Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24515 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Brand: LE CREUSET UK LTD
• Model: SS9000-20
• Released on: 2009-08-01
• Dimensions: 7.00" h x 9.30" w x 9.30" l, 2.80 pounds

Manufacturer's Description
Steaming can be used for a variety of foods and recipes and is particularly good for vegetables, fish, poultry and even desserts.

The stainless steel steamer is for use in conjunction with Le Creuset 3-ply 16, 18 and 20cm saucepans and casseroles.

It sits securely over the saucepan or casserole and has its own glass lid, so you can check the progress of your cooking without disturbing the steaming process or releasing nutrients.

The aluminium core spreads the heat evenly, so there are no hotspots and the entire rim of each pan has a specially designed pouring lip to prevent splashes and spills and is perfect for left or right handed pouring.

The well-fitting lids make the pans suitable for gentle cooking with little water or fat helping to retain vitamins and nutrients.

3-ply Stainless Steel

Le Creuset 3-ply pans are made using a high technology triple layer system. An aluminium core is sandwiched between two layers of premium quality stainless steel which includes a special magnetic steel making the pans suitable for use on induction hobs. The multi-layering continues throughout the whole pan so that excellent heat conduction performance is guaranteed from base to rim.

Non-Stick

The coating on Le Creuset’s non-stick products is reliable and tough, providing a long lasting and durable cooking surface. When used correctly on MEDIUM and LOW heats it will provide excellent performance, releasing foods and residues easily.

It is an ideal surface for lower-fat cooking where very little oil or fat is required.

Before first use - Uncoated

Remove all packaging and labels, wash pans in hot soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly.

When frying in an uncoated pan for the first time or whenever the pan has been cleaned in the dishwasher prepare the pan as follows:

Add some oil so that the base is covered.

Heat the oil gently and turn the pan to cover the side walls.

Remove the pan from the heat, let it cool and clean with kitchen paper.

Add some further oil, fat or butter and begin cooking as normal.

Season the food only after sealing on the hot surface.

Turn food only when the surface has sealed and it is easily released.

Reduce the temperature after sealing.

Before first use – Non-Stick

Before using for the first time it is beneficial to condition the non-stick surface. Rub a film of cooking oil over the surface. Heat the pan for 2 minutes over a MEDIUM setting, then cool and rinse with hot water, drying thoroughly.

Re-conditioning the surface by wiping with a little oil is also helpful after the pan has been washed in the dishwasher.

To protect and prevent damage to the surface, use only MEDIUM and LOW heats for all cooking. NEVER use high heats.

Do not cut foods directly onto the non-stick surface.

The maximum oven temperature for use with non-stick pans is 200 degrees Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit / Gas Mark 6.

Reduced Water Cooking Tips

The well fitting lid and even heat distribution of 3-ply cookware allows steaming and poaching with very little liquid. This method can be used for vegetables, poultry, fish and fruits where flavour and nutrients can be concentrated.

Place the food and liquid into a cold pan. In a 16 - 20 cm pan allow 100ml water for a 20 - 30 minute cook. In a 24 cm pan allow 150ml water.

Put on the lid and bring to a simmer, when steam will be seen escaping around it. As soon as this happens reduce the heat to very low, so that no steam loss is visible.

Cook for the required time. Do not lift the lid during the cooking period as steam will be lost and more liquid will be required to replace it.

Care and Use

We want you to get the best from your new Le Creuset 3-ply pans so please take a few minutes to read the following care and use information.

The 3-ply construction of the pans means you do not need to cook on high heat settings. Only MEDIUM to LOW heats are needed for most cooking, including frying and searing.

DO NOT pre-heat a pan on HIGH then lower the heat for cooking. The material will not cool quickly and if overheated may cause sticking and over-browning of foods.

Do match the pan base size to the hotplate to be used.

Always use a dry oven glove or cloth when handling hot pans during and after cooking.

Never heat an empty pan.

Always add salt to the cooking liquid where it can be dissolved thoroughly, never directly onto the stainless steel surface as it may cause pitting.

Do not store raw, marinating or cooked foods in the pans. Ingredients may cause damage to the surface.

To protect your pans we recommend using silicone, heat-resistant plastic or wooden tools in both uncoated and non-stick coated pans.

Do not overheat your pans. If 3-ply pans are continually overheated they may change colour producing a golden/brown/blue appearance. This is not reversible and cannot be cleaned off. It will not, however, alter performance in any way.

Check water levels regularly throughout the steaming process to prevent the pan from boiling dry.

After Use

Cool pan before washing the steamer and lid in hot soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly. Use only nylon scourers or washing-up brushes to remove stubborn food residues. The steamer is completely dishwasher safe.

For more stubborn residues fill the pan with warm water and leave to soak for 10 - 15 minutes.

Do not fill hot pans with, or plunge into cold water.

Use only soft, nylon abrasive pads or brushes for removing stubborn residues. Do not use any harsh abrasive pads or cleaning agents as they may damage the surface.

A proprietary stainless steel cleaner can be used to remove hard water limescale and other marks. It can also be used to condition, polish and protect the inner and outer surfaces.

Should you notice a slight discolouration on your pans after cleaning them in a dishwasher, we recommend that you try an alternative dishwasher powder.

Guarantee

Le Creuset offers a Lifetime Guarantee on its 3-ply stainless steel products without a non-stick coating. Items with a non-stick coating are covered by a 10-year Guarantee. The guarantee applies from the date of purchase for the lifetime of the original owner, whether a self purchase or received as a gift. The guarantee covers faulty workmanship and/or materials when the product is used in normal, domestic conditions and in accordance with the care and use instructions provided. It does not cover normal wear and tear, commercial use or misuse of the product. See Care & Use booklet for full details of guarantee.

To claim under the guarantee please return the product, with proof of purchase, to the place of purchase or to the address shown for your country of residence at the back of the Care & Use booklet.

This Lifetime Guarantee does not affect your statutory rights.

About Le Creuset

A lifetime spent crafting the finest cookware. Le Creuset has been making superb, award winning cookware since 1925 and the secret recipe of ingredients remains the same today. Each piece is made from a unique mould into which molten iron is poured from a large cauldron (called a creuset). This creates a unique piece, each with it’s own identity and style. The piece is then hand finished and subjected to strict quality checks. Finally the cast iron is enamelled at extremely high temperatures to create the vibrant lustre and hard finish which looks great in the home.

If you require any further information from Le Creuset please visit www.lecreuset.co.uk, call our friendly and experienced team of Consumer Advisors on our Freephone UK Helpline on 0800 37 37 92 9am-5pm (GMT) Monday - Friday (excluding bank holidays), or email us on helpline@lecreuset.co.uk.

Box Contains

Customer Reviews

Almost perfect, still sensational
I bought this steamer to go with my Le Creuset 3 ply pans. It fits the 16/18/20 cm snugly, blending into one unified utensil. For the technically minded the water evaporates from the base pan, through a number of holes on top of which rests the food. I was able to count some 322 but that is not precise. Le Creuset could sequentially number these in later models as the amount of holes directly correlates to efficiency of the cooking process and is essential to make meaningful comparison with other streamers.

This utensil came with a booklet "A Guide to Steaming" written in 9 European languages. I have serious concerns with this. First this gives cooking guidelines for 14 vegetables, poultry, fish and sweet and savoury. The recommended steaming time for courgettes (thick slices, baton shapes, or baby whole) was a preposterous 8 minutes - between 7 to 7 minutes 15 seconds being sufficient. Second, minority languages (Arab, Asian etc), and a Braille impression, are not included in the booklet which some may see as discriminatory and a health and safety issue. After all we are dealing with boiling water in a home environment. Finally, there were no guidelines to indicate what sort of water should be used to ensure optimal steaming performance! Do they expect us to use tap water? While the booklet did state "Check water levels regularly throughout the steaming process to prevent the pan from boiling dry" this should have been much larger. Le Creuset seems oblivious to the risks that this steamer could pose.

Ascetically the roundness of the pan is pleasing, the transparent lid allows a clear view the interior. The item came in an elegant cardboard box in steel and marine blue, much nicer than the orange used in some items (large wok, frying pan packaging etc). I have kept mine to ensure in the future when this object becomes a collectors item the owner - if it is not me, possibly handed down through generations as a family heirloom - is able to maximise the value at auction. At the current price this is exceptional value but Le Creuset should consider a titanium limited edition steamer. Surely some luxury brand manufacturer (Hermes for example) would make this steamer an aspirational high-end gift item.

This steamer is a brilliantly simple design classic, essential to the modern cook. After considerable reflection, I have to take off one star for the serious limitations in the instruction book.

Fantastic Buy
I was very impress with quality of this item - and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in purchasing a steamer. It's well worth the money.

It's good
Bought this steamer to go with my set of orange le creuset pans. It's good. It does fit all the pans, but does not sit perfectly in to my 16. Cleans easily. Been using it most days for a couple of weeks now. Pleased with it.