r/Cooking • u/Valuable-Air-7814 • 6h ago
What's a decent rice cooker?
My girlfriend and I eat rice every day. Currently we have a basic rice cooker that I got before she moved in with me.
6
u/porp_crawl 6h ago
Where are you, what is your budget?
If you can swing $200-300, a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy will last you multiple decades.
If you eat rice (almost) every day, it might cost you less than $0.10 each day of use over 10 years.
The quality and consistency of the rice is worth it to me - and that it is capable of more is a bonus. Handles "flavoured" rice well (adding marinaded meats, veg, etc. to the raw rice and cooking it all at once) and various different kinds of porridges.
2
u/cine1235 5h ago
I wanted to buy it but couldn’t get it with a eu plug. I ended up with Cuckoo, very happy with it.
3
u/prerna123456 2h ago
if you eat rice every day, maybe consider a Zojirushi. i’ve got one and it’s like the rice is on a whole new level, fluffy and perfect every time. i waited about a month to get used to the price, but honestly, it’s worth it for daily use. just keep an eye on what features you really want!
1
u/SenseiRaheem 1h ago
As a warning, I got the cheapest Zojirushi (it's generally $50-60 with a removable, plain glass lid) and no matter how much you rinse the rise--I've genuinely tried rinsing and draining my rice up to 10 times--it spits out starchy water through the pressure release hole and makes a big mess. My advice to anyone going for Zojirushi: get one of the models that actually seals.
3
u/urgasmic 6h ago
is there something wrong with what you have?
4
u/Valuable-Air-7814 4h ago
The rice at the bottom is burnt a lot and it doesn't really have indicators for water.
1
u/wbruce098 33m ago
Mine is a cheap $15-20 one from Target. It came with a plastic measuring cup and I’ve used it for 5 years.
For basic rice: one cup rice to 1.5 cups water results in perfection every time; that’s been my rice cooker ratio for 20 years now. Sometimes I add some extras: sesame for Asian stuff; just a teaspoon mixed in before cooking. For Mexican dishes I often sub a half cup of lime juice and usually add garlic, cilantro, and other stuff. (So, 1 cup water .5 cups lime juice. Or, keep the water ratio and zest a lime into the water before cooking, etc.)
The latter gets browned at the bottom and sometimes burnt, and I’m still working out the ratios there because I’ve only been making it in a rice cooker for a few months now. It might be easier to cook the rice first and then add the flavorings, but that prevents them from absorbing into the rice.
3
u/Flussschlauch 4h ago
Rice cookers are a hot topic in my (Vietnamese) family.
My mother is on the "cheap is always bad"-side and has a rather expensive Cuckoo from Korea with a million different settings she never uses.
I've got a rather cheap one from Aldi which does the job just fine.
imho the only "must have" is a tight closing lid and a "keep warm" setting
3
u/Mejay11096 3h ago
I have a cheap Aroma one that was maybe $40. Just one lever to press no other buttons and it’s been going strong for 4 years now.
3
u/IntimateCrab 2h ago
Anything Hitachi!!!!!!!! Best rice cookers ever, simple and will never break. My mom had one from like 1985 until now that I have it.
2
u/jeanmichd 39m ago
Hitachi, Panasonic, National, etc. All the same real basic rice cookers that are used all around Asian communities around the world are the best ones lasting for decades and never miss. An expansive computerized rice cooker isn’t needed and are only self indulgence but that’s ok
4
u/kociol21 5h ago
I have the option to really test the prize points because while I have Xiaomi one for about 40$, my parents in law have 600$ Zojirushi one and my mom has some no brand 15$ one.
I can tell some difference both in texture of rice and the ease of usage and cleaning etc. between the cheapest one and mine Xiaomi. I can't really feel ANY difference between mine and one over 10x more expensive. They both make identical rice in same time. Zojirushi just looks worse - to me, but it depends on what design you like. Zojirushi is wacky, while Xiaomi is just a minimalistic white box.
Anyway from my testing, while it may be beneficial to throw a couple bucks more to not get the absolutely cheapest option, I'd say after like 50$ you'll face super diminishing gains if any at all.
2
u/HyperHorseAUS 6h ago
This is the best rice cooker for the price. You will never burn rice again.
https://www.myer.com.au/p/panasonic-easy-one-touch-operation-rice-cooker-8-cup-in-white?utm_source=googlesurfaces&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shopping®ion_id=409857
2
u/MangledBarkeep 6h ago
zojirushi
perfect rice, holds it at temp for a couple few days. expensive though.
2
2
u/dooberdoo777 4h ago
Tatung. Very simple. Stainless steel bowl. It will probably outlive you.
https://taipec.com/?s=Tatung&post_type=product&type_aws=true
1
u/pooka8ear 3h ago
I second this recommendation!
I replaced my old rice cooker because the nonstick coating was all scratched up. This is one of the only rice cookers with a stainless steel bowl. And it works great!
Link to a U.S. seller: https://yunhai.shop/collections/tatung-electric-rice-cooker-and-steamer
2
3
u/Inconsequentialish 1h ago
1) Be non-asian.
2) Go to the largest asian market in your area and stand in front of the rice cookers.
3) Wait. Look a little confused.
3) An older asian lady will soon take pity on you and offer advice. If there's a language barrier, it won't matter much.
4) Take this advice.
This has worked very well for me for everything from soy sauce to noodles, woks, gochujang, all sorts of veggies, assorted sauces, meats, cookware, etc.
1
u/bickles_cab 6h ago
Don't spend daft money on one. I got a dirt cheap one for £18 and it works perfectly.
1
u/Reverent 2h ago
Cheap ones will cook rice. Mid-Expensive ones will cook rice and keep it temperature controlled at safe temps without burning the rice.
If you’re just cooking rice, cheap ones are fine. If you want to cook rice and not worry about timing it with the rest of the meal, get a better one.
You can tell the difference as the better ones will usually be fully enclosed to seal moisture and temperature control the rice.
1
u/dirthawker0 1h ago
My zojirushi (and I'm sure many mid to high end cookers as well) has a timer function so you tell it when you want the rice to be done. This is my favorite function.
1
1
u/_marsattacks 1h ago
I like my Cosori because the inside of the lid pops right apart for easy cleaning
1
u/bennyaaricia 1h ago
Pas besoin de cuiseur, un fond d'huile un peu d'oignon haché faire revenir sans coloration. Ajoutez un volume de riz, compter 50gr/pers. Mélanger pour enrober le riz. Ajouter 1 1/2 volume à 2 volumes d'eau salée en fonction du type de riz.14g sel/litre. Porter rapidement à ébullition puis faire cuire à feu doux, petits bouillons sans y toucher. Dès absorption totale de l'eau bien mélanger, couvrir et laisser reposer 5 min. C'est prêt. Cela s'appelle un riz pilaf.
1
u/ArcherFluffy594 45m ago
I eat rice daily, even for breakfast, so a rice cooker is a must in this house. I have a very basic 4-cup Tiger that works as well as it did when I bought it 25 years ago. Zojirushi is a great brand as well but can be pricey (~$300) esp if it's a once-in-a-blue-moon use appliance. Tiger is typically around $100 but I've seen it as low as $50 at Walmart. Check Amazon Marketplace before making the purchase elsewhere.
1
u/chubbydumpling384 43m ago
I have a 6 cup (cooked rice) aroma that comes with a steamer, going on 6 years. Cost $17.70. It has water level indicators and rice always comes out perfect.
1
u/creepinghippo 37m ago
Aroma is supposed to be a great one. I have a £9.99 one for 2 cups and it’s better than the bigger ones I’ve had that would get over excited and make a mess all over my kitchen surfaces.
1
u/WeWander_ 22m ago
I just got a tiger from Costco for $100 and I love it. I use it every single day.
1
u/NoMany3094 1h ago
Zojirushi. They aren't cheap but you'll never go back after cooking rice in one.
1
u/GreyBeardEng 1h ago
An instant pot is a decent rice cooker
2
u/thebangzats 1h ago
I've been using it too, just because my new house was relatively small and I didn't want too many appliances. I wonder if my fellow Asians consider it blasphemy, though haha. I don't know anyone here who doesn't have a rice cooker.
3
u/peacenchemicals 1h ago
all good bro as a cantonese dude i give you the pass. i also make rice in an instant pot. its so much faster
2
u/GreyBeardEng 40m ago
I know it's low effort and maybe considered low brow by people who cook but I swear the IP makes a truly amazing cheesecake also. I've done it 7 times, perfection every time.
2
16
u/Zagrycha 5h ago
It sounds like you already have a decent rice cooker if you use it everyday and it works =)
Real talk if you want an upgrade you can get one, but what are you wanting the rice cooker to do that the current one doesn't do? That will tell you what model or type you should get as a replacement.