The speed of the steam bubble growth is one of the main characteristics of the boiling process because it essentially determines the heat exchange intensity. The purpose of the present work is the analysis of the bubble development mechanism at different stages of its growth in the preasymptotic and asymptotic periods. This task is solved by using the method of variable time characteristics. This method is based on the idea about independent evaluation of each separate mechanism of the process. It needs an evaluation of the duration of the processes and their comparison. The obtained results show that the many existing models of the bubble development, created considering separate factors, cannot claim to universality since all sorts of factors or their combinations are prevalent at different stages of growth.