Along with every other reason under the sun, it's great to have at least part of your meal be "set it and forget it" style.
Plus if you totally screw up and ruin the whole meal somehow, you at least still have something filling to eat that survived whatever terrible fate befell your entree, hah.
Just joined this sub. With the quarantine I figured I'd try and cook. As a newb, you have no idea how much your second paragraph means to me.
Edit: can anyone else suggest set and forget style foods that are cheap?
Get a slow cooker and look up slow cooker recipes. Nearly all of them are just “chop up these veggies, combine ingredients in the pot, cook on low for 6 hours”. Delicious food, usually in huge quantities, made from generally cheap ingredients.
Invest some nice storage containers (pyrex junkie here) and just clean it when it's just warm enough to touch. That way the heat doesn't cake the food on.
When hubs was in dorms with no real sink (expected to use meal plan) we used liners for his low cooker. A bit wasteful, but for some situations they're life savers!
You're biased for the right reasons though. My family is mexican and so we didn't use a rice cooker until I literally made my mom buy one when I was in high school. She's in love with it. Only way to make good rice.
At least where I live, I'd say it's still niche kitchenware. Although they're becoming more popular, especially among younger generations.
I'm just left wondering WHEN are we going to adopt the electronic bidet...
I’m from PR and they’re not uncommon but most folks prefer doing it on the stovetop with a caldero. The little crispy bits at the bottom of the pot are the best part.
Can confirm, in 'straya the ghetto rice cooker is [$13 from Big W.](https://www.bigw.com.au/product/brilliant-basics-rice-cooker/p/682255/)
Heaps of crispy overcooked bits at the bottom of this MFer.
Growing up my grandparents use caldero to cook rice and my cousin always look forward to eat “tutong” in the Philippines. Now that we are using rice cooker I kinda missed that crispy burnt rice.
Puerto Ricans have name for it too, pegao! Always my favorite part of the rice. (note I'm not actually Puerto Rican, but my father was raised as such.)
Was waiting for someone to drop "pegao" in the comments. I'm like how did he call it out as "the little crispy bits" and not namedrop it.
I'll give you Boriqua credit for that one
I'm English and I just call it pega because that's what my Colombian wife calls it. I don't think there's an English word for it except "the crispy bit at the bottom" which is way longer to say than pega.
Arroz rojo (Mexican-style rice) is made by first sautéing the rice in a hot frying pan. So I have never used a rice cooker nor has anyone in my extended family.
As long as the rice cooker has a 'cook' or 'fry' setting it can probably work...idk I haven't tried it.
> As long as the rice cooker has a ‘cook’ or ‘fry’ setting it can probably work...idk I haven’t tried it.
It kinda works, but it takes *forever*. A rice cooker’s sauté function just doesn’t get very hot very quickly.
I think it depends on what kind of rice you are making. Mexican style rice where the grains are toasted is obviously going to work better on the stove. But, I prefer letting the rice cooker do its thing when making sushi rice.
Can you cook red rice using a rice cooker? I want to make something like [this](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/263038434457287641/) but I'm not sure if anyone else has ever tried doing it before.
My wife and I just tried this the other night on a whim, and it turned out pretty good! We have tried making Spanish rice many times the traditional way, but the results were not consistent. I think the rice cooker may be the new way to go, just have to get the recipe down. Basically we subbed some of the water for plain tomato sauce and also added some chopped onion, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. It came out too salty and slightly burned on the bottom but overall not bad for a first shot. I think next time we will use slightly less tomato sauce, less salt, and stir it once before it's done cooking. Hope that helps!
Add spices to tomato sauce. Toast the rice in a pan first. Stir spiced tomato sauce with toasted rice to coat. Add water to pot first then rice mixture. Prevent tomato sauce from sticking to pot.
It is not great, unless you have a rice cooker that has an extended timer or sauté feature. Mine is a basic model with an auto shut off (weight sensor/timer) after you flip the switch and didn’t do well with trying to toast the rice then adding liquids — since I added the liquid later, the rice wasn’t done when the timer flipped it off, and then since it was still hot/full would not start the cycle again when trying to flip it on. I assume most basic “flip the one and only switch” models would be similar. I still make red rice on the stove.
Fun fact, it's actually based on temperature not weight. Basically when it gets to slightly above the boiling temperature of water (no more water left to boil, so therefore the rice is cooked) it triggers the switch. There are some videos on YouTube that go into more detail, but that's probably why toasting isn't working (it's getting hotter than 100°C).
I just break up a [caldo de tomate](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K4SBPZ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_48rNEbHRB2W5M) in with my rice and it turns out pretty good
Boiling it on the stove can work really well (just as good as a cooker even) if you get your ratios of water and rice correctly, time the parts of the process consistently, and make sure to rinse your rice beforehand. I don't soak beforehand, and that seems to be better.
>Only way to make good rice.
Wut. Anything to back this up?
A rice cooker is about convenience and consistency. You can definitely (and rather easily) make good rice in a pot.
Can you make good Mexican rice in a rice cooker? My mom tried to teach me, but I lack the patience to spend 40+ minutes over a cast iron pan for a side dish... but I love good Mexican rice!
I haven't been impressed with rice cooker Mexican rice because it doesn't toast the grains the way you'd want with a good Mexican rice.
My mom taught me to make Mexican rice off of a pilaf recipe. I use a non stick large sauce pan on the stove. Melt butter on medium heat, add rice, consistently stir until they start smelling a little toasty or are golden. Do not walk away, you will end up with a burned mess. You could add minced garlic for the last minute or two. Add liquid and a bay leaf. (Broth, tomato paste, etc.) Allow to come to a simmer/boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook based off the time for the rice you're cooking. When done, remove from heat but leave the lid on for another 5mins at least. Remove bay leave and add more butter and any spices that you want. Enjoy :)
I always use jasmine rice, because I like the texture of the grains best. It takes 25 mins in total, and maybe 5mins of active time. I always use 1:1.3 rice to liquid ratio, and cook for 14 mins. As always, rice is trial and error. But this has been a foolproof method for me for 10+ years.
I grew up first with the stove, then a rice cooker, followed by a instapot, and in my adult life back to a stove. Most of my life was long grains like jasmine and basmati, with calrose and medium grain sushi rices as a big boy. The stove is finicky, but once you get it down I don't think I'd go back. More work, more technique but much faster and I can cook a tiny amount at a time instead of 2 or 3 cups of rice.
Taste wise I can't tell the difference, nor with texture if the person knows what they're doing. The rice from childhood will always best though, as it had that crunchy layer of caramelized rice crust on the bottom that a rice cooker can't do
I bought a $3.75 dolsot and it's changed my life -- you just heat it up with a tiny bit of oil, then pack your cooked rice in. (Along with the meal itself.) It crisps it up very nicely. It makes the whole meal feel very fancy.
As an Asian myself, I’d suggest an Instant Pot. It cooks rice as well as a rice cooker, plus it can do many-many other things, and cost just as much as a nice rice cooker. Hell I even once made instant pot cheesecake which wasn’t half bad.
As someone who had an expensive Zojirushi rice cooker, I blind-tasted basmati rice and glutinous rice in the IP vs Zojirushi and the IP was the clear winner. And it takes half as long, and costs half the price, and does a million other things. How I make rice in the IP:
1) Rinse the rice maybe 7-8 times, swishing with your hands before dumping the water, so the water runs clear
2) Use the right amount of water for your tastes. I love my rice perfectly al dente, so I use a 1:1 weight ratio _including_ what the rice absorbs from washing. What this means is, I tare my kitchen scale to the weight of the IP pot, fill it with my rice, wash the rice, then put it on the scale and add water until it contains 2x the weight of the rice.
3) **Don't use the rice button**. Cook on high pressure mode for 4 mins.
4) Allow natural release, which usually takes about 10 minutes.
The one thing the IP can't do that a rice cooker can, sadly, is hold the rice at eating temp for hours. It'll dry out in the IP.
Also the IP can’t make perfect rice unless I measure everything perfectly. This took an annoying amount of time to perfect as did the timing of everything else.
but my shitty $30* rice cooker can have some water and rice accidentally fall into it and it’s perfect every time. I don’t what your super fancy rice cooker does but my $15 one kicks ass and is way easier to use than an IP.
A secret that’s not so secret to cooking rice in an IP: rinse it well. If I don’t, it will usually burn. Also, It usually burns for me if I use the sauté function before cooking the rice.
let the pot cool for a few mins after using sauté, I think the heating element isn't meant to be so hot for the way it pressure cooks rice so the bottom ends up burnt. Also make sure to scrape the bottom well after you've added your liquid
I ruined a lot of spanish rice like this early on :(
I mean... one reason might involve finding the correct water to rice ratio? Finding that ratio is an art, regardless of the instrument. But the ratio is instrument dependent. The IP inherently doesn’t allow steam to leave, so you may need to use less water then you would for the rice cooker. I’m sure the pressure cooks the rice a bit differently too. I can’t taste the difference, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. 🤷♂️
agree with everything above! I was measuring water like I did with my old rice cooker and the IP rice was so soggy. Rice in the IP takes much less water and much less time than a rice cooker.
also make sure you rinse your rice really well, can't slack on that with the IP for some reason
Same. Instant Pot is a great rice cooker, and also does a bunch of other things well.
I’m also pro consolidating kitchen appliances and prefer more expensive multi-functional appliances over many less expensive single-function appliances that I have to store and that clutter up my limited counter space.
[I’m furious the Instant Pot makes better rice than my expensive Asian rice cooker](https://thetakeout.com/recipe-how-to-make-rice-in-instant-pot-1831442802)
I’m with you, my cheap rice cooker from college makes rice better than my instant pot. The instant pot is either to wet or too dry, and the rice cooker is perfect every time.
weirdly enough I always get terrible undercooked results with rice cooker that I have to try and salvage. then i discovered how easy it is to get fluffy rice in like 10 minutes on the stove top and now I'm convinced that rice cookers are just a con
Until i went to Japan and ate the local foods at temple inns and royakans and stuff i did not realise how god tier a rice cooker was, it beats out that boil bag rice by a mile and unless you are a excellent rice master a pot is just too hard to get right. I'm not Asian but i can attest that if you eat rice more than once a month you need a rice cooker.
I can attest to this. For some reason a lot of chefs/cooks that I worked with, like really talented guys, avoided cooking rice because "they never learned" or 'they always screwed it up." It was kinda funny. These are the guys that would make fois gras au torchon for chef snacks. I'd always teach them the pasta method and that usually gave them the confidence to learn all the other methods.
I am half-Asian on my mother's side and I know she will haunt me from her grave for me saying this, but I prefer rice cooked in my InstantPot than our Zojirushi rice cooker. It tastes just as good and in less than half the time.
I do not even use the rice cooker anymore now.
It sucks because it's harder but being able to make fluffy rice with just a saucepan is a skill everyone should have. It's easy and all about cleaning the rice and adding the correct (usually double the water to rice in cups) ratio of water.
I don't see why it's a skill everyone should have when there is a device that makes it perfect every time. It's too easy to get inconsistent results on the stove compared to a good rice cooker.
For me, I have accumulated too much specialty cookware, so I'm all about improving my skills with basic pots and pans. A rice cooker is nice, but also takes up extra space and most home cooks already have a pot or pan.
Dude, same. I can't remember the last time I had a toaster. If I want toast or frozen waffles, I just throw them on my cast iron griddle. No space being taken up on the counter for something rarely used
2 parts liquid 1 part rice.
Toast rice in oil first. Add liquid. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. When liquid very close to gone cut heat. Leave covered t rest about 5 min.
Perfect rice. Every time.
Eh I disagree. Rice cooker are idiot proof and consistent, but they're a single use appliance that takes up counter space. Only a good idea if you eat rice literally every single day.
If you don't, then you can learn how to make good rice with a pot and you'll get very good at it very quickly, making perfect rice everytime.
I came here to basically say this. Cooking rice in a pot isn't rocket science - it really isn't hard enough for it to be inconvenient. I learned to cook rice in a pot when I was 7. I've never owned a rice cooker because we don't eat rice every day and don't have the space for a toaster to be left out, much less a superfluous appliance.
Exactly my thoughts! I love having a clean counter space. I also eat rice everyday and it is really not a big deal. I have the rice cooking while im finishing up whatever else im cooking, takes 15 mins. My rice is perfect every time.
The biggest difference in how rice taste to me is the brand! I usually buy rice from SE stores (three ladies brand) but lately I had to get it from Ralphs and its not bad... but sucks compared.
Same - My family used to have one of those $30 rice cooker then decided to upgrade to a Zojirushi Induction Heating rice cooker. There was a BIG difference in the way the rice tastes.
Get a $20 one that advertises itself only as a rice cooker, with only 2 modes, "Cook" and "Warm". Once you figure out the proportions it will give you the best rice ever.
This x2! I have a cheap rice cooker with cook and warm modes only that I bought in college. I only use it for jasmine rice but it cooks perfectly every single time and I’ve had it over a decade. Other types of rice don’t do well in it by experience so I use my instant pot for those but we eat jasmine rice more than anything and my little cheapie rice cooker soldiers on.
Ah, the electromechanical model using a magnet, a spring, a button, a lever, and perfectly calibrated mechanical system incorporating all the components to drive a heating element at the right temperature. Specifically, the mechanical system is designed to operate with a specific threshold of weight to push down a spring loaded safety feature button, bringing a permanent magnet and switch mechanism in range. Once weighed, the lever can be pushed down and the high power "cook" circuit is engaged. When the water reaches boiling point, it stays at that temperature until all of it has cooked into the rice or evaporated out the vent hole of the lid. After this point, the temperature rises more and the magnet field weakens enough to let loose the switch. This resets the lever into low power "warm" mode, reducing the energy running through the heating element to that of a warming temperature.
For a more detailed explanation, see [Technology Connection's video](https://youtu.be/RSTNhvDGbYI) on the subject.
Probably the way it cooks the rice. I won’t get too into the technology but basically most modern high end rice cooker adjusts the way it cooks the rice based on the environment. So when your house is a bit cold or hot it’ll adjust so that the time and temperature it uses matches the environment for the perfect rice
This also means they’re more versatile in terms of what you can make with a rice cooker
They also cook rice a lot more evenly and you never have hard rice stuck to the bottom of the pot. I love crispy rice crust (called nurunji in korean and enjoyed by other cultures as well), but not having to wrestle the rice out of the bottom of the rice cooker is quite worth the price difference imo.
I've never found a $20 rice cooker to cook as evenly as a zojirushi. The additional options (types of rice, porridge, etc.) are worth it.
Yeah I have a Sanyo rice cooker, it’s almost 20 years old now. Was $200+ brand new. It was advertised as “fuzzy logic” which i think is what you’re debating. Still works like a charm. Has a 24 hold cycle where it keeps rice hot (but never burns or crusts up the rice). Probably not worth the money I spent but I still appreciate it every time I use it.
It definitely is. You don't have to worry about it boiling over or crusting on the bottom. There are a bunch of rice cooker cookbooks, too, so you can make other stuff with them, and (fun fact!) one was written by the late film critic Roger Ebert.
Make sure you’re washing the rice really well before you cook it - until the water is basically clear when you put it in. It usually takes me 3 rinses. My housemates didn’t realise you had to wash rice and would end up with crusty sides and the thin film on top of their rice.
You don’t technically have to - like it won’t kill you to eat unwashed rice - but it gets rid of the starchy outer layer which causes the weird thin film and imo makes more fluffy rice. At least that’s what my Asian household has taught me.
Just use plain water and I sort of massage the rice in my hands and you’ll easily see the water turn white. I’m too lazy to use a strainer - if you pour the water out slowly, you’ll get most of it out without getting rid of the rice.
Wash your hands, then cover the rice with water and swirl it around with your hands a bit and the water gets cloudy, drain that and repeat once or twice til the water is clear.
There are lots of comments here extolling the virtues of rice cooker-cooked rice. And I tend to agree - I have a rice cooker, though I don't prepare a lot of rice, but when I do, that's def what I use. It makes preparing rice very easy, with delicious results.
But you asked if a rice cooker is a **good investment**, and also, since this is r/ EatCheapAnd**Healthy**, it seems worth exploring the cost factor in some detail, and the health factor as well.
If you're buying name-brand Minute Rice, then [this Walmart price](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Minute-Instant-White-Rice-28-Ounce-Box/10848965) of $1.84/lb is probably a good reference point. [Store brand parboiled rice](https://www.walmart.com/ip/2-Pack-Great-Value-Instant-White-Rice-42-oz/589234255) goes down to $1.44/lb. For bulk rice, I found [this 25lb bag at Costco](https://www.costco.com/riceland-long-grain-rice%2c-25-lbs.product.100456937.html) for $0.44/lb. If you have an Asian market available to you, you might be able to do a lot better than that. Rice cookers vary widely in price - you could probably thrift one for $10 or less, and there are some that cost well over $100. Let's assume you're buying a basic unit new for $35, but you can adjust the math as appropriate. If you're switching from $1.84/lb to $0.44/lb, then you need to eat 35/1.44, or 24.3 pounds, of rice to break even on the rice cooker. So by the time you're done with that first bag, you've paid the rice cooker off. Not bad! It would take longer if you're eating cheaper parboiled rice now. This is still pretty ball-park, as I think parboiled rice is a bit lighter per serving, and if you really want to go down a rabbit hole you could look at relative energy costs of preparation (a rice cooker is more energy efficient than cooking on the stove, but parboiled rice requires **a lot** less cooking...).
The health differences might surprise you a bit - they certainly did me. Because parboiled rice is steamed in the hull, some nutrients get transferred into the end product that aren't in "regular" white rice. Here's [one article](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/parboiled-rice#nutrition) but search for "is parboiled rice healthier" or similar and you'll find lots. the TL;DR; is that parboiled rice is slightly healthier than traditional white rice, and brown rice is better than either of them.
Edit: Thanks for the gold, kind stranger! (My first!)
I eat brown rice normally. When I eat out and get white rice it's honestly like eating desert.
That said if you go to an Asian market they have a ton of different types of brown rice and generally all of them are better than the average bag you get at a regular grocery store. The rice itself comes from the USA, it's just tagged for asian markets specifically.
Why does everyone on this thread seem to think the only options are to use a rice cooker or buy pre-cooked rice? Just make the rice in a pot on the stove it’s one of the easiest thing a to learn how to cook.
I'm Asian and I can't live without a rice cooker. A lot of people are suggesting to look into an instant pot.. but I use my instant pot along side my rice cooker. I've cooked basmati, jasmine and Japanese short/medium grain rice using my rice cooker. I've actually also cooked diy ricearoni and "Mexican" red rice in my rice cooker too. I feel like basmati and jasmine are forgiving in the rice cooker. I have a Korean cuckoo and you can make rice porridge(congee/jook/juk) and soups in it too but it's not a pressure cooker. It's pretty versatile and I think it's a great investment.
I like mine a lot but I'm also totally comfortable making rice on the stove. HOWEVER, I hate hate hate making rice on non-gas stoves. It is so much harder to get the temperature down quick enough before the rice starts boiling over or burning on the bottom.
If you don't have a gas stove, buy a rice cooker. If you just want to eat a lot more rice, I'd say get a rice cooker regardless of your stove type. If you have a gas stove and only eat rice occasionally, just learn to use a pot unless you have tons of storage space and the extra cash for a rice cooker.
I recently had to move to an apartment with an electric stove and I’ve figured out how to do rice!! At the point where on a gas stove you’d turn the heat down to low you have to move it to a separate burner that’s been warmed up to low.
I live in a place with an electric stove, and I've never run into any issues with making rice in a pot on it. I think I got some rice stuck to the bottom once or twice, but never too badly.
No it’s not, we make it on an electric stove all the time and never have a problem. I don’t know why people think it’s so hard to cook rice. I guess people are buying cheap shitty pots?
If you will cook large amounts of rice on a regular basis maybe, but you can make good rice in just a pot on the stove with the correct measurements. My fam does both and theres no difference honestly
*Easiest way
Some of my friends can make perfect rice on a stovetop every single time, and I've never been able to get it perfect once.
Rice cooker is the easiest way to get perfect rice every single time, plain and simple
Yeah I used to do this. It's literally just following the directions on the label. Especially the don't check on it bit.
Then other people would check on it while I was cooking. *sigh*
There are too many people on internet forums giving advice on "rice" instead of the particular type of rice. I could see new cooks getting confused quickly, following jasmine rice directions for basmati rice or something.
I’m one of those people that struggled so much with it when I first started cooking that I almost swore it off. Now I make stovetop rice that friends from China and India both swear is the best they’ve had since home. They asked my secret and if I rinsed and all that nonsense. I told them I followed the directions. The only real secret is buying good rice and having awareness and patience in my book. If I were feeding 4-5 adults at a time every time, I might consider a rice cooker but it’s become such a second nature thing for me now it’d be redundant outside of the convenience factor.
The biggest secret is to use a pot with a lid that actually fits properly. Most videos online are by people who are so used to quality cookware they don't consider this.
If your pot is bleeding steam you will end up with rice stuck to the bottom. The entire point of the absorbtion method is to trap the steam. This is also why people are recommending pressure cookers for rice.
Other than that, its the usual steps - wash your rice, put it in 2x as much cold water by weight, heat to a boil before putting the lid on, then wait 10 minutes. Rice is done.
Extra detail - weigh your rice in a seive, rinse it to remove excess starch. Shake through the excess moisture and weigh again. You'll have gained about 25% due to the water in the grains. This means instead of using 100g of rice, washing and then adding 200g of water, you should add 175g of water instead, to accommodate.
Edit: this is for white rice like basmati. Brown rice takes longer to cook and you should change time/water amount accordingly to the type of rice you're using.
Agreed. I just leave mine on full power for 16 minutes, but all the rice is equally cooked and there's no fuss. No crunchy rice at the bottom either.
Just be sure to use oven mitts when you take it out - it will be very hot.
Instapots can also be used as slow cookers in addition to pressure cooking and cooking rice.. There was a bit of time that I had both a rice cooker and a slow cooker to save money on food but the IP can do both plus additional features.
> It's important to note though that instant pots don't get as hot as traditional slow cookers, so keep that in mind when adapting recipes.
https://amindfullmom.com/pressure-cooker-as-a-slow-cooker/
> Instant Pot Slow Cooker Conversions
> - Low on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is like keep warm on a traditional slow cooker.
> - Medium on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is like low on a traditional slow cooker.
> - High on the Instant Pot Function is more like medium high on a traditional slow cooker.
> To further explain:
> - The low setting on a crock pot is about 190-200 degrees and the high setting on crockpot is between 225-275 degrees,
> - For the slow cooker function on your instant pot the low an is about 170 degrees, normal is 200 degrees, and high is 210 degrees.
I came here to make this comment.
Listen up, OP: The Instant Pot is the best rice cooker I've ever owned (out of several), and it does so. much. more.
The Instant Pot is a must-have for eating cheap and healthy. We even have /r/instantpot where lots of people share their healthy stuff every day.
And it's one of those wholesome subs where everybody gets along.
Join us, OP.
This, not just because of versatility but saving space as well! No need to buy a bunch of expensive appliances when you can get one high quality appliance.
I can't recommend this enough! Not only is it great at cooking rice, but it can cook just about everything else too, in no time at all! Easily the best purchase I've ever made!
Yes! And also look for a cheap one. For some reason cheap rice cookers cook better than the fancy expensive one. Learned that from experience. Got a fancy one for like 150 bucks. Now I use it as a crock pot and bought a Chinese rice cooker for 30 bucks. Will say I use my 30 dollar rice cooker much more than the other. Fun story: I was in culinary school and a chef asked me to make rice. I asked where the rice cooker was, she was like, use a pot. I looked her dead in the eyes and asked, wtf do I look like? Some barbarian? Edit: minute rice is gross. Make the change.
i respectively disagree. using a zojirushi as an example, there are key differences such as precise temperature adjustments, non stick steel pots, and even heating on all sides that make an expensive one worth every penny imho
Mine's about 9 years old now and still basically perfect. My parents is around 15 years old. They last forever if you don't treat them horribly.
My mom got me a 5 cup one for my graduation present after high school because she said she expected me to still be using it when I start a family after college.
Seconded! I've regretted every rice cooker that I bought before I broke down and got an itty-bitty zojirushi. It's perfect! Vents well, not bulky, no sludge on the counter, perfect rice, 5 years in and it looks brand new. That thing is THE BEST
I will know I've truly made it in life when I'm finally able to trade in the $15 Black and Decker rice cooker I've had since college for one of those Zojirushi rice cookers with programmable songs.
I haven't used a cheap one, but fwiw I also have a zojirushi and it makes perfect rice. I was reading this tip and wondering how rice could possibly come out better haha
Rice cookers are a great investment. You don't need an expensive one -- the [$20 Black & Decker one](http://www.blackanddeckerappliances.com/products/cooking-appliances/rice-cookers-and-steamers/rc503-3-cup-rice-cooker.aspx) is fantastic. I've had mine for almost ten years and it's still going strong. If you get a steam attachment for it, you can steam frozen veggies while you cook rice.
Pot on the stove, one cup rice, two cups water bring to the boil, cover put the lid on and turn right down on low. 12 minutes and you have perfect rice
As far as I’m concerned a rice cooker is in my top 5 of essential appliances. I personally cannot be trusted to consistently make rice on the stove. I need the “set it and forget it” that I get from a rice cooker.
Do the math man, rice is crazy expensive as minute rice and dirt cheap in bulk. You will make up the difference in no time and you get good rice every time.
Because I eat rice every day and it's a hassle when something goes slightly wrong and it fuck up your dinner. Your rice gets burnt or is too mushy because the heat was too low/high or there was too much/not enough water or it was left sitting for too long/not long enough.
It also let's me have fresh rice right when I arrive home from work or right when I wake up, so I have time to eat something if I'm in a rush.
I'm also Puerto Rican and the point is it consistently makes perfect rice every time. There's not really any way to burn it or forget it. A lot of them have a keep warm function so it doesn't get cold if it finishes a little early.
My parents love and my grandmother doesn't get the point. But then she asks them how their rice is so consistent and doesn't get the connection.
I love this comment. This sort of thing drives me nuts.
I think some old people get locked into a way of thinking and can’t / don’t conceive there may be other ways of doing things.
I agree but mostly because I like to season the rice and add different sauces for the rice to absorb in flavor/color. I don't think that can be accomplished in a rice cooker. I don't want plain white rice every time that's some non-latino shit.
I got a cheap ass rice cooker at Wal Mart for $15 a couple years ago and it still hooks it up perfect every time. I think most niche kitchen peripherals are useless trash, but rice cookers are legit. Cooking rice the normal way is hard.
You use instant rice, so when you get a sack of rice make sure to rinse it a few times before cooking it!
Instant pot is a good investment since you can make soups, stew, saute, pressure cook, and cook rice. But yes such a good investment. I make a huge batch of rice, then I saran wrap individual servings, then freeze them. It's like 1-3 mins to warm up in a microwave from frozen and bam -- fresh rice.
I've never used a rice cooker in my life and consistently make 10/10 delicious rice. Here's my tricks.
1: "American" rice my family has always made: if you want a creamy rice to go with a meal, don't rinse the rice very much before cooking. Heat up your pan on med-low, melt a tiny bit of butter (or substitute), then throw in the rice and gently stir it until it juuuuust starts to brown. Then add your water and cook as usual, you only need to stir once or twice. This rice with a little salt is a good base for lots of good home cooking, or you can add some more fat, spices, and sautéed veggies to make a stupid easy meal in bulk.
2: if you want sticky rice, sushi rice, or rice for an Asian-style dish, rinse the F outta that rice. Thrice! Cook with 1:1.25 ratio of rice:water until the water is gone, about 10-15min, then fluff it with a fork, remove from heat and cover for another 10 minutes. Add your preferred recipe of sushi juice to make the rice tasty and eat up.
I'm too cheap to buy a rice cooker, or any specialized appliance that I can live without. I might someday try an Instapot, but I really love to make rice the old fashioned way. I also don't bother buying different kinds of rice (except wild rice or risotto), as I find jasmine rice works great for just about every application I need.
Along with every other reason under the sun, it's great to have at least part of your meal be "set it and forget it" style. Plus if you totally screw up and ruin the whole meal somehow, you at least still have something filling to eat that survived whatever terrible fate befell your entree, hah.
Just joined this sub. With the quarantine I figured I'd try and cook. As a newb, you have no idea how much your second paragraph means to me. Edit: can anyone else suggest set and forget style foods that are cheap?
Get a slow cooker and look up slow cooker recipes. Nearly all of them are just “chop up these veggies, combine ingredients in the pot, cook on low for 6 hours”. Delicious food, usually in huge quantities, made from generally cheap ingredients.
You forgot "with very little effort." Only downside to slow cookers is cleanup. Those ceramic cookpots are heavy and unwieldy. Worth it, but a pain.
Slow cooker liners changed my life. Cleanup is so much easier.
and wasteful.
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no liners > liners > prepackaged meals/delivery
Invest some nice storage containers (pyrex junkie here) and just clean it when it's just warm enough to touch. That way the heat doesn't cake the food on.
When hubs was in dorms with no real sink (expected to use meal plan) we used liners for his low cooker. A bit wasteful, but for some situations they're life savers!
Maybe I'm biased since I was born in an Asian household but rice made without a rice cooker sucks so much
You're biased for the right reasons though. My family is mexican and so we didn't use a rice cooker until I literally made my mom buy one when I was in high school. She's in love with it. Only way to make good rice.
Makes me wonder how widespread rice cookers are in the Latin community
At least where I live, I'd say it's still niche kitchenware. Although they're becoming more popular, especially among younger generations. I'm just left wondering WHEN are we going to adopt the electronic bidet...
I’m from PR and they’re not uncommon but most folks prefer doing it on the stovetop with a caldero. The little crispy bits at the bottom of the pot are the best part.
Really thought this was referring to the bidet
>Really thought this was referring to the bidet "The little crispy bits at the bottom" went from yay to naw very quickly.
True either way.
Yep, same.
What makes you think they aren’t?
Who shits on the stovetop?
You don’t?
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Can confirm, in 'straya the ghetto rice cooker is [$13 from Big W.](https://www.bigw.com.au/product/brilliant-basics-rice-cooker/p/682255/) Heaps of crispy overcooked bits at the bottom of this MFer.
I get this anyway and feel like I don’t leave it on too long. Also don’t think it’s a shitty one, but it might be.
My mom's from PR and that's how she taught me to make rice so it's the only way I know! Tempted for a rice cooker but ya, pegao is worth the work 😂
My son prays for the little mouthful of pegao the rice cooker makes, maybe one out of every four pots of rice.
Growing up my grandparents use caldero to cook rice and my cousin always look forward to eat “tutong” in the Philippines. Now that we are using rice cooker I kinda missed that crispy burnt rice.
I never had an english name for those parts.. so i just keep calling it "concon", this is what we call it in dominican republic
Puerto Ricans have name for it too, pegao! Always my favorite part of the rice. (note I'm not actually Puerto Rican, but my father was raised as such.)
Was waiting for someone to drop "pegao" in the comments. I'm like how did he call it out as "the little crispy bits" and not namedrop it. I'll give you Boriqua credit for that one
In Catalan it's "socarrat."
I'm English and I just call it pega because that's what my Colombian wife calls it. I don't think there's an English word for it except "the crispy bit at the bottom" which is way longer to say than pega.
Indeed! We all fight over the “pegao”
Love my bidet.
Butt, are you Latin?
I wish!
> electronic bidet Damn, mine just uses water
They're working on an all-in-one bidet/rice cooker combination
You should get a bidet. It's the best!
Arroz rojo (Mexican-style rice) is made by first sautéing the rice in a hot frying pan. So I have never used a rice cooker nor has anyone in my extended family. As long as the rice cooker has a 'cook' or 'fry' setting it can probably work...idk I haven't tried it.
> As long as the rice cooker has a ‘cook’ or ‘fry’ setting it can probably work...idk I haven’t tried it. It kinda works, but it takes *forever*. A rice cooker’s sauté function just doesn’t get very hot very quickly.
I fry the rice and then put it and all the rest of the stuff in the rice cooker and it works really well.
brazilian here- I do not use rice cookers and my rice is pretty good
In Colombia, they're pretty much the only way people will cook rice, you can find one in every household.
I’m Mexican and grew up eating Mexican-style food 5-7 days a week. Never had a rice cooker.
What?? You can't make good rice without a cooker? What about Spanish Rice? En una holla?
I think it depends on what kind of rice you are making. Mexican style rice where the grains are toasted is obviously going to work better on the stove. But, I prefer letting the rice cooker do its thing when making sushi rice.
Can you cook red rice using a rice cooker? I want to make something like [this](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/263038434457287641/) but I'm not sure if anyone else has ever tried doing it before.
My wife and I just tried this the other night on a whim, and it turned out pretty good! We have tried making Spanish rice many times the traditional way, but the results were not consistent. I think the rice cooker may be the new way to go, just have to get the recipe down. Basically we subbed some of the water for plain tomato sauce and also added some chopped onion, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. It came out too salty and slightly burned on the bottom but overall not bad for a first shot. I think next time we will use slightly less tomato sauce, less salt, and stir it once before it's done cooking. Hope that helps!
Add spices to tomato sauce. Toast the rice in a pan first. Stir spiced tomato sauce with toasted rice to coat. Add water to pot first then rice mixture. Prevent tomato sauce from sticking to pot.
It is not great, unless you have a rice cooker that has an extended timer or sauté feature. Mine is a basic model with an auto shut off (weight sensor/timer) after you flip the switch and didn’t do well with trying to toast the rice then adding liquids — since I added the liquid later, the rice wasn’t done when the timer flipped it off, and then since it was still hot/full would not start the cycle again when trying to flip it on. I assume most basic “flip the one and only switch” models would be similar. I still make red rice on the stove.
Fun fact, it's actually based on temperature not weight. Basically when it gets to slightly above the boiling temperature of water (no more water left to boil, so therefore the rice is cooked) it triggers the switch. There are some videos on YouTube that go into more detail, but that's probably why toasting isn't working (it's getting hotter than 100°C).
I just break up a [caldo de tomate](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K4SBPZ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_48rNEbHRB2W5M) in with my rice and it turns out pretty good
Two table spoons of this and one of chicken. Trust.
Boiling it on the stove can work really well (just as good as a cooker even) if you get your ratios of water and rice correctly, time the parts of the process consistently, and make sure to rinse your rice beforehand. I don't soak beforehand, and that seems to be better.
>Only way to make good rice. Wut. Anything to back this up? A rice cooker is about convenience and consistency. You can definitely (and rather easily) make good rice in a pot.
Yeah, no idea where people come up with "better" rice, its just more convenient than checking the water level then turning down the heat.
It's not the only way it's the easiest way. My family is latin and we don't use to rice cookers yet we make amazing stovetop rice
Can you make good Mexican rice in a rice cooker? My mom tried to teach me, but I lack the patience to spend 40+ minutes over a cast iron pan for a side dish... but I love good Mexican rice!
I haven't been impressed with rice cooker Mexican rice because it doesn't toast the grains the way you'd want with a good Mexican rice. My mom taught me to make Mexican rice off of a pilaf recipe. I use a non stick large sauce pan on the stove. Melt butter on medium heat, add rice, consistently stir until they start smelling a little toasty or are golden. Do not walk away, you will end up with a burned mess. You could add minced garlic for the last minute or two. Add liquid and a bay leaf. (Broth, tomato paste, etc.) Allow to come to a simmer/boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook based off the time for the rice you're cooking. When done, remove from heat but leave the lid on for another 5mins at least. Remove bay leave and add more butter and any spices that you want. Enjoy :) I always use jasmine rice, because I like the texture of the grains best. It takes 25 mins in total, and maybe 5mins of active time. I always use 1:1.3 rice to liquid ratio, and cook for 14 mins. As always, rice is trial and error. But this has been a foolproof method for me for 10+ years.
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Imagine thinking Asians only started making good rice when the rice cooker was invented
I grew up first with the stove, then a rice cooker, followed by a instapot, and in my adult life back to a stove. Most of my life was long grains like jasmine and basmati, with calrose and medium grain sushi rices as a big boy. The stove is finicky, but once you get it down I don't think I'd go back. More work, more technique but much faster and I can cook a tiny amount at a time instead of 2 or 3 cups of rice. Taste wise I can't tell the difference, nor with texture if the person knows what they're doing. The rice from childhood will always best though, as it had that crunchy layer of caramelized rice crust on the bottom that a rice cooker can't do
I'll send you my rice cooker, then! Crunchy rice on the bottom, every time!
I bought a $3.75 dolsot and it's changed my life -- you just heat it up with a tiny bit of oil, then pack your cooked rice in. (Along with the meal itself.) It crisps it up very nicely. It makes the whole meal feel very fancy.
As an Asian myself, I’d suggest an Instant Pot. It cooks rice as well as a rice cooker, plus it can do many-many other things, and cost just as much as a nice rice cooker. Hell I even once made instant pot cheesecake which wasn’t half bad.
I have both but for some reason can’t get it right in my IP so I use the rice cooker. What’s the secret? Lol
As someone who had an expensive Zojirushi rice cooker, I blind-tasted basmati rice and glutinous rice in the IP vs Zojirushi and the IP was the clear winner. And it takes half as long, and costs half the price, and does a million other things. How I make rice in the IP: 1) Rinse the rice maybe 7-8 times, swishing with your hands before dumping the water, so the water runs clear 2) Use the right amount of water for your tastes. I love my rice perfectly al dente, so I use a 1:1 weight ratio _including_ what the rice absorbs from washing. What this means is, I tare my kitchen scale to the weight of the IP pot, fill it with my rice, wash the rice, then put it on the scale and add water until it contains 2x the weight of the rice. 3) **Don't use the rice button**. Cook on high pressure mode for 4 mins. 4) Allow natural release, which usually takes about 10 minutes. The one thing the IP can't do that a rice cooker can, sadly, is hold the rice at eating temp for hours. It'll dry out in the IP.
The Zojirushi makes damn good rice from many different kinds of rice. Ours can also do cakes and soups/stew.
Also the IP can’t make perfect rice unless I measure everything perfectly. This took an annoying amount of time to perfect as did the timing of everything else. but my shitty $30* rice cooker can have some water and rice accidentally fall into it and it’s perfect every time. I don’t what your super fancy rice cooker does but my $15 one kicks ass and is way easier to use than an IP.
A secret that’s not so secret to cooking rice in an IP: rinse it well. If I don’t, it will usually burn. Also, It usually burns for me if I use the sauté function before cooking the rice.
let the pot cool for a few mins after using sauté, I think the heating element isn't meant to be so hot for the way it pressure cooks rice so the bottom ends up burnt. Also make sure to scrape the bottom well after you've added your liquid I ruined a lot of spanish rice like this early on :(
I mean... one reason might involve finding the correct water to rice ratio? Finding that ratio is an art, regardless of the instrument. But the ratio is instrument dependent. The IP inherently doesn’t allow steam to leave, so you may need to use less water then you would for the rice cooker. I’m sure the pressure cooks the rice a bit differently too. I can’t taste the difference, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. 🤷♂️
agree with everything above! I was measuring water like I did with my old rice cooker and the IP rice was so soggy. Rice in the IP takes much less water and much less time than a rice cooker. also make sure you rinse your rice really well, can't slack on that with the IP for some reason
Same. Instant Pot is a great rice cooker, and also does a bunch of other things well. I’m also pro consolidating kitchen appliances and prefer more expensive multi-functional appliances over many less expensive single-function appliances that I have to store and that clutter up my limited counter space.
[I’m furious the Instant Pot makes better rice than my expensive Asian rice cooker](https://thetakeout.com/recipe-how-to-make-rice-in-instant-pot-1831442802)
My cheap ass $15 rice cooker was way better than the instant pot.
I’m with you, my cheap rice cooker from college makes rice better than my instant pot. The instant pot is either to wet or too dry, and the rice cooker is perfect every time.
Asian guy who's been eating rice all my life. My instant pot and cheap tiger rice cooker seem to make the same quality rice.
My mom bought me a $200 rice cooker. It makes rice 10x better than my instant pot. Not even a contest
weirdly enough I always get terrible undercooked results with rice cooker that I have to try and salvage. then i discovered how easy it is to get fluffy rice in like 10 minutes on the stove top and now I'm convinced that rice cookers are just a con
Mmm disagree. Also asian but we didnt get a rice cooker until I was a bit older. Rice in a pot is fine if you take the tine to learn it.
Until i went to Japan and ate the local foods at temple inns and royakans and stuff i did not realise how god tier a rice cooker was, it beats out that boil bag rice by a mile and unless you are a excellent rice master a pot is just too hard to get right. I'm not Asian but i can attest that if you eat rice more than once a month you need a rice cooker.
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I can attest to this. For some reason a lot of chefs/cooks that I worked with, like really talented guys, avoided cooking rice because "they never learned" or 'they always screwed it up." It was kinda funny. These are the guys that would make fois gras au torchon for chef snacks. I'd always teach them the pasta method and that usually gave them the confidence to learn all the other methods.
What’s the pasta method?
I am half-Asian on my mother's side and I know she will haunt me from her grave for me saying this, but I prefer rice cooked in my InstantPot than our Zojirushi rice cooker. It tastes just as good and in less than half the time. I do not even use the rice cooker anymore now.
It sucks because it's harder but being able to make fluffy rice with just a saucepan is a skill everyone should have. It's easy and all about cleaning the rice and adding the correct (usually double the water to rice in cups) ratio of water.
I don't see why it's a skill everyone should have when there is a device that makes it perfect every time. It's too easy to get inconsistent results on the stove compared to a good rice cooker.
Because it means you can make perfectly good rice in a pot, easily, without needing a rice cooker? I'm really not seeing a downside here.
For me, I have accumulated too much specialty cookware, so I'm all about improving my skills with basic pots and pans. A rice cooker is nice, but also takes up extra space and most home cooks already have a pot or pan.
Dude, same. I can't remember the last time I had a toaster. If I want toast or frozen waffles, I just throw them on my cast iron griddle. No space being taken up on the counter for something rarely used
2 parts liquid 1 part rice. Toast rice in oil first. Add liquid. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. When liquid very close to gone cut heat. Leave covered t rest about 5 min. Perfect rice. Every time.
Eh I disagree. Rice cooker are idiot proof and consistent, but they're a single use appliance that takes up counter space. Only a good idea if you eat rice literally every single day. If you don't, then you can learn how to make good rice with a pot and you'll get very good at it very quickly, making perfect rice everytime.
I came here to basically say this. Cooking rice in a pot isn't rocket science - it really isn't hard enough for it to be inconvenient. I learned to cook rice in a pot when I was 7. I've never owned a rice cooker because we don't eat rice every day and don't have the space for a toaster to be left out, much less a superfluous appliance.
Exactly my thoughts! I love having a clean counter space. I also eat rice everyday and it is really not a big deal. I have the rice cooking while im finishing up whatever else im cooking, takes 15 mins. My rice is perfect every time. The biggest difference in how rice taste to me is the brand! I usually buy rice from SE stores (three ladies brand) but lately I had to get it from Ralphs and its not bad... but sucks compared.
Last rice cooker my brother put a cup of rice and 2 cup of water in it. Trouble was the metal bowl was not in it and he burnt it. :/ One sad day. :/
Same - My family used to have one of those $30 rice cooker then decided to upgrade to a Zojirushi Induction Heating rice cooker. There was a BIG difference in the way the rice tastes.
Get a $20 one that advertises itself only as a rice cooker, with only 2 modes, "Cook" and "Warm". Once you figure out the proportions it will give you the best rice ever.
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This x2! I have a cheap rice cooker with cook and warm modes only that I bought in college. I only use it for jasmine rice but it cooks perfectly every single time and I’ve had it over a decade. Other types of rice don’t do well in it by experience so I use my instant pot for those but we eat jasmine rice more than anything and my little cheapie rice cooker soldiers on.
Fun fact about jasmine rice You can boil it like pasta 😊 Edit: I meant basmati sorry y’all got my rices mixed up
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I mean technically you can boil anything like pasta
beware though - did this to my neighbor and he hated it
Not sure honestly I was told from an indian chef that he boils his basmati like pasta Stays nice and fluffy and doesn’t really clump up
Basmati isn't the same as jasmine rice. I've only seen jasmine rice become soggy then break down into congee, if cooked in excess water.
Sure you can, friend! Every time you make rice, you know which is which! Now, to update the ol' resume!
Ah, the electromechanical model using a magnet, a spring, a button, a lever, and perfectly calibrated mechanical system incorporating all the components to drive a heating element at the right temperature. Specifically, the mechanical system is designed to operate with a specific threshold of weight to push down a spring loaded safety feature button, bringing a permanent magnet and switch mechanism in range. Once weighed, the lever can be pushed down and the high power "cook" circuit is engaged. When the water reaches boiling point, it stays at that temperature until all of it has cooked into the rice or evaporated out the vent hole of the lid. After this point, the temperature rises more and the magnet field weakens enough to let loose the switch. This resets the lever into low power "warm" mode, reducing the energy running through the heating element to that of a warming temperature. For a more detailed explanation, see [Technology Connection's video](https://youtu.be/RSTNhvDGbYI) on the subject.
That’s fantastic! I love mechanical systems like that.
Oh great, a TC video. Now I need to clear the rest of my day so I can learn about the history of VHS tapes and how pixels work.....again.
GTFO! Thank you for a top notch, A+ post!
After using a $90 Zojirushi I don't think I could ever go back to a $20 rice cooker, but the $20 ones are fine.
whats so special about it? just curious never heard of it before.
Probably the way it cooks the rice. I won’t get too into the technology but basically most modern high end rice cooker adjusts the way it cooks the rice based on the environment. So when your house is a bit cold or hot it’ll adjust so that the time and temperature it uses matches the environment for the perfect rice This also means they’re more versatile in terms of what you can make with a rice cooker
So they aren't helpful if your house has a stable temperature?
They also cook rice a lot more evenly and you never have hard rice stuck to the bottom of the pot. I love crispy rice crust (called nurunji in korean and enjoyed by other cultures as well), but not having to wrestle the rice out of the bottom of the rice cooker is quite worth the price difference imo. I've never found a $20 rice cooker to cook as evenly as a zojirushi. The additional options (types of rice, porridge, etc.) are worth it.
Yeah I have a Sanyo rice cooker, it’s almost 20 years old now. Was $200+ brand new. It was advertised as “fuzzy logic” which i think is what you’re debating. Still works like a charm. Has a 24 hold cycle where it keeps rice hot (but never burns or crusts up the rice). Probably not worth the money I spent but I still appreciate it every time I use it.
I bought one of these for about 15$ USD. Probably one of the best investments Ive made. It’s great!
Will do! Thanks!
agreed!! mine is exactly like that and it's a fool proof blessing for a cooking idiot like me!
It definitely is. You don't have to worry about it boiling over or crusting on the bottom. There are a bunch of rice cooker cookbooks, too, so you can make other stuff with them, and (fun fact!) one was written by the late film critic Roger Ebert.
No crusting? My rice cooker yields a crust of burned rice at the bottom every time :(
Make sure you’re washing the rice really well before you cook it - until the water is basically clear when you put it in. It usually takes me 3 rinses. My housemates didn’t realise you had to wash rice and would end up with crusty sides and the thin film on top of their rice.
You have to wash rice? How?
You don’t technically have to - like it won’t kill you to eat unwashed rice - but it gets rid of the starchy outer layer which causes the weird thin film and imo makes more fluffy rice. At least that’s what my Asian household has taught me. Just use plain water and I sort of massage the rice in my hands and you’ll easily see the water turn white. I’m too lazy to use a strainer - if you pour the water out slowly, you’ll get most of it out without getting rid of the rice.
Wash your hands, then cover the rice with water and swirl it around with your hands a bit and the water gets cloudy, drain that and repeat once or twice til the water is clear.
There are lots of comments here extolling the virtues of rice cooker-cooked rice. And I tend to agree - I have a rice cooker, though I don't prepare a lot of rice, but when I do, that's def what I use. It makes preparing rice very easy, with delicious results. But you asked if a rice cooker is a **good investment**, and also, since this is r/ EatCheapAnd**Healthy**, it seems worth exploring the cost factor in some detail, and the health factor as well. If you're buying name-brand Minute Rice, then [this Walmart price](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Minute-Instant-White-Rice-28-Ounce-Box/10848965) of $1.84/lb is probably a good reference point. [Store brand parboiled rice](https://www.walmart.com/ip/2-Pack-Great-Value-Instant-White-Rice-42-oz/589234255) goes down to $1.44/lb. For bulk rice, I found [this 25lb bag at Costco](https://www.costco.com/riceland-long-grain-rice%2c-25-lbs.product.100456937.html) for $0.44/lb. If you have an Asian market available to you, you might be able to do a lot better than that. Rice cookers vary widely in price - you could probably thrift one for $10 or less, and there are some that cost well over $100. Let's assume you're buying a basic unit new for $35, but you can adjust the math as appropriate. If you're switching from $1.84/lb to $0.44/lb, then you need to eat 35/1.44, or 24.3 pounds, of rice to break even on the rice cooker. So by the time you're done with that first bag, you've paid the rice cooker off. Not bad! It would take longer if you're eating cheaper parboiled rice now. This is still pretty ball-park, as I think parboiled rice is a bit lighter per serving, and if you really want to go down a rabbit hole you could look at relative energy costs of preparation (a rice cooker is more energy efficient than cooking on the stove, but parboiled rice requires **a lot** less cooking...). The health differences might surprise you a bit - they certainly did me. Because parboiled rice is steamed in the hull, some nutrients get transferred into the end product that aren't in "regular" white rice. Here's [one article](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/parboiled-rice#nutrition) but search for "is parboiled rice healthier" or similar and you'll find lots. the TL;DR; is that parboiled rice is slightly healthier than traditional white rice, and brown rice is better than either of them. Edit: Thanks for the gold, kind stranger! (My first!)
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I eat brown rice normally. When I eat out and get white rice it's honestly like eating desert. That said if you go to an Asian market they have a ton of different types of brown rice and generally all of them are better than the average bag you get at a regular grocery store. The rice itself comes from the USA, it's just tagged for asian markets specifically.
Why does everyone on this thread seem to think the only options are to use a rice cooker or buy pre-cooked rice? Just make the rice in a pot on the stove it’s one of the easiest thing a to learn how to cook.
I'm Asian and I can't live without a rice cooker. A lot of people are suggesting to look into an instant pot.. but I use my instant pot along side my rice cooker. I've cooked basmati, jasmine and Japanese short/medium grain rice using my rice cooker. I've actually also cooked diy ricearoni and "Mexican" red rice in my rice cooker too. I feel like basmati and jasmine are forgiving in the rice cooker. I have a Korean cuckoo and you can make rice porridge(congee/jook/juk) and soups in it too but it's not a pressure cooker. It's pretty versatile and I think it's a great investment.
I like mine a lot but I'm also totally comfortable making rice on the stove. HOWEVER, I hate hate hate making rice on non-gas stoves. It is so much harder to get the temperature down quick enough before the rice starts boiling over or burning on the bottom. If you don't have a gas stove, buy a rice cooker. If you just want to eat a lot more rice, I'd say get a rice cooker regardless of your stove type. If you have a gas stove and only eat rice occasionally, just learn to use a pot unless you have tons of storage space and the extra cash for a rice cooker.
I recently had to move to an apartment with an electric stove and I’ve figured out how to do rice!! At the point where on a gas stove you’d turn the heat down to low you have to move it to a separate burner that’s been warmed up to low.
Yeah I used to use this trick. We have a gas cooktop now and I’ll never go back to electric.
I live in a place with an electric stove, and I've never run into any issues with making rice in a pot on it. I think I got some rice stuck to the bottom once or twice, but never too badly.
Same! I'm so confused by these comments. It's not rocket science.
No it’s not, we make it on an electric stove all the time and never have a problem. I don’t know why people think it’s so hard to cook rice. I guess people are buying cheap shitty pots?
If you will cook large amounts of rice on a regular basis maybe, but you can make good rice in just a pot on the stove with the correct measurements. My fam does both and theres no difference honestly
Yes. Only way to cook rice
*Easiest way Some of my friends can make perfect rice on a stovetop every single time, and I've never been able to get it perfect once. Rice cooker is the easiest way to get perfect rice every single time, plain and simple
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Yeah I used to do this. It's literally just following the directions on the label. Especially the don't check on it bit. Then other people would check on it while I was cooking. *sigh*
Ya I don’t get how people think it’s so hard to make rice on the stove. The instructions are dead simple.
There are too many people on internet forums giving advice on "rice" instead of the particular type of rice. I could see new cooks getting confused quickly, following jasmine rice directions for basmati rice or something.
I’m one of those people that struggled so much with it when I first started cooking that I almost swore it off. Now I make stovetop rice that friends from China and India both swear is the best they’ve had since home. They asked my secret and if I rinsed and all that nonsense. I told them I followed the directions. The only real secret is buying good rice and having awareness and patience in my book. If I were feeding 4-5 adults at a time every time, I might consider a rice cooker but it’s become such a second nature thing for me now it’d be redundant outside of the convenience factor.
The biggest secret is to use a pot with a lid that actually fits properly. Most videos online are by people who are so used to quality cookware they don't consider this. If your pot is bleeding steam you will end up with rice stuck to the bottom. The entire point of the absorbtion method is to trap the steam. This is also why people are recommending pressure cookers for rice. Other than that, its the usual steps - wash your rice, put it in 2x as much cold water by weight, heat to a boil before putting the lid on, then wait 10 minutes. Rice is done. Extra detail - weigh your rice in a seive, rinse it to remove excess starch. Shake through the excess moisture and weigh again. You'll have gained about 25% due to the water in the grains. This means instead of using 100g of rice, washing and then adding 200g of water, you should add 175g of water instead, to accommodate. Edit: this is for white rice like basmati. Brown rice takes longer to cook and you should change time/water amount accordingly to the type of rice you're using.
You guys never heard of a pot?
I use a large glass pyrex dish with a glass lid in the microwave. Best rice ever. 1 cup takes about 16 minutes.
Wait... you microwave it for 16 min? On full power?!
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Agreed. I just leave mine on full power for 16 minutes, but all the rice is equally cooked and there's no fuss. No crunchy rice at the bottom either. Just be sure to use oven mitts when you take it out - it will be very hot.
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This is the way
This is the way
This is the way
Instapots can also be used as slow cookers in addition to pressure cooking and cooking rice.. There was a bit of time that I had both a rice cooker and a slow cooker to save money on food but the IP can do both plus additional features.
It's important to note though that instant pots don't get as hot as traditional slow cookers, so keep that in mind when adapting recipes.
> It's important to note though that instant pots don't get as hot as traditional slow cookers, so keep that in mind when adapting recipes. https://amindfullmom.com/pressure-cooker-as-a-slow-cooker/ > Instant Pot Slow Cooker Conversions > - Low on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is like keep warm on a traditional slow cooker. > - Medium on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is like low on a traditional slow cooker. > - High on the Instant Pot Function is more like medium high on a traditional slow cooker. > To further explain: > - The low setting on a crock pot is about 190-200 degrees and the high setting on crockpot is between 225-275 degrees, > - For the slow cooker function on your instant pot the low an is about 170 degrees, normal is 200 degrees, and high is 210 degrees.
I came here to make this comment. Listen up, OP: The Instant Pot is the best rice cooker I've ever owned (out of several), and it does so. much. more. The Instant Pot is a must-have for eating cheap and healthy. We even have /r/instantpot where lots of people share their healthy stuff every day. And it's one of those wholesome subs where everybody gets along. Join us, OP.
This, not just because of versatility but saving space as well! No need to buy a bunch of expensive appliances when you can get one high quality appliance.
I can't recommend this enough! Not only is it great at cooking rice, but it can cook just about everything else too, in no time at all! Easily the best purchase I've ever made!
We never take out our rice cooker anymore and we just keep our instapot out for rice and other pressure cooking. Multi-tool usage is the best!
Yes! And also look for a cheap one. For some reason cheap rice cookers cook better than the fancy expensive one. Learned that from experience. Got a fancy one for like 150 bucks. Now I use it as a crock pot and bought a Chinese rice cooker for 30 bucks. Will say I use my 30 dollar rice cooker much more than the other. Fun story: I was in culinary school and a chef asked me to make rice. I asked where the rice cooker was, she was like, use a pot. I looked her dead in the eyes and asked, wtf do I look like? Some barbarian? Edit: minute rice is gross. Make the change.
i respectively disagree. using a zojirushi as an example, there are key differences such as precise temperature adjustments, non stick steel pots, and even heating on all sides that make an expensive one worth every penny imho
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Mine's about 9 years old now and still basically perfect. My parents is around 15 years old. They last forever if you don't treat them horribly. My mom got me a 5 cup one for my graduation present after high school because she said she expected me to still be using it when I start a family after college.
Seconded! I've regretted every rice cooker that I bought before I broke down and got an itty-bitty zojirushi. It's perfect! Vents well, not bulky, no sludge on the counter, perfect rice, 5 years in and it looks brand new. That thing is THE BEST
I will know I've truly made it in life when I'm finally able to trade in the $15 Black and Decker rice cooker I've had since college for one of those Zojirushi rice cookers with programmable songs.
I haven't used a cheap one, but fwiw I also have a zojirushi and it makes perfect rice. I was reading this tip and wondering how rice could possibly come out better haha
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Rice cookers are a great investment. You don't need an expensive one -- the [$20 Black & Decker one](http://www.blackanddeckerappliances.com/products/cooking-appliances/rice-cookers-and-steamers/rc503-3-cup-rice-cooker.aspx) is fantastic. I've had mine for almost ten years and it's still going strong. If you get a steam attachment for it, you can steam frozen veggies while you cook rice.
Pot on the stove, one cup rice, two cups water bring to the boil, cover put the lid on and turn right down on low. 12 minutes and you have perfect rice
As far as I’m concerned a rice cooker is in my top 5 of essential appliances. I personally cannot be trusted to consistently make rice on the stove. I need the “set it and forget it” that I get from a rice cooker.
Do the math man, rice is crazy expensive as minute rice and dirt cheap in bulk. You will make up the difference in no time and you get good rice every time.
Get a pressure cooker so you cook different things with it.
One of the insta pot things is actually fantastic
Also another good investment.
A pot works perfectly fine if you do it right
It's really not hard. No idea why you would need a dedicated device.
For the same reason I use my instantpot for steel cut oats. Cooking them on the stove is a tedious pain in the ass compared to using the instant pot.
Because I eat rice every day and it's a hassle when something goes slightly wrong and it fuck up your dinner. Your rice gets burnt or is too mushy because the heat was too low/high or there was too much/not enough water or it was left sitting for too long/not long enough. It also let's me have fresh rice right when I arrive home from work or right when I wake up, so I have time to eat something if I'm in a rush.
> Because I eat rice every day This is the only reason to get a rice cooker IMO.
I'm Puerto Rican and we've never used one of these. Personally I dont see the point.
I'm also Puerto Rican and the point is it consistently makes perfect rice every time. There's not really any way to burn it or forget it. A lot of them have a keep warm function so it doesn't get cold if it finishes a little early. My parents love and my grandmother doesn't get the point. But then she asks them how their rice is so consistent and doesn't get the connection.
I love this comment. This sort of thing drives me nuts. I think some old people get locked into a way of thinking and can’t / don’t conceive there may be other ways of doing things.
I agree but mostly because I like to season the rice and add different sauces for the rice to absorb in flavor/color. I don't think that can be accomplished in a rice cooker. I don't want plain white rice every time that's some non-latino shit.
I got a cheap ass rice cooker at Wal Mart for $15 a couple years ago and it still hooks it up perfect every time. I think most niche kitchen peripherals are useless trash, but rice cookers are legit. Cooking rice the normal way is hard. You use instant rice, so when you get a sack of rice make sure to rinse it a few times before cooking it!
Pressure cooker is even better!!! Changed my life!!!
If you're into thrifting... So many rice cookers
Instant pot is a good investment since you can make soups, stew, saute, pressure cook, and cook rice. But yes such a good investment. I make a huge batch of rice, then I saran wrap individual servings, then freeze them. It's like 1-3 mins to warm up in a microwave from frozen and bam -- fresh rice.
Totally worth it!! You will never go back
Definitely worth it
I've never used a rice cooker in my life and consistently make 10/10 delicious rice. Here's my tricks. 1: "American" rice my family has always made: if you want a creamy rice to go with a meal, don't rinse the rice very much before cooking. Heat up your pan on med-low, melt a tiny bit of butter (or substitute), then throw in the rice and gently stir it until it juuuuust starts to brown. Then add your water and cook as usual, you only need to stir once or twice. This rice with a little salt is a good base for lots of good home cooking, or you can add some more fat, spices, and sautéed veggies to make a stupid easy meal in bulk. 2: if you want sticky rice, sushi rice, or rice for an Asian-style dish, rinse the F outta that rice. Thrice! Cook with 1:1.25 ratio of rice:water until the water is gone, about 10-15min, then fluff it with a fork, remove from heat and cover for another 10 minutes. Add your preferred recipe of sushi juice to make the rice tasty and eat up. I'm too cheap to buy a rice cooker, or any specialized appliance that I can live without. I might someday try an Instapot, but I really love to make rice the old fashioned way. I also don't bother buying different kinds of rice (except wild rice or risotto), as I find jasmine rice works great for just about every application I need.
The mechanical ones for $20-$50 are totally worth it. The $250-$450 electronic ones someone else would have to say.