Commercial steamers are used to prepare all manner of food items, most notably steamed vegetables and seafood. Since steam is water in its gas form, rather than drying out cooking foods, the foods retain their moisture, color and nutrients. This does not because the steam adds moisture to the food (and potentially make it soggy). Rather, since the cabinet air is so high in humidity, the heat does not draw moisture out of the food. The food simply maintains its own moisture content while cooking; nothing is added or subtracted.

Beyond simply filling a cabinet with pressurized steam, commercial steamers are available that also utilize convection technology to further improve cooking efficiency. Smaller models are available, too, that fit on a countertop for operations with limited space. Large kettles that utilize steam are also available for soup kitchens.