Rice Cookers

Rexxar

Rexxar

Rexxar

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13 May 2010
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Has anyone got a rice cooker? Sometimes use the boil in the bag stuff, but steamed rice is so much nicer.

Trying to decide between buying a proper rice-cooker , or using something like bamboo baskets.

What do people recommend? Haven't really rated rice cooked by the absorption method...
 
I normally avoid buying kitchen gadgets as most of the time they just do something you can already achieve with the standard kitchen stuff.

However, I wouldn't want to be without my rice cooker. Once you get the water/rice balance sorted out it consistently produces perfect fluffy rice every time with zero hassle and better results than boiling it. I think they all achieve much the same results so just but whatever is popular and well reviewed.
 
Clean rice.
Soak in cold water for 30 mins.
Add 1.5 times the amount of hot water.
Bring to the boil and turn off, leave for 45 mins.

Perfect every time.
 
Rexxar said:
Has anyone got a rice cooker? Sometimes use the boil in the bag stuff, but steamed rice is so much nicer.

Trying to decide between buying a proper rice-cooker , or using something like bamboo baskets.

What do people recommend? Haven't really rated rice cooked by the absorption method...
Click to expand...


This discussion has cropped up many times over the years, rice cookers are a good addition to anyone who eats rice often , a decent one will cook rice perfectly every time and keep it warm for many hours without any loss of quality , many also have other functions too and settings for different types of rice

there’s a reason so many Asians own and use a a rice cooker daily instead of cooking it manually in a pan
 
JBuk said:
This discussion has cropped up many times over the years, rice cookers are a good addition to anyone who eats rice often , a decent one will cook rice perfectly every time and keep it warm for many hours without any loss of quality , many also have other functions too and settings for different types of rice

there’s a reason so many Asians own and use a a rice cooker daily instead of cooking it manually in a pan
Click to expand...
silvagti said:
I normally avoid buying kitchen gadgets as most of the time they just do something you can already achieve with the standard kitchen stuff.

However, I wouldn't want to be without my rice cooker. Once you get the water/rice balance sorted out it consistently produces perfect fluffy rice every time with zero hassle and better results than boiling it. I think they all achieve much the same results so just but whatever is popular and well reviewed.
Click to expand...

Thanks , Are there any well recommended ones? Should probably get myself a membership on Which? really... Going to assume Ceramic tray/dish is better than aluminium due to health concerns? Although haven't really read into that too much
 
Take a look here https://www.yumasia.co.uk/rice-cookers/

I’m tempted to buy the bamboo or the Sakura because of the 8 cup capacity so it’s handy for when having a few people round , I also tend to make enough rice for plain rice one day and fried the next

I have owned one of the cheap brands before and although the rice was ok it was never consistent and often overcooked the rice but it was great for making vegetable pulao with a slight crust which made it taste so good
 
JBuk said:
Take a look here https://www.yumasia.co.uk/rice-cookers/

I’m tempted to buy the bamboo or the Sakura because of the 8 cup capacity so it’s handy for when having a few people round , I also tend to make enough rice for plain rice one day and fried the next

I have owned one of the cheap brands before and although the rice was ok it was never consistent and often overcooked the rice but it was great for making vegetable pulao with a slight crust which made it taste so good
Click to expand...

Thanks that's quite a selection , most of the cheaper ones are out of stock but I'm in no rush. Would rather wait and buy a decent one.
 
I like my rice cooker i can do normal rice in it but i like adding stuff to make different stuff like id say do some rice but add in some lemon slices, some herbs, few chillies chopped up maybe a spoon full of mkay curry powder some frozen peas some chopped onion maybe tin of chopped tomatoes give it stir and let it do its thing, then u got a nice complete rice meal instead of just the rice been done in it and having to cook other stuff to go with it. You can probably add cut up chicken to it too as if ur doing 3 cups of rice it would take 25 mins so should cook the chicken ok in that time too.

I got a cheap 20 quid one branded gino d campo one, tho looking back i might have bought somit nicer but it does the job as there all basically the same until you want the posh fuzzy logic ones tho personally im not that into wanting perfect rice for 200 quid lol when 20 quid one makes it nice enough.
 
So do they actually make better rice than other methods, and if so why?
I just do the steam in the pan method, but also use a multi function pressure cooker some times.
 
robj20 said:
So do they actually make better rice than other methods, and if so why?
I just do the steam in the pan method, but also use a multi function pressure cooker some times.
Click to expand...
if you are making rice several times a week, and prepared to consecrate the worktop space -then, it'll give you
predictable cooked rice, just click and forget, compared to regular supervision with a pan on the stove, especially with non-gas hobs where it can be difficult to simmer stuff per se.

robj20 said:
Bring to the boil and turn off, leave for 45 mins.
Click to expand...
my pans would be too cold after 45 mins - maybe not a cast iron one ?

I want a rice cooker that will also work for breakfast, porridge, steel-cut, or groats(which need a ~1hr cook) so a timer would be great.

... cooked pudding rice with some golden syrup - yum
 
jpaul said:
if you are making rice several times a week, and prepared to consecrate the worktop space -then, it'll give you
predictable cooked rice, just click and forget, compared to regular supervision with a pan on the stove, especially with non-gas hobs where it can be difficult to simmer stuff per se.


my pans would be too cold after 45 mins - maybe not a cast iron one ?

I want a rice cooker that will also work for breakfast, porridge, steel-cut, or groats(which need a ~1hr cook) so a timer would be great.

... cooked pudding rice with some golden syrup - yum
Click to expand...
No just a normal pan. You should try it, works every time. No watching the own or anything. Which is why I'm thinking a rice cooker is useless to me.
 
robj20 said:
So do they actually make better rice than other methods, and if so why?
I just do the steam in the pan method, but also use a multi function pressure cooker some times.
Click to expand...

they will cook rice more consistently , just put in the water and rice and go, no need to check on it and it can be left and kept warm for hours after cooking
The taste may be ever so slightly better but it will be negligible although some cookers claim to make rice have more ‘umami’

I guess the real pro is it’s just a fire and forget method of cooking rice, in Asia rice cookers are cheap so theyre widely used and seen as pretty much a must have kitchen appliance, but in the uk they’re relatively expensive for a decent one and a bit of a luxury as our staple isn’t rice

I will be buying one eventually because I know it will get used often and I don’t mind paying for convenience
 
robj20 said:
Forgot to say make sure you keep the lid on the pan.
No doesn't work for brown rice. I still struggle getting brown rice how I like it.
Click to expand...

Hmm OK thanks. Will continue with my trial-and-error brown rice method then. I basically just sling it in boiling water until it's the texture I want.
 
robj20 said:
Clean rice.
Soak in cold water for 30 mins.
Add 1.5 times the amount of hot water.
Bring to the boil and turn off, leave for 45 mins.
Perfect every time.
Click to expand...

Hi-YAH, Uncle Woger nearly have heart attack when he read dis. Why you no' use fingg-gah? Fingg-gah da best meffod. Why you fink aw Asian peopw use dis to cook wice?
Even Gordon Wamsay use fingg-gah, an' he no' even Asian!
:D
 
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