Rice Cooker. Who has one?

[GadgetGuy]

I've had mine for over a year now, and I must say that it does a very good job with cooking the rice!!

It replaces a smaller more expensive Zojirushi which had fallen and broke! I was so heartbroken when that happened!!

This one has cooked over about 50lbs of rice in the course of time since I got it, and it has never let me down!! Simple one-touch control. No timers to set, no clock watching!! A click is all that you hear, letting to know that the rice is done and the unit automatically goes into the Keep Warm mode!!

But I just unplug the cooker when it reaches that mode, to keep the rice from scorching or possibly burning on the bottom.

It is a lot cheaper than the Zojirushi, costing about 1/3 of the price that I paid for the Zojirushi unit!!
I really like it!!

 

[Jade]

I have one and I use it everyday because I like rice a lot more than bread or potatoes. I never noticed the brand of mine though, I just got the average model but I honestly wish I had just spent a bit more and got a better one because the result in this one is alright but not that good. Mine always comes out a bit watery for some reason ever since I got this new one, so on the next one I'm probably going to go for one of the Japanese brand models because I think they make the best rice cookers.

 

[OhioTom76]

I've mentioned it before on here, but any electric food steamer will also do a fantastic job of steaming rice, and they have the added benefit of being able to steam other foods as well, in addition to cooking faster. They start to steam the food within seconds due to the unique design of the heating elements. You can also hard/soft boil eggs in them too.

I tried out a couple cheap rice cookers, and the ones I had were basically just a glorified hot pot, and the rice cooked unevenly and scorched at the bottom. The Food Steamer eliminates the whole scorching issue since the container the rice cooks in never comes in contact with any direct heat at all.

I've seen those Zojirushi ones, that sell for over $200, but frankly I don't eat enough rice to warrant that cost and taking up that much counter space.

 

[Alunny]

I have one and I LOVE it! It makes the rice smell awesome and it cooks it better than I ever could. Also I don't even have to worry about it!

I wish I knew how to make more than just rice in it, like risotto or puddings but yeah. Rice in it works perfectly ha ha.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I've mentioned it before on here, but any electric food steamer will also do a fantastic job of steaming rice, and they have the added benefit of being able to steam other foods as well, in addition to cooking faster. They start to steam the food within seconds due to the unique design of the heating elements. You can also hard/soft boil eggs in them too.

I tried out a couple cheap rice cookers, and the ones I had were basically just a glorified hot pot, and the rice cooked unevenly and scorched at the bottom. The Food Steamer eliminates the whole scorching issue since the container the rice cooks in never comes in contact with any direct heat at all.

I've seen those Zojirushi ones, that sell for over $200, but frankly I don't eat enough rice to warrant that cost and taking up that much counter space.

Look at the pic that I posted at the top of the page, & you will see a steamer insert inside the cooker.

 

[lizzief79]

I do not have a rice cooker because I never have any problems with rice. However, my sister can't cook rice and it ends up looking like mashed potatoes (according to her eldest son). She bought a rice cooker last year and still can't cook rice!

 

[nutmegprincess]

We have this. However, we cook rice using the gas stove. It has been this way for us ever since because we don't like consuming too much electricity. Also, we cook rice for the whole family, so rice cookers are too small for us. Also, we cook rice every day because it is a staple food here in the Philippines.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I do not have a rice cooker because I never have any problems with rice. However, my sister can't cook rice and it ends up looking like mashed potatoes (according to her eldest son). She bought a rice cooker last year and still can't cook rice!

I think this sounds to me like she's using too much water for the rice, especially since her son says that it ends up looking like mashed potatoes!!

The norm for the rice-&-water ratio is two parts water to one part par-boiled (Uncle Ben's or similar) rice. Example; Two cups of water to one cup of rice.

For regular long-grain, sort-grain, Basmati & Jasmine, use slightly less water. Example; 1-3/4 cups of water to 1 cup of rice.

Tell her to try it this way. Chances are, she have far better success with this method!!

 

[GadgetGuy]

Here's how cooked rice should look. This was my first-ever batch of rice cooked in the cooker when I first got it!!

 

[forextraspecialstuff]

I do not have a rice cooker. For awhile I was contemplating buying one because it seemed like all of my friends have one and I thought it was one of those items that really helps flesh out a kitchen. After reading what OhioTom76 wrote I realized I do not need a cooker specifically for rice. Also, I did not buy one beforehand because I never have a problem cooking rice.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I, also, can cook rice on the stove in a pot, and sometimes, I still do.

I just like the fact that my B&D rice cooker can do just as good a job, and I also like the plastic steamer insert, which can steam cook delicate foods like salmon and veggies!

Fish, shrimp & scallops can be steamed without ever having to poach them directly in the water.

 

[Jessi]

This is mine and I absolutely love it. I won it in a raffle several years ago and never expected to enjoy it so much.

I mean... I didn't think rice was complicated and it seemed like this just had so many unnecessary buttons. Turns out, though, it even handles sushi rice flawlessly!

 

[GadgetGuy]

Jessi, that one looks quite similar to one of the Zojurushi units!!

Which makes me wonder if Zo is now making essentially identical units for Cuisinart! Hah!!

 

[Yorky]

We had our original rice cooker for 15 years and it was a pain. The rice would stick and needed a jack hammer to remove 20% of it. I finally bit the bullet and bought a new one which was Teflon coated (gold?) and it is wonderful - the rice just falls out. Why I spent years persevering with the old one for the sake of 20 quid I'll never understand.

[For a reason that I'll also never understand my wife won't bin the old one and still uses it occasionally].

 

[Cinisajoy]

I don't own a rice cooker but I do own a Black & Decker steamer.
I love it.