Rice cooker?

panthro said:
They're more of wants than needs.
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Why do people own a kettle when they can boil water in a pan and fire?

Why do people own a toaster when they can crisp their bread over fire?

Why do people own a rice cooker...

Like all kitchen equipment, they have their use because they're convenient and as with the 3 items, if the settings right, you fill it, turn it on and walk away. When you're back (in the appropriate time), you have your boiled water, your toast and your cooked rice.

That's how I see it.

As you've mentioned, you're pretty much Asian/Eastern crusine orientated. It makes a big difference when you're cooking, for 'mundane' cooking such as rice when you need to keep an eye on when the water boils, when to turn the heat down and when to fluff the rice, all that when one kit can do it as long as you add the right amount of water and rice?

And no one said everyone should get a more expensive one. A £20 can do just the same, but as mentioned, quality varies and the most important bit is the nonstick quality pot. Many of the lower end often start ends up with a bottom layer of 'burnt' rice - and in my family, that's very wasteful.

If someone were to only cook rice once a fortnight or even once a week, I'll teach them to cook the hob and pan way. Any more than that, rice cooker. Especially even with the most basic ones, you can cook rice and another dish with a simple steamer insert. Couple it if it's got a timer function or you've got a plug with a timer, you can set it to cook and when you're home, all done!

tl:dr, Not everyoen have the same needs. What you see as want don't mean it's not a need for another house.
 
Got bought a Jamie Oliver ceramic one for xmas, was sceptical as I've always grown up seeing things cooked 'properly' and I thoguht this was just more tatt with a 'celebrity' stamp ,but it works great, actually really impressed. No good for more than 2 people I think.
 
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Mr Jones said:
Why do people own a kettle when they can boil water in a pan and fire?

Why do people own a toaster when they can crisp their bread over fire?

Why do people own a rice cooker...

Like all kitchen equipment, they have their use because they're convenient and as with the 3 items, if the settings right, you fill it, turn it on and walk away. When you're back (in the appropriate time), you have your boiled water, your toast and your cooked rice.

That's how I see it.

As you've mentioned, you're pretty much Asian/Eastern crusine orientated. It makes a big difference when you're cooking, for 'mundane' cooking such as rice when you need to keep an eye on when the water boils, when to turn the heat down and when to fluff the rice, all that when one kit can do it as long as you add the right amount of water and rice?

And no one said everyone should get a more expensive one. A £20 can do just the same, but as mentioned, quality varies and the most important bit is the nonstick quality pot. Many of the lower end often start ends up with a bottom layer of 'burnt' rice - and in my family, that's very wasteful.

If someone were to only cook rice once a fortnight or even once a week, I'll teach them to cook the hob and pan way. Any more than that, rice cooker. Especially even with the most basic ones, you can cook rice and another dish with a simple steamer insert. Couple it if it's got a timer function or you've got a plug with a timer, you can set it to cook and when you're home, all done!

tl:dr, Not everyoen have the same needs. What you see as want don't mean it's not a need for another house.
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Fair enough, I can see where you're coming from however it still points me to thinking it's just a convenience. It doesn't cook rice better or worse than using the hob (unless you don't know how to cook rice on the hob).
I wouldn't waste money on a cheap £20 rice cooker that burns the bottom of the rice, when I can use what I already have.
 
panthro said:
Fair enough, I can see where you're coming from however it still points me to thinking it's just a convenience. It doesn't cook rice better or worse than using the hob (unless you don't know how to cook rice on the hob).
I wouldn't waste money on a cheap £20 rice cooker that burns the bottom of the rice, when I can use what I already have.
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The expensive models actually can produce better cooked rice than you can do using the hob/pan method. I also know how to cook rice and couldn't justify buying a rice cooker but there are definitely advantages if you're a dedicated rice eater.
 
panthro said:
My rice is pretty good :p I would like to try one, but I don't want to part with the best part of £150.
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Horses for courses.

The biggest plus about a rice cooker, the keep warm function. When rice is cooked, it will keep it at a warm temperature without overcooking (for up to 30hr in my model - not something I'd do more than a couple of hours tbh).

Something a hob can never achieve.

You are more than welcome to try my rice from my rice cooker if you're every near Pontefract. Mine cost £80 but it's an import (gift) so cheaper than other Japanese make available here.
 
panthro said:
Fair enough, I can see where you're coming from however it still points me to thinking it's just a convenience. It doesn't cook rice better or worse than using the hob (unless you don't know how to cook rice on the hob).
I wouldn't waste money on a cheap £20 rice cooker that burns the bottom of the rice, when I can use what I already have.
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It's easier and it cooks better than your pan of water.

Human beings like both, I can walk to pretty much anywhere in the country for free, why do I drive?

Not sure why people keep going on about the odd rubbish machines that burn, the one I have don't burn. Just don't buy the ones that burn and problem solved!

P.s. I know how to cook rice on the hob, I know how to cook rice the way it's meant to be done on the hob and the way that it comes out in a £200 rice cooker and it won't stick either (in a Teflon pan) but I'd still do it in a rice cooker. I bet most people's idea of cooking rice in a rice cooker is a large pan of boiling water and sieve it as well.

Human beings, we like convenience, it's nothing new there. The fact that almost everyone here has a microwave is a proof of that. You do know you can defrost and cook without a microwave too, just like humans have done for thousands of years, yet you still bought one. One may argue that is a waste of money too!

P.p.s. I don't have a microwave. :p

And spending £200 on a rice cooker is not madness, spending £2,000 on a watch may be ;) .... I mean if we were to go down the practicality and what each object can do as a function argument.
 
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FrenchTart said:
Yup... The price is just too much for me too :/

Not to mention that my kitchen is about 1 foot by 1 foot square in the place I live at the moment.
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Price isn't too much of an issue for me. My main issue is related to your second point - my kitchen is about the same size as your's. I've already started storing kitchen stuff on bookcases in the dining room due to lack of space in the kitchen. All of my crockery is through there, as well as all my tea and coffee making paraphernalia. I also have my side by side fridge freezer in the dining room with food mixers etc. stored on top. God knows where I'd put a rice cooker :o
 
Stan_Lite said:
Price isn't too much of an issue for me. My main issue is related to your second point - my kitchen is about the same size as your's. I've already started storing kitchen stuff on bookcases in the dining room due to lack of space in the kitchen. All of my crockery is through there, as well as all my tea and coffee making paraphernalia. I also have my side by side fridge freezer in the dining room with food mixers etc. stored on top. God knows where I'd put a rice cooker :o
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Yeah...I have kitchen things hidden around the house too :/ Spending 100-200 on something I would use a lot wouldn't be a problem but given that I eat rice at home about once or twice a month it's really not something I can justify.
 
The more I think about it, the more I think that, whilst I can afford it, it'd make much more sense to spend the money on a couple of good knives; which would see almost daily use, rather than something which would be used once or twice a week. Will definitely be something I'll think about for the future though.
 
I spent 3 months with the Rice Cooker in my room when I was sharing house with a communal area - not a lot of space for me to take up nor did I trust anyone else I was living with then.

I know my cousin has the rice cooker next to the dining table as her kitchen is a box. There is a plug socket next to the table and the wiring isn't an issue as her kids are 12+ and don't wonder anywhere near the table apart from meal times. When the rice is cooked, the pot is taken out and served straight to the dinner table whilst the actual cooker remains. Is that possible?

You don't need the cooker to be in the kitchen, it just vents steam during the boiling stage, so somewhere where it's not damp prone is fine.
 
Raymond Lin said:
It's easier and it cooks better than your pan of water.

Human beings like both, I can walk to pretty much anywhere in the country for free, why do I drive?

Not sure why people keep going on about the odd rubbish machines that burn, the one I have don't burn. Just don't buy the ones that burn and problem solved!

P.s. I know how to cook rice on the hob, I know how to cook rice the way it's meant to be done on the hob and the way that it comes out in a £200 rice cooker and it won't stick either (in a Teflon pan) but I'd still do it in a rice cooker. I bet most people's idea of cooking rice in a rice cooker is a large pan of boiling water and sieve it as well.

Human beings, we like convenience, it's nothing new there. The fact that almost everyone here has a microwave is a proof of that. You do know you can defrost and cook without a microwave too, just like humans have done for thousands of years, yet you still bought one. One may argue that is a waste of money too!

P.p.s. I don't have a microwave. :p

And spending £200 on a rice cooker is not madness, spending £2,000 on a watch may be ;) .... I mean if we were to go down the practicality and what each object can do as a function argument.
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Reading in between the lines, you're just being stupid, especially with the comments about walking instead of driving and bringing watches into this. Everyone knows (and doesn't care) about your opinions on expensive watches, so don't drag it out of the watch thread.

I never mentioned anything about microwaves :confused:

I don't believe I can justify buying a rice cooker, when I can cook it on the hob. Also, don't make comments about pan cooked rice by people if you've never tasted it....it's called speculation.

Stan_Lite said:
The more I think about it, the more I think that, whilst I can afford it, it'd make much more sense to spend the money on a couple of good knives; which would see almost daily use, rather than something which would be used once or twice a week. Will definitely be something I'll think about for the future though.
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I think I'm with you on this. I'm looking at a new set of knives.
 
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You can't compare a microwave to a rice cooker. Microwaves are much more convenient as they cook things much quicker and defrost things much quicker, there's no waiting on them getting up to temperature etc.

A rice cooker takes longer than on the hob, so it's anything but convenient. As I said, great for people who can't admit to not being able to produce fluffy rice out a saucepan ;). For those who can, we'll spend our cash on decent knives and continue to eat fluffy rice in 10 minutes from a pot.
 
It's not stupid, it's the same principle.

Pan and rice cooker both cook rice.
Walking and driving both get you to the same destination.
Expensive watches are a waste of money (from a practical perspective), it's not an opinion, it's a fact. Same logic as the rice cooker, how can you justify a Rolex when a Casio can do the same? You just can't from a practical perspective.

But how do people justify driving instead of walking to places? Because it's convenient.

The rice cooker isn't justified for you to purchased but once you've use one and you'll see how easy it is.

Chuck it in, leave it. It'll never burn it, it'll be perfect. There is no chance of over cook, undercook. It takes all variable out of the equation and you do not need to pay attention to it for a single minute. Leaving you time and attention to for other things you are cooking, it is a massive convenience. Not to mention you can also use it as a steamer for food at the same time.

No, I haven't tasted other people pan cooked rice and yes it is speculative but I am pretty confident I can do it as well if not better. No disrespect but I have had decades of practice and can do it by ear, just by the sound the rice makes as it cooks. I mean most people just boil it like pasta and then through a sieve. That's just horrible.

If you seldom eat rice then of course you can't justify it, it's like there is no point buying a boat if you live in Kansas. It sounds as though you don't eat rice enough and you are happy enough with your cooking then that's fine. I am saying it does more than cook rice and it's much easier to justify spending £200 on a rice cooker then £3,000 on a watch also, at least the rice cooker offer functions that a pan on the hob doesn't.

The microwave comment was for the OP.

As for the knife thing, I'd love a nice knife too but I've come to the conclusion that knifes gets blunt and I need to sharpen it anyway and the killer blow is that there is nothing a £200 knife can do that a £25 can't and food doesn't taste better because it's been cut from some expensive steel. I also think my £25 knife has good balance, looks nice and stays sharp for agessssssssssssss. I've been looking at knifes for ages, look at them every time I step foot in a kitchen store, asks to see them but every time those reasons above pop into my head and I put them back.
 
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Raymond Lin said:
It's not stupid, it's the same principle.

Pan and rice cooker both cook rice.
Walking and driving both get you to the same destination.
Expensive watches are a waste of money (from a practical perspective), it's not an opinion, it's a fact. Same logic as the rice cooker, how can you justify a Rolex when a Casio can do the same? You just can't from a practical perspective.

But how do people justify driving instead of walking to places? Because it's convenient.

The rice cooker isn't justified for you to purchased but once you've use one and you'll see how easy it is.

Chuck it in, leave it. It'll never burn it, it'll be perfect. There is no chance of over cook, undercook. It takes all variable out of the equation and you do not need to pay attention to it for a single minute. Leaving you time and attention to for other things you are cooking, it is a massive convenience. Not to mention you can also use it as a steamer for food at the same time.

No, I haven't tasted other people pan cooked rice and yes it is speculative but I am pretty confident I can do it as well if not better. No disrespect but I have had decades of practice and can do it by ear, just by the sound the rice makes as it cooks. I mean most people just boil it like pasta and then through a sieve. That's just horrible.

If you seldom eat rice then of course you can't justify it, it's like there is no point buying a boat if you live in Kansas. It sounds as though you don't eat rice enough and you are happy enough with your cooking then that's fine. I am saying it does more than cook rice and it's much easier to justify spending £200 on a rice cooker then £3,000 on a watch also, at least the rice cooker offer functions that a pan on the hob doesn't.

The microwave comment was for the OP.

As for the knife thing, I'd love a nice knife too but I've come to the conclusion that knifes gets blunt and I need to sharpen it anyway and the killer blow is that there is nothing a £200 knife can do that a £25 can't and food doesn't taste better because it's been cut from some expensive steel. I also think my £25 knife has good balance, looks nice and stays sharp for agessssssssssssss. I've been looking at knifes for ages, look at them every time I step foot in a kitchen store, asks to see them but every time those reasons above pop into my head and I put them back.
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You don't buy an expensive watch from a practical perspective, so your point is moot.

I would like to try a rice cooker, but I don't have the space in my kitchen, I don't want to make the investment until I have tried one out continuously and I can cook rice on the hob in 12 minutes, so I'm in no rush to consider one.

I also disagree with you about expensive knives. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, a well made knife, that is balance properly and has an extremely sharp blade will benefit you over a cheap knife.
 
panthro said:
You don't buy an expensive watch from a practical perspective, so your point is moot.

I would like to try a rice cooker, but I don't have the space in my kitchen, I don't want to make the investment until I have tried one out continuously and I can cook rice on the hob in 12 minutes, so I'm in no rush to consider one.

I also disagree with you about expensive knives. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, a well made knife, that is balance properly and has an extremely sharp blade will benefit you over a cheap knife.
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But you are buying a rice cooker from a practical perspective, so the point is valid. What other perspective is there to buy a rice cooker ?

A cheap knife can be well balanced and sharp too, and I do spend quite a lot of time in the kitchen, not as much as I liked but a lot. Half the time not even voluntary !

p.s. my sister has a set of Global, people rave about them, I don't see whats the deal with them, they feel like it would slip out of my hand any second and in that regard I am nervous holding it which makes the whole experience of prepping food unenjoyable. I much prefer the £25 knife I bought from Japanese store about 8 years ago.
 
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