What is so great about a rice cooker

[Billb2]

Rice steamer = cooking nOOb

 

[nageov3t]

I've got a basic ~$50 rice cooker... I think the rice I cook on the stovetop tastes better, but the rice cooker is a lot more convenient.

I use the rice cooker whenever I'm cooking rice that'll be used in another dish and the stove stop when the rice is the main dish.

I like to boil bullion in the water before adding the rice and I've never figured out an easy way to do that with a rice cooker, except by boiling the water in a pot before adding it to the cooker, but at that point, I may as well just use the pot for the rice as well and have one less dish to wash.

 

[Locut0s]

Perfect rice every time, never burns, never under cooks, never overcooks. Put rice in, put water in, plug in and forget.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Billb2
Rice steamer = cooking nOOb

I don't know about that...most of the asian families I know have one...but I guess they're all noobs at rice...right?

I think it's more a matter of convenience than anything else...

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

How many of you eat sticky rice? If you do, rice cookers are the way to go. However, if you're eating minute rice or the like, saucepan is fine.

<Asian.

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: Billb2
Rice steamer = cooking nOOb

Hardest part is putting in the right amount of water. That's more of an art than science. We only eat short-grain rice and the water required vary even among the different brand of short-grain rice. We go through about 40 lbs of rice every month.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

It's convenient and requires less brain cells which works out just great for me.

 

[beat mania]

Originally posted by: 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.

Timer rocks.
I put the rice and water in when I go to work, and when I come home for my 1 hour lunch, I have freshly cooked rice waiting for me.

Since I brought my $300+ oontz rice cooker back from Japan I haven't had to resort to crappy microwaved leftover rice for lunch. FTW.

 

[oiprocs]

I can never get the right amount of water vs rice. Plus, it always seems to be sticky. I like sticky rice, but not all the time.

 

[Eeezee]

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 "couple hundred dollars" rice cooker is the kind that you'll find in a restaurant that services rice. It's used to cook GALLONS of rice.

The kind you can use at home might cost around $30-$40 and is used to cook rice for 1-8 people. It's convenient because you A) can't burn the rice and B) don't have to do anything besides fill it up with water+rice and turn it on. Cooking rice in a pot requires you to pay attention, unless you enjoy burnt rice.

Rice steamers are also handy for steaming vegetables and other things. I have a $40 one that lets me cook rice + steam vegetables at the same time (it's pretty huge, yet takes up very little room - very efficient design). While that's going, I can pay attention to something else. The built-in timer will tell me when the rice is done, and I can let it sit around as long as I want because the steamer turned down the heat automatically so that my rice is warm long after it finished cooking (and not burning). Yes, I could be actively cooking the rice on the stove in a pot, but the steamer solution is very convenient.

After all, why spend $5 on a pot with a lid when it basically does the exact same thing as a clay pot that you've made? Or how about an empty milk jug you found in the garbage with a lid - cook the rice in that and cut it open to serve.

This thread has been brought up a million times, and some people will never give up their rice steamers in the same way that some people will never buy a rice steamer. I love my rice steamer.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: Naustica

Originally posted by: Billb2
Rice steamer = cooking nOOb

Hardest part is putting in the right amount of water. That's more of an art than science. We only eat short-grain rice and the water required vary even among the different brand of short-grain rice. We go through about 40 lbs of rice every month.

I saw 50lb bags at the asian market down the street from my apartment. You should look into getting a bigger bag, you may save a nickel or so

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: Billb2
Rice steamer = cooking nOOb

I don't know about that...most of the asian families I know have one...but I guess they're all noobs at rice...right?

I think it's more a matter of convenience than anything else...

Yes, even restaurants use rice steamers. There is no reason to sit there watching a pot of rice while you could be doing something else (seasoning the main dish, preparing sides, etc.). The rice won't taste any better in a pot than it will in a steamer.

 

[UncleWai]

Just set it and forget it.

 

[0roo0roo]

yup, if you eat rice often, its easy.
why do it the hard way if you don't have to.

 

[Sumguy]

It just makes cooking rice effortless.

 

[SZLiao214]

I think the main use of it is to keep it warm during the day.

When i'm at home we will use the batch of rice for both lunch and dinner.

 

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: oiprocs
I can never get the right amount of water vs rice. Plus, it always seems to be sticky. I like sticky rice, but not all the time.

that just means you're putting too much water. Its generally 2 parts water to one part rice.

 

[imported_Baloo]

Originally posted by: 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.

No one's talking about buying 50 rice cookers, just one, like weadmast's, only $10.00.

 

[Anubis]

do people only cook white rice in rice cookers, or can they be used for rice that actually has flavor

 

[LS21]

i tried cooking brown rice in my cooking..turned out terrible

im sticking to thai jasmine with my machine...fragrant and dericious

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Anubis
do people only cook white rice in rice cookers, or can they be used for rice that actually has flavor

i cook aromatic basmati rice in mine.

 

[LS21]

Originally posted by: zerocool1

that just means you're putting too much water. Its generally 2 parts water to one part rice.

a pretty good rule is the water level is 1 finger "knuckle" above the rice level. i however eyeball mine, especially when i cook tiny quantities and the rule doesnt scale out well....

havent ever messed up rice in 100+ cooks

 

[Taejin]

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.

what kind of rice?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: 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.

My argument is that it takes almost the same amount of effort to cook rice on a stove top. Put rice in a pot, put water in, turn burner to low and set a timer for 20 minutes (this obviously varies a bit depending on the rice used).

A mixer replaces mixing by hand which is very labor intensive. That's a really poor comparison. A rice cooker doesn't make rice making that much easier, you are essentially doing the same thing as when you cook it on the stove with a covered saucepan.

But hey, if you want to spend $300 for a rice cooker be my guest.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Cdubneeddeal
How many of you eat sticky rice? If you do, rice cookers are the way to go. However, if you're eating minute rice or the like, saucepan is fine.

<Asian.

I moslty eat sticky rice. That's unique to the rice, not the vessel you cook it in.