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.
Rice Cookers ... Please give me your advice/ideas.
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Scotch
Head Chef
Don't listen to the nay-sayers, especially those who don't own and have never used a rice cooker. These are wonderful and versatile appliances, a great time saver and far more convenient than having to watch a pot of rice cooking. It's set it and forget it, and the rice is perfect every time. That's why these gadgets are ubiquitous in Asian homes.
Mine is a National, which is the same as Panasonic. Look for one with "fuzzy logic." Mine is several years old, gets used frequently, and works great.
Mine is a National, which is the same as Panasonic. Look for one with "fuzzy logic." Mine is several years old, gets used frequently, and works great.
GuamDude
Assistant Cook
Many kids on Guam learn how to cook rice before they are teens. Sticky rice is a daily staple here for all five meals of the day. We don't care much for the long-grain, loose style of cooking rice such as Uncle Bens and Rice a Roni.
I've gone through a few cookers in my life.
Yes the zojirushi is the best but not necessary as many other brands are just as good. I have a 4 cup Panasonic (hinged), a 10-cup generic (loose) and a 50-cup Thunder (loose, LPG).
To me the only difference between the hinged and unhinged is the keep time. The hinged ones usually have a warm setting and if you make rice at breakfast, it'll still be piping hot at lunch and still hot at dinner, though it might be the tiniest bit crusty. To avoid the yellowing that accompanies a long-held pot of rice in the hinged version, add a half-cap of vinegar to the water after rinsing.
The loose-lid variety tends to dry out the top of the rice a little faster and many do not have the "warm" setting.
While either is good for sticky calrose rice, I prefer my hinged for making brown rice.
They all generally work the same. A thermostat senses when the temperature goes above 212 degrees (when there is no more water left to boil) and then the gas or electricity is cut off. From there it needs time to sit.
I've gone through a few cookers in my life.
Yes the zojirushi is the best but not necessary as many other brands are just as good. I have a 4 cup Panasonic (hinged), a 10-cup generic (loose) and a 50-cup Thunder (loose, LPG).
To me the only difference between the hinged and unhinged is the keep time. The hinged ones usually have a warm setting and if you make rice at breakfast, it'll still be piping hot at lunch and still hot at dinner, though it might be the tiniest bit crusty. To avoid the yellowing that accompanies a long-held pot of rice in the hinged version, add a half-cap of vinegar to the water after rinsing.
The loose-lid variety tends to dry out the top of the rice a little faster and many do not have the "warm" setting.
While either is good for sticky calrose rice, I prefer my hinged for making brown rice.
They all generally work the same. A thermostat senses when the temperature goes above 212 degrees (when there is no more water left to boil) and then the gas or electricity is cut off. From there it needs time to sit.
JoZee
Senior Cook
Mine is a Proctor Silex, It wasn't expensive. It works great. I can make 10 cups of rice in it and it turns out really nice every time. It's non-stick to boot so I have very little clean up with it.
expatgirl
Master Chef
put one cup of rice in small pot (1 quart---double or triple recipe as needed and increase the pot size---one cup is equivalent to 3 cups cooked) I prefer the small grain myself, add twice the amount of water to whatever the amount you are using (research brown rice preparations as they are totally different) I'm not a big salt user so I/2 tsp and 1tbsp butter as well.....bring just to a boil (not roiling), turn down the heat, and simmer on low for 20 minutes...........rice cookers are A GODSEND.........buy one when you can...........
Zojirushi
I have made so much rice in my Zojirushi. I have the 5 cup variety and always had it loaded with rice. It kept the rice looking good for days even though it rarely lasted that long. If you have kids in sports or a large family this is a perfect way to assure people have food. Excellent quality. Bought mine off craigslist for $20 bucks.
I have made so much rice in my Zojirushi. I have the 5 cup variety and always had it loaded with rice. It kept the rice looking good for days even though it rarely lasted that long. If you have kids in sports or a large family this is a perfect way to assure people have food. Excellent quality. Bought mine off craigslist for $20 bucks.
expatgirl
Master Chef
Great deal, IronChris!!!
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.
meshoo96
Senior Cook
have a black and decker rice cooker and although I like that the rice doesn't burn, there is a hole in the lid and I end up with hot, starchy water everywhere in the kitchen when I use it. I used to have a proctor silex one and it was great. I wouldn't buy the black and decker brand again.
That is fantastic... I will try that very soon. Also wanting to try some black beans in it as well.
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.
NZDoug
Cook
We got a cheepy rice cooker, about $20 U.S.
My wife won it as a tennis prize.
It works great with all kinds of rice, Basmanti, wild, whatever.When the rice is 1/2 cooked, I often throw in some vegies, like green beans, or, sliced carrots, or brocolli etc. and it comes out "El dente" but really hot , crisp and tasty.
Our dog loves rice left overs so he pre cleans the pot.
Waste not, want not!
My wife won it as a tennis prize.
It works great with all kinds of rice, Basmanti, wild, whatever.When the rice is 1/2 cooked, I often throw in some vegies, like green beans, or, sliced carrots, or brocolli etc. and it comes out "El dente" but really hot , crisp and tasty.
Our dog loves rice left overs so he pre cleans the pot.
Waste not, want not!
powerplantop
Executive Chef
I also have the same one but until last night I did not realise that it was made by Zojirushi.
Mary Microwave
Assistant Cook
I know this post is pretty old, and the original poster has probably made their buying decision (Must have bought one with all the raves here!)
I have a loose lid type, off brand and it is great. The 12 cup size serves my family of 4 & guests very well. I have seen them more frequently in thrift stores and they seem to wear like iron.
So any new interest folks - get one
I have a loose lid type, off brand and it is great. The 12 cup size serves my family of 4 & guests very well. I have seen them more frequently in thrift stores and they seem to wear like iron.
So any new interest folks - get one
Wow, just come across discuss cooking - first of all I'm amazed at what a comprehensive forum this is for all food related things! Second of all it's great to see the support and recommendations that Zojirushi rice cookers have on this forum!
Although it's an old thread, I just wanted to add that Zojirushi rice cookers are the very best you can buy - they have really useful functions to cook different types of rice so it takes all the thinking out and therefore they produce perfect rice every time.
You guys in the US have been lucky, Zojirushi have been available for a long time there, here in the UK, Europe and Australia they have, until recently, been impossible to find.
Although it's an old thread, I just wanted to add that Zojirushi rice cookers are the very best you can buy - they have really useful functions to cook different types of rice so it takes all the thinking out and therefore they produce perfect rice every time.
You guys in the US have been lucky, Zojirushi have been available for a long time there, here in the UK, Europe and Australia they have, until recently, been impossible to find.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Welcome to the site Yum Asia!
n2cookin
Senior Cook
I had a cheap model that I got from Wal-mart. I tried spraying it with Pam, tried rinsing the rice but everytime I used it the rice would stick to the bottom. I finally donated it to goodwill. Maybe it was just me, hopefully someone else will enjoy it. I am back to cooking rice in a pan on the stove. That has always worked for me in the past.
froggythefrog
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2010
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- 122
My gf feels the same way about hers. I was looking at other ones at the Asian market and she says to me, "Accept no imitations." I've yet to part with the money one costs.
I finally broke down and bought a fuzzy-logic rice cooker. Sanyo ECJ-HC55S/H, 5.5 cup. New, out of box, thrift store, $6. Tried it with brown Basmati rice today. Two cups of the most perfect brown rice I've ever made. Yowza! I'd been holding out for the Zojirushi with the ceramic pot, but haven't found one for a price I can really afford, and I'm glad I waited. The Sanyo works just fine.
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