Rice Cookers
Rice cookers are simple to use, simple to clean, and very consistent. I highly recommend investing in one of these if you cook rice at least once a month. I use mine once a week and I have been using the same cooker for over 5 years now!
But why are some of the rice cookers $300 while others are only $70?
Generally, the more expensive it is the more features it comes with. Some come with the ability to steam food at variable temperatures or steam vegetables while steaming rice at the same time!
There are a few key features to look for when investing in a rice cooker:
- How many cups can it cook at one time?
- What material is the bowl made out of? Stainless steel? Coated aluminum?
- How many settings does it have? Do I need more than one setting?
- Do I want to cook more than just rice in the steamer?
cheap vs. expensive rice cookers:
(1 cup of uncooked, white rice is approx. 185 grams, for my metric friends out there!)
$40:
- Generally coated aluminum bowls.
- One button – when you plug it in, it defaults to the “warm” setting. Press it down to set it to “cook.”
- The typical life expectancy of 2-3 years.
- Cooks between 2-4 cups of rice.
$70:
- Stainless Steel bowls – you don’t have to worry about a coating chipping or leaking into your rice.
- Capable of cooking up to 8 cups of rice, but due to the simple heating element, I wouldn’t cook more than 6 cups at a time.
- One button – when you plug it in, it defaults to the “warm” setting. Press it down to set to “cook.”
- Generally computerized to make slight adjustments to temperature and cooking times so you receive consistent rice every time!
- LED screen and multiple settings for vegetables, brown rice, etc.
- Removable power cord.
$130+:
- Stainless or Aluminum bowls.
- Cooks 6-10 cups of rice.
- Multiple settings – vegetables, brown rice, porridge, and quick-cooking features.
- Retractable cord
- LED Screen and computerized adjustments
- Delayed timer
$250+:
- Stainless or Aluminum bowls.
- Cooks 8-12 cups of rice.
- Multiple settings – vegetables, brown rice, porridge, and quick-cooking features.
- Retractable cord
- LED Screen and computerized adjustments to cooking times
- Two delayed timer settings.
- The induction Heating element uses pressure and evenly distributed heat to create the best, fluffiest rice in the industry.
Now that you have a basic breakdown of the different features, you can get a better understanding of what you need before making a purchase.
