In this day and age, we’re all about healthy cooking. From air frying to steaming, we all want to cut down on oil. If you want to maintain a healthy diet too, you should eat steamed cooked food! Steam cooking has dozens of advantages that are extremely beneficial for human health. That’s why steam-cooking and steam-cooking appliances are rapidly gaining popularity in the commercial market today!
If you’re searching for a countertop steam oven then you’re at the right place. Specially Fried brings you our list of 3 countertop steam ovens that have the best user rating and benefit-rich features you will want in your upcoming big purchase!
So, without further ado let’s jump into the list!
| Rank | Product name | Reason to buy |
| 1 | F.BLUMLIEN combi oven | Best countertop steam oven 2023 overall |
| 2 | Cuisinart steam oven | Best for home use |
| 3 | Tovala Gen 2 | Best for baking bread |
Best countertop steam oven 2023 overall: F.BLUMLEIN oven
| Specifications | |
| ● Dimension: 14.3 L x 19.8 W x 13.7 H inches | ● Weight: 34.4 pounds |
| ● Capacity: 26 OT | ● Wattage: 1400 Watts |
| ● Material: Stainless steel | ● Color: Black |
| ● Easy to clean: Yes | ● Wi-Fi control: No |
| ● Recipe book: Yes | ● Accessories: Baking tray, steam tray, grill rack, cleaning sponge, and insulated glove |
| Buy F.BLUMLEIN Steam Oven From | |||
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
| + Cooks food by heating meals with water rather than oil. | – It has a steam exhaust at the top. Not suited for placing inside a cabinet as it can ruin it. |
| + The meals are cooked evenly by the top and bottom heating elements and the turbocharged steam injector. | – Touch system is not user-friendly. Takes time to register the function. |
| + Automatic fermentation technology guarantees soft dough. Helpful if you cook pizza, bread, or any other meal that requires dough. |
F.BLUMEIN is the top steam oven in 2023 as it has all the functions you need in your kitchen for fulfilling your baking, broiling, roasting, and steaming recipes. Surprisingly, this steam oven offers you a 0.9 cubic feet cooking cavity that you can use to cook any kind of meal.
Moreover, the automatic fermentation function in this oven ensures your dough never gets dry while cooking. This oven has a stainless-steel interior; thus, you can clean the interior effortlessly. Lastly, each function has a separate button making it easier for beginners to use this oven.
| Feature Analysis | Performance Rating |
| Cooking result | ★★★★★ |
| Noise produced | Low |
| External temperature | Moderate |
| Cooking presets | ★★★★★ |
| User interface | ★★★★☆ |
| Timer function | ★★★☆☆ |
| Ease of use | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cooking capacity | ★★★★☆ |
| Required counter space | High |
| Energy consumption | Moderate |
F.BLUMLEIN community feedback – What users say after testing the oven!
Our tests indicated that this steam oven can do everything a regular oven can do, but better, while sitting on a countertop. The only difference is that it cooks using steam and you will not get a dried-out meal once it is done.
According to the F.BLUMLEIN community, many users tested this steam oven at home and they were happy with the overall result they got from cooking various meals like pizza, chicken, toast, bagels, and many more.
“I’m kind of new to the concept of steam cooking. This is my first steam oven and I like it a lot. The only downside if it is that I cannot place it in a cabinet.” – Jack.
It is important to note that due to its design, this steam oven is not suitable for placing in a cabinet. Since the steam exhaust is at the top of the oven, the steam can damage your cabinets.
| Buy F.BLUMLEIN Steam Oven From | |||
Best for home use: Cuisinart convection steam oven
| Specifications | |
| ● Dimension: 18 L x 15.5 W x 10.8 H inches | ● Weight: 23.4 pounds |
| ● Capacity: 0.6 cubic feet | ● Wattage: 1800 Watts |
| ● Material: Stainless steel | ● Color: Silver |
| ● Easy to clean: Yes | ● Wi-Fi control: No |
| ● Recipe book: No | ● Accessories: Wire rack, baking pan, broiling rack, crumb tray, and drip tray |
| Buy Cuisinart Steam Oven From | |||
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
| + Cooks healthier food by heating your meals with water rather than oil. | – If you move the steam oven around, it drips water from its reservoir. |
| + Reduces cooking time by 40% as compared to conventional ovens. | – Not for people who love oil-fried food. |
| + Has 9 single and combine settings to help you cook the perfect dishes. | |
| + Steam technology ensures meals are juicy by retaining the right moisture content. |
Astonishingly, this steam oven can cut the cooking time of all your favorite recipes by 40%. Moreover, this oven features bread-proof technology. With this state-of-the-art functionality, this steam oven guarantees water retention in your meals enabling them to remain juicy and tasty before they satisfy your appetite.
Lastly, this oven has 2.93 cubic feet of cooking space that can easily accommodate a 12” pizza pan. Built with perfection, this steam oven is one of the best sellers in its category and you must not miss out on an opportunity to buy it!
| Feature Analysis | Performance Rating |
| Cooking result | ★★★★☆ |
| Noise produced | Low |
| External temperature | Moderate |
| Cooking presets | ★★★★☆ |
| User interface | ★★★★★ |
| Timer function | ★★★☆☆ |
| Ease of use | ★★★★☆ |
| Cooking capacity | ★★★☆☆ |
| Required counter space | Moderate |
| Energy consumption | High |
Cuisinart community feedback – User’s thoughts after testing the oven!
After testing the Cuisinart steam oven in our kitchen, we started interviewing different users who bought this appliance just to check what is the difference between their views and our view on this appliance.
Many customers who tested this steam oven acknowledged that this is far more beneficial than a microwave oven especially because it keeps the food moist and doesn’t dry the meal. A few users also pointed out that this oven does cook fast as the company claims.
“I will not be using my microwave oven anymore because, first it uses radiations that can be harmful and because it dries my food.” – Alex.
Some users also complained that the water drips out of the condensation tray and the reservoir if they move the oven. Upon testing it, we noticed that the oven leaves small puddles on the countertop if you move it around with the reservoir tank full.
| Buy Cuisinart Steam Oven From | |||
Best for baking bread: Tovala Gen 2 steam oven
| Specifications | |
| ● Dimension: 18.5 x 12.32 x 11.75 inches | ● Weight: 15 pounds |
| ● Capacity: 0.84 cubic feet | ● Wattage: 1525 Watts |
| ● Material: Plastic and metal | ● Color: Black and stainless-steel |
| ● Easy to clean: Yes | ● Wi-Fi control: Yes |
| ● Recipe book: Yes | ● Accessories: Drain tray, crumb tray, steamer cover, oven rack, sheet tray, hot pad, and measuring cup |
| Buy Tovala Gen 2 Steam Oven From | |||
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
| + Smart sensing feature for grocery items. | – The app is used to activate the oven. It is only available in the US. |
| + Can pick and save cooking settings (steam for X min then bake for X min). | – Some users experienced power issues. |
| + Wi-Fi feature for remote access. |
Using innovative technology to its advantage, the Tovala Gen 2 smart steam oven can make decisions that best suit your meal. The embedded Wi-Fi feature allows this appliance to sense the condition of your meal and change the cooking settings to ensure a perfectly cooked meal according to your preferences.
This oven also connects to your phone, sending you an alert when your food is done! Moreover, you can even scan grocery bar codes to let your oven determine their cooking time and prepare them all by themselves for you.
Cook splendid meals using the 5 built-in cooking modes (steam, broil, bake, toast, and reheat) to your advantage. Besides being a smart appliance, this purchase offers you a recipe library from the top chefs! Simply follow the directions from the recipe library and prepare delicious cuisines for your family.
| Feature Analysis | Performance Rating |
| Cooking result | ★★★★★ |
| Noise produced | Low |
| External temperature | Moderate |
| Cooking presets | ★★★★★ |
| User interface | ★★★★☆ |
| Timer function | ★★★★★ |
| Ease of use | ★★★★☆ |
| Cooking capacity | ★★★★☆ |
| Required counter space | Moderate |
| Energy consumption | Moderate |
Tovala community feedback – After testing in the kitchen!
We had the pleasure of interviewing multiple members of the Tovala community to ask about their experiences with the Tovala Gen 2 smart steam oven. The majority of the users are quite satisfied with their purchase. The oven works as described and cooks the meals to perfection. It is definitely a step into the future with its extraordinary intelligence.
This smart steam oven was tested on multiple foods such as chicken, fish, pizza, pork chops, baked potatoes, steamed vegetables, and Tovala’s own food subscription meals. The oven crisps and cooks the food to perfection, utilizing steam, bake, and broil features in a preprogrammed cycle.
“It’s so easy to control my Tovala’s cooking sequences using the app. You can set the steam, bake, and broil times and save the sequence to favorites. This saves up so much time!” – Jessica.
Moreover, you can even use the oven as a normal steam oven without its smart features. You just need to activate the oven using the app first.
When it comes to a slight downside of this spectacular steam oven, some users have had issues with the water tank. It is 8 ounces (less than the previous Tovala model), and there’s no way to be notified of the quantity of water in the tank.
“The beeping water fill mechanism in my Tovala isn’t as reliable. It always ends up overfilling the tank, making the water overflow into the oven’s bottom plastic tray. It’s hard to remove and clean that tray up.” – Anna.
We can say that this is a design flaw in the Tovala Gen 2 smart steam oven. It’d be better if there were guides or the tank was transparent so that one could monitor the amount of water in it like in the previous model.
| Buy Tovala Gen 2 Steam Oven From | |||
How we tested the countertop steam ovens
To find the best countertop steam oven for you, we tested out various popular ovens in the market. The ovens were tested based on the following features and the results were recorded and presented under each product’s description for your ease.
- Cooking result
- Timer function
- Cooking presets
- Noise produced
- External temperature
- User interface
- Ease of use
- Energy consumption
- Cooking capacity
- Required counter space
We tested each steam oven based on factors such as water capacity, area of the oven, features available, space taken, and efficiency. The chosen ovens are the best out of the rest and have yielded quite satisfying results.
The ovens were tested on baked goods, toast, bagels, fish, pizza, chicken, baked potatoes, pork chops, steamed vegetables, and many more items. The crispness of the items was tested and the efficiency of the steam was observed. The baking temperature ranges and the broiling were tested. We also carried out a survey to determine what the steam oven users thought about their purchasing and the corresponding efficiency.
We tested how user-friendly the interface of the ovens was, how easy the ovens were to use, what side accessories came with the ovens, how durable was their material, how hot and noisy they got, etc. The presence of a bottom crumb tray was noted along with how easy it was to remove and clean as various users seem to have trouble with that.
The presets, timer functionality, additional options, and smart working of the ovens were also tested. Finally, considering that these ovens are countertops, the space they occupied was checked to determine the capacity and space trade-off.
Buyer’s guide on purchasing the best countertop steam oven in 2023!
With so many awesome ovens to choose from, you might be wondering which oven would suit you best. Well, we’re here to help you select the ideal countertop steam oven for you! Read through the buyer’s guide below and carefully select what features you need. We’ve got your back.
Types of steam oven: Pure Vs. Combi
Before diving into purchasing an oven, you need to know the different types of steam ovens. The basic differentiation can be done on the basis of countertop vs. installable steam ovens.
Countertop ovens resemble microwaves and are fairly cheaper than the ones that require installation. However, in this article, we only cover countertop steam ovens.
The next difference can be done on the basis of pure steam ovens vs. steam ovens with combi mode.
Pure steam oven – Steam only
Pure steam ovens solely work by the principles of steam cooking. They’re great at steaming vegetables and meat, but if you’re looking for the typical convection oven features then this might not be the right type for you. But if you’ve already got a plain oven back at home and are looking to buy a “steam” oven in particular, then this type of oven is perfect for you.
Combi oven – convection + steam
If you’re looking for an all-in-one kind of oven that’ll both work like a convection oven and steam your food at the same time, maintaining that healthy touch, then consider getting a steam oven with combi mode.
This kind of oven consists of both the steam oven settings and the convection oven settings. This means that you can steam your food with the help of the water tank-generated steam and give it that crispy brown touch with the warmth that a convection oven provides. You can even use both of the modes separately!
Water tank capacity
Each steam oven comes with its very own water tank that needs to be filled with fresh drinkable water for the production of steam. Water tank capacity varies from steam oven to steam oven.
If you’re buying a simple oven for steaming vegetables or heating up food, then you might not need a large water tank capacity. But if you’re planning on cooking full-course meals, meat, seafood, etc. in your steam oven then you should consider getting an oven with a larger water tank capacity. Plus, the larger the water tank, the less time you’d have to spend on refilling it!
The capacity usually ranges from 2 cups to 6 cups of water. Each tank has proper markings to guide you when you’re filling up the water. So, there’s no need to worry about that!
Chamber area
Countertop steam ovens aren’t as huge as the ones that require installation but you’ll still need to keep the chamber area in mind when buying one. If you’ve got a large family back at home, then you’d probably have to invest a little extra into getting an oven with a decent chamber area. The larger the chamber, the more you can cook.
Some steam ovens offer the option of cooking separate dishes, at different temperatures, at the same time! This would of course require a larger chamber space. However, if you’ve got a small family or are living alone, then a small chamber area would work pretty well for you too.
Safety
Safety should be your number one priority when you’re selecting a countertop steam oven. There are many things to look out for when it comes to judging how user-friendly your steam oven is. Two of the primary judging factors are: How does your oven handle the heat? How does it protect you from the heat?
Consider the following features to make sure the oven is safe for use:
Stainless-steel panels
Keep a lookout for stainless steel outer panels for your oven. Stainless steel is heat resistant and won’t burn you if you touch the oven while it is in use.
Cooling exhaust
A cooling exhaust prevents any heat from escaping the oven and damaging the kitchen surroundings. Usually, due to the heat, the cabinets and walls near the oven get dull and pigmented. A cooling exhaust prevents this from happening by releasing cool air from the top panel of the oven, thus keeping the surroundings cool.
Oven door glass glazing
Steam ovens usually come in double-layer glass glazing. But some good ones also have triple or quadruple-layer glass glazing. The more the glazing, the better the heat stays inside, and the less you’re prone to it.
Child lock
Child locks on heating devices are a huge must when you’ve got toddlers running around. Children love opening things, but you can’t risk them opening an oven when in use. Therefore, look for a steam oven with a child lock to keep your children safe.
Additional features
Additional features that you must look out for when searching for the best countertop steam oven include the following:
Fan forced
Combi steam ovens sometimes come with this amazing feature that allows for even and quicker steam cooking. A fan is used to evenly spread the steam inside the oven chamber to speed up the cooking process.
Timer
A timer is such a huge lifesaver when you can’t guarantee your presence in the kitchen. Just set the timer and let the food cook on its own, the oven will stop cooking as soon as the time’s up!
User-friendly controls
Each oven has its very own set of controls. Make sure that the one you pick is simple and easy to use. Many steam ovens come with clear instructions and easy-to-read buttons. Check the controls before purchasing the oven!
Cooking options
Some steam ovens come with amazing cooking options, expanding the variety of things you can do with just a plain oven. These options include:
- Roasting Probe: For all roast lovers, this special feature makes it so easy to cook up some delicious roast. Just poke the metal probe through the meat and easily detect if your roast is cooked to perfection yet or not!
- Fan-Assisted Grilling: Easily grill meat using the fan and top grill combo! This feature will add lovely brown crispiness to your food.
- Defrost: Simply put the frozen food inside your steam oven and watch the ice melt away with this great feature.
What you need to ask yourself: Countertop steam oven FAQs
Here are a few frequently asked questions about steam ovens. Ask yourself these questions so you can pick the best countertop steam oven in 2023 for your kitchen.
Is it worth buying a steam oven?
Yes! Steam ovens offer countless advantages over normal ovens and stoves for example; steam ovens utilize steam (obviously) for cooking which preserves the moisture in the food, thus maintaining the minerals and essential nutrients.
Moreover, steam is a great substitute for oil as it helps keep the fat content of food way low all the while cooking it to perfection.
You also get a variety of options when cooking, from meats, vegetables, and seafood to cakes, pudding, and sweets, all in one steam oven!
Furthermore, steam ovens cook food faster as steam is way hotter than heated air. These ovens have countless more benefits than other mediums.
Do steam ovens consume energy efficiently?
Steam ovens are highly efficient when it comes to energy consumption with respect to the time taken. These ovens work by heating up water from 212 to 570 degrees Fahrenheit and then utilizing the steam produced to prepare the food.
This process only consumes a fraction of energy for heating water rather than heating up the whole oven, like in regular ovens.
Time management is also guaranteed as steam cooks the food very quickly such that preparing chicken breast takes 10 minutes in a steam oven compared to 40 minutes in a normal oven.
What is my budget for buying a steam oven in 2023?
Luckily, countertop steam ovens aren’t as expensive as the steam ovens that need to be installed. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about spending thousands of dollars because you’ll get a perfect little countertop steam oven under USD500!
Our list contains a number of steam ovens, under the said amount, that are all loved by customers. So, select your pick now!
How much water do I need to add to my steam oven before using it?
The amount of water to be added usually varies from oven to oven. Many steam ovens come with a marking explaining how much water you should add to your water tank. If you’re unsure about the marking, then it is advised to add between 2-6 cups of water to your water tank (many steam ovens have a water tank capacity of around 1.3 liters). This may also depend on the food you’re cooking.
For meat and such, that take a long time to cook, add more cups of water compared to sweets and vegetables that take less time.
Can I cook meat in my steam oven?
Yes, you can! Steam ovens are great for cooking juicy meat. They not only preserve the nutrients in the meat but also provide a lower fat content as there is no oil involved, thus offering a healthier alternative.
Moreover, steam cooking allows the meat to cook even faster than in normal ovens, almost half the time or sometimes even less!
Can I steam bake using my countertop steam oven?
Yes, you can easily bake using your countertop steam oven. Steam cooking is a healthier and faster alternative compared to normal oven baking.
However, you must keep in mind that steam cooking does not brown the food (e.g. cakes). Therefore, you won’t get any brown edges with a plain steam oven.
But if you have a steam and convection combi oven then you don’t have to worry about un-browned edges, you’ll get your crispiness and browned crust for sure! Steam cooking also preserves the natural flavor of the ingredients, rather than mixing up the flavors. Along with that, you must also use more butter/oil for cakes and such, when cooking in a steam oven, to prevent them from drying out later.
Final thoughts on the best steam oven 2023!
There you have it, our 3 top picks! Did you like the ovens? Comment and let us know.
If you have any confusion or need guidance regarding the selection of a steam oven according to specific requirements, you can email us and we will help you select an ideal countertop oven for your kitchen. We hope you loved our review. Happy shopping!