Everyone knows that steaming is the best way to cook vegetables because, unlike boiling, the steam locks in the nutrients, flavor and color of the vegetables. Everyone in Asia and Europe, anyway. Here in the United States, we’ve had steam cooking forever, but Americans are not as familiar with it as they are other cooking methods. We seem to ignore the fact that boiling our vegetables draws the nutrients out of the vegetables to be thrown out with the water. We also ignore the fact that steam cooking is fast and energy efficient. Steamed fish and chicken can also be cooked in a steampot and results in delectable meals. This, however, is not a discussion of the benefits of steam cooking. For that, you’d best turn to YouTube. This, instead, is a review of the Mono 2-Tier Steampot, the exact same steampot that can be found on Amazon under other manufacturer’s brandnames. This steampot, like thousands of other products, is made by one company and sold to many other companies to market under their own unique brandnames.Aluminum, Stainless Steel and BambooThere are some steamers that are made of plastic and are made to be used in the microwave. Those are not professional products, often producing inferior results and can only steam very small quantities of food. Therefore, we won’t discuss those.The traditional Bamboo steamer often comes with multiple tiers. Since you can’t boil water in a Bamboo vessel, you need a wok or saucepan to place the bamboo tiers on. Tiers are the different levels food can be placed upon. The more tiers you have, the more food you can steam. Bamboo lends a certain pleasant flavor to food, (a similar pleasant flavor can be achieved in other steampots by lining the bottom of the tiers with banana leaves) but bamboo doesn’t last forever. Therefore, I recommend that you abstain from purchasing a bamboo steamer.Aluminum will last a little longer than bamboo, but aluminum steampots are often extremely thin and dent, ding and distort quite easily. Aluminum steampots are thin because thin aluminum transfers heat to the water more quickly than thicker metal would, thus shortening cooking times and increasing efficiency and energy savings. Unfortunately, if you do a moderate amount of steam cooking, you’ll probably find yourself discarding most aluminum steampots in about a year’s time.Stainless steel steampots, such as the Mano 2-Tier Steampot, are also made of thin metal for the same reasons: thin steel transfers heat to the water more quickly than thicker metal would, thus shortening cooking times and increasing efficiency and energy savings. Stainless steel steampots, however, are not terribly fragile and won’t easily dent, ding or distort like aluminum will and, with care, could last you a lifetime. In addition, the Mano 2-Tier Steampot provides extra efficiency and energy savings if you have an induction cooktop. The Mano is fully compatible with induction cooktops and water comes to a frighteningly quick boil on such cooktops.Let’s clear up a big misnomer when it comes to the Mano 2-Tier Steampot. This is NOT a 2-tier steampot! The Mano is actually a 3-tier steampot. It has a discrete center tier (the middle piece with handles that you see in the photos) and two steamer inserts. The smaller of the two inserts drops into the water vessel at the bottom (above water level), while the larger insert drops on top of the center tier. Therefore, you have three tiers upon which you can place food. Notice that the lid of this steampot bulges upward into a dome. This is so large food items will easily fit on the top tier. The lid also has a small glass window, allowing you to monitor the food on the top tier. Of course, you can use only one or two tiers if you wish. If you stack this steampot just right, storage space comes down to a minimum.As with any steampot, you should place thicker, larger, tougher foods on the bottom tier, as that will put them closest to the source of the hot steam. Large holes in the steamer inserts and the floor of the center tier allows more steam to rise to the top, ensuring that all your food gets cooked. Let’s say you’ve filled the bottom tier to capacity, but you still have hard, raw potatoes to cook. It’s okay to put them on the top tier…just cut them into quarters. Food on one tier will not affect the taste of food on other tiers (or even the same tier), so feel free to mix meat with vegetables or other meats.Steam is extremely hot, so one must exercise caution when steam cooking. Remember, steam was used to power steam locomotives pulling millions of pounds of freight up steep mountains. It’s that extremely hot steam that cooks things so quickly and thoroughly. On the bottom tier, a rock-hard potato can be softened into mashed potato consistency very quickly. This makes for very tasty “baked” potatoes…just split the top, add butter and sour cream. With enough cooking time, such “baked” potatoes can even be made on the top tier.As with ALL purchases, keep the original boxes for at least a week, maybe even a month. If a defect pops up somewhere down the line, you’ll have a way to return your item(s). Familiarize yourself with the nearest location of your local post office, local UPS store, local FedEX store and local Kohls. Arranging for a return on Amazon is quick and easy. Most returns through UPS and Kohls (vendor determined) will cost you nothing! So if something does go wrong, don’t be lazy and don’t worry…just return the item(s) at your soonest convenience because that means a replacement or a refund will come that much quicker.The Mano steampot is a well-made tool that should last a very long time. It’s three tiers accommodates a huge amount of food, more than enough to feed most families. There’s one more benefit to steam cooking with this steampot: your kitchen will be filled with an incredible fragrance every time you use it!TIP: wash this steampot with regular dish soap and never harsh cleansers. Do not wash with steel wool or anything that can scratch your steampot (use plastic scrub sponges or plastic-bristled scrubbers). As with all stainless steel items, hand dry with a towel after washing to avoid corrosion. Corrosion (rust) often appears as white spots on the bottom of the water vessel. Most of the time, this corrosion can be washed away. If it doesn’t wash away, don’t be too concerned…steampot performance and food safety are unaffected.

Let me start by saying, the Mano Steamer Pot has completely transformed my culinary experience, and my boyfriend, who's an avid cook, has truly worked his magic with this kitchen gem. From the moment it arrived, I knew we were in for something special.First off, let's talk about versatility. This steamer pot is like the Swiss Army knife of cookware. With its 2-tier design and spacious 11.8-inch diameter, it's perfect for steaming vegetables, dumplings, seafood, and so much more. The possibilities are endless, and my taste buds are eternally grateful for the endless array of delicious dishes that emerge from this pot.But it's not just about functionality – the Mano Steamer Pot is a thing of beauty. Crafted from high-quality stainless steel, it's not only durable and long-lasting but also adds a touch of elegance to our kitchen. The sleek design and polished finish make it a centerpiece on our stove, eliciting compliments from anyone who lays eyes on it.What truly sets this steamer pot apart is its performance. The steam circulates evenly throughout both tiers, ensuring that every morsel is cooked to perfection. Whether we're steaming delicate vegetables or hearty dumplings, the results are consistently impeccable. And let's not forget about the lid – it fits snugly, trapping in all the flavors and aromas for a culinary experience that's nothing short of divine.But perhaps the best part of all is the joy it brings to our cooking endeavors. My boyfriend, who loves to experiment in the kitchen, has found endless inspiration with the Mano Steamer Pot. From traditional Chinese dim sum to inventive fusion creations, he's constantly pushing the boundaries of flavor and technique – and I get to reap the delicious rewards.In conclusion, the Mano Steamer Pot has exceeded all expectations and become an indispensable tool in our kitchen. Its versatility, durability, and performance make it a must-have for anyone who's passionate about cooking. So if you're ready to elevate your culinary creations to new heights, do yourself a favor and invest in the Mano Steamer Pot – your taste buds will thank you!

I've been a fan of bamboo steamers for years, but I needed something bigger to accommodate larger plates and bowls. That's when I stumbled upon this alternative that also works perfectly on my induction cooktop! Admittedly, the material is a bit thin and the lid is too light, but that's to be expected for the price. To prevent steam from escaping too much from the lid instead of the steaming opening, I simply add a towel on top of the lid to hold it down.

Love this steamer. Made dim sum in it immediately tonight after washing it, and was able to fit all 12 in the two levels. I switched the layers around half way through cooking and the buns came out perfectly steamed. Can't wait to use this for fish, veggies, etc. I used silicone mesh liners and cleanup was a breeze. For the price, I'm incredibly happy with this pot. Will hold up much longer than my old bamboo steamer.

This three-tier steamer is well built and very useful. I have options for combination use of 1, 2 and 3-tier steaming. It's big (11.8' wide and variable height) with sufficient height for each tier. The materials look good, although not very thick stainless steel requiring careful use. But given the price and usefulness, it is worth a 5 star.

This steamer is not fimesy at all. The lib has a glass viewport. One can see the steaming progress. The lib is very tall. Overall, it's a nice steamer compared with old school aluminum steamer!You can make it three layers easily. ,

Exactly what i was looking for it’s like all in one steamer with three layers and it works well with induction.

The material with which this steamer is made of is very thin stainless steel. So the durability is extremely poor and not worthy. I recommend people not to by this item and if possible ask those who brought it to ask this Chinese company for compensation.

Great pot! Very light weight, doesn’t take up a lot of room when storing, and can fit a lot of food in it when steaming. I only gave it a 4 star because I’m a bit worried that it’s too light weight. It could dent pretty easily.

Stainless steel is thick and has a weight on it! You get 3 tiers even tho u just order 2 tier.

Works beautifully for dim sum, shellfish and steaming fish or vegetables. Easy to set up and add more water as needed and it goes all night long. My Son borrowed it and loved it so much, he hasn’t returned it …I’ll be buying more soon, my Daughters love it too.