Put in rice, add water, push start button, and you get perfect rice every time. I’m usually against single-purpose kitchen tools but a rice cooker is soo worth it.
Really only if you eat a lot of rice. For once a year or so, a pot on the stove works just fine. The actual benefit I’ve see for ricecookers is how well they can hold the rice for hours ready to go, but that’s more of a commercial benefit I think.
[…] but that’s more of a commercial benefit I think
For me, this is the primary benefit of a rice cooker. Having warm, cheap, filling food on demand at any time is fantastic. I am so lazy and my little rice buddies are always ready to go when I can’t be bothered.
I think premixes worked well enough. And maybe some cup brownie recipes. I would use simple recipes, and then just check on it periodically until I got used to how long it took my cooker to bake them.
Living in Japan, this almost didn’t register to me. I have literally never met anybody that didn’t have one. When you move out, you use your family’s old one until you can buy a newer one.
I used to do that for years, but rice cookers really do some magic to get perfectly fluffy rice. I thought my technique was good, until I tried rice from a rice cooker.
Rice goes in my instapot ( the crocpot version technicaly) on low pressure and irs every bit as good as my old rice cooker, once I nailed the timing and water amount. Bonus: it’s great at a BUNCH of other types of cooking also
Between that thing and my air fryer, I rarely use the oven anymore. Even more so for the microwave.
I recently got an instant pot and gave my rice cooker back to my parents, the tough part was figuring out how to make it not stick of you don’t have a nonstick liner. Letting it naturally release pressure with the keep warm off seems to do the trick for mine, I’m guessing quick release releases too much moisture, and the keep warm doesn’t help either. With that I get good rice every time with no sticking.
Gotta use low, that high-pressure renvitonment ruins the fluffiness in my experience. It’s acceptable when the flavor addition is sufficient though, like a marinated pork loin slow cooked with rice is fantastic even if the rice is paste practically.
Hmm, okay, I’ll bite. What’s the secret with low pressure for long grain rice like basmati? I’ve been using 1:1 ratio rice:water for 6 minutes on high with a 10 minute natural release.
Speaking of, be careful about consuming too much rice because of arsenic. There are plenty of other grains that don’t soak up arsenic so readily and have a better nutritional profile. It’s fine to eat rice, just switch it out throughout the week.
So much this. I’m usually responsible for cooking for the week, and prepping rice was so much of a hassle in the middle of cooking everything else that most of the time I didn’t even bother and went for pasta instead— way easier to cook, but easily 3x the calories.
After I got a rice cooker, I just pop like 4 cups in that mfer and we got enough rice to last through like 2 days worth of dinner + bentos for lunch the day after.
ok this might sound heretical but a “hack” i learned from cooking youtube is to just boil rice like pasta then drain. I do this for about ~12 mins with white rice and it comes out perfect every time with no risk of messing up. Downside is you need to drain it.
unsure the validity of this claim? but apparently there can be a non-insignificant amount of arsenic in american grown rice, and boiling can help
leech it out into the water.
My husband got us a Zojirushi rice cooker for my birthday one year, and I love it so much! We had an old $15 Oster one previously, which was also pretty nice to have, but oh boy. I’m spoiled by Zojirushi now. We could make a cake in it! I haven’t yet… But I could! Lol.
For anyone who doesn’t want a rice cooker but can’t find a good basic white rice recipe:
Put rice and water in a pot (1 cup rice to 1.5 cup water. People will tell you 2 cups water, punch them, or ignore them, your choice.) Turn it on high until it boils, stirring lightly occasionally to stop it from sticking. As soon as it starts boiling (not simmering) cover it with a lid and turn on low. Keep covered until it’s done (just taste it to test if it’s done.)
P.S. You can add whatever seasonings you want if you find something good online or something. It’s not important to actually cooking the rice.
When I make chicken or beef stock I put it in I’ve cube trays. On some mornings I add the rice, a stock ice cube, and maybe some miso. I let it ride while I get ready and then crack an egg on the cooked rice and add some avocado, tamari and rice seasoning (nori and sesame)
Is it different from a pressure cooker? Because pressure cooker is similar (add water, rice, start cooking, wait for X whistles) and has multiple use cases.
Rice cookers are not sealed for high pressure (they are in fact not sealed at all, just like regular pots and lids, because they need to lose excess moisture) and they are configured for this one particular thing: every rice cooker is calibrated for a fixed serving of rice (or couple different settings) with fixed amount of water. All it really does is turn off at the perfect moment, which is determines by weight.which is determined by a thermostat (magnet-based in this case)
Oh, I have a pressure sealed rice cooker, but it’s the top of the line Zojuroshi and is more like $600. It’s also not fast, takes like an hour, but the rice is divine. Sadly, I rarely cook rice. I got it for my sister, who lived in China for a while and used to eat rice all the time, but then moved into a tiny house and gave it back to me… I can’t really bear to throw it out - but I only use it if I’m making a huge amount of rice randomly.
One I didn’t see mentioned yet: a rice cooker.
Put in rice, add water, push start button, and you get perfect rice every time. I’m usually against single-purpose kitchen tools but a rice cooker is soo worth it.
Really only if you eat a lot of rice. For once a year or so, a pot on the stove works just fine. The actual benefit I’ve see for ricecookers is how well they can hold the rice for hours ready to go, but that’s more of a commercial benefit I think.
For me, this is the primary benefit of a rice cooker. Having warm, cheap, filling food on demand at any time is fantastic. I am so lazy and my little rice buddies are always ready to go when I can’t be bothered.
“Rice is great if you’re really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something”
I eat a lot of ice and I still just make it in a pot.
I like to imagine you huddled over an ice field, stirring water in a pot until it turns to the perfect slushy consistency for your fresh homemade ice.
Shit this comment made me so thirsty good lord I need some water
Artesan ice. $17.99/litre
When I had a rice cooker I used it for brownies. A lot of rice, too, but probably even more brownies.
I would like to know more about this.
I think premixes worked well enough. And maybe some cup brownie recipes. I would use simple recipes, and then just check on it periodically until I got used to how long it took my cooker to bake them.
I need this recipe ASAP.
Get a box of brownie mix
Mix according to the instructions
Put in rice cooker
Start cooker
Brownies are done when cooker cycle finishes. Test with toothpick, run longer if not fully baked.
OK that sounds so simple. Going to try this. Thanks!
A rice cooker can serve as a cheaper instapot tho. I can steam rice and veggies without having to babysit a pot.
I also have kitchen anxiety, and in a roommate situation can keep a rice cooker in my room.
Living in Japan, this almost didn’t register to me. I have literally never met anybody that didn’t have one. When you move out, you use your family’s old one until you can buy a newer one.
Everyone should have one, absolutely.
When I did a homestay in Japan, my host dad was shocked my family didn’t have one. I do now though!
I know this will be a popular response, but I don’t get it.
I just use a pot and the rice is always perfect? Not hard at all? Am I just good?
I used to do that for years, but rice cookers really do some magic to get perfectly fluffy rice. I thought my technique was good, until I tried rice from a rice cooker.
Meanwhile, I’ve been disappointed by rice cooker rice and make it better the old fashioned way. :shrug:
You should look into Zojirushi. They make the best rice cookers
Rice goes in my instapot ( the crocpot version technicaly) on low pressure and irs every bit as good as my old rice cooker, once I nailed the timing and water amount. Bonus: it’s great at a BUNCH of other types of cooking also
Between that thing and my air fryer, I rarely use the oven anymore. Even more so for the microwave.
I recently got an instant pot and gave my rice cooker back to my parents, the tough part was figuring out how to make it not stick of you don’t have a nonstick liner. Letting it naturally release pressure with the keep warm off seems to do the trick for mine, I’m guessing quick release releases too much moisture, and the keep warm doesn’t help either. With that I get good rice every time with no sticking.
I have the same pot and it defaults to low but every recipe I find says use high so that’s what I’ve beeping doing. Now I kinda Wana try low.
Gotta use low, that high-pressure renvitonment ruins the fluffiness in my experience. It’s acceptable when the flavor addition is sufficient though, like a marinated pork loin slow cooked with rice is fantastic even if the rice is paste practically.
Hmm, okay, I’ll bite. What’s the secret with low pressure for long grain rice like basmati? I’ve been using 1:1 ratio rice:water for 6 minutes on high with a 10 minute natural release.
Bone broth in place of water and using the fry function of the crock pot to toast the rice before hand in a little bit of butter
It’s great for quinoa, farro and couscous too. Love our tiger rice cooker, it’s a work horse!
Speaking of, be careful about consuming too much rice because of arsenic. There are plenty of other grains that don’t soak up arsenic so readily and have a better nutritional profile. It’s fine to eat rice, just switch it out throughout the week.
We sold our rice cooker on eBay after finding out the microwave rice cooker addon for 10€ is just as good, if not faster.
Lol TIL people are buying used rice cookers on eBay
So much this. I’m usually responsible for cooking for the week, and prepping rice was so much of a hassle in the middle of cooking everything else that most of the time I didn’t even bother and went for pasta instead— way easier to cook, but easily 3x the calories.
After I got a rice cooker, I just pop like 4 cups in that mfer and we got enough rice to last through like 2 days worth of dinner + bentos for lunch the day after.
Get a rice cooker y’all.
what’s the difference with cooking rice the normal way?
ok this might sound heretical but a “hack” i learned from cooking youtube is to just boil rice like pasta then drain. I do this for about ~12 mins with white rice and it comes out perfect every time with no risk of messing up. Downside is you need to drain it.
unsure the validity of this claim? but apparently there can be a non-insignificant amount of arsenic in american grown rice, and boiling can help leech it out into the water.
My husband got us a Zojirushi rice cooker for my birthday one year, and I love it so much! We had an old $15 Oster one previously, which was also pretty nice to have, but oh boy. I’m spoiled by Zojirushi now. We could make a cake in it! I haven’t yet… But I could! Lol.
I’ve always wanted to try one of those, nice.
For anyone who doesn’t want a rice cooker but can’t find a good basic white rice recipe: Put rice and water in a pot (1 cup rice to 1.5 cup water. People will tell you 2 cups water, punch them, or ignore them, your choice.) Turn it on high until it boils, stirring lightly occasionally to stop it from sticking. As soon as it starts boiling (not simmering) cover it with a lid and turn on low. Keep covered until it’s done (just taste it to test if it’s done.)
P.S. You can add whatever seasonings you want if you find something good online or something. It’s not important to actually cooking the rice.
Love mine.
When I make chicken or beef stock I put it in I’ve cube trays. On some mornings I add the rice, a stock ice cube, and maybe some miso. I let it ride while I get ready and then crack an egg on the cooked rice and add some avocado, tamari and rice seasoning (nori and sesame)
Best breakfast and super easy
Is it different from a pressure cooker? Because pressure cooker is similar (add water, rice, start cooking, wait for X whistles) and has multiple use cases.
Rice cookers are not sealed for high pressure (they are in fact not sealed at all, just like regular pots and lids, because they need to lose excess moisture) and they are configured for this one particular thing: every rice cooker is calibrated for a fixed serving of rice (or couple different settings) with fixed amount of water. All it really does is turn off at the perfect moment,
which is determines by weight.which is determined by a thermostat (magnet-based in this case)The high end rice cookers use sensors and will vent excess moisture or hold in moisture as need and can adjust cook time.
Zojirushi calls their sensors “micom”
Ah okay. Thanks!
Oh, I have a pressure sealed rice cooker, but it’s the top of the line Zojuroshi and is more like $600. It’s also not fast, takes like an hour, but the rice is divine. Sadly, I rarely cook rice. I got it for my sister, who lived in China for a while and used to eat rice all the time, but then moved into a tiny house and gave it back to me… I can’t really bear to throw it out - but I only use it if I’m making a huge amount of rice randomly.
It takes longer because it soaks the rice, which makes it more consistent.
It’s really not that hard to cook rice in a pan. I already get perfect rice every time. A rice cooker seems a waste of money.
More importantly, it clutters the kitchen.