Ok, here's my skinny.

Years ago, we bought a high end induction heating (or whatever it's called) model from Japan. Worked well. We used many of the settings (quick cook, timer cooking, etc), but not a lot of the other functions like making porridge. It died on us after 5 or so years.

We replaced that with a mid-range one with all the same bells and whistles, just without the induction heating system.

We couldn't tell the difference. The reason being is that it's just me and my wife. We cook about 1 cup at a time. I figure if you do the higher yields, that's where the fancier cooking technology comes into play.

I use a $10 rice cooker (made in Thailand) and am quite happy with its performance. As stated the (much) more expensive models don't cook regular rice such as basmati any better, rather they do more (e.g. keep it warm for long periods while tasting fresh). Sometimes I still cook rice in a pot (when I want it seared in oil first, before cooking, for example), but the rice cooker is great as it takes no skill, no effort and no care (just turn it on and forget it). I'm a food snob and geek and love rice, so gadgets are my life blood, but a $1000 rice cooker would be the 50th appliance that I'd buy. Personally I don't find a cooker that keeps food warm for hours appealing (except my slow cooker which does that superbly), nor do I want it turning on and off under computer control, or by using a remote that also does my TV. Technology can run amuck, esp. in the kitchen.

If all you are making is rice in it, I think most any rice cooker will be better than a pan. It couldn't be any easier, you put the stuff, press the button, and it cooks and shuts off when it's done (or switches to warm)

We have two, a small one and a larger one, they are not the expensive models. For rice, I can't picture one that requires a second mortgage making much of a difference, but as you noted, I don't have a reference point.

I say get a cheap one first and see how you like it. Later you can toss it and get an expensive one if you want, all you would have wasted was $10 or $20.

If teflon doesn't freak you out and you don't own a parrot, consider a non stick one, it's much easier to clean up.

most of the better restaurants use about a 10-15 gal tin can. they throw in the rice, add water. cook it. ruin the rice on the bottom. throw the can away the next day. one sees many canson the curb in the morning in nyc.

Before I got the Sanyo cooker I did as Cordelli had suggested and got a sub £20 cheap one. I wasn't hugely impressed. It belched out loads of steam, oozed bubbling starch juice, had a drip collector that had to be emptied too often and the stay warm feature would brown the rice (my parents now use it as a steamer). The result was no different to using a pan, may have been a little worse. In fact, I wouldn't have bought a better rice cooker at all if I hadn't had the chance to use one over a two week period in Tokyo. The difference between this basic Japanese model and the basic Chinese model I already had was striking.
Before returning to the uk we toured Akihabara looking at every model that could be used in Europe without a transformer to find the one best suited to our needs paying particular attention to the thickness of the cooking pot and how sturdy it felt.
Sure, we're really happy with the Sanyo I linked to (keeps rice warm perfectly unlike someone else's model) but at some point we'll want to upgrade. To do that we'll need to spend a few hundred pounds for the cooker and transformer and have enough luggage space free to transport it back. One day, perhaps once we have our wished for Toto washlet installed...

I use Zojirushi. Have one each in both my Toronto and Hong Kong homes. I find them excellent for making both rice and porridge.

I have an advanced Sanyo ("fuzzy logic")
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

I was hoping it'd be a less-expensive alternative to the Zojirushi.. but it actually does not keep rice good for any longer than the generic chinese cookers... its basically good for half-day consumption only, else the rice really dries out

Really should have just gone for the Zoji

Unfortunately, as of this posting, my amazon.com return window expired 2.5 hours ago !!!!

Thanks for all the feedback, opinions and help.

I've ordered the Zojirushi ZAQ10 from Yum Asia which I expect to arrive on Wednesday .... in time for my first Chicken Rice.

Where would our difficult decisions be without FT!

Thanks again.

I am very particular with my rice and to me, Zojirushi is the only way to go.

A fan of the cheapest available rice cookers and well able to cook good rice (of several sorts and varieties) in everyday pots and pans, I have to marvel at the sort of perspective which would cause one to spend more on a rice cooker than many regular rice eaters spend for a year's supply of rice.

Closing my eyes, I clearly recall (from long ago and far away) a small and elderly Vietnamese woman squatting in the bilges of a narrow sampan, fanning life and heat from a tiny charcoal fire, as she cooked rice in an old coffee can. I sure liked her rice, but it took a day or two to get used to the Nuoc Mam inevitably served with or added to the bits of meat and fresh vegetables served accompanying it.

The same sort of person that travels F when Y is available?:D;)

Electric rice cookers generally fall into 2 categories:

1) old-style

2) new-style "fuzzy logic" teflon coated.

The old style cookers are the inexpensive at any size and the rice cooked in it will have a firm crust where it touches the insert as it cooks. There are many tasty dishes that can be made from this crust but if you're not after the crust, then washing-up is a pain and there is wastage of the rice that forms the crust.

The second type is much more expensive and ranges from the basic model which is very similar to the old style cooker above (except that it doesn't produce the crust because the insert is teflon-coated) to the ones that have computers, timers and do everything except make a latte and tuck you in bed.

If you're only after rice and not the crust, and want fast and easy clean up then the new-style is much better.

Both the old and the new styles make good porridge, however if you also like to steam a dish on top of the rice as it cooks, you'll need to read the instruction manuals of the new style quite carefully. Some of the new styles require more complicated settings, special lids and such to do this. The old style does this with no problem. In both cases, the rice cooker should be slightly larger to make room for the dish on top.

I have the smallest basic Zojirushi "fuzzy logic" for 15 years and it is still going strong. It is perfect for rice for 2 (with leftovers for lunch) or rice for 1 plus a steamed dish (with leftovers for the next day). I should really be getting the next size up as my SO is finding out that he really likes rice now that he has discovered how easy it is to make and clean.

I also have an old-style cooker I reserve for making dishes that require the crust.

Just for reference, my grandparents have rice cookers in 2 sizes, one for just themselves and a massive one for when there's company.

I just bought a Cuisinart Rice Cooker/Steamer about a month ago. What I find surprising though, is the rice seems to boil all the time until done. When I cook rice in a pan on the stove, after it starts boiling you turn the heat on low - why the difference? Or do other rice cookers work differently?

Well put! I am a regular rice eater and do not like the crusty bits at the bottom. All wastage for me. I love long grain fragrant rice and short grain moist rice, depending on the main dish.

Presently use a Zojirushi NS-LC05 (Made in China for Japan market). Cooks white, whole grain, okowa, unmilled, okayu, and processed brown rice. Use it mostly for, whole grain, and okowa ! Max 3 cups, which can last the 2 of us over 2-3 meals. It is a very good machine going on year 3 now. Was hesitant to buy MIC machine, but MIJ machine was 8,000 JPY more. Couldn't be happier!