Soapstone steamer on soapstone stove

[Bostonceltics151]

I recently purchased a soapstone steam pot (hearthstone) for my newer Woodstock progress hybrid, my question is; do I need to use a trivet? I’ve noticed that the steamer doesn’t get overly hot and doesn’t seem to be “steaming” with a trivet like my previous cast iron steamer on a cast iron stove. Is the trivet just getting in the way? Is there a negative to not using a trivet? Picture of my setup below. Thanks!

 

[Woody Stover]

Does the water level still go down fairly fast, even though it doesn't appear to be "steaming?" Maybe you would need to put it directly on the cooktop to get enough heat transfer to make it steam? That said, I'm dubious as to how much difference the steamer is actually gonna make. Have you taken humidity readings both with and without the steamer on the stove?

 

[firefighterjake]

I have a trivet with my "steamer" . . . no steaming or overflow . . . but after a day or so all the water has been vaporized.

That said . . . as previously mentioned . . . these steamers generally only put a small amount of moisture back into the air.

 

[Bostonceltics151]

I agree that it doesn’t effect the humidity levels a great deal, as are aiming to use it for aesthetics and will be adding essentially oil to it for scent. The water does not seem to evaporate quickly, and I can touch both the cast iron lid and the steamer itself and it’s not all that hot. Wondering if there’s any kind of risk putting it directly on the soapstone without a trivet.

 

[firefighterjake]

My understanding is that the trivet is either used to keep a metal pot from scratching the stove (something I think that would not be as much of a problem with soapstone on soapstone) and to keep the pot/water from getting too hot (which I also suspect will not be a problem with a soapstone stove.)

 

[Highbeam]

I put my hearthstone stone steamer directly on my hearthstone polished stove for years and had no damage. Do it! Sitting on a trivet severely reduces evaporation.

After a few years the kettle cracked and begun to ooze water. It looked cool but failed me.

Get rid of trivet. Be sure there is no grit between stove and kettle. Fill kettle by opening lid and adding water and not by removing kettle to fill.