Another Microwave Steaming Bag Hit the Market

I have been raving about Glads new Microwave Steaming Bags, but did also come to a screeching halt upon noticing they have a competitor on the grocery shelves now, in the name of Ziplock's new Zip'n Steam bags.

What is the difference? These products are priced competitively and both have the same basic function. In fact they both have cooking times for different food items printed right on each bag. Beyond that, they are not at all the same, though. The first obvious difference is size. Ziplock's bag appears to be quite a bit larger in capacity, however because it is flat, whereas the Glad bag opens up and expands outward at the bottom, the capacities are not as different as they at first appear. Ziplocks do hold a bit more.

The Glad bags are easier to handle, however, because they stand up and are made of a material that is stiff enough to remain upright. This makes it easier to fill them without dripping seasonings on the zipper. The Ziplock bags are more flexible and do not stand up at all. For this reason they are not as useful for making rice or pasta, which is my primary use of the microwave steaming bag product.

If you wish to have a bit more capacity in your bag and plan to use it only for steaming vegetables or fish or meat where liquids will not be required, and if you do not wish to reuse the bag, then you will like the Ziplock bags quite well, I think. As printed on the bag, they can be used to steam seafood, chicken, or hot dogs. It is necessary to wait a bit longer before opening the Ziplock bags after cooking, as the directions will state that they should rest a full minute after coming out of the oven, whereas Glad bags can be opened after 30 seconds.

In practice, though, I find that it is possible to safely handle the Glad bags immediately, and in fact they are constructed in such a way that it is possible to pour a little liquid out of the steam vents when, for example, I have put a bit too much water in for cooking pasta, without having to reopen the bag.

In fact, since the seal is on the side when cooking in the Ziplock bags, I would be reluctant to try making rice or pasta in them at all. Although I would not try to rinse either brand of these bags out for reuse later, I do like to cook several different foods in succession using the same bag, and even after a couple of uses the Glad bags hold their shape and continue to zip and unzip as many times as needed.

Because they stand upright, they are also more convenient to use when there are a few leftovers which need to be put back in the refrigerator. The bag remains sealed until it is time to bring it out again to reheat, and left sealed after cooking, it keeps the food warm until the rest of the meal is ready. If I use a bag to steam vegetables for lunch, I often use the same bag to make rice ahead for dinner. A little of the vegetable seasoning left in the bag does not hurt the rice at all.

Just remember when making rice or pasta in a microwave steam bag it is necessary to make sure the zipper is properly closed, and cook only 5 minutes at a time then let the bag rest a bit before restarting the oven.