita shells. Only reason I bought it.