Sunbeam ST6820 User Manual

VitaSteam Electronic

Programmable Food Steamer

Instruction Booklet

ST6820

Please read these instructions carefully

Please read these instructions carefully
and retain for future reference.

and retain for future reference.

Contents

Sunbeam’s Safety Precautions 1
Features of your VitaSteam Electronic 2
An Introduction to Steam Cooking 4
Using your VitaSteam Electronic 5
For Best Results when Steaming 6
Guide to the Instant Steam Function 7
Guide to Water Levels 7
Guide to using the Steaming Trays 8
Guide to using the Rice Bowl 8
Care and Cleaning 9
Guide to Cooking Times
Vegetables 10
Rice, Grain & Cereals 12
Fish & Seafood 13
Poultry 14
Eggs 15
Recipes 16

Important instructions – retain for
future use.

Sunbeam’s Safety Precautions

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR YOUR

SUNBEAM VITASTEAM ELECTRONIC.

• Ensure your steamer is used at least 50cm
(half a metre) away from a gas flame or
electric element.

• Do not operate the steamer on an inclined
surface.

• Do not move or cover the steamer while in

• Do not immerse the base of the steamer in
water or any other liquid.

• Use your steamer well away from walls,
curtains and cupboards that may be affected
by steam.

• Do not use your steamer in confined spaces.

• Remove the cover away from you after
steaming.

operation.

Sunbeam is very safety conscious when

designing and manufacturing consumer products,
but it is essential that the product user also exercise
care when using an electrical appliance. Listed
below are precautions which are essential for the
safe use of an electrical appliance:

• Read carefully and save all the instructions
provided with an appliance.

• Always turn the power off at the power outlet
before you insert or remove a plug. Remove
by grasping the plug - do not pull on the cord.

• Turn the power off and remove the plug when the
appliance is not in use and before cleaning.

• Do not use your appliance with an extension cord
unless this cord has been checked and tested by
a qualified technician or service person.

• Always use your appliance from a power outlet of
the voltage (A.C. only) marked on the appliance.

• This appliance is not intended for use by persons

(including children) with reduced physical,
sensory or mental capabilities, or lack of
experience and knowledge, unless they have been
given supervision or instruction concerning use
of the appliance by a person responsible for their
safety.

• Children should be supervised to ensure that they

do not play with the appliance.

• The temperature of accessible surfaces may be

high when the appliance is operating.

• Never leave an appliance unattended while

in use.

• Do not use an appliance for any purpose
other than its intended use.

• Do not place an appliance on or near a hot gas
flame, electric element or on a heated oven.

• Do not place on top of any other appliance.

• Do not let the power cord of an appliance hang
over the edge of a table or bench top or touch

any hot surface.

• Do not operate any electrical appliance with a
damaged cord or after the appliance has been
damaged in any manner. If damage is suspected,
return the appliance to the nearest Sunbeam
Appointed Service Centre for examination, repair
or adjustment.

• For additional protection, Sunbeam recommend
the use of a residual current device (RCD)
with a tripping current not exceeding 30mA in
the electrical circuit supplying power to your
appliances.

• Do not immerse the appliance in water or any
other liquid unless recommended.

• Appliances are not intended to be operated by
means of an external timer or separate remote
control system.

• This appliance is intended to be used in
household and similar applications such as: staff
kitchen areas in shops, offices and other working
environments; farm houses; by clients in hotels,
motels and other residential type environments;
bed and breakfast type environments.

If you have any concerns regarding the performance and use of your appliance,

please visit www.sunbeam.com.au or contact the Sunbeam Consumer Service Line.

Ensure the above safety precautions are understood.

1

MI N

Features of your VitaSteam
Electronic

6 cup capacity rice bowl

The separate rice bowl cooks up to 6 cups of
perfect, light and fluffy rice every time.

3 steaming trays

Enables you to cook your entire meal using
one appliance. Steam seafood, poultry or
other meats in the lower tray, then add the
upper trays to steam nutritious vegetables.
The steaming trays are shatter resistant to
prevent breakage. The base of each tray can
be removed to allow for larger food items.

LCD screen

Digitally displays the remaining cooking time
selected in Steamer mode, or the delay time
in Timer mode.

ON/OFF light

Indicates when the appliance is steaming.

2

MAX

MIN

HR

SET

External water fill hole

Allows you to add water to the steamer
without removing the steaming trays.

Removable drip tray

Collects the fats, juices and condensation
during steaming, and is removable for easy
cleaning. An instant steam sleeve built into
the drip tray helps to generate steam in as

little as 30 seconds.

Water level indicator

External water level indicator allows you to
monitor the water level at all times.

Control panel

Allows you to preset the desired cooking time
or program your steamer to delay start by
setting the timer.

MI N

3

An Introduction to Steam Cooking

Congratulations on the purchase of your new
Sunbeam VitaSteam Electronic food steamer.
You will now be able to enjoy the benefits
and convenience of steam cooking.

Steaming is one of the healthiest cooking
methods available, as it requires no fats
or oils. Steaming ensures that fruit and
vegetables retain vitamins and minerals
required for a balanced diet.

Meats such as chicken can be gently steamed
to retain their flavour and tenderness, while
the fats drain away.

Steaming is also gentle, as the food never
comes in contact with the cooking liquid,
ensuring that it retains its shape, colour and
texture.

4

Using your VitaSteam Electronic

Before using your VitaSteam Electronic for
the first time, wash the steaming trays,
rice bowl, lid and drip tray in warm soapy
water. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Operate the
Steamer for 15 minutes using a solution of 1
tablespoon lemon juice and 2 cups water in
the reservoir.

Note: You may notice a slight odour during
this first operation. This is normal with many
heating appliances and will not affect the
performance of your Steamer.

1.Fill the water reservoir above the ‘MIN’
water level and no higher than the ‘MAX’
water level.

Note: Use only clean water in your VitaSteam
Electronic. Do not use wine, stock or other
liquids.

2. Place the removable drip tray in position.

Note: Do not operate the Steamer without the
removable drip tray in place.

3. Place food to be steamed without sauce or
liquid into the steaming trays and place on
the power base. If steaming with sauce or
liquid, use the rice bowl and place inside
one of the steaming trays.

4. Replace the lid.

5. Insert the plug into a 230-240V power
outlet and turn the power on.

6. To set the cooking time turn the unit on by
pressing the Power button
appear on the LCD screen.

7. Press the 'SET' button once and the word
'STEAMER' will appear on the LCD screen.
An automatic cooking time of 5 minutes
will appear. To change this time use the
'MIN' (minutes) and 'HR' (hours) buttons
to reach the desired cooking time. There
is a maximum cooking time of 3 hours 59
minutes. Once the cooking time has been
selected the unit will turn on automatically

. 00:00 will

after 5 seconds. The ON/OFF light will
illuminate to let you know that steaming
has commenced. Five beeps will sound
when the selected time has elapsed and
the Steamer will automatically switch to
the Keep Warm function.

Note: If the water in the Steamer runs out
before cooking has finished the unit will
sound a continuing beep and the ON/OFF
light will blink. See the section on the
automatic boil dry sensor setting on page 6.

8. Using oven mitts or a cloth, remove the
lid by tilting it away from you to ensure
steam is safely released without scalding.
Hold the lid over the steamer to allow the
condensation to drain into the unit before
removing completely. Remove the plug
from the power outlet after use.

9. Carefully remove the steaming tray/rice
bowl and serve the food.

Note: Use caution when handling the base
of the unit and steaming trays/rice bowl as
these will be hot.

Delay Start

You can delay the start of your cooking
process by up to 30 minutes. This gives you
time to get all your food ready in advance.
The Steamer will start itself once the
selected time has elapsed.

1. Turn unit on by pressing the Power button

. 00:00 will appear on the LCD screen.

2. Press the 'SET' button once and the word
'STEAMER' will appear on the LCD screen.
An automatic cooking time of 5 minutes
will appear. To change this time use the
'MIN' (minutes) and 'HR' (hours) buttons
to reach the desired cooking time. There
is a maximum cooking time of 3 hours 59
minutes.

5

Using your VitaSteam Electronic (continued)

3. Press the 'SET' button again, and the word
'TIMER' will appear on the LCD screen.
Press the 'MIN' (minutes) button until you
reach the desired delay time. There is a
maximum delay time of 30 minutes. Once
the delay time has been selected the unit
will turn on automatically after 5 seconds
and the delay countdown will begin. Once
the delay time has finished the Steamer
will start the cooking process.

Keep Warm function

The Steamer is fitted with a Keep Warm
function. Once the selected cooking time
has elapsed the Steamer will beep 5 times.
The unit will automatically go to the Keep
Warm function where the Steamer will switch
itself on and off releasing a small amount of

steam at a time to keep your food warm. The
Steamer will stay in the Keep Warm function
for up to 1 hour. After 1 hour the Steamer
will beep 3 times and then turn off.

Automatic boil dry sensor setting

The Steamer is fitted with an automatic boil
dry sensor which switches off the heating
element if the base is accidentally switched
on empty or boils dry. If this occurs a
continuous beep will sound and the ON/OFF
light will blink. If cooking, the timer will
stop. Refill water through the external water
fill holes and press the 'SET' button to
recommence the cooking process. The timer
will continue with the remaining cooking time
left on the LCD screen.

For Best Results when Steaming

The cooking times stated in this booklet are
a guide only. The steaming time required for
specific foods is affected by the following:

• The size, quality and the temperature of
the food to begin with.

• The degree to which you like your food
cooked.

• The temperature of the water used for
steaming.

To ensure you get the best results when
using your VitaSteam Electronic, follow these
simple tips: –

• Remove food promptly after the steaming
cycle has completed. If food is left in the
Steamer it will continue to cook slightly
due to the accumulated steam in the unit,
especially with the Keep Warm function.

• Avoid overlapping thicker foods or foods
that will take longer to cook e.g. large cuts
of meat or large pieces of seafood.

• Food should be arranged evenly in all
steaming trays and in the rice bowls. Foods
of uniform size will steam at a similar rate.

6

Guide to the Instant Steam
Function

The VitaSteam Electronic features an Instant
Steam function that will enable steam to
be generated in as little as 30 seconds. For
this feature to operate you must place the
removable drip tray with instant steam sleeve
in position.

The instant steam sleeve concentrates a
small amount of water around the exposed
heating element, quickly bringing it to boiling
temperature to produce steam, rather than
heating all of the water in the reservoir at
once.

The instant steam sleeve has a small cut out
in the bottom to allow water to flow into the
contained water area.

For more efficient steaming we recommend
that the appliance is always operated with
the removable drip tray with instant steam
sleeve in position.

MAX

MIN

HR

MIN

SET

Guide to Water Levels

Your VitaSteam Electronic relies on the
water reservoir being full of water to operate.
Fill the water reservoir with clean water only.
See Figure 1. The water level must be
between the ‘MIN’ (500ml) and ‘MAX’
(1000ml) markings.
When continuously cooking food with your
Steamer ensure that the water level does not
fall below the ‘MIN’ marking (500ml).

If this does occur your VitaSteam Electronic
is fitted with an automatic boil dry sensor
which will switch off the heating element.
See previous page for more details.

The external water fill holes on both sides
of the Steamer allow you to add water to the
Steamer without removing the steaming trays.
This is ideal for topping up water levels

when cooking for long periods and allows for
continuous steaming. See Figure 2.

HR

Figure 1

MAX

MIN

MIN

SET

MAX

MIN

HR

MIN

Figure 2

SET

7

Guide to using the Steaming Trays

The VitaSteam Electronic comes with three
steaming trays. The appliance can operate
with all trays stacked on top of each other or
with just one tray in position. See Figure 3.

Then place the upper steaming trays
on top for cooking rice or vegetables.

Note: Ensure bases are properly clicked into
the sides of each tray before use.

The base of each tray can also be removed to
allow for larger food items. See Figure 4.

Place the largest piece of food with the
longest cooking time in the lowest steaming
tray, then place on top of the removable drip
tray and power base.

Figure 3

MAX

MIN

HR

MIN

SET

Guide to using the Rice Bowl

Rice should be cooked in the rice bowl
provided, which has a capacity of up to 6
cups of cooked rice. The rice bowl must
be placed in the top steaming tray with
the lid on.

Both uncooked rice and water must be added
to the rice bowl. Check the recommended
quantities on Page 12. For perfect rice,
ensure you rinse the rice properly with cold
running water before cooking.

When handling the rice bowl use insulated
pot holders/oven mitts to avoid burns from
the hot steam.

MAX

MIN

HR

MIN

SET

Figure 4

8

Care and Cleaning

Before cleaning your Sunbeam VitaSteam
Electronic, ensure the power is turned off at
the power outlet and the plug removed.

Wash the rice bowl, steaming trays, drip tray
and the lid in warm, soapy water, rinse and
dry.

DO NOT wash in dishwasher as the hot water
temperatures and harsh detergents may
eventually warp and scratch these parts. DO
NOT use abrasives or abrasive cleaners as
these may also scratch the surfaces.

Wipe out the interior of the Steamer base
with a warm, damp cloth or a small brush.
Wipe the exterior of the base with a damp
cloth or sponge. DO NOT use abrasives or
abrasive cleaners as these may scratch the
Steamer base.

Warning

NEVER IMMERSE THE BASE OF YOUR
STEAMER IN WATER OR ANY OTHER
LIQUID.

Important – Mineral Deposits

Mineral deposits may accumulate on the
exposed heating element which can result in
your Sunbeam VitaSteam Electronic switching
off before the cooking cycle is complete.
To remove this build up use a wet scouring
pad and rub over the surface of the heating
element only, after each use.

Alternatively, prepare a solution of either:
(i)- 2 cups of water in which 1 teaspoon of

cream of tartar has been dissolved; or

(ii)- 2 cups of water to which 1 tablespoon

of lemon juice or white vinegar has been
added.

Pour the solution into the reservoir, place
the lid in position on the Steamer base and
operate your Sunbeam VitaSteam Electronic
for approximately 15 minutes. Remove the
lid and clean as directed. If excess scale has
built up, repeat this process.

Note:

If food with a strong odour, such as fish
and cabbage has been steamed, the above
procedure may be followed with the steaming
trays or rice cooker bowl in position. This will
ensure that the odour is not transferred to
the next steaming cycle.

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