Rice cookers?

SkeeterUK · 21 Feb 2011 at 18:59

Usually i just chuck some easy cook rice (lg) into a 1.5ltr bowl and fill the bowl with hot water and bang in microwave for 15-17 mins and its done. But im thinking could i do better. So with that im thinking about buying a rice cooker i.e stand alone or a microwaveable one specially for rice.

Any ideas for a good one, that can do different types and tells u times and amounts for the different types of rice like easy cook LG rice is x rice y water = a time at 800w or whatever and then Basmati is x rice and y water = a time at 800w (could be different than easy cook) so anyhow a cooker that lists all the right times and amounts per type of rice would be nice.

I hate sticky or clumpy rice so it wondering if theirs ones to avoid cos i see a lot of vids on utube and the rice says perfect and all that but its clumpy not how my usual easy cook lg rice comes out nice and fluffy and seperate grains never sticking or clumping.

Needs to be very easy to clean where the bowl can be seperated from the main unit (if stand alone unit) and can be wasted very easily in sink.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Cra...WD7O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1298314538&sr=8-4

Has lots of good reviews but i duno, looks like a big tub tbh and duno how its dedicated for rice when it could be just considered a bowl with a lid for the microwave. Also i hear its crap for instrustions.

Anyhow any advice is welcome and maybe list the one you use if you do use one and a mini review of urs if happy with it etc.

Dont wana spend a fortune ideally somit under £10 but might push to 15 if its good.

Castiel · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:03

We have a tefal rice cooker and it is fantastic.

Simply to use, you can make just about any type of rice just by chucking spices etc in it.

I used one of the microwave thingmajibs and frankly they one we had was pretty dire. Rice was always sticky or uncooked, and it was a nightmare to clean.

I would highly recommend spending a bit more and buying something like the tefal.

Skidder · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:04

1 mug of rice
rinse
stick in saucepan
1.5 mugs of water from the kettle
stick in pan, salt
stir once
lid on
low heat for about 13 mins until water has gone

spend rice cooker money on years supply of rice or a fumble with a kerb crawler

same approach works perfectly for pilau type rice, fry spices, garlic, onion, mushroom or whatever you like then follow the above

mattyfez · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:11

Skidder said:
1 mug of rice
rinse
stick in saucepan
1.5 mugs of water from the kettle
stick in pan, salt
stir once
lid on
low heat for about 13 mins until water has gone

spend rice cooker money on years supply of rice or a fumble with a kerb crawler

same approach works perfectly for pilau type rice, fry spices, garlic, onion, mushroom or whatever you like then follow the above

yeh, this, lol! pan with a pyrex lid an a steam/drain hole.

rice cooker indeed, lol!

kibblerok · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:13

What does a rice cooker do that's different, never understood having one. Seems a big appliance to have just to cook rice in.

Blenders and slow cookers are versatile and multi-use.... what do you do with a rice cooker other than cook rice? And what advantages does it have over a saucepan?

edit: Just to clarify im talking about an electric one.

Castiel · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:14

mattyfez said:
yeh, this, lol! pan with a pyrex lid an a steam/drain hole.

rice cooker indeed, lol!

I try that and it always goes up the swany.

The £20 I spent on the rice cooker was the best cash I spent for ages.

mattyfez · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:27

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/chinesecookingbasics/ss/cook_rice_photo.htm

SkeeterUK · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:33

Doing it in the pan i duno i just never liked doing it in them, i find microwave is nice to cook easy cook long grain rice in but tried brown and its horrible tho i recently found it needs more water so maybe thats why its chewy and not very fluffy (never buying brown again tho).

I thought the a proper rice tub for microwave would be good since i like rice and doing it in microwave is quick and easy but the bowls i use dont have lids or as i also was wondering maybe get a small 1 person 1ltr rice cooker might be nice and be nice to have that cup measure thing and that warm feature most have and other things tho has to have removable bowl tp take and wash in the sink.

[FnG]magnolia · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:42

Echoing what Castiel said, we have rice about 4 or 5 times a week and the rice cooker is, without doubt, the best 30 quid we've spent in a very long time.

SkeeterUK · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:52

For those saying you have rice cookers please list the model and make so i can look them up for reviews and prices etc ta.

Castiel · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:56

SkeeterUK said:
For those saying you have rice cookers please list the model and make so i can look them up for reviews and prices etc ta.

Tefal Classic Rice Cooker 10cup capacity.

dekez · 21 Feb 2011 at 19:57

Also as well as using a rice cooker you should wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear to get rid of the starch. That will help it from being sticky as well.

Glaucus · 21 Feb 2011 at 20:00

Sticky rice is so much nicer.

Theophany · 21 Feb 2011 at 20:00

One of my closest mates is a lad from Singapore, Chinese on his mother's side. He says its unheard of to cook rice without a rice cooker of some sort in Singapore and he reckons the results in a saucepan/microwave are universally crap.

That being said, I do it in the saucepan and have no issues with it myself, though I do prefer the results when it is done in a dedicated cooking unit. But I suppose in a culture where the cuisine is so heavily based on using rice, the cost of buying a rice cooker is negligible compared to the use they will get from it. Singapore is also a pretty darn affluent place.

SkeeterUK · 21 Feb 2011 at 20:29

dekez said:
Also as well as using a rice cooker you should wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear to get rid of the starch. That will help it from being sticky as well.

I usually just boil a full kettle after its cooked and with a sieve i rinse the rice just before serving.

cheets64 · 21 Feb 2011 at 20:47

I hate rice cooked in a pan so got a rice cooker from Argos for like £8, its just a heating element that heats a non stick bowl with a lid and the rice comes out perfect.

Fuzz · 21 Feb 2011 at 21:14

When I was looking after my bosses house I couldn't find a rice cooking pot so naturally asked google what to do.
Frying pan was the answer.
Gas stove, add hot water, Spread the rice thinly, place lid on, do not stir.
PERFECTION

SpeedFreak · 21 Feb 2011 at 21:31

There's a reason why every Chinese household has one, they're excellent.

SkeeterUK · 21 Feb 2011 at 21:35

The Chinese ones cost £120+ tho. Mainly for all the different timing options for diff things and them music melody's for starting and stopping. I guess when rice is a premium food ppl will pay a lot over their for the latest and craziest rice cookers.

SpeedFreak · 21 Feb 2011 at 21:51

SkeeterUK said:
The Chinese ones cost £120+ tho. Mainly for all the different timing options for diff things and them music melody's for starting and stopping. I guess when rice is a premium food ppl will pay a lot over their for the latest and craziest rice cookers.

don't have to spend that much, we have two, one big and one small