I need a rice cooker recommendation

[Bertha Venation]

It should be less than $50 and have a "rice is done" indicator. Hit me.

[The empressof all]

1. If you are only interested in cooking rice

My experience has been to just get whatever is the least expensive at Target. I think I got mine for less than 30 and it's been chugging away for years. This is one of those kitchen appliances (like toasters and crock pots) that you can get away with paying less. Mine is an Aroma Brand.

[hayu_lol]

2. Get Uncle Ben's rice...

not the quick rice but the real thing. Don't need a fancy rice cooker, just follow very SIMPLE directions for perfect rice every time.

If you have to have a rice cooker, go to an Asian store. You will find them cheaper since rice is a diet staple for them. If you like to cook and experiment, you will also find a variety of rices to try. One of the most popular is Jasmine rice.

[sammytko]

9. But its so easy to set it and forget it.

Perfect white rice every time.

[one_voice]

3. I've never used a rice cooker..

Only a cast iron pot. My husband is hispanic, and that's all they use. It gets crunchy on the bottom they call it picow (spelled phonetically). They don't like it even a little sticky.

That's why I never bought a rice cooker, I always thought it made it a little sticky. My first husband, was Filipino and their rice was sticky.

Am I wrong about rice cookers?

[foxfeet]

6. Stickiness depends on the variety of rice.

Long-grain rice yields the fluffy, separate grains results most Western folks are used to. Short-grain rice yields Asian-style "sticky rice," which I've come to prefer. The type of cooker doesn't matter, AFAIK.

[one_voice]

10. I always wondered

what the difference was between short grain, medium grain, and long grain rice was. I usually use med. grain.

Thanks.

[TK421]

7. I add some olive oil to the water right before boiling....if that helps

but it always comes out pretty nice

[one_voice]

12. I do the same..

never make rice without it. :-)

[TK421]

15. I think any oil will do the trick, but I was Advised to Use Olive Oil only

or as Rachel Ray would say "Advised to use olive oil only"!

[sammytko]

11. I'm mexican and would never cook mexican rice in a rice cooker

I just use a regular pan. I wouldn't use cast iron. You're not supposed to cook acidic foods in cast iron. I add tomatoes so that would be a no-no.

Actually my mother would kill me if she knew how I made my mexican rice. I don't do all the grinding of spices and whatnot that she used to do. We used to even can our own tomatoes. I plan on doing that this year.

This is what I do. Brown a cup of rice til it turns opaque. Add 2 cups of hot water and 2 chicken boullion cubes and 1/2 can of tomato sauce. Add garlic salt, onion powder and powdered cumin. The powered cumin can be left out. Add to taste. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15=20 minutes.

It comes out pretty good for non traditional rice.

[one_voice]

14. Oh that sounds yummy..

I'm going to try that.

I usually only make white rice, seasoned rice (no veggies), or rice gandules in the cast iron pot. Whenever I add veggies and such I have another pot/pan for that.

When I got married I got so many "rice" pots..I have a small, med, and large. Had to take many back. And the older they are the better they work.

I love guacamole, but can't seem to get it right. Any advice?

I use, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and a little hot pepper. Maybe it's my measurements.

[sammytko]

19. Ok - weird I know, but I add about a tsp of Hellman's mayo

to my guac. Also I've made whole big chunky guac and added a bit of italian dressing. People at work loved it. Made a huge bowl, just cubes added the dressing, onion, garlic powder, little jalepeno - not too hot. it was awesome. I grow the Texas A and M jalepenos. Not too hot, but tasty.

[one_voice]

31. Thanks...

I've heard you should add mayo, or sour cream, but then some people say that's a no-no. I'm gonna take your advice and give it a try. And no tomato seeds.

I'm so gonna make the rice this week!

[sammytko]

21. make sure to brown the rice in a couple of tablespoons of oil

don't let it burn or it will taste burnt. Watch out when you add the hot water - it will make a big cloud of steam and maybe splatter out.

[sammytko]

27. i find using tomatoes in guac makes it all runny

don't put in any seeds, just the "meat" of the tomato.

[Kali]

50. leave out the tomatoes

add lime juice (fresh) and a pinch of salt

[TK421]

16. that sounds fantastic, but do you cook all this in a deep skillet?

you didn't say, or if you did I missed it

[sammytko]

18. no regular skillet - its only 1 cup of rice which ends up 3 cups

after cooking.

[one_voice]

32. Oh, one other question...

do you cover while simmering?

[sammytko]

34. yes!

I use a Calpholan stainless steel chef's pan with a glass lid. Helps me keep an eye on it. After you brown and add the spices, the rest is just like making regular white rice.

[one_voice]

37. Thanks again...

Even better I have a few of those pans, so I'll use one of those.

I love cooking, especially making something I haven't made before. Last weekend I made gumbo, and this weekend I made jambalaya soup. Next weekend I'm going to attempt an Indian dish, don't know which one yet.

[sammytko]

38. i saw a good recipe for pad thai on the nytimes

I love pad thai. I even bought tamarind paste from Amazon, cuz couldn't even find it here in S. Texas. I did buy the tamarind beans and did the whole soak the beans and scrape the paste thingie. It came out very good.

I found that recipe on a blog and it was really good.

[one_voice]

39. Just looked it up..

I'm going to try that. Like you, I'll probably have to order stuff from Amazon, cuz I'm sure I won't find it in Delaware. :-)

[Paladin]

4. Zojirushi Model NHS-10: $26.00 At Sur Le Table.

One of the best kitchen appliances I've ever acquired: easy to use, perfect results every time. You use the "Cook" setting to do the rice, and when it's done, it shifts to "Warm" mode with a very audible click and a light indicator. Avoid the bells-and-whistles models which cost over a hundred bucks, they're not worth it. Hope this helps.....

[foxfeet]

5. I second the nomination.

I love mine, always dependable for great results.

[sammytko]

8. I bought a cheapie one from the military exchange

Make sure it has a non-stick coating. I've used it almost every day this month. Something about warm weather. Love to mix white rice with cucumber, tomatoes, and avocado. The cucumber and tomato I grew myself. I planted an avocaco tree this year - again. The last one froze.

[peacefreak]

13. Almost the same advice, except for the non-stick part.

I try not to cook with teflon whenever possible. Look at yard sales. I got a really nice one for $1. because the seller didn't know what it was. I nearly danced to the car!

[GOPisEvil]

17. I recommend Sanyo and Zojirushi (if you can find an inexpensive one).

Sanyo is basic and inexpensive, Zojirushi has more bells and whistles, but is a nicer unit.

[kayakjohnny]

20. I have an Aroma.

Used it yesterday, and at least once a week for a few years now. Flawless.

Wasn't much either. Guessing under $40. I think it may have been a gift.

I use Mahatma Brown Rice. I put a big cup (probably equals 2) of rice and two and a half times as much water.

Perfect every single time. It kicks off automatically and stays warm til I unplug it.

They say to leave the warmer on for another 20 minutes or so after cooking stops.

That seems to be the ticket.

Cheers.

[TommyO]

22. No offense, but the best rice cooker is a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid

bring water to boil, add a dash of salt, add rice (rice/water ratio is dependent on the type of rice you're cooking), cover, reduce to simmer, cook for however many minutes the rice calls for, and remove from heat.

For example, yesterday it was jasmine rice for us. I brought three cups of water to a boil, added a tablespoon of butter, a dash of salt, two cups of rice, gave it a quick stir, covered it and dropped the heat to low for fifteen minutes. When the timer went off, I removed the, still covered, pot from the stove to let it stand another five minutes. Perfect rice.

Edited to add: For brown rice, I use Alton Brown's technique of baking it: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-brown-rice-recipe/index.html

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice, medium or short grain
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil in a kettle or covered saucepan. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.

[sammytko]

26. set it and forget it - best reason to have one - don't have to watch it

don't have to set a timer etc. It stays on a warming cycle when its done. It can be used as a steamer. Its so handy. billions of people can't be wrong.

[TommyO]

59. Perfect for lazy cooks who don't have any passion for their food.

[sammytko]

65. where's the passion in making white rice?

maybe one could be busy soaking and scraping tamarind bean pods to make a delicious pad thai sauce. That takes some "passion", so why spend valuable time watching white rice???

Or one could be out collecting the perfect home grown tomato and cucumber and greens for the perfect spring salad. Yes, have already grown and eaten tomatoes and cucumbers here in S. Texas

White rice, cukes, tomatoes and tuna in olive oil made a great lunch.

[hobbit709]

70. I put the rice on in the pot and prep all the other things I'm cooking.

[hippywife]

23. I suppose you are asking because you need it for a gift?

If so, I have no recommendation. I don't have or use one, because I can't abide single use appliances and have no problem making it in a regular sauce pot.

:hi:

[Rosie1223]

24. PM me your address and I will send you mine

I bought myself one last year and it makes beautiful rice, light and fluffy. However, the family voted they like the sticky stuff I make on the stove better.

So it has sat in my pantry unused since.

:hi:

[sammytko]

25. mine comes out sticky in the cooker

maybe cuz i let it sit on the warm function for a while - don't know. Do know that I was using it wrong for quite some time.

I would just do the 1 cup rice to 2 cups of water thing, but then had to get a new one and actually read the instructions. The first one lasted about 20 yrs and developed a pin hole. Anyway you are supposed to use the little cup that comes with it to measure out the rice. Then fill with water to the number line that corresponds to the # of cups of rice.

We had a big fight on another forum i frequent about rice cookers. Older people called us lazy and unfrugal for using such a contraption. If you a big rice eater, it sure comes in handy - set it and forget it.

[Paladin]

29. Using The Little Measuring Cup That Comes With The Cooker Is Critical. (n/t)

[flying rabbit]

45. Whoops

Now I know why my rice cooker doesn't work well. Instructions weren't very clear with mine. Thanks for the info.

[Paladin]

28. One Other Thing, BV, Which This Thread Illustrates:

There's a considerable amount of thinly-disguised snootiness and condemnation when it comes to the use of rice cookers. Ignore all the kitchen-based hauteur, buy a rice cooker, and enjoy using it.....

[hippywife]

33. It's not snootiness at all.

Single-use appliances are a waste of space and totally unnecessary. :shrug:

[sammytko]

35. you can steam in it also

and it hardly takes up any space. Mine is small and is the size of one of those old white glass mixing bowls, if not smaller.

[sammytko]

36. mine is a Black and Decker

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-Uncooked-Yields-Cooked/dp/B000UWD9OW

[Paladin]

41. I Like To Do Oriental Cooking On The Weekends.

I use my cheap little rice cooker practically every week, with uniformly excellent results. That's compared to old pots and pans I have that don't come out of cabinets more than once or twice a year, and a drawer-full of kitchen contraptions, at least half of which probably need to be tossed out for lack of use.

You're trying to impose your habits and values on the rest of us, taking no account of what our unique circumstances might be, and judging useful implements to be "totally unnecessary." Where I come from, the polite term for that is snootiness. Bon appetit......

[hippywife]

44. I'm not trying to impose anything on anyone...

just expressing my opinion and applying my vast experience in the kitchen to the topic at hand, Sparky.

It seems really strange that someone would get so offended by a topic that is so unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Maybe you should save it for GD, ya know?

:eyes:

[blogslut]

43. Depends on the rice cooker

I have a rice cooker that I got at the Goodwill. It makes a great steamer for veggies and fish.

[fishwax]

46. just for the record, I think rice cookers can be used to make tons of dishes

Not just rice and not just steamed veggies, etc., either -- there are whole cookbooks for the rice cooker with recipes for dishes like jambalaya, beef stew, etc. It can also come in really handy for busy parents, because you can make a hot and healthy breakfast (oatmeal, for example) for kids with very little effort.

I don't have one myself, though I've been thinking about getting one -- primarily to make it easier to make good sushi rice as the summer home-made sushi season approaches :)

[jobycom]

51. My grandpappy used to say that about stoves.

"Just pitch a fire, why pay someone for such a useless piece of junk." When he died at 108 from falling into his fire, his last words were "Don't let them ride me in no hearse. Horse and buggy, you hear?" :rofl:

Okay, I made that up. My grandpappy died from lung cancer from second-hand smoke from my grandmother, who died 20 years later from kidney failure brought on by diabetes. But maybe that diabetes would have been prevented if she had had a rice cooker and ate more whole grains. She couldn't cook, so she never made rice.

So your ban on rice cookers killed my grandmammy! :gr:

Seriously, any appliance that gets used is worth the money. I'd be surprised if you didn't have at least a toaster, or a coffeemaker, or a hand mixer, or a blender, or a microwave oven... Even a refrigerator is a single use appliance that many cultures do without. A toaster saves you having to fire up the over for one frozen waffle, and a rice cooker saves you having to turn on the stove. Not to mention, you can set your steel cut oats or grits to be ready when you wake up, set your rice to be ready when you get home in the evening, and keep from burning the rice when you have all four burners, the oven, and the microwave going for a large meal with all dishes on different timers. Just set the rice and it's ready when you want it to be. And it's easier to clean than your pot, in most cases. If a person has a use for it, it's not a waste of space.

[hippywife]

52. Here's the thing, tho.

Pretty soon, if things keep moving in the direction they are, very few will know how to cook for themselves. Then they will have to eat whatever it is that's available to them. It's too much that way now. So many people have no clue what's in what they eat as it is.

And what do you do if there is no electricity? We've had power out for five days in freezing weather due to an ice storm. We still ate well, just had to go to bed early to keep warm. LOL

When I first moved here, all we had was a tiny apartment sized stove, but I did manage to cook amazing meals, even big T-Day dinners in that little thing.

I just think there is too much lost when people rely on others or things of convenience for something as important as their sustenance. Capice?

:hi:

[jobycom]

57. I guess, but we're talking about a ricemaker, not a all-serving robot from WallE

It's not going to do anything for you you don't already know how to do, and you aren't going to forget how to cook rice just because you've got something that makes it more convenient. Most people can still toast bread over a campfire if they need to even though they use a toaster. A rice cooker is just a toaster for rice. And I'll bet most people would have trouble making perfect rice over a campfire no matter how well they cook. :)

Plus, the key word there is cooks. It cooks the rice, so you do know what's going in your food and you aren't going out to eat instead.

And these days we all rely on gadgets and inventions for convenience all over the place. We even socially network on new fangled contraptions rather than meeting face to face. Why, I've had wonderful conversations with beautiful people half a country away that I've never even met. I think that's fine. :)

[hippywife]

58. Really?

Among the 20 and 30 somethings you know, see who can pop popcorn without a microwave. :rofl:


:hi: Off to bed with me now. Have a good one, joby!

[TommyO]

61. Well, for me it involves an induction hotplate and stainless steel bowl

but I could easily do it over a campfire as well, and in either case, it would be better, far better, than Orville's butter-flavored glop.

[jobycom]

62. Who would want to?

:rofl:

The only reason most people eat popcorn is because it's easy to fix. Make it hard again, and corn growers would have to find something else to grow. :)

[hippywife]

64. Because

it tastes better and isn't full of harmful chemicals. And the corporate "corn growers" aren't having any problem disposing of corn anymore. Check out The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. I think you would be very shocked.

[jobycom]

72. I don't know

I kind of like the taste of the harmful chemicals more than the popcorn. Not proud of that, but... :)

I'm not saying microwave popcorn is better. (BTW, you know you can pop any popcorn in a microwave, it doesn't have to be the pre-bagged chemical coated glowinthedark stuff). Just that if I had to go back to the old oil method, I'd eat an apple instead.

[sammytko]

66. my grandfather used to grow popcorn for us, but I

see nothing wrong with using microwave bag popcorn. Times change. I do keep some regualar popcorn on hand in case i feel like popping it the old fashioned way

[hippywife]

71. Maybe this will allow you to see

what's wrong with it:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/35893/microwave_popcorn_health_scare.html

[TommyO]

60. Bingo! The only single-tasker in the kitchen should be a fire extinguisher!

Thank you, Alton Brown.

[fishwax]

63. but a rice cooker isn't really a unitasker, as Alton knows

http://gizmodo.com/5347140/alton-brown-kitchen-gadget-judgment-calls-+-yea-or-nay

• Rice cookers are good. I like them and use them. If a tool is used almost ubiquitously by a culture—such as the rice cooker in Japan and parts of China—there's going to be a good reason for it. It's extraordinarily good at doing, yes, one thing but one thing you need to do right. I especially like the fuzzy-logic models which gauge when it's ready and switch to warming. Rice isn't easy.

But I wouldn't call that a unitasker. You can use a rice cooker to make steamed puddings and custards, make oatmeal in them over night. You have to ask, "What else cooks like rice?" Odds are, you can cook that in a rice cooker. Yea

[TommyO]

68. Touche!

Though I still bristle at the thought of yet another appliance to replace a simple saucepan.

[quakerboy]

30. Walgreens

cheapie. $20, less if its on sale. Worked like magic for us on everything except wild rice. includes a little scoop. 3 scoops of rice, fill to the 3 line on the cooker with water. flip the switch to turn it on. It flips itself off when done, but keeps warming. Easy peasy.

[Turbineguy]

40. Go to an Oriental grocery store.

They will have good ones.

Funny story. I was on a ship where most of the crew were Filipinos. One day the Chief Steward came to me and wanted to know if he could order a new rice cooker because the one he had failed. He was worried about the cost. I told him the ship made $4 million per week and to order 2. We sent in the order. We got a message back from purchasing that it would take 2 months to get a rice cooker. I asked them if they understood the make-up of the crew? We bought one in Singapore.

[graywarrior]

42. I use a pressure cooker--not aluminum.

[surrealAmerican]

47. Mine's a Panasonic.

It's a very basic, low end model. Works pretty well, although I usually unplug it as soon as it switches from "rice cooking" to "keep warm", otherwise it will form a crust at the bottom.

I mostly only use it for "oriental" style rice. When I cook basmatti, I like to toast it slightly first, so I cook that on the stove.

[jobycom]

48. There's an Aroma I used to use, but there are others similar. Go to cooking.com

or your favorite appliance store.

A couple of things to look for: find one with a decent pot. I had a black and decker I got for about 20 bucks that had a thin aluminum pot and the rice stuck and burned, and it never would completely clean. Get something with a heavier pot and a non-stick surface if you can find one that doesn't look too easy to scratch. I had a good one from Costco for about 40 bucks for a while. I think it was Panasonic, but it might have been an Aroma.

There are three basic types, as I remember. There's the simple on/off type that just cooks the rice at a constant temperature and shuts off when it's done (it measures the temp of the pot. Rice gets hotter than water, so when the temp goes up it knows the water is gone. There's a more complicated one that has a few settings and alters the temperature according to rice cooking patterns--that what my Costco one did. The rice comes out a little better, especially when you choose between several types of rice. And there are "fuzzy logic" ones which actually computer control the cooking process. You can set these for white rice, brown rice, porridge, and all types of variations. You can get them as little as 90 bucks if you shop around. These are brilliant, you can set it to have oatmeal (or in my case, grits) ready when you wake up, you can clean it and set it to have rice or other grains ready when you get home. Well worth the money if you want to spend it.

I'm pretty sure this is the Aroma model I mentioned (I gave it to my mother so I can't check): http://www.frys.com/product/5475099?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

If you got with a fuzzy logic, Tiger and Zojirushi are the best brands I've played with. Tiger seems cheaper, and that's what's on my counter now, so I can vouch for it.

[elocs]

49. I just nuke mine, use a pressure cooker, or put it in my solar oven.

I've never had a problem and rice is one of the staples of my diet.

[elocs]

53. In fact I nuked some rice tonight to add to some black bean soup.

I only had a half cup of rice left so I put it in a glass bowl and added a cup of water and a dash of olive oil, nuked it for 20 minutes, and it came out perfect.

[trof]

54. Yep, Miz. t's nuked rice. Never fail:

1 cup rice, 2 cups water.
Water should cover rice by about 1 inch.
In a micro pot with top.
About 15 minutes, but our micro has a 'rice' button.

[elocs]

55. 1 cup rice/2 cups water is what I usually make. My microwave is not big so it takes 20 minutes.

It comes out perfectly though.

[trof]

56. Every time. Nice and fluffy.

[mikeytherat]

67. A bunch of people have already beaten me to it: covered casserole dish + microwave

1 cup rice, 2 cups water on high for 15-20 minutes.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

We eat lots of rice here at Chez Rat.

mikey_the_rat

[TommyO]

69. Don't you know that you need to buy another appliance?

Gotta get that gadget, fill that pantry with tools that you'll use once or twice. A simple saucepot is never good enough to make something as complicated as rice.