What is so great about a rice cooker

[eflat]

I always see these like $50 rice cookers and do not get what is so special about them. Isn't just as easy to cook rice in a pot of water?

 

[imported_weadjust]

I paid $6.99 for mine after $3 rebate. Works fine. Link to product.

http://www.walgreens.com/store...ku461205&id=prod461205

 

[sunzt]

It's easier and harder to burn your rice. You just put rice and water in and walk away. It will automatically stop cooking and go into warm mode when it's done. The bigger the cooker (more rice you can make) the higher the price usually.

 

[CellarDoor]

convenience. It's especially nice having a separate rice cooker when you're cooking a large meal and need the room on the stove.

 

[JulesMaximus]

JulesMaximus in 3...2...1...

Oh wait, I'm me.

Why spend a couple hundred dollars on a device that basically does the exact same thing as a $5 pot with a lid on the stovetop?

 

[sonambulo]

The place I'm living in now...it's a kind of boarding house. Shared bathrooms, shared kitchen, etc. The kitchen is an absolute hellhole. There are these fucking mainlanders upstairs that came over to study some shitty applied English program and they never EVER clean up after themselves.

With my rice cooker I can do a pretty decent amount in my room. I can steam cook veggies, meat, and eggs. I can cook noodles, plain rice, rice dishes, easy mac. Sometimes I cook up hash in that fucker. When I'm feeling real plucky I'll cut up ingredients and make sukiyaki in it. Cleanup is easy, it doesn't use a lot of electricity, etc. etc.

When I move someplace with a real kitchen I'm going to buy a nicer one with a fuzzy logic chip just to do white rice. It's really convenient to have it cook the rice on its own so that you can concentrate on the dish you're preparing completely.

 

[Kelemvor]

Obviously anything that specializes in doing just one thing is better than something that can do all kinds of different things. *grin*

 

[eflat]

Originally posted by: sonambulo
The place I'm living in now...it's a kind of boarding house. Shared bathrooms, shared kitchen, etc. The kitchen is an absolute hellhole. There are these fucking mainlanders upstairs that came over to study some shitty applied English program and they never EVER clean up after themselves.

With my rice cooker I can do a pretty decent amount in my room. I can steam cook veggies, meat, and eggs. I can cook noodles, plain rice, rice dishes, easy mac. Sometimes I cook up hash in that fucker. When I'm feeling real plucky I'll cut up ingredients and make sukiyaki in it. Cleanup is easy, it doesn't use a lot of electricity, etc. etc.

When I move someplace with a real kitchen I'm going to buy a nicer one with a fuzzy logic chip just to do white rice. It's really convenient to have it cook the rice on its own so that you can concentrate on the dish you're preparing completely.

Ooooh that is so cool I just read up on that. I am such a sucker for cool technology like that. And I can never make perfect rice!

 

[KillerCharlie]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
JulesMaximus in 3...2...1...

Oh wait, I'm me.

Why spend a couple hundred dollars on a device that basically does the exact same thing as a $5 pot with a lid on the stovetop?

The one I bought only cost $10, works fine, and you just turn it on and walk away. It goes into warm mode when it's done.

 

[sniperruff]

non-stick and fuzzy logic baby

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
JulesMaximus in 3...2...1...

Oh wait, I'm me.

Why spend a couple hundred dollars on a device that basically does the exact same thing as a $5 pot with a lid on the stovetop?

The one I bought only cost $10, works fine, and you just turn it on and walk away. It goes into warm mode when it's done.

Trust me, it's only a matter of time before someone comes in here and defends the value of a $200+ rice cooker.

Edit-They'll argue benefits like keeping 20lbs of cooked rice at a perfect serving temperature for 10 hours...basically things that 99.9% of people who cook and eat rice on a daily basis find totally useless.

I'll argue that I can cook sauces in the $5 sauce pan I cook my rice in and it takes up that much less room.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
JulesMaximus in 3...2...1...

Oh wait, I'm me.

Why spend a couple hundred dollars on a device that basically does the exact same thing as a $5 pot with a lid on the stovetop?

The one I bought only cost $10, works fine, and you just turn it on and walk away. It goes into warm mode when it's done.

Trust me, it's only a matter of time before someone comes in here and defends the value of a $200+ rice cooker.

No different than buying a $5k road bike instead of a $1k.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
JulesMaximus in 3...2...1...

Oh wait, I'm me.

Why spend a couple hundred dollars on a device that basically does the exact same thing as a $5 pot with a lid on the stovetop?

exact same thing? I beg you to differ.. do you cook rice often? (or have you ever? )

1)I would pay extra $5 just for the non-stick factor

2)You can keep rice warmed, stays good for at least a day! this is THE KEY idea. try that with a pot.

3)Then of course, ALL the rice cookers in existence do turn off automatically after rice inside is fully cooked. I dunno about you, but I sure don't feel like sitting and waiting till rice is done. Since we tend to eat a good amount of rice, our batches are big which means you are guaranteed to wait 40+ minutes on it. the thing is though, if you let it sit just a tad bit longer, things will start burning and sticking to the pot..

4)the actual pot inside rice cookers is usually light, detachable and very easy to wash.

Granted, I have used both an exquisite zojirushi that retails over $100 (of course, I got mine used for much cheaper but it broke after a while ) and el cheapo rival that gets the job done. personally, I dont think there is a day and night difference... perfectly happy with the cheaper one I have now.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
JulesMaximus in 3...2...1...

Oh wait, I'm me.

Why spend a couple hundred dollars on a device that basically does the exact same thing as a $5 pot with a lid on the stovetop?

The one I bought only cost $10, works fine, and you just turn it on and walk away. It goes into warm mode when it's done.

Trust me, it's only a matter of time before someone comes in here and defends the value of a $200+ rice cooker.

No different than buying a $5k road bike instead of a $1k.

I'm just saying you don't need a $200 rice cooker to cook decent rice.

BTW-I only have about $2.5k invested in my road bikes.

 

[konakona]

I'm just saying you don't need a $200 rice cooker to cook decent rice.

BTW-I only have about $2.5k invested in my road bikes.

that, I could certainly agree with. that is not to say rice cookers are useless altogether, however. no disrespecting my handy rice cooker!

 

[PlatinumGold]

are you talking Rice a Roni rice or real short grain rice?

if you are talking chinese (rice a roni) style rice than there really isn't much of an advantage using a rice cooker. when cooking sushi style (or korean style, short grain rice) than yes, the rice cookers are much better.

also, if you are doing whole grain rice, than a plain pot and cover won't cook it nearly as well.

my wife spent $200.00 on a pressure rice cooker with timer etc. she puts the rice and water in the cooker then sets the timer to start when she needs it. she loves that cooker.

 

[Nitemare]

Can't see paying $200 for one, but paid $45 fpr mine
link

impossible to burn and nearly impossible to scorch, can steam vegetables as well, ez to clean as well.

If you are making sticky rice, it's about the only way to go.

 

[sonambulo]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Can't see paying $200 for one, but paid $45 fpr mine
link

impossible to burn and nearly impossible to scorch, can steam vegetables as well, ez to clean as well.

If you are making sticky rice, it's about the only way to go.

That's the one I have! You can do a lot with it that's for damn sure. I've even steamed sticky rice with it (used my own basket). It really is a nice little cooker.

 

[sniperruff]

you need something at least like this if you cook rice every day:

http://www.amazon.com/Zojirush.../ref=pd_sbs_k_title_24

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
you need something at least like this if you cook rice every day:

http://www.amazon.com/Zojirush.../ref=pd_sbs_k_title_24

BS-I cook rice 2-3 times a week and all I use is a covered sauce pan.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: eflatmajor
I always see these like $50 rice cookers and do not get what is so special about them. Isn't just as easy to cook rice in a pot of water?

I paid $28 for a Rival rice cooker at Costco.

You don't use instant rice in them. I use a nice aromatic bazmati rice.

It takes roughly 15 mins for me to make 8 cups of rice.

My rice cooker also doubles as a vegetable steamer.

link

 

[Jhill]

If you like rice. And cook it once a month.

You need this
yes it's a little more but it's well worth it.

Don't be fooled by cheap rice cookers. you are wasting money. You have never, ever tasted rice this good.

 

[BoomerD]

I'd love to have one of THESE.
However, we really don't eat enough rice to justify the cost. Since it's just my wife and I, she usually cooks the Uncle Ben's Boil in Bag rice. Not quite as good as properly done "regular" rice, but good enough for us "round-eyes"...
We've talked about eating more rice and fewer potatos, which is where a good rice cooker would come in handy.

I've never been a fan of rice. I ate TOO MUCH of it while in the Marine Corps and just can't seem to develop a taste for it anymore...but I know it'd be better for me than potatos, and it is a decent alternative to break up the monotony of potatos, potatos, potatos....

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: sniperruff
you need something at least like this if you cook rice every day:

http://www.amazon.com/Zojirush.../ref=pd_sbs_k_title_24

BS-I cook rice 2-3 times a week and all I use is a covered sauce pan.

Why do people buy expensive mixers when a bowl and wooden spoon works just as well?
What about automatic can openers, fancy wine bottle openers, crock pots, microwaves and any number of cooking devices?

Why bother having anything more than a spartan kitchen with all manual tools?
Because it's easier, takes less work and is commonly affordable. Of course a $200 rice cooker is rather silly for most people, but most rice cookers I see are less than $50.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: sniperruff
you need something at least like this if you cook rice every day:

http://www.amazon.com/Zojirush.../ref=pd_sbs_k_title_24

BS-I cook rice 2-3 times a week and all I use is a covered sauce pan.

again, what kind of rice to you cook? you know that cooking short grain rice is significantly different from cooking long grain rice right?