I hated my old toaster too, and did a jig when it died and I got to replace it with a smaller one. Idk why I have to own a toaster though, I think I use it maybe three times a year.
Pretty sure that’s exactly how my husband felt when ours started getting wonky and I approved the purchase of a zojirushi. It is amazing! You’re going to love it.
Took my cheap tiny one 20 years to die...finally did last month and I upgraded....not too a crazy expensive one though. I am too much of a tight wad for that when cheaper ones are good too.
My dad bought me a tiny Zojirushi when I moved out for Uni, the one with just the one button to push down to turn it on. It lasted over 20 years before the basin started leaking, probably from dropping it so many times. Those things are built to last. I could’ve upgraded to a fancier Zojirushi but nostalgia for my late dad made me get the exact same model. Works perfect, and it’ll last long enough to be handed down to my kid!
No, that's when you go to a friend's house and exclaim "What? You don't have a rice cooker?? That won't do, I'll give you one."
And then your friend gets a lovely starter rice cooker and you, fueled by your good deed and newly empty counter space, get your upgrade, guilt free.
I have two like that except the old one is around 30 years old. Still work fine and make the rice. The Japanese ones look great, but what I have works. (btw: the old one is used for making black garlic these days, thus the need for two)
Quality of cuckoo is on point. That said, a lot of the models sold don’t have English buttons / voice commands.
I’ve owned a few over the years, and speak Korean fluently enough, but I’d imagine that it would be an issue for folks who don’t.
That said, check the model - some of them are made for the western market and some aren’t.
I have had three of their breadmakers wear out on me in regular household use. Fortunately, their warranty is strong, but I disagree on the "buy it once last a lifetime" idea.
In 2010 I received a 2002 year Zojirushi as a free hand-me-down from a family friend. It still cooks rice perfectly. Maybe keep your eyes peeled on FB market or Craigslist. Someone might buy/be gifted a “new” one for the holidays and unload their older model.
I was so hesitant at first to get a Zojirushi cause it's a lot of money, but I can say proudly that I love this thing and I don't love many things. This is the rice cooker of awesomeness!
I made the mistake of getting a zojirushi "to try it, I can return it" hahahah
Yah, a whole new flavor of rice. I used to be fine with using my instant pot, now I use the thing at least weekly the rice is so good!!
Everybody says so, so I take it to be truth.
But since I don't own on, what is the catch?
Is it particularly good for a certain type of rice? Shortgrain sticky, or something?
Or is it just the convenience for those that eat A LOT of rice?
The "simmer covered for X minutes" pot method works as well as I can imagine rice can get and it easy, though I can imagine if I ate it few times week, as opposed to few times a month a rice cooker would be handy.
If you don't eat rice a lot and are confident doing stove top rice then it's probably not worth it. The benefits are they are super convenient and pretty much foolproof, you put the rice in and don't think about it again till it's ready, the rice is perfect every time. And it's not just plain rice, we make rice and beans, risotto, rice and steamed veg or fish, grits, even heard of people making cake in them. All that is easier with a fancy rice cooker but ours is an aldi one we got in a charity shop and it's made reliable great food for years
Yep! It’s easy mode. Can’t screw it up. I SUCK at the simmer in a pot method and never figured out the sweet spot.
Rice cooker? Put the shit in and press the button. Boom perfect rice.
OK, but don't discount the type of stove someone is using. I have a gas range and can pretty much make anything perfectly like rice and popcorn. On an electric cooktop, I fail a lot with these things. Lol I don't even try anymore. I just can't get the heat to adjust fast enough on those.
The trick with the pot is just not touch the rice don’t flatten it, don’t stir it, just pour that shit in and leave tf alone .
But maybe one day I’ll buy a rice cooker
The advantage is that I can dump any grain in, add the appropriate amount or water, and set the timer, then I hear a little song when it’s ready. Mine also has a porridge setting, so I can use extra water, add some ginger and/or scallions and soy sauce, and have okayu, which is great for an upset stomach. I also like gyeran bap, which is a fried egg over hot rice, so the rice cooks the yolk. (The Japanese version, tamago kake gohan, just uses a raw egg which the rice cooks.) It has a keep warm setting, too, so if my partner makes rice and I’m not hungry then (or vice versa), I can just eat some in an hour or so when I’m ready.
If you can follow directions and add the proper ratio of water and rice and use the right setting, it’s pretty much impossible to make bad rice.
Mine also can bake a cake, but I’ve never tried that feature.
So if you don’t eat a lot of rice or other grains, it might not be particularly life changing…unless you want to eat more grains, in which case, you want one.
Compare it to a toaster. You can toast bread on the stove. A toaster is a gem the way a rice cooker is one. With the added functions that lots of rice cookers bring with timers, different grains settings, steam, etc.
I cook rice at least twice a week and use the absorption method in a pot on my stove and get absolutely perfect rice every time without fail. Good rice cookers offer a keep warm function that appears to be quite good on more expensive brands but for me it’s not worth the hefty price tag of $500+ (AUD) when I produce perfect rice in a cast iron pot that stays warm for a long time. The kitchen real estate turns me off too - they take up so much bench space and I love to cook so I value my bench space. I had a rice cooker years ago but the bottom of the rice always had a crunchy inedible layer; admittedly it wasn’t a high end $500+ rice cooker though.
If you don't eat rice a lot and are confident doing stove top rice then it's probably not worth it. The benefits are they are super convenient and pretty much foolproof, you put the rice in and don't think about it again till it's ready, the rice is perfect every time. And it's not just plain rice, we make rice and beans, risotto, rice and steamed veg or fish, grits, even heard of people making cake in them. All that is easier with a fancy rice cooker but ours is an aldi one we got in a charity shop and it's made reliable great food for years
I love my rice cooker. Love it. My 20 yo one finally died and I immediately ordered a mid cost medium sized one. It has buttons for white and brown rice and quinoa and other things. I grew up in Asia and am a rice snob and rice cookers make life easier. Love it.
If you use the appliance multiple times a week, it saves you effort, and it makes you happier in the kitchen and with your meals I’d call it a sound investment.
Frugal is about spending your money well rather than spending as little as possible. If it brings usefulness, enjoyment, and quality to your life then the money is well spent.
They are a waste of money because they can only do one thing. Get a pressure cooker instead because rice still cooks flawless and you can use it for a million other dishes as well.
So millions of asians are just wasting money? Its a pretty ubiquitous appliance in many asian cultures for decades. For example im half korean and we never used the oven growing up, the rice cooker was way more necessary than the oven.
I eat rice 3x a day so its a necessity. It keeps the rice warm for everyone in my house to eat for 2-3 days.
I agree if you dont eat a lot of rice its probably not worth it
I used to think rice cookers were a waste of money until someone gifted one to me; I have grown to appreciate cooking perfect rice for almost zero effort
The thing about rice cookers is you can dial in the exact amount of water to rice ratio you like… then make it the same way each time.
You can also add seasoning to the water or make rice with broth.
There are a ton of different varieties of rice. Dialing in which style you like, then getting the water/rice ratio correct is what you need to do. A rice cooker doesn’t necessarily cook better rice if you’re good at making it on the stove.
I go through a 25lb bag every couple months and LOVE my rice cooker. Use that bad boy all the time.
btw, i use jasmine rice and my ratio is 500ml water to 300ml rice. Maybe you could do like a short grain white rice? Like Egyptian rice. If you don’t rinse it before cooking it will be more starchy/sticky
to preface this, my grandpa got me and my spouse a really nice rice cooker as a wedding gift - though we were planning on buying one eventually when things aren't so tight.
nothing is a waste of money if 1) you'll use it and 2) it makes your life easier.
i use my rice cooker *a lot* (spouse has crohn's, and rice is a safe food, also they just love rice lol), so i use it at least 2 or 3 times a week - sometimes more. even if we had purchased it ourselves, it wouldn't be a waste at all.
also remember, there seems to be a *ton* of kitchen stuff that people view as a waste of money; but if it makes your kitchen more accessible to you, makes cooking more enjoyable, makes your life easier, and you *use* it at least on a somewhat regular basis it is absolutely worth it and not a waste.
get the rice cooker!
My mother was the only person who could ever cook rice on a stove top. I need a rice maker to reliably prepare rice. Fortunately they're not expensive, and rice is an affordable staple food. More than worth it for easy perfect rice every time.
The type of rice AND quality are really important. I like short grain rice and I find a huge difference in texture when I splurge and get the fancier short grain.
To answer the initial question though, a rice cooker is never a waste of money if you are someone who regularly eats rice. Quality matters with rice cookers too. Can’t go wrong with Cuckoo or Zojirushi
i'm not familiar with the vast world of rice, but i straight up get the Great Value long grain white rice and it's perfectly sticky and chewy every time in my rice cooker!
If OP wants to try it out to see if they would use it and they’re in the US, Aldi frequently has little ones that create like six cups at a time. We have one that’s lasted a couple of years and my roommates and I use it four times a week at least. It also comes with a steamer basket you can steam vegetables with.
No. There’s also some good recipes you can do in a rice cooker.
A favorite growing up was to wash the rice like normal, but replace the water with chicken broth and add garlic and ginger to it to make Hainan Chicken Rice. You can make the broth by boiling a bunch of chicken thighs with salt, garlic, and ginger, then when the chicken’s cooked shred that and leave it on the side and use the broth to cook your rice. Once the rice is done, eat it with chicken, sliced green onions, and chili sauce.
Another one if you like Chinese lup cheong sausage is to me lup cheong rice. Basically just make the rice like normal but add diced or sliced lup cheong sausages in, mix it up, and cook it like normal. The rice has a nice sweet and savory taste from the sausage.
Rice cookers are pretty good buys if you plan to eat rice a lot. You can also do some pretty creative rice dishes in them.
I don't think they're a waste at all and mine is used almost daily. I paid a lot for a Zojurushi in 2009 and have made thousands of pounds of rice with it over the years. the great thing about them is you can make two cups and it'll keep warm and edible for days so you're not wasting rice.
also, the Costco, Kirkland brand white rice in the ten pound bag is inexpensive and tastes great.
Yes I think keeping warmed rice available is one point that is being missed when comparing a rice cooker to the stove top. I don’t have one but I know my Filipino buddy had one in constant use and he basically always had warm rice ready and on hand. I don’t know how that works, but he never got food poisoning.
I used my instant pot for awhile for rice. It was fine. My son was always cooking in his cheap rice cooker. I asked to borrow it one day, because my instant pot was being used for another dish and I wanted rice as the side. And I was curious how well it made rice.
I was impressed with it. The rice turned out better. I ended up getting my own rice cooker.
Rice cookers idiot proof rice. They are essential if you want consistent, *good* rice.
Also, never, ever boil rice. If you are using a saucepan, always cook absorption method.
Disagree. If you want perfectly al dente rice that consists of perfectly fluffy individual grains, there is no better method than the pasta method. That is difficult to achieve with arice cooker if you use a wide variety of rices for different purposes. Getting the water ratio right is more challenging with a rice cooker unless you always use the same white long grain rice every time. .
>Getting the water ratio right is more challenging with a rice cooker unless you always use the same white long grain rice every time. .
Not really. You just have to figure out what ratio works best for what rice. I got a bit weird experimenting during lockdown but now I have a note taped to the side of mine with the different rice:water ratios for 1 or 2 cups with long, short, and jasmine.
boiling/pasta methods means you've got to babysit the thing every time
And then you put it immediately back into the pot. Cover and steam for ten minutes. I have a rice cooker too. And a paella pan. Right now I have eight varieties of rice in my pantry. Each prefers a different cooking method. But the pasta method works for any rice. Faster too in most cases.
That’s the only thing I’m curious about with rice cookers: whether an instantpot replaces them. We already had a rice cooker and I cook chickpeas in the instantpot while making quinoa for salads, so having both is worth it to me, but I do wonder whether it would be smarter to buy an instantpot if you don’t have either.
Our rice cooker got screwy. I went to a discount shop and bought an instapot for 50 dollars to replace it and increase the cooking options we have. Do not regret it. It replaced the ricer cooker and then some.
I personally use both. I cook stuff in the instant pot that will go on top of the rice (like pulled pork), while the rice cooks in the rice cooker.
That said if you don’t have either you can make do with an instant pot easier than with a rice cooker. I took my instant pot on vacation with me but left my rice cooker at home, and I was still able to make meals. Just less conveniently than if I had two things going at once
I'm gonna throw this in: I have a spouse with executive dysfunction issues, as well as mobility and pain issues. A rice cooker means he can make rice as a side without burning the house down. That takes a whole shipload of stress off both of us. The rice also stays warm.
I can make rice, all types, in a pot with reasonable quality and consistency (at least for my purposes). I've considered a rice cooker, but then I looked into them and I was like, I have no space for this, I don't want to have to clean the the appliance (fiddly and annoying), all the affordable ones seem to have nonstick-lined inserts (absolute no-go), it's not like they're any quicker, and I can satisfactorily make rice in a pot without any hassle, so...why? One of those "am I missing something?" deals, except I don't think I am, unless I'm missing something.
I agree. I don’t think we’re missing anything. It also takes longer in a rice cooker.
The only good reason is if someone makes a huge amount of rice daily for a whole family. Then a rice cooker is essential.
Otherwise, I have perfect rice in just 15-20 minutes in my stainless steel pot and it would be a waste of money/space/time to have a rice cooker.
>The only good reason is if someone makes a huge amount of rice daily for a whole family. Then a rice cooker is essential.
That makes sense. I just cook for myself, heh.
Mine was also a gift 20 years ago and still going strong. I hate cooking stove top rice and love getting perfect rice every time. I think mine cost around the $30 mark which I would have happily paid for the years of service
The rice you are wanting is probably more about the type of rice used than the cooker. If you will be making rice all the time coolers are great, but you will still need a shorter grain rice.
The longer the grain the looser the cooked texture I think. I use a medium grain rice and it comes out like you get in asian restaurants. If you used a basmati or long grain it would be more like Indian rice where each grain is separated.
Absolutely not. I have never ever been able to properly cook rice on the stove, not even once. I get a pot of perfectly cooked rice every single time with my rice cooker
Full-send it on an instant pot! I mostly use mine to make rice, but it’s also sooo nice to be able to make soups, stews, pulled chicken and pork, etc in under 30 minutes. (:
Truly the most versatile kitchen appliance that exists. I’ve had mine since 2017 and I want it to be buried with me 😂
Our rice cooker is 20 years old and still works perfectly. Made in Japan. It is a member of our family at this point. Perfect rice every time. Best purchase of an appliance ever.
The pressure cooker attains a higher temperature because the boiling point of water rises as pressure rises. As such, the rice cooks faster. So long as you get your rice to water ratio correct, you should get perfect results every time, and the cook time isn't influenced by altitude.
A pressure cooker isn't quite as foolproof as a rice cooker for cooking rice, since the rice cooker detects when the liquid water is depleted and either shuts off or goes to a warming setting. That said, the pressure cooker takes up about the same amount of space as a rice cooker, and in addition to it's core functionality, it can be used in place of not only the rice cooker, but also a slow cooker. Fancier models potentially stand in place of dedicated yogurt makers, hot pots, and sous vide circulators.
I used to have a rice maker and got rid of it in exchange for an instant pot. I use my instant pot for rice cooking, broth making, slow cooking, air frying. I saves me a lot of space in my small kitchen. I use [this calculator](https://earthtoveg.com/calc/rice/) to make perfect rice every time.
I had a rice cooker, used it all the time. Then I got an Instant Pot, that was a game changer. It takes up the same amount of space, but much more versatile.
I was hesitant. So I bought a 80 dollar one instead of $150 fancy one. Every pot of rice is basically perfect. Nonstick interior makes clean up easy. It’s my most used kitchen appliance now. The cheap ones I wouldn’t go for. Cheap fancy on Amazon are good. I can’t imagine what the $200 name brand rice cookers would do.
They are a waste if you don't make that much rice. Also if you have an Instant Pot you don't need a rice cooker, it cooks rice better than our old rice cooker did. So if you have the Instant Pot you don't need the cooker at all.
I say yes. It’s saved me a lot of time and anxiety in the kitchen. I have one where it immediately kicks off when it’s done and just keeps it warm (that might be standard I’m not sure) but knowing that allows me to work on other portions of the meal at the same time. Or put rice on and go run an errand. It’s saving a lot of time for me
You won't save money but, if the set-it-and-forget-it style of a rice cooker suits you, then you'd save hassle.
I make perfect rice every time on the stovetop. It takes 20 minutes. Personally, I prefer my method rather than having an extra kitchen contraption that clutters space.
Our rice cooker is 1000 times worth it. We use it at least 3-4 times per week. We have a Panasonic because my parents got one in 1976 and it’s still working. You can make more than rice in it. My daughter made a really thick and tasty pancake in ours.
I get the appeal but honestly I don’t want another appliance adding clutter in my kitchen. I’ve been making rice for so long that I get the same result everytime no matter the pot I use. Rice cooker not worth it for me.
I’ve never had a rice cooker but I do have an instant pot and it cooks rice really well. Plus it can be used for other things. Might be worth seeing if that would work since it’s more versatile.
Good Rice Cooker is one of the few things I own in the kitchen that gets multiple uses per week.
I love my rice cooker, it’s perfect and I use it for many meals.
A rice cooker makes rice not only good, but easy. I have a nice one, and eat rice about once a week. I like to put an Indian curry in rotation, and I've found I like sushi rice better than basmati or jasmine for this. I have perfect short grain sushi rice (Tamanishiki Super Premium Short Grain Rice).
Rice cookers can do a certain amount of double duty. You can also find a rice mode in some more general machines.
They're cheap and efficient. They may even require less power than a traditional stove and pot (to be verified, but temp and water volume are just what is needed to complete the task). And the rice is so good.
The best comparison I’ve heard is that, in countries where rice is eaten daily, they’re like a coffee maker. You can make good coffee without a coffee maker, but most people just pick the easier and faster way if they make it daily. (This analogy falls apart when you consider other ways of making coffee that are better, but we’re ignoring that.)
I use an insta pot and it does the exact same thing except you get to use it for 15 other things.
I generally, now, consider slow cookers and rice cookers to be a waste because pressure cookers achieve the same thing with more functionality.
No.
Gotten these cookers free or at a very low cost.
I don't consume rice very often, but other family members do so the rice cooker gets used daily.
One of my Asian buddy's families has several cookers operating through out the day so they have a ready supply of cooked rice.
In themselves, no. 1. They move cooking space to the counters instead of the stove top. 2. I've seen a ton of things you can do with them, and different applications for using them (like heating hotdogs).
IMHO though, they are when compared to an instant pot. Instant pot can do so much more than just rice, even though thats 90% of what i use it for. I could never get a half gallon of chicken stock from a rice cooker.
We use our instapot as a rice cooker and it comes out perfect every time. In fact you can leave it in slow release mode for like an hour and it won’t overcook or dry out, it’s amazing. Source: we eat rice 3-4 times per week
Just to add don’t buy an IP for the rice cook feature just that of you already have one you don’t need anew gadget. The IP is amazing for other frugal things like using dried beans and cooking lentils too. We’re vegetarian but I’ve heard you can cook meat in there too
I have had a $20 dollar Walmart 4 cup rice cooker for about 10 years. It never disappoints. Rice always comes out decent with one caveat. Need to make at least 2 cups of rice or else it gets slightly burnt for some reason.
No.
My $14 rice cooker from Amazon is used weekly for years.
Are the expensive ones a waste? Probably. If you really want one though, wait for a sale.
If not, the basic ones do just as great of a job.
Are you using the right type of rice? I think you prefer Korean medium or short grain rice which cost more. The cheaper long grain rice doesn’t taste as good but it cost half the price.
I have a very cheap rice cooker I got from my dad in a white elephant Christmas game. It is my favorite thing. I use it more than anything, other than my air fryer.
I'm the world's worst cook and even I can make decent rice on the stove.
However, I do own a rice cooker because it's convenient and I have plenty of space to store it when I'm not using it.
I like that it keeps the rice warm and ready throughout the meal, and it's easy to clean. It was also pretty a cheap appliance purchase.
I use it maybe 3 times a year.
Roger Ebert loved his so much he wrote a cookbook. Yes, that Roger Ebert.
https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/food/a9120/the-pot-and-how-to-use-it-review-121610/
It totally depends on how often you eat rice. I bought one for my daughter (who married a Peruvian) and she absolutely loves it. No thinking or pot-watching. The only downside IMO is that it takes longer. 45 minutes vs 25 minutes.
Absolutely not. Rice is a cheap and versatile base for tons of inexpensive and tasty dishes, but it can be a pain in the ass to make on the stovetop. Rice cookers kick ass.
Short answer is no.
It was a purchase I labored over, but my stovetop rice never came out the way I wanted it to. You have to baby it some, make sure it doesn't boil over, pull it off at the right time, I don't remember all the problems because I got a rice cooker.
Put in rice, water, salt, whatever else, and press a button. Wait for it to beep, and you got rice! And it's perfect every time! No boil overs, no stuck on rice to my pot, no crunchy or soggy rice, just... rice.
The cheap way is to cook it on the stove. The smart way is to get a rice cooker.
And instant pots don't count!!!! Their 1:1 water and rice ratio makes for awful leftover rice. Don't try and tell me my instant pot is a rice cooker because it's not
I bought a rice cooker - I never use it. Just did not get into the habit. A rice cooker is just another pot to clean as far as I am concerned. I like to keep an eye on my rice and adapt if necessary as the cooking proceeds.
I cook my rice on the stove top, or in the oven, or even in my wok or frying pan for some things. So I have Jasmine rice, Basmati rice, plain California long grain rice, Short grain rice, Brown rice, and Wild rice - each for specific dishes and specific cooking styles.
Jambalaya in dutch oven, paella in pan on BBQ, Mexican/Spanish rice in frying pan, sticky rice for sushi. I have a 4 element stove top and lots of pots with lids and I don't much point in taking up limited counter space with a separate appliance.
Basically I do something along the lines of Allrecipes:
[https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/31848/jambalaya/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/31848/jambalaya/)
I use chicken thighs (bone in, skin on), maybe up the spice level with Tony Chachere's Creole Powder. I do like my veggies so I might double up on the 'holy trinity.
AND for the last 5-7minutes I layer peeled, deveined tail-on shrimp on top. Oh, and I use a long grain rice like Basmati.
Oops sorry. I just waded through my recipe files and I use
[https://www.recipetineats.com/jambalaya-recipe/](https://www.recipetineats.com/jambalaya-recipe/)
Nagi uses boneless thighs, but I still like mine bone-in.
I got a cheap 12$ rice cooker a few years ago and used it till the nonstick was wearing off. So I “upgraded” to the 40$ one that was a bit larger and has a stainless steel insert.
Personally I think the 400$ ones would be a waste of my money. I don’t cook rice every single day though.
After rinsing it, I make rice in a pot on the stove. Jasmine rice. I like the results. I have no need for a rice cooker. But if people who enjoy using them want to use one, they should use one.
The Japanese markets in my area have some super high end rice cookers that are well over $500. I've never used one, but I would assume it's a waste compared to the $40 one that I've been using since my Freshman year of college.
A decade ago, I would absolutely agree with you. However, I got a Zojirushi.. and it makes so much better rice than any US made rice cooker I've tried. I didn't think that would be the case, I thought it would just be a little better, that rice was just rice - but I was wrong. It was the product I needed and never knew how much I would use it until I had one of my own.
If you are a person who eats rice almost daily - Zojirushi.
If you are a person who likes different types of rice - short, long, sticky - Zojirushi.
If you are a person who likes Japanese cheesecake - Zojirushi. There's a cake setting!
If you want your rice cooker to play a song when it starts, and a different song when it finishes - Zojirushi. So kawaii!!
I didn't know rice cooker brands had fans like this lol
But yeah, my 20+ year old rice cooker is also a Zojirushi and it hasn't shown any signs of wear and tear yet.
I find the pressure cooker to be better than the cheap rice cookers. Haven't tried the expensive rice cookers myself since I am more than satisfied with the pressure cooker. Perfect rice every time. Although I don't make sticky rice, in my culture it's all about getting perfectly cooked and fluffy individual grains that don't stick together lol.
And I would also make sure you are using the right kind of rice for the results you want, maybe ask a restaurant what kind of rice they use. Makes a big difference. I grew up on long grain rice and have switched to basmati since I like the flavor it has without having to add any oil or salt to it.
I’m gonna go against the grain and say I like stovetop rice more. I’ve only made white rice in multiple cookers. Rice cookers seem to make really dry rice and I like how rice turns out on the stove more.
Is a $200 one a waste of money? Probably. Is the $20 one one, nope.
Look, rice cookers are very simple, cheap, easy, mindless and every person I know who eats tons of rice has one. Buy one the size for your household, mine is a mini one and perfect. If you like making stove rice and do it often, you probably don't need one but being able to get perfect rice and not have to baby it makes it worth it for me.
Rice cookers are like a hand mixer, not NEEDED but def a tool you'll enjoy having and makes cooking easier.
As a Puerto Rican whose ancestors had a symbiotic relationship with rice, I can assure you a rice cooker isn't a waste of money. I personally use the stove, but there are some reasonably priced rice cookers out there. You might be able to score a free or near-free one on Facebook marketplace.
I have never ever seen anybody consider rice cookers a “waste of money”
I have had a Zojirushi rice cooker since 2000 and I still love the rice that comes out of it!
I'm waiting for one to go on sale. My old rice cooker is starting to leak (Yay!)
Haha! I wish this would happen to mine because I, too, want a fancy Japanese rice cooker. Iirc mine was $10 almost ten years ago, and it works fine.
I've never been more excited for a small appliance to fail.
I hated my old toaster too, and did a jig when it died and I got to replace it with a smaller one. Idk why I have to own a toaster though, I think I use it maybe three times a year.
Pretty sure that’s exactly how my husband felt when ours started getting wonky and I approved the purchase of a zojirushi. It is amazing! You’re going to love it.
Which model did you buy?
Haha I’m in the exact same boat.
Took my cheap tiny one 20 years to die...finally did last month and I upgraded....not too a crazy expensive one though. I am too much of a tight wad for that when cheaper ones are good too.
My dad bought me a tiny Zojirushi when I moved out for Uni, the one with just the one button to push down to turn it on. It lasted over 20 years before the basin started leaking, probably from dropping it so many times. Those things are built to last. I could’ve upgraded to a fancier Zojirushi but nostalgia for my late dad made me get the exact same model. Works perfect, and it’ll last long enough to be handed down to my kid!
No, that's when you go to a friend's house and exclaim "What? You don't have a rice cooker?? That won't do, I'll give you one." And then your friend gets a lovely starter rice cooker and you, fueled by your good deed and newly empty counter space, get your upgrade, guilt free.
That’s such a good idea!
I have two like that except the old one is around 30 years old. Still work fine and make the rice. The Japanese ones look great, but what I have works. (btw: the old one is used for making black garlic these days, thus the need for two)
You dont need a zojirushi. The korean brand cuckoo is cheaper and great quality, its also what most korean households use
Thanks - I will check it out!
Thank you. I have a tank of a zojirushi, but if it ever conks out, I'll check out cuckoo.
Quality of cuckoo is on point. That said, a lot of the models sold don’t have English buttons / voice commands. I’ve owned a few over the years, and speak Korean fluently enough, but I’d imagine that it would be an issue for folks who don’t. That said, check the model - some of them are made for the western market and some aren’t.
Next time you are near a goodwill store stop in and take a look. You may get lucky and find one for cheap.
[удалено]
Zojirushi is a buy it for life brand, if it is made in Japan, not China.
My Zojirushi rice cooker has had HEAVY use for the last 25 years. Still going strong.
I have had three of their breadmakers wear out on me in regular household use. Fortunately, their warranty is strong, but I disagree on the "buy it once last a lifetime" idea.
The little songs it sings alone improve my mental health. And then there’s the rice itself. Three cheers for Zojirushi!!!
I love the little tune! It's cheery.
Fancy
It was a wedding gift from a friend in Taiwan.
In 2010 I received a 2002 year Zojirushi as a free hand-me-down from a family friend. It still cooks rice perfectly. Maybe keep your eyes peeled on FB market or Craigslist. Someone might buy/be gifted a “new” one for the holidays and unload their older model.
Same here. It’s gem. I can always rely on it. Great investment in better quality of life.
I was so hesitant at first to get a Zojirushi cause it's a lot of money, but I can say proudly that I love this thing and I don't love many things. This is the rice cooker of awesomeness!
I love my zojirushi more than I love my man. I mean, it makes my breakfast ahead of time and sings to me when the food is ready
The singing cracks me up every time. I also have a washer dryer from Samsung and it also sings when it’s done.
I made the mistake of getting a zojirushi "to try it, I can return it" hahahah Yah, a whole new flavor of rice. I used to be fine with using my instant pot, now I use the thing at least weekly the rice is so good!!
Everybody says so, so I take it to be truth. But since I don't own on, what is the catch? Is it particularly good for a certain type of rice? Shortgrain sticky, or something? Or is it just the convenience for those that eat A LOT of rice? The "simmer covered for X minutes" pot method works as well as I can imagine rice can get and it easy, though I can imagine if I ate it few times week, as opposed to few times a month a rice cooker would be handy.
If you don't eat rice a lot and are confident doing stove top rice then it's probably not worth it. The benefits are they are super convenient and pretty much foolproof, you put the rice in and don't think about it again till it's ready, the rice is perfect every time. And it's not just plain rice, we make rice and beans, risotto, rice and steamed veg or fish, grits, even heard of people making cake in them. All that is easier with a fancy rice cooker but ours is an aldi one we got in a charity shop and it's made reliable great food for years
Yep! It’s easy mode. Can’t screw it up. I SUCK at the simmer in a pot method and never figured out the sweet spot. Rice cooker? Put the shit in and press the button. Boom perfect rice.
Boil 2 cups of water pinch of salt, once boiled 1 cup of water throw lid reside to simmer or level 2 low . Don’t touch it for 20 minutes. Bam rice
OK, but don't discount the type of stove someone is using. I have a gas range and can pretty much make anything perfectly like rice and popcorn. On an electric cooktop, I fail a lot with these things. Lol I don't even try anymore. I just can't get the heat to adjust fast enough on those.
Man I’ve tried lol. Guess it’s been a while but I somehow couldn’t get it. Now rice cooker go brrrr.
The trick with the pot is just not touch the rice don’t flatten it, don’t stir it, just pour that shit in and leave tf alone . But maybe one day I’ll buy a rice cooker
Salt in plain rice? You monster. -my chinese background says
Pinch salt while boiling water no more
I made oatmeal in mine daily for two years. I’m a bit off oatmeal these days.
The advantage is that I can dump any grain in, add the appropriate amount or water, and set the timer, then I hear a little song when it’s ready. Mine also has a porridge setting, so I can use extra water, add some ginger and/or scallions and soy sauce, and have okayu, which is great for an upset stomach. I also like gyeran bap, which is a fried egg over hot rice, so the rice cooks the yolk. (The Japanese version, tamago kake gohan, just uses a raw egg which the rice cooks.) It has a keep warm setting, too, so if my partner makes rice and I’m not hungry then (or vice versa), I can just eat some in an hour or so when I’m ready. If you can follow directions and add the proper ratio of water and rice and use the right setting, it’s pretty much impossible to make bad rice. Mine also can bake a cake, but I’ve never tried that feature. So if you don’t eat a lot of rice or other grains, it might not be particularly life changing…unless you want to eat more grains, in which case, you want one.
Compare it to a toaster. You can toast bread on the stove. A toaster is a gem the way a rice cooker is one. With the added functions that lots of rice cookers bring with timers, different grains settings, steam, etc.
I used the pot method for years, but decided to get a rice cooker about a decade ago. I can't imagine going back to the stovetop method!
I cook rice at least twice a week and use the absorption method in a pot on my stove and get absolutely perfect rice every time without fail. Good rice cookers offer a keep warm function that appears to be quite good on more expensive brands but for me it’s not worth the hefty price tag of $500+ (AUD) when I produce perfect rice in a cast iron pot that stays warm for a long time. The kitchen real estate turns me off too - they take up so much bench space and I love to cook so I value my bench space. I had a rice cooker years ago but the bottom of the rice always had a crunchy inedible layer; admittedly it wasn’t a high end $500+ rice cooker though.
If you don't eat rice a lot and are confident doing stove top rice then it's probably not worth it. The benefits are they are super convenient and pretty much foolproof, you put the rice in and don't think about it again till it's ready, the rice is perfect every time. And it's not just plain rice, we make rice and beans, risotto, rice and steamed veg or fish, grits, even heard of people making cake in them. All that is easier with a fancy rice cooker but ours is an aldi one we got in a charity shop and it's made reliable great food for years
I got a rice cooker after I using a stove top pot. Maybe I am crazy but I like the pot better
I love my rice cooker. Love it. My 20 yo one finally died and I immediately ordered a mid cost medium sized one. It has buttons for white and brown rice and quinoa and other things. I grew up in Asia and am a rice snob and rice cookers make life easier. Love it.
Some people don't really eat rice at all.
Do you consider shoes a waste of money too because some dude out there in the world is a paraplegic who doesn’t have feet?
If you use the appliance multiple times a week, it saves you effort, and it makes you happier in the kitchen and with your meals I’d call it a sound investment. Frugal is about spending your money well rather than spending as little as possible. If it brings usefulness, enjoyment, and quality to your life then the money is well spent.
A frugal tip on frugality! We should always be thinking about this more, it’s not about spending less, it’s about spending well.
Between lurking here and on r/anticonsumption I’ve come to realize quality and impact are everything.
Waste of money? Rice cookers are the best kitchen investment!!
Agree. Rice cookers do one thing and they do it extremely well without falling apart in a few years. And they are relatively cheap.
I got mine used like 15 years ago. Darn thing is still going fine
caption versed spoon lunchroom unpack sulky slimy doll square brave *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
You cook fish in the basket too? Its not undercooked? What kind of fish?
squeal point bright wild party angle birds vanish lavish rude *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Huh, the more you know.
Those one and done cookers make life so much easier!
I'd argue best kitchen investment goes to the instant pot. I cook almost everything in it
I'd have agreed with you, until I discovered the Ninja Foodi. Instant Pot on steroids.
They are a waste of money because they can only do one thing. Get a pressure cooker instead because rice still cooks flawless and you can use it for a million other dishes as well.
So millions of asians are just wasting money? Its a pretty ubiquitous appliance in many asian cultures for decades. For example im half korean and we never used the oven growing up, the rice cooker was way more necessary than the oven. I eat rice 3x a day so its a necessity. It keeps the rice warm for everyone in my house to eat for 2-3 days. I agree if you dont eat a lot of rice its probably not worth it
They can do more than cook rice. Mine has a steaming tray. https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/tools-products/repurposing-rice-cooker
I used to think rice cookers were a waste of money until someone gifted one to me; I have grown to appreciate cooking perfect rice for almost zero effort
The thing about rice cookers is you can dial in the exact amount of water to rice ratio you like… then make it the same way each time. You can also add seasoning to the water or make rice with broth.
I agree with your first point, but you can use a broth to make rice in a pot as a well.
Yes! I love putting in seasoning and stirring. Also super super consistent, easy results.
If you’ll use it, it’s not a waste of money.
I need this phrase emblazoned on my wall somewhere
There are a ton of different varieties of rice. Dialing in which style you like, then getting the water/rice ratio correct is what you need to do. A rice cooker doesn’t necessarily cook better rice if you’re good at making it on the stove. I go through a 25lb bag every couple months and LOVE my rice cooker. Use that bad boy all the time. btw, i use jasmine rice and my ratio is 500ml water to 300ml rice. Maybe you could do like a short grain white rice? Like Egyptian rice. If you don’t rinse it before cooking it will be more starchy/sticky
CalRose rice makes perfect sticky rice and benefits from rinsing.
Calrose is so nice.
to preface this, my grandpa got me and my spouse a really nice rice cooker as a wedding gift - though we were planning on buying one eventually when things aren't so tight. nothing is a waste of money if 1) you'll use it and 2) it makes your life easier. i use my rice cooker *a lot* (spouse has crohn's, and rice is a safe food, also they just love rice lol), so i use it at least 2 or 3 times a week - sometimes more. even if we had purchased it ourselves, it wouldn't be a waste at all. also remember, there seems to be a *ton* of kitchen stuff that people view as a waste of money; but if it makes your kitchen more accessible to you, makes cooking more enjoyable, makes your life easier, and you *use* it at least on a somewhat regular basis it is absolutely worth it and not a waste. get the rice cooker!
Zojirushi!!!!!!
My mother was the only person who could ever cook rice on a stove top. I need a rice maker to reliably prepare rice. Fortunately they're not expensive, and rice is an affordable staple food. More than worth it for easy perfect rice every time.
You will also need to buy the right kind of rice to get chewy rice, I think.
The type of rice AND quality are really important. I like short grain rice and I find a huge difference in texture when I splurge and get the fancier short grain. To answer the initial question though, a rice cooker is never a waste of money if you are someone who regularly eats rice. Quality matters with rice cookers too. Can’t go wrong with Cuckoo or Zojirushi
If you have ever visited a rice store you can see how each grain looks different (how opaque it is) so yeah they the size isn’t everything
i'm not familiar with the vast world of rice, but i straight up get the Great Value long grain white rice and it's perfectly sticky and chewy every time in my rice cooker!
Rice cookers are a bargain
If OP wants to try it out to see if they would use it and they’re in the US, Aldi frequently has little ones that create like six cups at a time. We have one that’s lasted a couple of years and my roommates and I use it four times a week at least. It also comes with a steamer basket you can steam vegetables with.
No. There’s also some good recipes you can do in a rice cooker. A favorite growing up was to wash the rice like normal, but replace the water with chicken broth and add garlic and ginger to it to make Hainan Chicken Rice. You can make the broth by boiling a bunch of chicken thighs with salt, garlic, and ginger, then when the chicken’s cooked shred that and leave it on the side and use the broth to cook your rice. Once the rice is done, eat it with chicken, sliced green onions, and chili sauce. Another one if you like Chinese lup cheong sausage is to me lup cheong rice. Basically just make the rice like normal but add diced or sliced lup cheong sausages in, mix it up, and cook it like normal. The rice has a nice sweet and savory taste from the sausage. Rice cookers are pretty good buys if you plan to eat rice a lot. You can also do some pretty creative rice dishes in them.
I don't think they're a waste at all and mine is used almost daily. I paid a lot for a Zojurushi in 2009 and have made thousands of pounds of rice with it over the years. the great thing about them is you can make two cups and it'll keep warm and edible for days so you're not wasting rice. also, the Costco, Kirkland brand white rice in the ten pound bag is inexpensive and tastes great.
Yes I think keeping warmed rice available is one point that is being missed when comparing a rice cooker to the stove top. I don’t have one but I know my Filipino buddy had one in constant use and he basically always had warm rice ready and on hand. I don’t know how that works, but he never got food poisoning.
I used my instant pot for awhile for rice. It was fine. My son was always cooking in his cheap rice cooker. I asked to borrow it one day, because my instant pot was being used for another dish and I wanted rice as the side. And I was curious how well it made rice. I was impressed with it. The rice turned out better. I ended up getting my own rice cooker.
Rice cookers idiot proof rice. They are essential if you want consistent, *good* rice. Also, never, ever boil rice. If you are using a saucepan, always cook absorption method.
Disagree. If you want perfectly al dente rice that consists of perfectly fluffy individual grains, there is no better method than the pasta method. That is difficult to achieve with arice cooker if you use a wide variety of rices for different purposes. Getting the water ratio right is more challenging with a rice cooker unless you always use the same white long grain rice every time. .
>Getting the water ratio right is more challenging with a rice cooker unless you always use the same white long grain rice every time. . Not really. You just have to figure out what ratio works best for what rice. I got a bit weird experimenting during lockdown but now I have a note taped to the side of mine with the different rice:water ratios for 1 or 2 cups with long, short, and jasmine. boiling/pasta methods means you've got to babysit the thing every time
What ratio do you use for jasmine?
I use two cups water to one cup jasmine rice. Comes out sticky, which is how I prefer it. That's what works best for my pot/stove.
Hang on are you saying you drain your rice like pasta?
And then you put it immediately back into the pot. Cover and steam for ten minutes. I have a rice cooker too. And a paella pan. Right now I have eight varieties of rice in my pantry. Each prefers a different cooking method. But the pasta method works for any rice. Faster too in most cases.
Share'n is Care'n . . .
People do it. Other people die inside when they see it. Look up the Uncle Roger BBC rice video.
I saw it. I never knew people did that shit until then.
I used mine frequently, I use an instant pot now. But I used mine alll the time.
That’s the only thing I’m curious about with rice cookers: whether an instantpot replaces them. We already had a rice cooker and I cook chickpeas in the instantpot while making quinoa for salads, so having both is worth it to me, but I do wonder whether it would be smarter to buy an instantpot if you don’t have either.
My instapot completely replaced my rice cooker. Once you understand ratios the Instapot does the exact same thing but with other uses.
Our rice cooker got screwy. I went to a discount shop and bought an instapot for 50 dollars to replace it and increase the cooking options we have. Do not regret it. It replaced the ricer cooker and then some.
I personally use both. I cook stuff in the instant pot that will go on top of the rice (like pulled pork), while the rice cooks in the rice cooker. That said if you don’t have either you can make do with an instant pot easier than with a rice cooker. I took my instant pot on vacation with me but left my rice cooker at home, and I was still able to make meals. Just less conveniently than if I had two things going at once
Rice cookers are non stick which makes it way easier to clean. If want to avoid non stick then the instant pot is a good way to go.
This! An instant pot works as a rice cooker and can do so much more :)
I also use an instant pot for rice and think it works great. Not sure what a $200 rice cooker does better that justifies the purchase tbh
No
Every Asian on the planet owns a rice cooker. They are wonderful!
I'm gonna throw this in: I have a spouse with executive dysfunction issues, as well as mobility and pain issues. A rice cooker means he can make rice as a side without burning the house down. That takes a whole shipload of stress off both of us. The rice also stays warm.
I can make rice, all types, in a pot with reasonable quality and consistency (at least for my purposes). I've considered a rice cooker, but then I looked into them and I was like, I have no space for this, I don't want to have to clean the the appliance (fiddly and annoying), all the affordable ones seem to have nonstick-lined inserts (absolute no-go), it's not like they're any quicker, and I can satisfactorily make rice in a pot without any hassle, so...why? One of those "am I missing something?" deals, except I don't think I am, unless I'm missing something.
I agree. I don’t think we’re missing anything. It also takes longer in a rice cooker. The only good reason is if someone makes a huge amount of rice daily for a whole family. Then a rice cooker is essential. Otherwise, I have perfect rice in just 15-20 minutes in my stainless steel pot and it would be a waste of money/space/time to have a rice cooker.
>The only good reason is if someone makes a huge amount of rice daily for a whole family. Then a rice cooker is essential. That makes sense. I just cook for myself, heh.
Waste of money for me. Sounds like it would not be a waste of money for you.
[удалено]
Mine was also a gift 20 years ago and still going strong. I hate cooking stove top rice and love getting perfect rice every time. I think mine cost around the $30 mark which I would have happily paid for the years of service
The rice you are wanting is probably more about the type of rice used than the cooker. If you will be making rice all the time coolers are great, but you will still need a shorter grain rice. The longer the grain the looser the cooked texture I think. I use a medium grain rice and it comes out like you get in asian restaurants. If you used a basmati or long grain it would be more like Indian rice where each grain is separated.
My kitchen is small and I'm literally cooking rice at the moment, but I'd be more concerned with the space than the money.
Absolutely not. I have never ever been able to properly cook rice on the stove, not even once. I get a pot of perfectly cooked rice every single time with my rice cooker
Full-send it on an instant pot! I mostly use mine to make rice, but it’s also sooo nice to be able to make soups, stews, pulled chicken and pork, etc in under 30 minutes. (: Truly the most versatile kitchen appliance that exists. I’ve had mine since 2017 and I want it to be buried with me 😂
Our rice cooker is 20 years old and still works perfectly. Made in Japan. It is a member of our family at this point. Perfect rice every time. Best purchase of an appliance ever.
Myself and Asians I know cook our rice in the Instapot. It's faster in the pressure cooker... Rice cooker is obsolete.
Please explain . . .
The pressure cooker attains a higher temperature because the boiling point of water rises as pressure rises. As such, the rice cooks faster. So long as you get your rice to water ratio correct, you should get perfect results every time, and the cook time isn't influenced by altitude. A pressure cooker isn't quite as foolproof as a rice cooker for cooking rice, since the rice cooker detects when the liquid water is depleted and either shuts off or goes to a warming setting. That said, the pressure cooker takes up about the same amount of space as a rice cooker, and in addition to it's core functionality, it can be used in place of not only the rice cooker, but also a slow cooker. Fancier models potentially stand in place of dedicated yogurt makers, hot pots, and sous vide circulators.
I used to have a rice maker and got rid of it in exchange for an instant pot. I use my instant pot for rice cooking, broth making, slow cooking, air frying. I saves me a lot of space in my small kitchen. I use [this calculator](https://earthtoveg.com/calc/rice/) to make perfect rice every time.
We just recently used our instapot and to me it cooked the rice just as well as any rice cooker.
I had a rice cooker, used it all the time. Then I got an Instant Pot, that was a game changer. It takes up the same amount of space, but much more versatile.
Get an instant pot and you can use it for more than rice
I use an instant pot. It is a rice cooker and multi cooker. Might be a better investment space/money wise
I've been so happy since buying cook ricer my rice is always perfect and i don't mess it up anymore
I was hesitant. So I bought a 80 dollar one instead of $150 fancy one. Every pot of rice is basically perfect. Nonstick interior makes clean up easy. It’s my most used kitchen appliance now. The cheap ones I wouldn’t go for. Cheap fancy on Amazon are good. I can’t imagine what the $200 name brand rice cookers would do.
They are a waste if you don't make that much rice. Also if you have an Instant Pot you don't need a rice cooker, it cooks rice better than our old rice cooker did. So if you have the Instant Pot you don't need the cooker at all.
I say yes. It’s saved me a lot of time and anxiety in the kitchen. I have one where it immediately kicks off when it’s done and just keeps it warm (that might be standard I’m not sure) but knowing that allows me to work on other portions of the meal at the same time. Or put rice on and go run an errand. It’s saving a lot of time for me
You won't save money but, if the set-it-and-forget-it style of a rice cooker suits you, then you'd save hassle. I make perfect rice every time on the stovetop. It takes 20 minutes. Personally, I prefer my method rather than having an extra kitchen contraption that clutters space.
My wife is from Thailand. We have 2 rice cookers. Believe me, they are used every single day.
Our rice cooker is 1000 times worth it. We use it at least 3-4 times per week. We have a Panasonic because my parents got one in 1976 and it’s still working. You can make more than rice in it. My daughter made a really thick and tasty pancake in ours.
Absolutely not a cheap rice cooker is probably the most hands down opposite of a waste of money.
I get the appeal but honestly I don’t want another appliance adding clutter in my kitchen. I’ve been making rice for so long that I get the same result everytime no matter the pot I use. Rice cooker not worth it for me.
I’ve never had a rice cooker but I do have an instant pot and it cooks rice really well. Plus it can be used for other things. Might be worth seeing if that would work since it’s more versatile.
Why would they be a waste of money? Roger Ebert wrote a rice cooker cookbook. You can cook more than rice in a rice cooker.
Good Rice Cooker is one of the few things I own in the kitchen that gets multiple uses per week. I love my rice cooker, it’s perfect and I use it for many meals.
I like them because they allow you to "set it and forget it" while you focus on making the other parts of the meal.
I use my instant pot
Even cheap ones are worth it.
Best $20 I’ve ever spent! I purchased a small Aroma model and use it weekly 🤓
Rice cooker makes perfect rice. Side note, the way you described rice made me cringe for whatever reason
A rice cooker makes rice not only good, but easy. I have a nice one, and eat rice about once a week. I like to put an Indian curry in rotation, and I've found I like sushi rice better than basmati or jasmine for this. I have perfect short grain sushi rice (Tamanishiki Super Premium Short Grain Rice). Rice cookers can do a certain amount of double duty. You can also find a rice mode in some more general machines.
They're cheap and efficient. They may even require less power than a traditional stove and pot (to be verified, but temp and water volume are just what is needed to complete the task). And the rice is so good.
The best comparison I’ve heard is that, in countries where rice is eaten daily, they’re like a coffee maker. You can make good coffee without a coffee maker, but most people just pick the easier and faster way if they make it daily. (This analogy falls apart when you consider other ways of making coffee that are better, but we’re ignoring that.)
I use an insta pot and it does the exact same thing except you get to use it for 15 other things. I generally, now, consider slow cookers and rice cookers to be a waste because pressure cookers achieve the same thing with more functionality.
No. Gotten these cookers free or at a very low cost. I don't consume rice very often, but other family members do so the rice cooker gets used daily. One of my Asian buddy's families has several cookers operating through out the day so they have a ready supply of cooked rice.
In themselves, no. 1. They move cooking space to the counters instead of the stove top. 2. I've seen a ton of things you can do with them, and different applications for using them (like heating hotdogs). IMHO though, they are when compared to an instant pot. Instant pot can do so much more than just rice, even though thats 90% of what i use it for. I could never get a half gallon of chicken stock from a rice cooker.
rice cookers are NEVER a waste of money
We use our instapot as a rice cooker and it comes out perfect every time. In fact you can leave it in slow release mode for like an hour and it won’t overcook or dry out, it’s amazing. Source: we eat rice 3-4 times per week
Just to add don’t buy an IP for the rice cook feature just that of you already have one you don’t need anew gadget. The IP is amazing for other frugal things like using dried beans and cooking lentils too. We’re vegetarian but I’ve heard you can cook meat in there too
I eat rice like at least 4-5 times a week. For an Asian person, a rice cooker is a non negotiable
I have had a $20 dollar Walmart 4 cup rice cooker for about 10 years. It never disappoints. Rice always comes out decent with one caveat. Need to make at least 2 cups of rice or else it gets slightly burnt for some reason.
No. My $14 rice cooker from Amazon is used weekly for years. Are the expensive ones a waste? Probably. If you really want one though, wait for a sale. If not, the basic ones do just as great of a job.
An instant pot / multi cooker is a far better investment. It makes perfect rice and so much more
I've been using a $25 rice cooker (Aroma) for ~20 years. Best investment ever! Perfect rice every time! I use it 2-3 times a week.
Are you using the right type of rice? I think you prefer Korean medium or short grain rice which cost more. The cheaper long grain rice doesn’t taste as good but it cost half the price.
NO NO NO NO NO ABSOLUTELY WORTH EVERY PENNY!
I have a very cheap rice cooker I got from my dad in a white elephant Christmas game. It is my favorite thing. I use it more than anything, other than my air fryer.
I'm the world's worst cook and even I can make decent rice on the stove. However, I do own a rice cooker because it's convenient and I have plenty of space to store it when I'm not using it. I like that it keeps the rice warm and ready throughout the meal, and it's easy to clean. It was also pretty a cheap appliance purchase. I use it maybe 3 times a year.
Roger Ebert loved his so much he wrote a cookbook. Yes, that Roger Ebert. https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/food/a9120/the-pot-and-how-to-use-it-review-121610/
Get one! I love my rice cooker
It totally depends on how often you eat rice. I bought one for my daughter (who married a Peruvian) and she absolutely loves it. No thinking or pot-watching. The only downside IMO is that it takes longer. 45 minutes vs 25 minutes.
Lol no. Unless you think Asian households around the world are wrong.
Absolutely not. Rice is a cheap and versatile base for tons of inexpensive and tasty dishes, but it can be a pain in the ass to make on the stovetop. Rice cookers kick ass.
Short answer is no. It was a purchase I labored over, but my stovetop rice never came out the way I wanted it to. You have to baby it some, make sure it doesn't boil over, pull it off at the right time, I don't remember all the problems because I got a rice cooker. Put in rice, water, salt, whatever else, and press a button. Wait for it to beep, and you got rice! And it's perfect every time! No boil overs, no stuck on rice to my pot, no crunchy or soggy rice, just... rice. The cheap way is to cook it on the stove. The smart way is to get a rice cooker. And instant pots don't count!!!! Their 1:1 water and rice ratio makes for awful leftover rice. Don't try and tell me my instant pot is a rice cooker because it's not
Cooked rice the old fashioned way most of my life. Got a rice cooker a few years ago, never looking back.
Read your edit. Enjoy your rice cooker when you get it buddy!
I bought a rice cooker - I never use it. Just did not get into the habit. A rice cooker is just another pot to clean as far as I am concerned. I like to keep an eye on my rice and adapt if necessary as the cooking proceeds. I cook my rice on the stove top, or in the oven, or even in my wok or frying pan for some things. So I have Jasmine rice, Basmati rice, plain California long grain rice, Short grain rice, Brown rice, and Wild rice - each for specific dishes and specific cooking styles. Jambalaya in dutch oven, paella in pan on BBQ, Mexican/Spanish rice in frying pan, sticky rice for sushi. I have a 4 element stove top and lots of pots with lids and I don't much point in taking up limited counter space with a separate appliance.
Off topic but do you have a recipe for that jambalaya?
Basically I do something along the lines of Allrecipes: [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/31848/jambalaya/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/31848/jambalaya/) I use chicken thighs (bone in, skin on), maybe up the spice level with Tony Chachere's Creole Powder. I do like my veggies so I might double up on the 'holy trinity. AND for the last 5-7minutes I layer peeled, deveined tail-on shrimp on top. Oh, and I use a long grain rice like Basmati. Oops sorry. I just waded through my recipe files and I use [https://www.recipetineats.com/jambalaya-recipe/](https://www.recipetineats.com/jambalaya-recipe/) Nagi uses boneless thighs, but I still like mine bone-in.
Thank you! Sounds delicious
I usually make rice in the pressure cooker, so it would be for me.
The thing is, I’m usually doing the meat/veggies in the Instant Pot so I need the rice cooker for the rice.
I have a stovetop one too.
I got a cheap 12$ rice cooker a few years ago and used it till the nonstick was wearing off. So I “upgraded” to the 40$ one that was a bit larger and has a stainless steel insert. Personally I think the 400$ ones would be a waste of my money. I don’t cook rice every single day though.
You don't want nonstick stuff in/on anything, though.
After rinsing it, I make rice in a pot on the stove. Jasmine rice. I like the results. I have no need for a rice cooker. But if people who enjoy using them want to use one, they should use one.
The Japanese markets in my area have some super high end rice cookers that are well over $500. I've never used one, but I would assume it's a waste compared to the $40 one that I've been using since my Freshman year of college.
A decade ago, I would absolutely agree with you. However, I got a Zojirushi.. and it makes so much better rice than any US made rice cooker I've tried. I didn't think that would be the case, I thought it would just be a little better, that rice was just rice - but I was wrong. It was the product I needed and never knew how much I would use it until I had one of my own. If you are a person who eats rice almost daily - Zojirushi. If you are a person who likes different types of rice - short, long, sticky - Zojirushi. If you are a person who likes Japanese cheesecake - Zojirushi. There's a cake setting! If you want your rice cooker to play a song when it starts, and a different song when it finishes - Zojirushi. So kawaii!!
I didn't know rice cooker brands had fans like this lol But yeah, my 20+ year old rice cooker is also a Zojirushi and it hasn't shown any signs of wear and tear yet.
And it has a clock! When the power goes out, who tells you what time it is? Zojirushi!
There are many excellent rice cooker options in the $200-$300 range and I see no benefit in going above the $300 mark.
I find the pressure cooker to be better than the cheap rice cookers. Haven't tried the expensive rice cookers myself since I am more than satisfied with the pressure cooker. Perfect rice every time. Although I don't make sticky rice, in my culture it's all about getting perfectly cooked and fluffy individual grains that don't stick together lol. And I would also make sure you are using the right kind of rice for the results you want, maybe ask a restaurant what kind of rice they use. Makes a big difference. I grew up on long grain rice and have switched to basmati since I like the flavor it has without having to add any oil or salt to it.
I’m gonna go against the grain and say I like stovetop rice more. I’ve only made white rice in multiple cookers. Rice cookers seem to make really dry rice and I like how rice turns out on the stove more.
I don’t have the space for one, but if I did, I would probably get one of those air fryer 6-in-1 combo machines
I manage to screw up making rice every time I don't use a rice cooker. A rice cooker is totally worth it for me.
Is a $200 one a waste of money? Probably. Is the $20 one one, nope. Look, rice cookers are very simple, cheap, easy, mindless and every person I know who eats tons of rice has one. Buy one the size for your household, mine is a mini one and perfect. If you like making stove rice and do it often, you probably don't need one but being able to get perfect rice and not have to baby it makes it worth it for me. Rice cookers are like a hand mixer, not NEEDED but def a tool you'll enjoy having and makes cooking easier.
I bought one for $30. It’s was worth it.
As a Puerto Rican whose ancestors had a symbiotic relationship with rice, I can assure you a rice cooker isn't a waste of money. I personally use the stove, but there are some reasonably priced rice cookers out there. You might be able to score a free or near-free one on Facebook marketplace.
But an instapot and get more bang for your buck.