This steampunk-esque countertop space saver lets you steam, bake and roast. MIA CHENYZE tries it out.
This steampunk-esque countertop space saver lets you steam, bake and roast. MIA CHENYZE tries it out.
The Mayer Steam Oven MMSO26 is a 26-litre countertop model that offers four functions: steam, grill, convection (with fan), and a steam-and-convection combi. It has a temperature range from zero to 250 deg C, and the timer can be set for up to 60min in five-minute intervals.
There is also a Stay On option, which keeps the oven on indefinitely – good if you’re doing low-and-slow braises or thick roasts that take more than an hour to cook. The one-litre water tank is good for 45min of steam cooking.
USING IT
Steaming
• I tested it with some frozen pau, and they came out fluffy and heated right through without being soggy. Perfect!
• I also steamed chicken breasts, which star ted to dry out after 10min, so perhaps cooking for 8min would have been better. That said, it’s hard to set the analogue timer outside the five-minute intervals – and perhaps I should have taken advantage of the Stay On function.
• The water tank was easy to remove and put back. You can flip the cover open while the oven is in use to top up the water, but you’re unlikely to need it. A full tank is usually enough.
• Sometimes, a little water pooled on the floor of the oven. There’s a rubber gasket I could have pulled to let it flow into the secondary catchment tray (below the oven cavity) that traps excess water, but I found it easier to simply soak it up with kitchen towels.
Baking
• The butter cake I made on the convection setting domed just slightly although the top didn’t crack – a sign that the heat distribution is fairly even.
• I struggled with the wire racks. I couldn’t slide them in and out, and ended up shoving and yanking them instead. I got them right after 10 or so times.
Roasting
The oven is roomy enough to fit a whole mediumsized chicken. I gave the steam-and-convection function a go, and my bird emerged moist and tender with crispy, golden-brown skin.
CLEANING IT
It was so easy. All the inside surfaces – other than the fan vents – are flat and smooth. To loosen any gunk in the oven, I could also run a 10-minute steam cycle for an easier wipe-down.
VERDICT
A reliable oven that steams and bakes well.
Mayer Steam Oven MMSO26, $999, is available at Mayer showrooms.