Buying a new rice cooker. Around $100 budget.

mellondust

Senior member
Nov 20, 2001
562
0
0
Looking to buy my first quality(not real expensive but more advanced) rice cooker and have narrowed it down to this Sanyo model for $99. Anyone know of any better model for around the same price. I am willing to go $10 to $20 higher or consider a 5.5 cup cooker if it is that much better. If anyone has any better suggestions I am open to them.

Thanks
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
5,858
0
0
that looks like a fancy one. my parents always gets the round one from chinese markets and have never had a problem with any
 

Maximus96

Diamond Member
Nov 9, 2000
5,388
1
0
2nd Zojiroshi, we bought one from costco for a little over $100. its a 10 cup tho...
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
eBay/Costco/Amazon for Zojirushi

i DON'T have one and it was the worst idea ever.
 

music

Senior member
May 9, 2002
281
0
0
I have the Zojirushi with the induction heating system. It's expensive and the cooking times are long, but the rice comes out perfect. My sister has a Tiger model that is ok. I would suggest buying one that is made in Japan. The quality seems better than the ones made elsewhere.
 

apac

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2003
6,212
0
71
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You realize you can cook rice easily in any sauce pan with a lid right? :confused:

Was about to mention/ask the same thing. Can someone explain the difference between a rice cooker and a pot + lid + stove? AFAIK they take the same amount of time and serve the same purpose.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,599
1,003
126
Originally posted by: apac
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You realize you can cook rice easily in any sauce pan with a lid right? :confused:

Was about to mention/ask the same thing. Can someone explain the difference between a rice cooker and a pot + lid + stove? AFAIK they take the same amount of time and serve the same purpose.

The only difference I can figure is that you just mix the water and rice in a rice cooker and turn it on. With the pot + lid + stove you actually have to time it...BFD. They do take the same amount of time and they do serve the same purpose.

It's just another useless gadget that you can set on your countertop and brag to your friends about.
 

mellondust

Senior member
Nov 20, 2001
562
0
0
Many of you ask what the difference is so I will try to explain best I can. (Anyone else feel free to add any additional comments on the difference) First off, if you don't eat rice that much or don't care about the texture then any old rice cooker will do. I didn't know the difference until I had a friend in college from Japan with a real rice cooker and I loved the way it turned out. I can eat this type of rice plain but not the other. You almost have to eat rice from a good rice cooker to truly see the difference but it is not the same rice that comes out. As best I understand it, the nicer rice cookers presure cook the rice instead of boil it. The rice is more evenly cooked and does not burn. There are also many automated functions for cooking different types of rices or styles and other controls like keeping rice warm, delayed cooking so it is done when you get home from work an so on. My current cheapo rice cooker that uses the boil method will eventually dry the rice out if left on warm, where as the others keep it fresh. They sell even more expensive ones than this but I am on a budget. Like I said before, people that are not big rice eaters don't need anything like this. A good comparison question would be like asking why buy an electric mixer when I can mix it by hand. Hope this answers some of your questions.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,599
1,003
126
Originally posted by: mellondust
Many of you ask what the difference is so I will try to explain best I can. (Anyone else feel free to add any additional comments on the difference) First off, if you don't eat rice that much or don't care about the texture then any old rice cooker will do. I didn't know the difference until I had a friend in college from Japan with a real rice cooker and I loved the way it turned out. I can eat this type of rice plain but not the other. You almost have to eat rice from a good rice cooker to truly see the difference but it is not the same rice that comes out. As best I understand it, the nicer rice cookers presure cook the rice instead of boil it. The rice is more evenly cooked and does not burn. There are also many automated functions for cooking different types of rices or styles and other controls like keeping rice warm, delayed cooking so it is done when you get home from work an so on. My current cheapo rice cooker that uses the boil method will eventually dry the rice out if left on warm, where as the others keep it fresh. They sell even more expensive ones than this but I am on a budget. Like I said before, people that are not big rice eaters don't need anything like this. A good comparison question would be like asking why buy an electric mixer when I can mix it by hand. Hope this answers some of your questions.

I'd be willing to bet that if you took the same rice cooked in a rice cooker and cooked properly on a stove top and did a blind taste test that you couldn't tell the difference.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: mellondust
Many of you ask what the difference is so I will try to explain best I can. (Anyone else feel free to add any additional comments on the difference) First off, if you don't eat rice that much or don't care about the texture then any old rice cooker will do. I didn't know the difference until I had a friend in college from Japan with a real rice cooker and I loved the way it turned out. I can eat this type of rice plain but not the other. You almost have to eat rice from a good rice cooker to truly see the difference but it is not the same rice that comes out. As best I understand it, the nicer rice cookers presure cook the rice instead of boil it. The rice is more evenly cooked and does not burn. There are also many automated functions for cooking different types of rices or styles and other controls like keeping rice warm, delayed cooking so it is done when you get home from work an so on. My current cheapo rice cooker that uses the boil method will eventually dry the rice out if left on warm, where as the others keep it fresh. They sell even more expensive ones than this but I am on a budget. Like I said before, people that are not big rice eaters don't need anything like this. A good comparison question would be like asking why buy an electric mixer when I can mix it by hand. Hope this answers some of your questions.

I'd be willing to bet that if you took the same rice cooked in a rice cooker and cooked properly on a stove top and did a blind taste test that you couldn't tell the difference.

The difference is this:

stove = you gotta know what you're doing
cheap rice cooker = insert water, insert rice, cook. rice can be sometimes mushy sometimes dry
zojirushi/baller rice cookers = insert water, insert rice, press button. perfect rice everytime. automatically compensates for too much water, too little water, etc.
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
5,858
0
0
Originally posted by: apac
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You realize you can cook rice easily in any sauce pan with a lid right? :confused:

Was about to mention/ask the same thing. Can someone explain the difference between a rice cooker and a pot + lid + stove? AFAIK they take the same amount of time and serve the same purpose.



put in water. put in rice. flip switch to "cook". walk away, come back, perfect rice. and it holds it warm.

cooker > win
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,599
1,003
126
Originally posted by: Ns1
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: mellondust
Many of you ask what the difference is so I will try to explain best I can. (Anyone else feel free to add any additional comments on the difference) First off, if you don't eat rice that much or don't care about the texture then any old rice cooker will do. I didn't know the difference until I had a friend in college from Japan with a real rice cooker and I loved the way it turned out. I can eat this type of rice plain but not the other. You almost have to eat rice from a good rice cooker to truly see the difference but it is not the same rice that comes out. As best I understand it, the nicer rice cookers presure cook the rice instead of boil it. The rice is more evenly cooked and does not burn. There are also many automated functions for cooking different types of rices or styles and other controls like keeping rice warm, delayed cooking so it is done when you get home from work an so on. My current cheapo rice cooker that uses the boil method will eventually dry the rice out if left on warm, where as the others keep it fresh. They sell even more expensive ones than this but I am on a budget. Like I said before, people that are not big rice eaters don't need anything like this. A good comparison question would be like asking why buy an electric mixer when I can mix it by hand. Hope this answers some of your questions.

I'd be willing to bet that if you took the same rice cooked in a rice cooker and cooked properly on a stove top and did a blind taste test that you couldn't tell the difference.

The difference is this:

stove = you gotta know what you're doing
cheap rice cooker = insert water, insert rice, cook. rice can be sometimes mushy sometimes dry
zojirushi/baller rice cookers = insert water, insert rice, press button. perfect rice everytime. automatically compensates for too much water, too little water, etc.

Again, it doesn't take much skill to master the art of cooking rice and it doesn't require a $150 appliance either. I can understand why they use expensive rice cookers at restaurants and sushi bars but at home you can cook rice easily without one. But hey, if you feel the need go for it.

BTW-I have tried many many different types of rice from all over the world. Some take longer to cook than others, some are stickier and some required rinsing before cooking. And I cooked none of them in a rice cooker. ;)
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: Ns1
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: mellondust
Many of you ask what the difference is so I will try to explain best I can. (Anyone else feel free to add any additional comments on the difference) First off, if you don't eat rice that much or don't care about the texture then any old rice cooker will do. I didn't know the difference until I had a friend in college from Japan with a real rice cooker and I loved the way it turned out. I can eat this type of rice plain but not the other. You almost have to eat rice from a good rice cooker to truly see the difference but it is not the same rice that comes out. As best I understand it, the nicer rice cookers presure cook the rice instead of boil it. The rice is more evenly cooked and does not burn. There are also many automated functions for cooking different types of rices or styles and other controls like keeping rice warm, delayed cooking so it is done when you get home from work an so on. My current cheapo rice cooker that uses the boil method will eventually dry the rice out if left on warm, where as the others keep it fresh. They sell even more expensive ones than this but I am on a budget. Like I said before, people that are not big rice eaters don't need anything like this. A good comparison question would be like asking why buy an electric mixer when I can mix it by hand. Hope this answers some of your questions.

I'd be willing to bet that if you took the same rice cooked in a rice cooker and cooked properly on a stove top and did a blind taste test that you couldn't tell the difference.

The difference is this:

stove = you gotta know what you're doing
cheap rice cooker = insert water, insert rice, cook. rice can be sometimes mushy sometimes dry
zojirushi/baller rice cookers = insert water, insert rice, press button. perfect rice everytime. automatically compensates for too much water, too little water, etc.

Again, it doesn't take much skill to master the art of cooking rice and it doesn't require a $150 appliance either. I can understand why they use expensive rice cookers at restaurants and sushi bars but at home you can cook rice easily without one. But hey, if you feel the need go for it.

BTW-I have tried many many different types of rice from all over the world. Some take longer to cook than others, some are stickier and some required rinsing before cooking. And I cooked none of them in a rice cooker. ;)

that's you. i know a ton of people who have butchered rice that way (myself included). my POS 20 rice cooker makes perfect rice RARELY, and the "keep warm" dries it out in like 2 hours.

my friends 220 zojirushi (i can't believe he spent that much, but anyway) makes perfect rice everytime and keeps warm for like 8 hours
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,599
1,003
126
Originally posted by: Ns1
that's you. i know a ton of people who have butchered rice that way (myself included). my POS 20 rice cooker makes perfect rice RARELY, and the "keep warm" dries it out in like 2 hours.

my friends 220 zojirushi (i can't believe he spent that much, but anyway) makes perfect rice everytime and keeps warm for like 8 hours

Why would you need to keep rice warm for 8 hours? :confused:

I cook rice and then I eat it. I can't recall ever needing to keep it warm for long periods of time.
 

Modeps

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
17,254
44
91
Originally posted by: hellokeith
I don't think you can buy even a used Honda Civic for under $99. :D

That's exactly what I was going to come in here and post.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: Ns1
that's you. i know a ton of people who have butchered rice that way (myself included). my POS 20 rice cooker makes perfect rice RARELY, and the "keep warm" dries it out in like 2 hours.

my friends 220 zojirushi (i can't believe he spent that much, but anyway) makes perfect rice everytime and keeps warm for like 8 hours

Why would you need to keep rice warm for 8 hours? :confused:

I cook rice and then I eat it. I can't recall ever needing to keep it warm for long periods of time.

haha it happens to me sometimes. we cook rice at like 6pm thinking we're gonna eat dinner at 630, then we gotta leave or do something and don't eat until 10+. Not exactly 8 hours but still

i dont' think you'd ever use the full 8 hours, but if you're buying a $220 rice cooker you have the disposable income and want the bragging rights (it IS the coolest rice cooker out there...)


he has this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/Zojirushi-...VWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'd probably get this one
http://www.amazon.com/Zojirush...qid=1195675094&sr=8-45
 

Juno

Lifer
Jul 3, 2004
12,574
0
76
mellondust, the rice cooker you are looking for is what i have. actually i have the small version that can hold 5 cups of rice.

in fact, i've never used it. my parents bought it for me when i moved out of parents' house.
 

neegotiator

Golden Member
Jan 19, 2006
1,117
1
0
seems like overkill for a rice cooker, i got mine for 15 at fry's awhile back and it's been working fine for a few years.
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
0
0
We've always used Tiger brand. Think it's an "import" (i.e. not among big 5 or so electronic companies). Cooks well, but we've been through like 2 in 5 years. Then again, daily use might be a factor...