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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

SkeeterUK · 21 Feb 2011 at 22:20

Rather expensive for what im lookin for.

SkeeterUK · 25 Feb 2011 at 00:47

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120687151722&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Bought that but then realised it doesn't say it comes with the rice container/measurer thing or spatula that most other rice cookers come with so ive asked for a refund. As the more i read it the more it sounds like its a slow cooker kinda thing faking as a rice cooker. Tho maybe im paranoid lol. But lookin on the web about it which is hard to find anyone else selling this rice cooker also doesnt say anything about the rice measurer or spatula to indicate a proper rice cooker.

Shame cos it looked about the best but cheapest.

I really should stop to read the fine print lol.

SkeeterUK · 25 Feb 2011 at 01:20

Well sounded better than unbranded at the time and visually looked better than say cookworks.

SkeeterUK · 25 Feb 2011 at 01:41

I only saw a tiny 0.8 i think litre one at asda (same as pic i think) and the women scanned it as couldn't see a price and was £22. So i didn't get it.

SkeeterUK · 25 Feb 2011 at 01:48

Mainly getting it to try other types of rice as i usually mess up if i use rice other than easy cook long grain. I bought some Basmati today to try when i get the rice cooker and easy cook lg incase i didnt.

SkeeterUK · 25 Feb 2011 at 13:42

This isnt the place to argue about how to make rice the best way its just about rice cookers. If some people want to use a rice cooker then let them and you keep to cooking it your own way.

SkeeterUK · 1 Mar 2011 at 19:00

Got the rice cooker this afteroon. Made a curry tho not a good one as forgot i didnt have any chillis on hand and forgot to add garlic and stuff.

Anyhow.

Any idea about ratio for rice to water for 2 cups as i probably did it wrong with 2 cups of rice and 4 water. I presume thats why it bubbled like mad?

SkeeterUK · 1 Mar 2011 at 19:13

rypt well it might of i duno but what it says is usually for hob or microwave not rice cooker tho im not sure if that matters but i just went with what i saw on utube by most ppl saying 1 cup of rice equals 2 cups of water or somit. So just did that.

Be nice if their was a universal rice cooker guide for diff rice types and cup to water ratios. My instruction book said 2 cups of rice 2 or 2.5 cups of water but i think i read that instruction books are crap for doing it nice hence i went to u tube and stuff lookin for ratios.

SkeeterUK · 1 Mar 2011 at 20:11

What spices go well with rice?