I bought this to steam vegetables to purée baby food for my kid. I open up the instructions and a paper falls out that reads "this product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm." After searching online I learned that there's bpa in this, which it's effects would be seen in babies and the heat would further aggravate. I'm so annoyed because this should've been clear in the description online instead of wasting my time. I don't feel comfortable prepping my child's food in something that could cause issues for them. Seriously just steer clear THIS is an improvement on the previous model? Uh, not even close.During my first use, this "steamer" had not produced enough steam to fog the sides of the lower level within 10 minutes. After 15 minutes, a bit of steam began to be apparent on the lower tier, but the top tier was still completely steam free. I kept putting my ear next to the base to make sure it was working and even went so far as to lift the tiers (after 15 minutes) to view the heating unit/steam production. It was minor at best. Based on the same, this steamer is a toy/joke compared to the previous model. Also, the plastic tiers are made of much thinner/flexible plastic and feel/likely are much cheaper as a result.The previous version of this steamer was larger, made of better plastic, and started steaming almost immediately. I used to cook everything in it and loved using it (even if it could be a #$%@! to clean). The vegetables I attempted to steam tonight (broccoli and cauliflower) would have been done in 15 minutes with the previous steamer and this baby hadn't even gotten all of the lower tier's vegetables warmed up.Too bad, really. I like the space-saving design, the metal warming unit, and the easy-to-add-time dial. Unfortunately, these improvements are lost in comparatively poor performance, cheaper materials, and obviously MUCH longer cooking times. I have been using this steamer for about 3months now, and I love it. I steam everything which is a much healthier way of cooking. It works perfectly. I haven't figured how to get tasty fish steamed as yet, but in time I will because I love fish also. So far I have steamed broccoli, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots, corn, squash, pumpkin, string beans, ochra, etc and they have been very delicous and fully cooked. Great steamer. I've used this steamer for more than two years and can conclusively say that it's fantastic! The two baskets for steaming multiple veggies and potatoes at once has made life so much easier, not to mention the fact that it encourages my family to eat healthier. As long as you give the food the right amount of time, everything tastes delicious.A few tips: 30 mins for corn on the cob, 10 minutes for broccoli, 15 minutes for baby carrots and 15-20 minutes for chopped or mini potatoes works great. Haricot verts can get squishy if you leave them in for too long, so keep a close eye on them (10-12 minutes, usually).If you're not fastidious about cleaning the bottom area out after the water has been drained, it can accumulate some funk. This is pretty easy to clean out with a scouring pad, soap, and warm water, though.I've owned a few steamers, and this one is by far my favorite. Worth every penny! When I decided to try to make some baby food for my son, I boiled his fruits and vegetables every week before putting them in the blender. Later, when he was older, I found out that doing that cooks all the nutrients out of them. So, when I had my next child, I decided to buy a steamer to keep things a little healthier.I purchased the Oster Food Steamer. To use it you fill the bottom compartment with water. There is a minimum line & a maximum line. I usually fill it right in between both. Then fill the plastic compartments with fruits, vegetables, meats or whatever else you want to cook. There’s a plastic ring you place in the middle to separate the two compartments. This allows you to make two different things at the same time. You can use them both or just one. After you cover it, there is a knob to use to set the amount of time to the steamer. It can take a while. I usually set it for about 40-45 minutes for fruits and 45-50 minutes for vegetables. This is to make the food very soft to purée. You can cook it for a shorter time to keep the veggies firmer. I’ve never used it for meat, so I can not speak on that.Some people have said that their steamer has leaked when used. I’ve only had that happen one time when I put too much water in it and it passed the maximum line. You have to be careful not to do that.Pros:-Easy to use-Lightweight-Easy to cleanCons:-Leaks if filled with too much water-The bottom compartment does bubble up and look foamy at times when cooking, but it doesn’t seem to hurt the fruits or vegetablesIt’s a plastic steamer with plastic compartments compared to other more durable steamers, but it gets the job done for me. I’ve had it for almost 8 Months, using it about once a week and it still works the same. I’m happy with my purchase. I dislike this steamer. I Gave it as a gift and they gave it back! That's how bad it is. Don't put seafood on the bottom (like the picture) it will make anything you put in the top taste like fish. So strange. Works well for other things, though. Shipping etc was prompt. I purchased this for my mom who spends entirely to much time boiling and streaming veggies for my diabetic father. They use propane for their heating and cooking and when your always using the oven, you tend to go through a lot more gas which is expensive. So I saw this and thought it would be a great alternative to steaming on the oven. They love it because my mom can pour a ton of veggies into the containers, set it and forget it until it shuts itself off. It's very easy to clean and so far holding up to the veggie onslaught. They've had it for about two months, so we shall see how durable it is long term. Oh and its so easy to use even my dad can figure it out and that's a miracle in and of itself. So far so good.