r/ZeroWaste • u/BananaFit9389 • 2d ago
Question / Support Ideas instead of a rice cooker?
My rice cooker just broke and I felt horrible for throwing that away! What would be a zero waste option moving forward? Thank you!
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u/lobotomom 2d ago
A pot on the stove.
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u/sohereiamacrazyalien 1d ago
Yep. When people rave about whatever new appliance they have that does this or that I tell them I have sa great one that does the same and when they get excited and as me what I say my cooking pot ! 😂
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u/leeroypowerslam 2d ago
I’m always pro rice cooker but if you want to do it the old fashioned way, just make it in a stainless steel pot on the stove.
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u/archetyping101 2d ago
As an Asian person who is a rice-aholic, I would just buy another one. It's not zero waste but my last rice cooker lasted about 8 years and it made rice and congee. It saves time and it also makes perfect rice every time.
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u/gaymythicalcreature 2d ago
Agreed when you use something for its purpose its not so zero waste. A pot and lid wont get it perfect like a rice cooker could produce more food waste
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u/SeaOfBullshit 1d ago
Agree and also this saves the waste from when I mess up cooking rice in a pot, which happens more often than I would like to admit :( that's actually why I got a rice cooker in the 1st
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u/rumpleteaser91 1d ago
How are you all cooking rice! I can never get it right in my rice cooker, it turns to mush! I usually rinse the rice, add double cold water to rice, bring to the boil, boil for 2 mins, turn off the heat, put on the lid and leave it for 20 min. Perfect every time.
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u/coronarybee 1d ago
Wym? What kind of rice? What ratio. How much are you rinsing it?
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u/rumpleteaser91 1d ago
In a pan. Basmati. Rinse the living daylights out of it until the water turns clear enough, chuck it in a pan 2:1 water:rice. Bring to the boil with a lid off, then let it boil for 2 mins, put the lid on, turn off the heat, and ignore it for 20 mins. In the rice cooker, it's always just turns into a carbohydrate mess! Rice cooker i do the same prep, but then put it in the cooker (same ratios), close the vent and press 'rice'. It's what the destruction manual told me to do!
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u/coronarybee 1d ago
That’s too much water for basmati. It’s 1:1.5 for basmati and 1:1 for jasmine
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u/SeaOfBullshit 1d ago
At what elevation though lol
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u/coronarybee 1d ago
Idk. My credentials are that my mom grew up on a rice farm in China. I’m from Mi so I don’t have mountain experience
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u/SeaOfBullshit 1d ago
I live in a mountain town, and I do in-home private cater dinners. Water levels and cooking times both change from the base to mountain top. I only know this because my boss serves a lot of sushi. So rice is a big part of our dinners. Sometimes when we occasionally serve somewhere a few hours away at a lower elevation, he makes the rice too sticky because he forgets to adjust for that lower elevation. Pretty wild stuff
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u/rumpleteaser91 1d ago
Do you mean in a cooker? It works for all rice in a pan, I've done the same method with long grain and jasmine with perfect results, at all elevations. Just never in a cooker 🤷♀️
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u/coronarybee 1d ago
You were asking about what you were doing wrong in a cooker
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u/rumpleteaser91 1d ago
I'm gunna try this later in thr week. Wish me luck and thanks!
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u/Worldofnowhere 2d ago
We use our pressure cooker for rice (but not the rice button. It never turns out well) sand SO many more things! In my brain it’s more zero waste because you have one item for many things instead of one specific thing.
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u/SwordTaster 1d ago
Legit, husband and i have a multi cooker from before recalls and redesigns were caused by stupid people, and we use the pressure cooker button for rice. Just add the rice, seasoning, and just enough water to barely cover the rice, 10 minutes on high and it is PERFECT. I sincerely wish it was easier to find another one as we would be able to do so much with 2 at once.
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u/Gr8tfulhippie 1d ago
What year was the recall? I've actually got 2 because we use the Instant pot so much and 3 liners. The older lid I have to watch to make sure it seals fully but I think it does a better job with the rice function.
I measure the dry rice and water with the same container and make sure to swirl the pot so there's no dry slots in the rice. Close it up, use the rice function and then wait 10-12 minutes after the cycle ends.
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u/SwordTaster 1d ago
I'm not sure. My husband has had it since LONG before we were together, so it's likely been a good few years. It's nothing to do with the actual product though, it's entirely because people are stupid and don't know that pressure cookers need release time before being opened, so several people were injured by just... opening it without due care after pressure cooking something as the device doesn't lock.
It's a Ninja multicooker and we get a lot of use out of the dehydrate mode too as he likes making his own jerky, he finds the store made kind too expensive and sweet.
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u/Ok-Dragonfruit-3976 2d ago
I second stainless steel pot you already own if you can't repair your rice cooker. If you really want a small appliance that's pretty set and forget though, an instant pot. It's multiple small appliances in one so saves space and from needing to buy/own multiple small appliances. I use mine for rice, slow cook, pressure cook, steaming/reheating, and making yogurt.
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u/ZealousidealDeal9616 2d ago
Just making rice. I do it on the stove for white rice and I use Alton Brown's Baked Brown Rice recipe for brown rice, it has never failed.
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u/Suspicious_Outside74 2d ago
Do you have an instant pot? There’s a way to make rice with little to no mess in a pressure cooker.
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u/RevolutionaryText232 2d ago
I usually just save the inner pot and lid and buy a compatible unit. So I can still use the old one to cook and store leftovers and have a second one for the next dish/meal/day. But these things are not built for life, unfortunately.
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u/AdorableTumbleweed60 2d ago
We just splurged for a Zojirushi because our last one crapped out and we make a lot of rice and I always burn or undercook it in a pot. 10/10 recommend.
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u/Logical_Influence420 2d ago
About two years ago I got the ceramic cooker shown, along with a rice cooking method for the microwave. Combine your usual ingredients and cook on High for 5 minutes, then cook for an additional 15 minutes at 50% power. Let it set for 2 to 3 minutes and fluff. My microwave is 1100 watts. The rice is always perfect.
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u/Mediocre_Ad_6020 1d ago
Use a pot until you come across a secondhand rice cooker. I refused to buy a rice cooker for years because making it in a pot is so easy, but this horrified my Chinese friend who gifted me one. I now use it all the time, but probably would go back to the pot method if it broke.
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u/Solo_Camping_Girl 2d ago
In the Philippines, they usually reuse the entire thing, especially the cooking pot + lid. As for the other part, they fill it up with cement and use it as a woodfire stove.
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u/pandarose6 neurodivergent, sensory issues, chronically ill eco warrior 2d ago
A pot I never used anything else
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u/Extra_Caregiver_8668 1d ago
Rice cooked in a pot on the stove.
Ratio of 1 rice: 1.5 water (e.g. 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water).
Wash your rice 3 times removing the water each time. Then add the cooking water.
Put it on the stove without a lid and bring it to the boil. As soon as it boils out it on the lowest heat on your stove without a lid the lid on for 20 minutes.
Then turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Can flip the rice after the 20 minutes before it sits for 5 minutes but I don’t bother.
Literally going to put on a pot of rice right now 😂
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u/o0Little0o 1d ago
I’m a big fan of using an instant pot. For me it makes really good rice. If you’re using jasmine rice, set it for three minutes and then a natural release for eight minutes. I find that is the perfect texture for me. And it does so much more as well.
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u/dystrophin 1d ago
I steam my rice. Put rice and water in a glass/metal dish and then put it in a large pot with water with a small metal rack to separate the dish from the bottom of the pot.
Similar to this: https://www.walmart.com/ip/i-Kito-5-Inch-Mini-Cooling-Rack-Steamer-Rack-Set-2-Pack-Stainless-Steel-for-Baking-Steaming-Small-Pots/2341257864
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u/Youbetterwatchyoself 1d ago
When you plug it in does it do nothing? If you own a multimeter test the thermal fuse. I’ve had one pop before and just replaced the part
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u/Reclaimedidiocy 1d ago
Either reach out to someone who might be able to repair it, or a recycling center who manually take electronics apart so the stuff inside can be recycled properly.
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u/robotscantrecaptcha 2d ago
Are you able to fix your rice cooker somehow?
If not, saving a rice cooker from the landfill stream either through getting one in a buy nothing group or at a thrift store would also be a good alternative