Though combi ovens get all the attention, steamers are still key pieces of equipment in many professional kitchens. Staff can use them to prepare, vegetables, seafood and more. Here are three tips to keep a steamer up and running.
- Get a water filtration system for the steamer and have a professional service agent maintain it. While a filtration system won’t eliminate scale, it will reduce it. This reduction will decrease the need for regular descaling of the unit and help the piece operate at peak efficiency.
- While manufacturers may recommend a descaling schedule, operators should work with a service agency to determine their exact needs. A school cafeteria that only uses a steamer for one meal a day and nine months out of a year may need less frequent descaling. A hotel serving three meals a day, 365 days a year will probably need more. Set a descaling schedule and stick with it.
- Manufacturers often encourage operators to perform light-duty maintenance and cleaning of their equipment. For steamers, this usually involves cleaning out the cooking chamber and keeping the drain line clear of debris, among other tasks. Operators who follow these guidelines typically need to have their units serviced less frequently than those who don’t.
