Idly is a volume game. A tiffin centre that sells out by 10 am, a hotel breakfast buffet, a cloud kitchen doing 500 tiffin orders — each needs the same thing at a different scale: steady batches of steamed idlis with no bottleneck. The Pradeep and Aeonic range we stock covers that whole spectrum, from a 36-idly table-top cooker to a 40 KW trolley system that steams 600 idlis a batch. This guide maps the ladder so you can find your rung.
The Ladder at a Glance
Seven machines, one per rung. Everything below the line is a table-top; everything above it is floor-standing bulk equipment:
| Model | Idlis / Batch | Type | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pradeep 111593 | 36 | Electrical, 9 plates × 4 | 2400W |
| Aeonic PA-TICT-03 | 54 | Induction, with timer | 3.5 kW · 230V 16A |
| PA-EST-09 | 90 | Electrical, 15 plates × 6 | 9000W |
| PA-ISTH-08 | 80 steam + 80 hold | Bulk induction | 8 KW |
| PA-IST-12 | 180 | Bulk induction, 12 trays | 12 KW |
| PA-IST-20-1H | 300 | Bulk induction, 2 trolleys | 20 KW |
| PA-IST-40-2H | 600 | Bulk induction, 4 trolleys | 40 KW |
One number we have deliberately left out of that table: batch times. Steaming time depends on the machine, the load and your batter, and quoting a single figure for the whole range would mislead more than it informs — ask us for the model you shortlist and we will confirm it.
Two Families: Multi-Purpose Steamers and Dedicated Idly Cookers
The first split in the range is between general-purpose steamers and machines built only for idly.
The insert steamers on our table-top electrical page are the flexible option. The 10-litre series (models 220328, 220328-2, 220328-3) comes with one, two or three stackable inserts and is CE, SAA and A-Mark certified; the inserts handle idly, momos and vegetables, so one machine covers a mixed snacks menu. The insert count is the real decision in this series: one insert steams one item at a time, while the two- and three-insert versions stack, so a momo order and a vegetable batch can run over the same base — buy the count that matches how many steamed items your menu serves in the same hour, not how many it lists. The 28-litre series (220340, 220340-2, 220340-3) is the same one-to-three-insert idea at hotel and canteen grade, for kitchens where the 10-litre chamber would cycle constantly. There are also dedicated corn steamers at 4L (220305) and 12L (220307) — a single-purpose machine, but if steamed corn is a menu staple it frees the main steamer entirely.
The dedicated idly cookers trade that flexibility for speed at volume: fixed idly plates or GN trays, loaded and unloaded as complete batches. If idly is a core menu item rather than one of many, the dedicated machines are the right family.
The Table-Top Idly Cookers: 36 to 90 a Batch
Three machines cover the counter-top end of the ladder.
The Pradeep 111593 steams 36 idlis a batch on 9 plates of 4 idlis each, at 2400W — the entry point for a small tiffin counter or a restaurant that serves idly as one item among many.
The Aeonic PA-TICT-03 is the induction step up: 54 idlis a batch, 3.5 kW on 230V with a 16A point, and a built-in timer so batches run to time instead of to guesswork.
The PA-EST-09 is the largest table-top at 90 idlis a batch — 15 plates of 6 idlis — drawing 9000W. At that load the machine is table-top in format but not in electrical planning; confirm your supply can take it before ordering.
The Bulk Induction Line: 80 to 600 a Batch
Above the counter-top sizes, the Aeonic bulk induction range moves to GN tray format with built-in timers, built for tiffin factories, hotels and institutional kitchens:
| Model | Batch Capacity | Format | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA-ISTH-08 | 80 steam + 80 hold | Steam and hold chambers | 8 KW |
| PA-IST-12 | 180 idlis | 12 trays | 12 KW |
| PA-IST-20-1H | 300 idlis | 2 trolleys | 20 KW |
| PA-IST-40-2H | 600 idlis | 4 trolleys | 40 KW |
Two details in that table matter more than the headline numbers. The PA-ISTH-08 pairs an 80-idly steaming chamber with an 80-idly holding section — one batch serves while the next steams, so a continuous breakfast queue never waits on the cooker. And the trolley models load as complete trolleys: at 300 or 600 idlis a batch, the trolley format is what makes loading and unloading physically workable rather than a tray-by-tray relay.
Electrical vs Induction
The table-top ladder crosses from electrical element machines (111593, PA-EST-09, the insert steamers) to induction (PA-TICT-03 and the entire bulk line). The induction models in this range carry timers as standard, and the wider case for induction in a commercial kitchen — running-cost behaviour, heat in the kitchen, control — is argued with numbers in our induction vs gas comparison. What we will not do here is convert the wattage figures above into monthly electricity bills for you generically: that depends on your batch count, duty cycle and tariff, and a made-up number would be worse than none. Tell us your daily idly volume on WhatsApp and we will work it through for your case.
Matching the Machine to the Operation
Small tiffin counter or mixed-menu restaurant — the 111593 (36 a batch) or a 10L insert steamer if momos and vegetables share the machine.
Busy tiffin centre — PA-TICT-03 (54) or PA-EST-09 (90); the timer on the induction unit matters most where one person runs several stations. See the full table-top induction range for what sits alongside it.
Hotel breakfast buffet — the PA-ISTH-08 steam-and-hold is built for exactly this service pattern.
Cloud kitchen doing tiffin delivery — order patterns arrive in waves rather than a queue, so batch size matters more than holding: the PA-IST-12 at 180 a batch clears a delivery wave in one cycle where a table-top would need four.
Tiffin factory or institutional kitchen — PA-IST-12 upwards, sized by your peak batch, with the trolley models for anything past 200 a batch. At this scale the GN tray format also standardises everything downstream — the same trays move from steamer to holding to packing.
The sizing rule across all of them: buy for your peak hour, not your daily average. A machine that matches your 8 am rush coasts through the rest of the day; one that matches your daily average creates a queue exactly when you can least afford it.
Sizing an Idly Line?
Tell us your peak-hour idly volume and what else the machine needs to steam. We will recommend the right model, confirm the electrical requirement for your site, and quote delivery — same-day in Hyderabad.
📍 Display centre: Nagole, Hyderabad
Same-day delivery in Hyderabad | Next-day across AP and Telangana
Frequently Asked Questions
How many idlis can a commercial idly cooker make per batch?
The range runs from 36 idlis a batch (Pradeep 111593 table-top) through 54 (Aeonic PA-TICT-03), 90 (PA-EST-09), then the bulk induction line at 80, 180, 300 and 600 idlis a batch. Pick the batch size that matches your peak-hour demand, not your daily total.
Can an insert steamer cook things other than idly?
Yes — the stackable insert steamers are multi-purpose and handle idly, momos and vegetables. The dedicated idly cookers use fixed idly plates or GN trays, so they are single-purpose but faster to load at volume.
What power supply do idly steamers need?
It varies widely by model — the 36-idly table-top is 2400W, the 54-idly induction unit runs on 230V with a 16A point, and the bulk systems range from 8KW to 40KW and need proper electrical planning. Tell us the model you are considering and we will confirm the supply requirement before you order.
What does “steam + hold” mean on the PA-ISTH-08?
It steams one batch of 80 idlis while holding another 80 ready to serve, so service never waits on the next batch — useful for breakfast counters with a continuous queue.