InkedParrot
Assistant Cook
I just have a cheap rice cooker, you know the ones with the metal pot that gets all scratched up, lol. It works. One of these day I want to invest in a rice cooker with a ceramic pot.
That is fantastic... I will try that very soon. Also wanting to try some black beans in it as well.Ours is a Toastmaster that I bought at a thrift store for $1. In addition to cooking all kinds of rice, I use it to steam vegetables and to cook legumes and grains. One of the handiest uses I've found is to cook potatoes for potato salad. The potatoes always get cooked perfectly and don't get waterlogged. I also don't have to babysit a pan of potatoes, so I can safely do something else while the potatoes are cooking. Our rice cooker is definitely not a "uni-tasker," as Alton Brown might say.
This is the one I have. It retails for over $200.
I have the same one, and I love it. Zojirushi makes great small appliances, imo (I have their breadmaker and electric skillet and am very happy with those as well). If you want a machine that cooks different types of rice (and other things), is programmable with a timer and has variable keep warm (among other) features, it's worth every penny.
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.