All-Clad Stainless Steamer Insert

An essential and useful item for the health conscious cook. Fits several size pots made by All Clad having the same diameter but different height. Large capacity nice. I have had my MasterChef cookware for over 30 years and love every piece - this was a nice addition to the set. It can be used for many types of cooking whereas those little pot inserts can't - steamed buns, etc.

I purchased this steamer several years ago and use it frequently to steam fresh vegetables. It fits perfectly into my 2-quart All-Clad saucier, which is wider at top than the 3- and 4-quart saucepans into which it's said to fit. I put an inch or two of water in the saucier, insert the steamer, and cover with the saucier top. I was surprised to see the reviews mentioning steam escaping. I have never had steam escape and the vegetables have always been perfectly and uniformly steamed -- even when I fill the steamer to its rim with kale. I gave the steamer four stars instead of five only because of the length and weight of the handle (which probably helps to keep it cool, I suppose). I agree it cleans up nicely, even if I put it in the dishwasher instead of hand washing it, and it still gleams like new!

I have to agree with the other negative reviews. This insert loosely fits the All-Clad 3-Quart Casserole Pan I bought with it (which I could understand if I were trying to use it with another brand). It being from the same line and company one would think that someone would have tested how well it worked. As with all All-Clad products it's built very well but who cares about that if it doesn't work properly. Someone else mentioned all the perforations are in the bottom of the insert, it would be better if there were holes in the sides as well. I think my artichokes would cook a little faster if tons of steam wasn't rolling out from in between the insert and pan. It works, just not very well.

This insert has been hanging in my kitchen for some years now, and I was recently given another. The new one is made in China despite the exorbitant All-Clad price, though it doesn't seem to make much difference. Both are equally unsatisfactory, except perhaps for draining vegetables, and there are more convenient ways to do that.

First, the steamer fits only one of my many pots --an LTD saucepan. And it doesn't fit it well. The little bead that rests on the pot rim is too shallow to make a good seal even with the pot the insert is made for, and hopeless with any other. Steam whooshes out over the pot rim without going through the veg, and the bad seal cools the steam and sogs the vegetables. The pot lid doesn't fit the insert very well, either, and drips cooling condensate into the vegetables --more sog.

The steaming surface is inches above the water (unless you boil an awful lot of water, when it bubbles up into the veg and sogs them). The steam doesn't circulate well and probably isn't hot enough to start with. An inch or so of water always steams better than 3 or 4 inches --don't ask me why.

The steaming surface is inadequate. All the holes are on the bottom, and kind of in the middle of that, and what steam reaches the top, or business half, of the steamer doesn't circulate well. More sog.

What with one thing and another, no quantity and no type of food cooks very well. Well, it's not too bad for Persian-style rice --the kind you pre-cook slightly, then finish by steaming.

Alternatives? Any folding steamer will do a better job. You can find a nice big one that will fit into your 13" LTD frying pan, if you're lucky. Take a pair of pliers and pull the lifter stem out of the middle (it's not much use anyway). You can get a lot of clams into this rig. Or use a smaller folding steamer in any pan --LTD pans with their tight lids are my favorite. The sauciers have domed lids which work even better.

If you have a steam canner, put a bamboo steamer and its bamboo lid on the plate (the big ones just fit). This makes the best steamed food ever, but it's a bit cumbersome for everyday.

I bought this insert to use with my all clad LTD 9 piece set that I bought a few months ago. I use the steamer with the 3qt sauce pan a LOT. It cleans up very easily, looks beautiful, and fits nicely into my sauce pan. Some people seem to be complaining about steam escaping from the pan. Don't let this ignorant comment deter you from buying this excellent steamer. Steam is SUPPOSED to escape. If no steam escaped, you'd have what is called a pressure cooker. And if a LOT of steam is escaping, then chances are that your sauce pan is warped, which means you aren't taking care of it. Buy the steamer. It's awesome.