Are rice cookers actually worth it?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,353
10,876
136
the IP does a great job on rice since that was it's main function.

It does great brown rice. I cook 3 cups and it takes 15 mins on high pressure and I give it a 10 min natural release. Flawless brown rice.
I have a headache so I don't feel like reading this whole thread.

Has anybody mentioned a pressure cooker?

Seems like a far superior option that can do way more than rice.


View attachment 35074


I actually have a nice Zojirushi rice cooker (not fuzzy-logic) and it works very well but since getting an IP last year I rarely use it.

images


IP is not QUITE as good at making white rice varieties come out super-fluffy and doesn't offer a "keep-warm" option but it does a much better job with wild/brown etc ... plus it's just easier.
 
Last edited:

thestrangebrew1

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2011
3,989
709
126
I have this one for two years now. Had a similar model for almost 20 years until it stopped working and the cover kind of broken off. Both are very well made and had no issue what so ever.



We have this exact 1 since we've been married 11 years now. Rice is a must in our house and this thing keeps rice good for about 4 days. We make a big pot and when we want it it's basically there. My parents have a tiger brand cooker that lasted like 15 years. They switched to something else now (Aroma brand?) because it's just the 2 of them and they don't eat it as much but I would get Tiger brand for sure if looking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nisryus

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Why not just use a microwave to do it? As long as your microwave uses a humidity sensor for its sensor-based cooking, it can easily handle rice.

Oh, and if you've ever wondered... "How do rice cookers work?" Well, here's a fun video explaining it to pass the time.
 

sactoking

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2007
7,638
2,908
136
I had a rice cooker but the rice always stuck to the inside. Sucks when you lose ~12.5% by weight every time. I just use a pot on the stove top now and it's perfect every time. I tried the Instant Pot once and not only did the rice stick to the pot but it wasn't any faster than the stove top method.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
99,809
17,744
126
Multi-function rooms garner need for single-use appliances. Countries where you have lots of population density and very little space for a kitchen, these kinds of appliances allow for cooking real meals with limited space and no permanent major appliances. When you already have a massive appliance, like a 4-6 burner stove top, it's counter productive adding a small electric appliance to cook rice. Yes, they may work well...but so does a pot and a heat source. I just posted a rice thread stating I never did well cooking enriched white rice. Basmati is an awesome rice and cooks VERY easily. Brown rice does well, but takes a very long time to soften.

I've actually seem Chinese restaurants use rice cookers on their buffet to provide fresh, cooked white rice easily to customers. Some cookers are very good and have the perfect temp settings to nail it every time. It's just not necessary if you make rice often. My issue is that I never did well with enriched white rice, so I didn't make it often enough to nail the process. With Basmati, I've never messed it up.

The rice cooker you see in buffets are used as warmer. Rice is cooked in the kitchen with a propane/gas/electric commercial rice cooker.

Example : https://www.webstaurantstore.com/to...aw-gas-rice-cooker-and-warmer/885RM55RLP.html
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
12,065
2,768
136
The rice cooker you see in buffets are used as warmer. Rice is cooked in the kitchen with a propane/gas/electric commercial rice cooker.

Example : https://www.webstaurantstore.com/to...aw-gas-rice-cooker-and-warmer/885RM55RLP.html
They also use 28-inch steamers for steamed products, aka the pot occupies an entire residential stove.

How do I know? Because someone gave one with no bottom away for free...deceptively. Advertised it as a 14 inch one and yeah....I still took it anyway because w/e I'm already there and wasted my time. My mom insisted I get one because she is Chinese and still is a cooking freak. Got suckered by a deceptive Asian.