Have you tried the microwave with a cover. It works very well.

Microwave is good for steaming, and if you already have one it means you're not buying another appliance. Put veg in a bowl, sprinkle with a little water, cover with a couple of steam vents, nuke, done.

A rice cooker will sometimes come with an extra steaming basket, so that is an option. And this one does multiple things - rice and other grains, oatmeal, and steam vegetables or fish on top.

I would seriously hesitate to buy anything that guaranteed you can "set and forget" but never have overcooked vegetables.

How about an inexpensive restaurant bamboo or metal steamer?

I've had my Black & Decker vegetable steamer for 20 years. It gets used 2-3 times per week, and it's still going strong. I also like the fold-out metal steamer inserts you put in a pot.

I don't mean to evade the question (I don't have a steamer, per se), but the best steamer in the world is one you don't have to buy. Pour a few inches of water into the bottom of a pot, place a metal strainer over the top, and bring the water to a boil. When you start getting steam, you know that it's time to put your vegetables into the strainer, letting the steam "steam" them until tender.

I don't mean to answer your question in a way you weren't asking, but my mother bought a steamer years ago and has used it maybe five times. It sits in her cabinet. I steamed vegetables three times in the past two weeks using this method, give it a try!

Brandon
from www.theyummybits.com

I love my Black & Decker steamer/rice cooker. For grains (and hard "boiled" eggs), you really can set it and forget it (and I'm generally skeptical of those claims, too). For veggies, I generally cook a little less than the manual says, and you have to be careful to shock them (rinse them in cold water) to make sure they don't keep cooking. It's one of my most-used appliances.

One note: I had the two-tier one, but never used the second tier, since things that I want to keep separate generally need different times, which makes it awkward.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_24?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=black+and+decker+steamer+and+rice+cooker&sprefix=black+and+decker+steamer%2Caps%2C244

Mine is a commercial machine. EmberGlo. It is belongs in a deli or restaurant. It is wicked good at what it does and I use it almost daily. It is also a BEAST and will not 'blend in' in a fancy kitchen. It exudes steam as it runs and, as such, has to be out in the open, not in a cabinet or confined space. They are north of $1k -I stole mine on eBay for a couple of hundred bucks. When the timer goes off on this thing it makes a buzz that will wake the dead! Loud for a commercial environment. I love it!

I use Tefal's steamer and I LOVE it. It's plastic, but I despise the taste of vegetables when they're steamed in metal so it's all fine for me. It's strong, very easy to clean, transparent (makes it perfect to see the state of vegetables and avoid overcooking) and compact. If you're ok with plastic, I definitely recommend it.

I second trying a steamer insert, often you can use it in an appliance you already have and not have to dirty or store a whole new gadget. I have 2 steamer inserts, one that came with my pot set and one that came with a rice cooker/crock pot thing. and although a bit redundant its handy to be able to just steam the veg (which is usually meant to be a quick side dish) first and then proceed with cooking the rest of the meal in the same pot.

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Honestly I love my 3 tier bamboo steamer that I bought at a goodwill for $4. I put it over a saute pan with a 2 inches of water, stock or wine and it steams my veggies perfectly.