{"id":1049,"date":"2026-10-27T09:18:03","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T09:18:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sunbrand.in\/blog\/?p=1049"},"modified":"2026-10-27T09:18:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T09:18:04","slug":"sunbrand-in-blog-commercial-idli-steamer-300-idlis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sunbrand.in\/blog\/sunbrand-in-blog-commercial-idli-steamer-300-idlis\/","title":{"rendered":"Up to 300 Soft Idlis at a Time: Why Commercial Kitchens Choose the SUNBRAND Idli Steamer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Anyone who has run a hotel kitchen in South India knows the 7:30 rush. The sambar is ready, the chutney is ground, the tables are filling up, and everyone is waiting on the idlis. If your steamer only turns out a few dozen at a time, that wait becomes your problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve been making aluminum kitchenware in Chennai since 1939. The question we hear most from hotel owners is a simple one: how do I make more idlis, faster, without them coming out hard or sticky? Our answer is the SUN Brand Idli Express steamer. The biggest model takes 300 idlis in one go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how it works, which size makes sense for you, and a few things we’ve learned over the years about getting soft idlis every batch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There’s nothing clever about it, honestly, and that’s the point. You pour water into the base, slide the filled plates onto the rack inside and close the lid. Once the water boils, steam moves up through every level and cooks the batter. No motors, no settings. A new helper in your kitchen can pick it up in one morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which size do you need?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We make two ranges. The Idli Express Small is what most tiffin centres, small hotels and caterers go for. The Idli Express Big is for kitchens that feed hundreds of people: messes, hostel canteens and large restaurants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Model<\/th>Plates<\/th>Idlis per batch<\/th>Size (L \u00d7 B \u00d7 H, inches)<\/th>Gauge<\/th>Weight (without plates)<\/th><\/tr>
AIBW54 (Small)<\/td>6<\/td>54<\/td>12\u00be \u00d7 12\u00be \u00d7 15<\/td>14G<\/td>5.25 kg<\/td><\/tr>
AIBW72 (Small)<\/td>8<\/td>72<\/td>12\u00be \u00d7 12\u00be \u00d7 18<\/td>14G<\/td>6.25 kg<\/td><\/tr>
AIBW90 (Small)<\/td>10<\/td>90<\/td>12\u00be \u00d7 12\u00be \u00d7 21<\/td>14G<\/td>6.85 kg<\/td><\/tr>
AIBW108 (Small)<\/td>12<\/td>108<\/td>12\u00be \u00d7 12\u00be \u00d7 24\u00bc<\/td>14G<\/td>7.6 kg<\/td><\/tr>
AIBW108-SPL (Small, heavy duty)<\/td>12<\/td>108<\/td>12\u00be \u00d7 12\u00be \u00d7 24\u00bc<\/td>10G<\/td>10.7 kg<\/td><\/tr>
AIBW150 (Big)<\/td>6<\/td>150<\/td>21 \u00d7 21 \u00d7 17\u00bc<\/td>10G<\/td>14.5 kg<\/td><\/tr>
AIBW200 (Big)<\/td>8<\/td>200<\/td>21 \u00d7 21 \u00d7 21\u00bc<\/td>10G<\/td>16.8 kg<\/td><\/tr>
AIBW250 (Big)<\/td>10<\/td>250<\/td>21 \u00d7 21 \u00d7 24<\/td>10G<\/td>18.45 kg<\/td><\/tr>
AIBW300 (Big)<\/td>12<\/td>300<\/td>21 \u00d7 21 \u00d7 28\u00bd<\/td>10G<\/td>20.75 kg<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Not sure which one? Think about your busiest fifteen minutes on a Sunday morning. Roughly count how many idlis go out in that time, then pick the model that can handle that many in one batch. If you’re stuck between two sizes, go for the bigger one. Business has a way of growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why kitchens stick with it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first thing people notice is how evenly it cooks. Aluminium spreads heat quickly, so the idlis on the top plate come out as soft as the ones at the bottom. You don’t get a raw centre in one and a hard edge on another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s also built thick. The Big range uses 10-gauge aluminium, and there’s a heavy-duty 10G version of the 108-idli Small model too. A thin steamer can lose its shape after months over a high flame. A thick one holds up for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loading is quick. The plates slide in and out of the rack easily, which matters when someone is doing it fifty times before 10 am. There are handles on both sides, so it’s easy to move around the kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can choose non-stick plates. Regular aluminium plates work fine with a little oil. With non-stick, the idlis come out clean, fewer of them break, and your staff spend less time scraping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it makes more than idlis. Change the plates and you can make:<\/p>\n\n\n\n