Black & Decker HS2000 Flavor Scenter Steamer and Rice Cooker

Steams food without adding fats or calories / Built-in flavor scenter to spice up fish, chicken, and vegetables / 75-Minute timer with signal bell Clear view container shows how much juice is made Removable parts for easy cleaning Dishwasher-safe

After three days with Black & Decker's Flavor Scenter, I had used it to perfectly steam asparagus, artichokes (flavored with garlic in the steamer's flavor screens), and leeks. Though I doubted its usefulness when I first got it, I was a convert! This is an extremely useful appliance, a real boon especially to those trying to eat more healthily. The steam bowl's oblong shape perfectly holds vegetables, such as asparagus and corn, as well as three (or six, when layered) mid-size artichokes, which fit in upright. The rice cooker bowl is slightly smaller but can still hold 7 cups of cooked rice. Put water in the base and vegetables, seafood, or rice in the steamer; set the timer according to the instruction manual; and have your hands free until it rings. As an added feature, two small screens below the bowl can be filled with herbs to scent and flavor whatever's cooking. This cooker would also be ideal in a starter kitchen or dorm room, where its multiple uses would really come in handy. It's dishwasher-safe, but because it doesn't ever come near grease, it's easily wiped clean. --Maria Dolan