Hey guys, so I'm looking to buy a rice cooker. I'm not really up to date on what brands are good and what's crap, but after poking around a bit I've seen Zojirushi being brought up a bit. They seem top of the line though, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to drop $150+ on a rice cooker. Are there any other brands/models you guys would recommend? I had something along the lines of a $60-80 stainless steel cooker in mind.
How often would you use it? Do you want to use it for brown rice too?
Rice is one of the easiest things to make so I don't think it's worth getting an expensive piece of equipment that will take up a bunch of counter space unless you use it almost every day and alternate between several different grains.
>>7289595
>How often would you use it?
Probably several times a week. I'm pretty big on rice.
>Do you want to use it for brown rice too?
I primarily eat brown rice at home. I don't really alternate between several different grains. I see what you're saying though, and really the only reason I'm considering these is because brown rice can be kind of a pain to make just by boiling it in a pot and I don't want to have to constantly monitor it while it's cooking.
>>7289595
>rice is one of the easiest things to make
It's actually not, and many people can't make rice well.
>>7289566
OP here, I forgot to mention the rice cooker must be pinku and kawaii.
Thanks.
>>7289618
It makes sense to get one for brown rice. I can't help you with a brand since I just use a pot myself. My previous roomie from China used a shitty looking one called National Rice-o-mat. It worked fine for white rice.
>>7289630
>wash rice if you want it fluffy rather than sticky
>add appropriate amount of cold water for the grain type and season with whatever you like
>bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes with lid on
>turn off heat and let it rest for 10-15 minutes
Wow, that sure was difficult.
>>7289657
you coulda at least made an actually funny comment instead of being lazy :/
>>7289658
yeah I'm not super familiar with rice cookers but I have heard that they CAN be versatile like crock pots so I wasn't sure if I should spring for a cheaper 2-setting one or grab one of those fancy digital ones. Plus the Zojis apparently cook it even better.
>>7289630
got any tips?
i use the shittiest $12 rice cooker ever and it fits the bill for me. i go through phases where i'll use it multiple times a week and it's held up. it's at least ten years old. i use mine for white, brown, and wild rice, and quinoa. one time i cooked pasta in it. the point is, if you don't need bells and whistles you can get just about anything.
Got a tiger it's OP.
>>7289711
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KDNKTJG/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=1944687502&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004S59E5K&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0X0HNDHGXC6M62MK6CCJ got this one, and it's great.
>>7289726
lol that was the exact one I was looking at. Brown rice button AND doubles as a slow cooker? All of my yes.
Thanks anon c:
Just learn how to cook rice properly, its a cheaper solution to buying a rice cooker. I couldnt cook rice for years, always came out mushy til I took the time to research and perfect it. The key is to only use as much water as required and no more, excess only causes it to become mushy. Google the absorption method to find out how to do this. Might vary for different types of rice but its the same idea.
Tldr use a saucepan but learn how to cook it properly. Also can make pilau and other variations without much effort
>>7289744
Also has a synchro-cook thing Ima try this weekend (mainly use it to make small batches of white rice often).
My roommate and I use it all the time, no issues.
Glad to help
>>7289750
I mean, yes. I know how to cook rice; I'm exchanging money for convenience.
>$150
>to cook rice
Come on OP. I have pic related and it cost me $20. Cooks rice perfectly pretty quickly. Also easy to clean.
>>7289787
woops
>>7289794
Not nearly weeb enough for this site, anon.
>>7289776
This so much.
A rice cooker lets you focus on other things rather than taking the time to deal with a simple side dish.
I bought a cheaper car than I could afford that's not going to impress anyone because I consider a car to be a means of getting around and don't like driving anyway, or care about what people think of my car.
I bought a $200 rice cooker because I enjoy being in the kitchen, having perfect rice every time, and just being around beautiful cookware/appliances.
I know I'm the only one comparing rice cookers to cars, but all I'm saying is that it's a matter of priorities, and when you look at the unnecessary shit that people throw their money away on (I work with a guy who buys a new pair of fucking sneakers every month for that much) a couple hundred dollars for something like a high end rice cooker that will last for years doesn't seem so ridiculous.
>>7289776
Ignore them. They're in every single rice cooker thread.
>>7289787
>>7289794
Again, this is my first time buying one, I don't want to spend $20 on something cheap that will fail and need to be replaced, or is just of poor quality to begin with. It's like the difference between buying cheap pots and pans that will rust or peel after a few months, and spending a bit more on ware that will last decades.
>>7289819
Exactly. Of course you can do everything by hand or for cheap; but those aren't the only things that everyone considers nor do they need to be.
>>7289673
you just made shitty rice
might as well just boil it
>>7289750
The proper amount of water is just to the knuckle of your finger. Adult of course.
>>7289924
sounds like you fucked up rice on your own and think the only way is therefore a rice cooker, it's braindead fucking easy just look up the water ratio and cooking times for whatever rice you have and it's just boil then simmer with lid on, that's all a rice cooker is doing but it just automatically changes heat instead of you having to do it yourself, but it's over $100 and a pot is $5
>>7289831
My parents are using the same rice cooker for the past 30 some odd years and they only spent maybe 20 dollars on it.
>>7289965
>a pot is $5
I'm now imaging you eating pig slop out of a bowl for every meal while sitting in front of your computer and laughing at all the pretentious fucks on the food and cooking board for caring about their food and cooking, when it's all just a means to an end and isn't meant to be enjoyed.
>>7289965
>buying $5 pots
>>7289980
>making rice in a pot instead of a cooker is comparable to eating pig slop
I'm in college, get a fucking grip you sperg
>>7289970
>20 dollars
>30 or so years ago
How much is that in 2016 dollars?
>>7289983
You should stay in school.
>>7289988
1986~
About $43
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
>>7289997
Epically roasted that faget family member of mine
>>7289965
>that's all a rice cooker is doing
Well, mine has a keep warm function and a delayed start option, and a GABA setting.
Steel cut oats go in the night before with a delayed start for my breakfast, then rice goes in with a delayed start for dinner. If there's rice leftover I just use the keep warm function and eat it for breakfast.
>>7290077
Eyyyuuuup.
>rice cooker
White people are fucking dumb.
It's called a pot
>>7290106
>White people
Rice cookers are from Japan.
>>7290106
>rice cooker
>white people
You obviously have no clue what you're talking about.
![080[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/EpzkyQI.jpg "080[1].jpg")
>>7290106
>>7290106
>mfw a white person is behind this post
>>7290119
>>7290115
>>7290114
Japanese people use rice cookers because rice is a huge part of their diet and they have tiny homes so it makes sense to have a rice cooker.
You want one because you're too stupid to cook decent rice on your stove-top and want to spend $200 on a useless appliance as if it'll solve all of your problems.
>>7290128
t. Haitian
>>7290134
>Japanese people use rice cookers because rice is a huge part of their diet and they have tiny homes so it makes sense to have a rice cooker.
This explanation doesn't make sense. If the amount of space in their homes is a factor, that's a argument against extra appliances, not for it.
>You want one because you're too stupid to cook decent rice on your stove-top and want to spend $200 on a useless appliance as if it'll solve all of your problems.
Or maybe rice is a huge part of my diet and it would solve one of my problems?
This is a really poor attempt at trolling. Henry pls go.
>>7290134
>a useless appliance as if it'll solve all of your problems
Well it has significantly curbed my depression, while providing me with a few moments of joy each day that I didn't have before.
I've also been told that I'm not as angry or violent when I get black-out drunk.
It's by no means all my problems, but it's a nice start at least.
>>7290153
Here you go Kyle (I'm assuming that's your name but you go by Kyle-sama).
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-rice-on-the-stove-44333
And I'll only charge you $199 for this tip.
>>7290167
>And I'll only charge you $199 for this tip.
I'll be sure to donate whatever change I get back after I buy the rice cooker to the ongoing red cross efforts in your country.
if you live at a sufficiently high elevation a rice cooker won't do shit
you need a pressure cooker
>protip
>>7290184
Hey if you actually did that that'd be great. Haiti is fucked beyond repair though.
>>7290154
Mine actually helped me stop drinking altogether.
>dat fuzzy logic
I have a Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT meme cooker.
I use it twice every single day: once for rice with dinner, once for oatmeal that I prepare in the evening and put on a timer for the morning.
It makes amazing rice. If you're making 1-2 portions only, buy the 3-cup model, rice cookers have a minimum volume and the 3-cup model's is about 90ml of rice, which is good for one big portion. A larger cooker will have a larger minimum recommended volume. This doesn't matter so much with analogue cookers but cookers that have computer chips do all sorts of calculations to decide when it's done, and it could make a mistake if you have a weird amount in it.
I paid $200 CAD and have never regretted it, it's fantastic.
>>7290243
>$200 CAD
How much was it in non-play money?
>>7290250
About thirty cents and a couple of pieces of gum basically
>>7290254
aye
Weather or not a rice cooker is worth it I guess solely depends on your rice intake. I eat rice (almost) every day, so it was worth the counterspace and money for me to be able to 'set it and forget it'.
I got this one http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NSRNC10FZ-Automatic-5-5-Cup-1-0-Liter/dp/B008JO0CTI and it was worth every penny. Cooks one or two cups of rice just fine.
>>7290221
>tfw didn't spent the extra odd $70 to get that quit drinking function
>>7290275
I with mine had flowers on it instead of looking like my mom's minivan from the early 90's.
>>7289630
Just because a bunch of people fuck it up does not mean the process is difficult.
>>7290290
Stovetop rice isn't hard, no, but it's nice to free up a burner and in my experience the rice is always noticeably better out of a GOOD cooker (so not a $20 walmart piece of shit) anyway.
>>7289965
> a pot is $5
No where can you buy a respectable pot for $5. My favorite pot, which I bought used, I still spent $20 at a thrift store.
>>7289831
FYI, those Zojirushi on Amazon are all made in China now and
Expect to pay well over $200 for one that isn't shit now
You have two options, get a sub $40 one or get the $200+ one. The inbetween is just a massive waste of money for the exact same quality as the sub $30 cookers.
The made in Japan ones are still great and will last you decades.
Be careful though, the made in China ones are sold in Japan too, so make sure the weeb store/site you get it from isn't jewing you over with the way the word it. Make sure it's made in Japan, not imported from Japan.
These really are great investments if you make a lot of rice. However, If you just occasionally eat rice or only make a small amount daily, then get the cheaper ones.
>>7290369
I agree that you shouldn't spend more than $40 for a simple on/off rice cooker, but you can get good fuzzy logic for under $200.
Source on Zojirushis being made in China.
>>7290400
>Source on Zojirushis being made in China.
Just look on the Amazon product details. The majority of the sub $200 cookers are now made in China.
I generally tend to avoid Amazon reviews, because they're either posted by shills or complete retards, but lots of reviews state that the made in China versions fail within three years.
>>7290400
I've heard the same thing, but just word of mouth (probably Amazon comments).
Cheaper labor doesn't necessarily mean cheaper/lower quality parts, IMO.
>>7290086
I bought this when it was on sale on Amazon Prime Day for 100$. I use it 5-6 times a week, perfect rice every fucking time, will keep rice hot for 12+ hours without becoming dried out.
Wash rice in the morning, set it to be ready by lunch, have enough in there for rice for dinner.
possibly the best $100 i have ever spent.
>>7290773
so I used really cheap, really shitty beef, and ofc it came out dry (my fault). But all an in all its not bad. Probably has some real good potential with tinkering with recipes.
>>7289807
It can be the same with saucepan. Rice goes in with a bit of cold water, put the lid on and forget about it for 15 minutes. Once perfected it is that convenient
>>7289803
This is the one I have. It cooks rice. No Asian would be seen dead with such a cheap rice cooker but for anyone else it's fine
what does this thread think of just a simple bamboo steamer?
I got the Cuisinart rice cooker for Xmas and I have used it a number of times already.
I think its really good.
Before I was making rice via the absorption method in a pan but controlling the heat was a pain because its always different it seems.
But with the rice cooker its coming out very consistent and its good rice that sticks together.
I have also used my rice cooker as a sous vide machine.
Because I have a sous vide temp controller and all I have to do is plug the rice cooker into that and I have total temp control to the degree.
>>7290453
Some are, some aren't. I bought mine at retail and the store had "made in grorious nippon" and "made in slave factory" on the same shelf with a $70 price difference.
