Rice Cookers ... Please give me your advice/ideas.

[JoMama]

I'm considering purchasing an electric rice cooker ... but want some insight / advice / ideas ... welcome all posts.

Thank you!

 

[jabbur]

I recently purchased a rice cooker myself. Got an off brand at WalMart cheap just to try. So far I've used it twice and was impressed both times. The firsts time I just cooked plain rice. The second time I used beef broth and added onion soup mix and a little butter. I came out really good and the cooker cleaned up easy. We're thinking about getting a small one for my husband to have at work since it is so easy to use. That's just my experience and I don't know what else I can tell you. Hope this helps you.

 

[JoMama]

Thank you Jabbur! Does your's have a 'click-down' lid or is it a 'loose' lid? (Not certain if these are the correct description terms ... but it's what my pea-brain came up with to best describe them.)

Example of 'click-down' lid:

Example of 'loose' lid:

 

[jabbur]

Mine's the click down lid. The lid got gunky when I added the butter and broth but wiped down with a sponge and paper towel super easy. The inner pot is removable and goes in the dishwasher. I think mine is aroma brand.

 

[expatgirl]

I have a cheap Hitachi that I've had for centuries.......I just spray it with Pam or somthing similar and it's easy clean up.............makes great rice in about 15--20 minutes.....turn it on and go........they do have some really nice ones for hundreds.......but I'm too cheap...........

 

[GB]

I have a Zojirushi Rice Cooker. They are very expensive, but it is greatest kitchen appliance I own. I did not pay anything for it directly (got it from credit card points), but now that I have used it I would absolutely buy it full price if I had to. I love this thing.

 

[gadzooks]

Zojirushi...the best.

 

[Zereh]

I have an expensive one in storage (Zojirushi) ... and have a small cheeeeeeaaap one here at my fingertips (Walgreen's special for $24.99!).

Both cook great rice consistently. And easily.


Z

 

[Hoot]

I still cook rice the old fashioned way. 2-1 water to rice....bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for twenty minutes.
Works ever' time.

 

[expatgirl]

whenever we settle permanently in the states I'm going to buy one of the zojirushi's.......I've heard great things about them from other people as well........

 

[JMediger]

We have one and love it (can't think of the brand right and and am too lazy to walk to the pantry to check) ... We've made plain old rice as as well as some of the box mixes (think Rice-a-Roni) as well. Ours also has a steamer rack on top which makes it nice for veggies. When / if it breaks down, we will definately replace it!

 

[GB]

One thing that I love about mine (and this justifies the entire price for me) is that I can set it up in the morning before I leave for work and tell it what time (to the minute) I would like the rice (or any other grain I am cooking) to be done. I get home kind of late and need to get dinner on the table quickly since we have young kids who need to get to bed. This makes it that much easier for me.

 

[JoMama]

Thank you - EVERYONE - for your replies ... I suspect it won't be long before I buy one ... but I think I'll get one that cooks rice, steams, soups, etc.

GB ... What brand is yours? And do you mind if I ask how much 'cha-ching'?

 

[NAchef]

I got the Zojirushi NP-HBC18 Zojirushi

I think I paid about $225 on Ebay

 

[expatgirl]

if you have any Oriental groceries in your area they sell rice cookers as well......they just might sell a zojirushi as well......I know that they are not cheap and you're right GB....being able to program it is a very nice feature if you're working away from home......and kids do want to eat as soon as they get home...........if we have to delay my granddaughter she's being crammed with cheese sticks and fruit........

 

[GB]

GB ... What brand is yours? And do you mind if I ask how much 'cha-ching'?

This is the one I have. It retails for over $200.

 

[bethzaring]

I have never used a "rice cooker". I cook my long grain brown rice in my pressure cooker. Use 1 1/2 cup water to one cup rice, and cook 15 minutes when up to pressure and then let pressure drop naturally. That makes perfectly cooked brown rice. When my electricity was off recently I cooked one pound of rice, twice, on my gas stove and made stir fries for many meals using the rice.

 

[Toots]

I have a cheap Panasonic rice cooker but I love it. It is so easy to do rice, even rice pilaf in it.

 

[FincaPerlitas]

Living in Central America, rice is a staple in my diet. We make it every day. Here's an exerpt from an earlier post of mine about cooking rice.

"I always cook rice in an automatic rice cooker, if available. Rice cookers are the single most common small appliance in Latin American and Asian kitchens- more common than even coffee makers or toasters. They are by far the easiest way to prepare good rice. Amazon.com has a great selection and a lot of user reviews. Regular rice cookers cost from $25 to $50 and do a great job on white rice. Fuzzy logic cookers are much more expensive, from $100 to $200, and supposedly do a better job cooking brown rice and other varieties. I've never used one so can't comment further. The inexpensive regular cookers come in 2 styles, either with a separate, removable lid or with an attached, hinged lid. I use the first style. Panasonic and Aroma are both good brands. I've had poor success with Black and Decker, Oster and several of the others."

 

[LaurenG]

I think our rice cooker is still the same one my mom had from college haha. It is an ugly yellow color and you have to bend the cord a certain way for it to turn on. As crappy as it may look on the outside, it still works perfectly. As far as I'm concerned a rice cooker is a rice cooker. In my family we don't even measure the rice. Just wash the rice and shake it so it has an even top then add liquid up to the first line on your pinky finger... never fails me.