advertisement


Rice cookers

Yank

Yank

Bulbous Also Tapered
Does anyone have any experience with rice cookers?

I'm curious about two units from the same manufacturer, both the same 3-cup capacity, one basic and one fancy:



I wonder if rice from the cheap one is "close enough"?

I suppose a rice cooker is one of those totally unnecessary kitchen accessories, but it seems to me that all the TV and Youtube chefs always have one when they're doing Asian food.
 
I can't see the point though. In a good/ solid, small saucepan, I cook perfect basmati rice every time, using just 5mins of hob power (+3 mins of microwave, about 20-30 mins afterwards). IE effectively just slow-steaming.

Capt
 
I had a cheapish rice cooker a few years back (?£15 - £20) and the thin non-stick surface peeled off after only a short while.
Replaced it with a Systema microwave rice cooker, which works well for me.

Kevin
 
The Captain said:
I can't see the point though. In a good/ solid, small saucepan, I cook perfect basmati rice every time, using just 5mins of hob power (+3 mins of microwave, about 20-30 mins afterwards). IE effectively just slow-steaming.
Click to expand...
A rice cooker is absolutely the best appliance with which to cook rice. It is almost impossible to get poor results, except if you use way too little or way too much water. I can cook perfect rice with a saucepan too, but a rice cooker is far less of a faff. Keeps cooked rice warm too, until ready to serve.
 
Everyone in Asia uses them. We brought ours back when we returned from KL 12 years ago and it’s still going strong. Does normal rice, sushi rice and all other variants and rice porridge too. Panasonic is the best brand.
 
Colin L said:
Everyone in Asia uses them. We brought ours back when we returned from KL 12 years ago and it’s still going strong. Does normal rice, sushi rice and all other variants and rice porridge too. Panasonic is the best brand.
Click to expand...

My Panasonic microwave has been perfect, and it's so old I can't even remember how long ago I bought it. Certainly more than ten years, maybe 20? Should it expire before I do, I'll not even consider another brand.
 
Yank said:
Does anyone have any experience with rice cookers?

I'm curious about two units from the same manufacturer, both the same 3-cup capacity, one basic and one fancy:



I wonder if rice from the cheap one is "close enough"?

I suppose a rice cooker is one of those totally unnecessary kitchen accessories, but it seems to me that all the TV and Youtube chefs always have one when they're doing Asian food.
Click to expand...
I have the "expensive" one you linked. Because I enjoy Asian food. :)

Zojirushi (Japanese brand) is very well-regarded. Every Asian grocery store etc. carries them too in my area (PNW USA): from the low end to high end. And Cuckoo (S. Korean brand).
 
Last edited:
I was very skeptical about these, firmly in the "What's wrong with a pan with a tight fitting lid?" etc. camp. Out of lockdown boredom, I picked up cheap as chips one in the supermarket on a whim. The amount of Indian and Thai food I cook, I wouldn't be without one now. The only thing I can see the more expensive ones have, is a better quality non-stick finish and heavier grade pan, that's less likely to deform if dropped, as mine has, which means the lid no longer seals as well as before.
 
Jubal said:
Like many aspects of life. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
Click to expand...
Definitely this.

They seem pointless, but I noticed that everyone in Japan used them, and figuring that they know a bit about eating rice, I impulse purchased a posh one a couple of years ago.

If it broke, I’d buy another, or one similar, straight away.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
The only thing that'll tip it for me, thesedays bills etc, is if they use alot less leccy than my 1min on high/ 4 mins on low.. then my 3 mins med-high in the microwave later on. I boil kettle first for my 2 small cups of water too.

If these do-da's take 30 mins on low, it'll prolly even out.

Capt
 
I bought a basic Aroma brand rice cooker years ago for $44CDN, and after using it for all these years, I wouldn't think of cooking rice any other way. Risotto is the only exception, obvs. The rice cooker always does a great job, but just as importantly, it frees up your mind for other meal preparation tasks. A very good Chinese friend of mine was the one who persuaded me to get one, as it's the only way he cooks his rice.
 
 
Many decades ago in a food course, I was taught how to cook rice by a Chinese chef. Put rice in pan, cover with water so it is a finger joint above rice, boil until it makes little volcanos, take off heat, cover with lid and let sit for half an hour. Works extremely well and cooks thai rice to perfection. But if you get distracted and let it go a little too long it doesn't work so well. I bought a rice cooker and to my delight found it cooks rice in exactly the same way as I was shown. Bonus is that it never gets it wrong ( if you use correct water ) and of course keeps rice warm. A must in my household.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top