Rice is a staple food for many families and while cooking whole grain rice on a cooktop is not too difficult, it does require constant monitoring, stirring and a certain amount of guesswork to deliver good results. That's where a rice cooker comes in. It removes the guesswork and does the cooking for you in a shorter time, so you can enjoy perfect rice with little effort on your part.
Your first decision buying a rice cooker, will be to decide on capacity. This should be ample capacity to meet your family's needs, keeping in mind that you can do a lot with left-over cooked rice. Rice cooker capacity can be confusing at times since models are advertised with either a raw rice or cooked rice capacity. Raw rice will double in amount when cooked - that's a good thing to keep in mind when confirming a rice cooker's capacity.
1. Types of Rice Cookers
There are basically only two styles of electric rice cookers, those that only cook rice (white and brown) and models that have added features including steaming, sauteing, simmering or slow cooking functions, making them very versatile kitchen appliances. Simply put, do you want to only use it to cook rice, or does additional cooking functions appeal to your lifestyle?
Rice cookers are available in two types of cooking pot finishes - easy care stainless steel or nonstick finish that requires more care, but is easier to clean, a variety of exterior finishes and a design with a hinged or removable (separate) lid.
2. Important Rice Cooker Features
- Auto or Optional Keep Warm (after cooking cycle is ended)
- White rice setting
- Brown rice setting
- Choose a capacity that is sufficient for your needs - capacities range from 8 to 20 cups (cooked)
- Cooking technology that varies the cooking temperature for best rice results.
3. Rice Cooker Bells & Whistles
- Steam function with steaming tray or basket
- Sauté or Simmer, slow cook, whole grain cooking
- Quick rice cooking funtion
- Delay timer
- Programmable settings
- Digital controls
- Stay-cool exterior
4. What Not to Buy
If you cook brown rice often, avoid buying a rice cooker with only a white rice setting. A brown rice setting is a must! And if being careful not to use metal utensils in a nonstick inner pot is not your cup of tea, go for an easier care stainless steel cooking pot. Cleaning will take a little longer, but your rice cooker pot will last longer.
5. Price Ranges and Compare Prices
Rice cookers for the most part are very economical, ranging from under $20 for basic models to the $100 range for those with enhanced rice cooking technologies and multifunctions. Prices are influenced by capacity, cooking technology and additional cooking functions.
6. Rice Cooker Reviews
With so many styles, capacities and features, it can be daunting to choose a rice cooker. To find the best, read rice cooker reviews:
To help others make good rice cooker buying decisions, take a minute and review your current rice cooker:
7. Rice Cooker Care, use and FAQ's
The main benefit of a rice cooker is being able to cook rice better and faster than by traditional stovetop cooking. Rice cooker care and maintenance is limited to keeping the inner cooking pot in good condition, being careful not to dent the bottom or damage the interior.
You also need to be careful to use the same measuring cup for both water and rice, as the exact quantity of a cup of rice differs from a standard one-cup measurement.
A common question regarding rice cookers is how to to understand rice cooker capacities. A rice cooker may be advertised as being an 8-cup model, but this capacity will yield 16 cups of cooked rice.
8. General Appliance Tips
What to do if your appliance has been recalled or you've upgrade to a new model. And there are reasons why it's a good idea to inform manufacturers of problems or areas where appliances could be improved. Remember to review your product manual and keep it handy - it has lots of use information, as well as key tips on how to properly care for your new appliance.
- Appliance Disposal and Donation Options
- How to Handle Appliance Concerns
- If Your Appliance is Recalled - What to do
- 10 Reasons to Read Your Appliance Manual
- Buying a Great Appliance Gift
- Appliance Safety Tips
- Pros and Cons of Extended Service Agreements
