Steamers ?

[Robbie]

Does anyone use a steamer ?

I lucked up and found a really nice one and got it for a bargain I think and it sure does look good on my stove.

I plan to use it starting this fall, it holds over one gallon of water and is cast aluminum.

Enlarge those pics and take a look at his thing, it's very nice I think.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320148546172&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011


Robbie

 

[GeeWizMan]

That shiny silver one looks nice. We use a black cast iron tea pot on the wood stoves to add some water vapor to the air. Additionally, we use a room humidifier in the bedrooms. The air in our house gets so dry in the winter that my son will get nose bleeds if we don't get some moisture in the air.

 

[Bill]

I use a porcelain enamel one, with basket weave top. It works great, have to fill every day. A wood stove can bake the air in no time.

 

[burntime]

I have the same alluminum one in a 1/2 version. With the insert blower on high when its cold it will evaporate about 3/4 of the container. If the blower is on low you can actually see the steam pump out. I usually run it on high in winter. In my situation I was going to install a dimmer type switch to better control the blower. I highly recomend a steamer of some sort. I really like the little houses etc..., but would hate to tend to them all day. Good luck!

 

[elkimmeg]

Well I had a cast iron Kettle type sitting on my new Resolute acclaim. Worked fine till one day My wife decided to put some poupori in it

It bubbled over the top and out the lid spilled onto the hot griddle and hit the enamal top part of the stove. About 3 days later the enamal came off all around the griddle opening
in little square chunks. This experiment resulted in removing and replacing the enamal top of the stove and nesitated just about a total rebuild to replace it correctly

My prefference is open steamers not closed in tea kettle ones that can boil over
I thought I would share this experience and hopefully prevent others from a very costly work intensive mistake

If you use a tea kettle one do not completely close the lid leave part way open will release pressure associated with boiling water and lessen chances of boil overs

Even hot boiling water hitting 600 degree cast iron can cause thermal shock to that cast iron. It could actually crack it

There are no tea Kettle sitting on my stoves any more, than for decoration when not in use. The next one will be an open top one

Note how one bad experience can ruin a new stove indicated in the picture below. Note wew did not see it actually happen but figured out how it occured afterwards

I did not know the poupori was in there till it bubbled up again the next day when I got a good glimps of what probably happened. My wife knew There was a bit more than water boiling

 

[burntime]

Good point, I leave the lid on mine off to one side to allow for more steam. My wife wanted to put some stinkwater in the kettle and I said no. Never guessed it would smoke the enamal. I even get upset when I set it on the stove cold and end up with lime or calcium deposits!

 

[Henz]

I jsut dont trust those things..was gonn buy one but opted out and got a large eletric humidifier instead..Holds 10 gallons of water and is on a thermostat deal..I didnt want to have to worry about filling the steamer or have the steamer bubble over onto my steele stove

 

[burntime]

Problem with electric is that it is set by humidity and temp. When the temp goes down the windows steam on the inside from too much humidity. Yes I am talking new insulated low e. I use the electric one ONLY when I am home to avoid this. Funny I can go to work with the insert cooking at 500 degrees but a humidifier has to be turned down!

 

[Henz]

huh..hasent happened to me yet. ours is thermostat to jsut control moisture and not set to heat at all. we also ahve a seperate humidity meter that we place aroudn the house to moditor the humidity..works well

 

[Bill]

I have new windows (low E) and when the temperature drops I decrease the humidity, or sweat they will.

Just another thought, when you refill those cast pots on the stove, I think it would be smart to remove them, to maybe a trivet. Adding cooler water into hot metal can cause foaming also. Plus you eliminate splashing cold water on the stove. Even if it isn't porcelain, it still can leave mineral spots. Or if it's a cast iron tea pot it will leave rust marks on the stove top. But use a good hot pad, those things get smoking.

 

[Robbie]

Thanks everyone for posting on these steamers.

Elk, I plan to open the top a little on mine and not over fill.

Hopefully this will work.

Any more suggestion please comment, I posted more for advice/discussion, thanks.


Robbie

 

[elkimmeg]

Robbie no problem my wife an I are talking again You know finally it was good to have something on her in reserve
so often they think they have the final word I was so pissed t when i discovered what she did they was no need to lite the stove.

She knew and stayed away and gave me extra space a real wide path. I must say after 30 plus years we must have made the best choice together.
I mean she is not only my wife but the best friend I have in the world she has a way of keeping me at an even keel. I cannot immagine living without her.

We both are alllowed to screw up and get beyond that. There are threads in the ash can about familly values I am happily living mine

 

[BrotherBart]

Robbie no problem my wife an I are talking again You know finally it was good to have something on her in reserve
so often they think they have the final word I was so pissed t when i discovered what she did they was no need to lite the stove.

She knew and stayed away and gave me extra space a real wide path. I must say after 30 plus years we must have made the best choice together.
I mean she is not only my wife but the best friend I have in the world she has a way of keeping me at an even keel. I cannot immagine living without her.

We both are alllowed to screw up and get beyond that. There are threads in the ash can about familly values I am happily living mine

Yep. Mine forgot my first birthday after we got married and I am paid up for 50 years. 35 of it used up already.

 

[Harley]

There's no question - when it's cold, the air is likely be dry. If you have a source of heat, like a wood stove, definately put some water on the top - it will add to the comfort level of the house. Just make sure you keep it filled (without over filling it). If you overlook the refilling, and it runs dry - take it off the stove, and let it cool down before adding water to it. Keep the outside dry and you should be all set to go.

Wow - reading about steamers in august just made me start thinking about clams.