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Rice cooker advice please
Would appreciate some advice from fellow FT'ers who own or have owned a rice cooker.
Does it produce better rice than simply using a pan? Were you pleased you bought one? Which is the best one to buy? Thanks. |
I resisted buying one for years, but now I have one I'll never go back to a pan - even though it was fine at the time. I generally use the cooker for japonica grains (koshihikari or Akita komachi) and the results are noticeably better than what I could get with the pan.
As to which is the best, it depends on where you are (and how much you're willing to pay). There are some amazing machines in japan, different technologies used including some that will wash your rice for you. The top of the range machines cost between 500 & 1,000usd and then there's the cost of the transformer and shipping. I'm very happy with my EU Sanyo model, Similar to this one http://www.japancentre.com/items/2674 which was under £90 about a year ago but with the exchange rates... many people swear by their Zojirushi branded cookers. If budget is a concern, I'd recommend looking in to the Cuckoo brand as the Koreans are just as passionate about getting the best out of this style of rice. |
Thanks for your advice. Cooking is my passion and fortunately my budget (within reason!) isn't a limiting factor.
I'd read about Zojirushi but unluckily I've only seen them on ebay and I think I'm prepared to compromise a bit to buy from within the UK as so much electrical stuff today seems to have faults....... a mini oven and humidifier this week both a few weeks old. One thing I have read is that size is important! It seems that large capacity rice cookers cook small quantities less well than small ones. So I'm looking for a small reassuringly expensive one I think that has as many functions that helps cook and hold perfect rice. Any feedback and advice appreciated. |
Originally Posted by uk1
(Post 15764890)
Thanks for your advice. Cooking is my passion and fortunately my budget (within reason!) isn't a limiting factor.
I'd read about Zojirushi but unluckily I've only seen them on ebay and I think I'm prepared to compromise a bit to buy from within the UK as so much electrical stuff today seems to have faults....... a mini oven and humidifier this week both a few weeks old. One thing I have read is that size is important! It seems that large capacity rice cookers cook small quantities less well than small ones. So I'm looking for a small reassuringly expensive one I think that has as many functions that helps cook and hold perfect rice. Any feedback and advice appreciated. You are right about the size being important. The tendency is for the layer at the bottom of the metal container to become dry (some Chinese prefer this bit) and stuck together. A smaller one reduces the amount of rice that is wasted as a result of this By all means buy an expensive one, I guess they will be more sophisticated that the cheap ones. But in my experience, the less expensive ones do a great job. Never seen one of the singing and dancing ones in a Chinese home, they regard them as a waste of money nickyboy |
Thanks .... you've made me think twice about "over spending" for the sake of it ...
What started the thinking about it was seeing so many Chinese families using these cookers when a pot would be cheaper .... and even older people who tend to be technology resistant seem to use them. Thanks again. |
I've just found Yum Asia who seem to be a couple who import the full range of Zojirushi.
Tempted! Any opinions about them appreciated. |
I bought this last week.
It was on offer then for €12. It cookes the rice as good as any restaurant I've ever been in. Spending a fortune on a rice cooker is a waste of money. http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/p...ICE+COOKER.htm |
Originally Posted by uk1
(Post 15765077)
Thanks .... you've made me think twice about "over spending" for the sake of it ...
What started the thinking about it was seeing so many Chinese families using these cookers when a pot would be cheaper .... and even older people who tend to be technology resistant seem to use them. Thanks again. The types/brands of rice you buy and how you treat them can have more to do with results than the pan or cooker. We eat rice often, far more than potatoes or even pasta, and keep several varieties around, most often using Texmati Brown (a Texas grown "Basmati") when cooking rice to stand alone, but in the pantry, there's Arborio, Italian "Black", Jasmine, conventional long grain, and some "sticky" dessert rice. For those who have trouble preparing an attractive bowl of rice, I recall my grandmother's instructions to daughters and granddaughters: "The closest thing to 'Failsafe' is 'Uncle Ben's Converted'. Even an inept bride can serve up separate grains." |
Don't forget - size matters. If you typically cook for just one or two people, look for a cooker in the 2.5-4 cup range. You may find http://ricecookerbest.com/ of some help. If you don't need bells & whistles, the Panasonic SRG06FG is a decent very inexpensive cooker.
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I don't think I've ever paid more than $30 for a rice cooker. Usually from Costco. A larger version, but works great. Just don't leave cooked rice in it for 2 months while you're traveling. :)
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I've been using a relatively inexpensive Sanyo 5.5 cup cooker for several years and it makes what I consider to be perfect Japanese rice every time. I almost always make two cups at a time and it works just fine for that. I wouldn't try to make a single cup in it, though.
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I use a Zojirushi NS-ZAC18 (click here for the model page at the site linked above). It's spectacular, and I would never go back to a pot/pan.
Having gone through a few rice cookers before, I cannot emphasize enough current models "Made in Japan". I usually make 2 or 3 cups, but when you need more, it's great to have the opportunity, so size matters a bit. A clock for setting up rice to cook at a later time, white/semi/brown/sushi rice settings, they are all features I would not want to miss. At the end of it though, it simply makes great rice. If you ever feel adventurous, add a bit of butter to the rice sitting in the water prior to cooking or cook the rice in broth. :D |
Many thanks for all the feedback - greatly appreciated.
Here is my dilemna! It seems to me that when I've researched this (on the web generally as well as in this thread), those people who have spent the cash and gone for an expensive model seem vehement that if you can afford it then it is a purchase that they do not regret. Many of the people have upgraded themselves from both simpler models and from relatively sophisticated models. Some sophisticated models have had a relatively short life but all Zojirushi owners say that these go on for years. Evidently some models are produced in China to Japanese standards but the top-end models are produced in Japan. Zojirushi is evidently almost a status symbol in Japan .....! It also seems to me that those that have gone for a lower cost solution are equally happy with their choice. But many of these people only have as a point of comparison the previous pan methods they used and I can't recall any that have downgraded or compared their experience with a Zojirushi for example. I haven't seen many .... any? .... that have said that their investment in a Zojirushi for example was wasted and they were equally happy with a less expensive solution. And, whereas I've seen a lot of posts from Zojirushi owners who think their machines are marvelous and was well worth the cash - I've not seen many posts from owners of these or equal machines who say that the extra cash spent was wasted. I also sent a message to the people who own Yum Asia with a series of questions and they have answered them all very fully and enthusiastically and I must admit I'm swinging towards the big leap into Zojirushi NS-ZAQ10 country. The cost is almost unjustifiable .... but I've just spent a lot of cash in my sous vide explorations .... so I guess I should be phlegmatic! Any further feedback or opinion about my flakey thought process genuinely welcomed. Thanks again. |
My wife has owned three different cookers in the past 8 years. Every time we move to a different country, she buys a new one.
According to her, there are pros and cons to each one. Sanyo was inexpensive. Makes good rice however it did not keep the rice warm and tasty for long periods of time afterwards. Zojirushi was more expensive. Makes good plain rice, brown rice (cooking time longer) sweet rice, congee and keeps rice tasty for a long period of time. (For example, I like rice occasionally in the morning, she makes rice for dinner and it stays very good in the morning.) Currently we use Cookoo. By far the most expensive. Does everything the Zojirushi does AND is a pressure cooker. This adds new dimension to cooking with your rice cooker. My wife says all rice cookers makes good rice. It's like cell phones, if you want a cell phone that just makes phone calls. It's cheap. If you want it to do more things, it gets more expensive. She has mentioned to me that when we move back to Canada or Japan. She will purchase a Cookoo again so she really must be pleased with this one. |
Originally Posted by Taiwaned
(Post 15766190)
My wife says all rice cookers makes good rice. It's like cell phones, if you want a cell phone that just makes phone calls. It's cheap. If you want it to do more things, it gets more expensive. And I don't think I would consider a Zojirushi a status symbol. This was admittedly a long time ago, but I lived in a student dorm in Tokyo and probably about 1/3 of the students had a Zojirushi in their dorm rooms. It was more practical than anything else. |
Originally Posted by uk1
(Post 15766064)
Many thanks for all the feedback - greatly appreciated.
Here is my dilemna! It seems to me that when I've researched this (on the web generally as well as in this thread), those people who have spent the cash and gone for an expensive model seem vehement that if you can afford it then it is a purchase that they do not regret. Many of the people have upgraded themselves from both simpler models and from relatively sophisticated models. Some sophisticated models have had a relatively short life but all Zojirushi owners say that these go on for years. Evidently some models are produced in China to Japanese standards but the top-end models are produced in Japan. Zojirushi is evidently almost a status symbol in Japan .....! It also seems to me that those that have gone for a lower cost solution are equally happy with their choice. But many of these people only have as a point of comparison the previous pan methods they used and I can't recall any that have downgraded or compared their experience with a Zojirushi for example. I haven't seen many .... any? .... that have said that their investment in a Zojirushi for example was wasted and they were equally happy with a less expensive solution. And, whereas I've seen a lot of posts from Zojirushi owners who think their machines are marvelous and was well worth the cash - I've not seen many posts from owners of these or equal machines who say that the extra cash spent was wasted. 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.
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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.
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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.
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Originally Posted by Taiwaned
(Post 15766190)
Sanyo was inexpensive. Makes good rice however it did not keep the rice warm and tasty for long periods of time afterwards. Zojirushi was more expensive. Makes good plain rice, brown rice (cooking time longer) sweet rice, congee and keeps rice tasty for a long period of time. (For example, I like rice occasionally in the morning, she makes rice for dinner and it stays very good in the morning.) 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. |
Originally Posted by Rejuvenated
(Post 15769187)
I use Zojirushi. Have one each in both my Toronto and Hong Kong homes. I find them excellent for making both rice and porridge.
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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. |
Originally Posted by TMOliver
(Post 15771838)
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.
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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?
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Originally Posted by tcl
(Post 15772332)
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. |
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!
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Originally Posted by uk1
(Post 15765244)
Yum Asia ...
Any opinions about them appreciated. |
Ah. Rice. My wife and I are very picky about our rice...
First off, we think rice cooker > pan, in nearly all situations except when you want to make fried rice (chinese style), and require the last bit of frying in a pan... Regarding rice cookers: - We've had many a many a rice cooker, and tasted rice from many different rice cookers. We also live in Japan some of the time and get to taste their new cookers. - In terms of rice, I think rice is a big factor. If you can get high quality rice (I'm not sure how rice is sold in the USA), then you will get a good meal in the end. We know people who own rice fields and they are the source of most of our rice. - Low quality cookers. Cheapo brands, there is not much difference in what you buy. Eventually, it will simply be what kind of rice you use. If you put high quality rice in those cheapo cookers, it will inevitably taste nicer than the crap you put in. - Medium quality cookers. Inevitably the same as the cheapo brands. The higher quality your rice, the better it will taste. I think it is a good investment to get at least a medium quality cooker. The low quality cookers will die with time, nearly always, and the rice quality will become worse and worse. - High quality cookers. Japan is the place. We own a Mitsubishi NJ-XSB10J. It uses a charcoal cooker inside, and has a steam system which recycles the steam from the cooked rice to be used to cook the rice again. It's absolute heaven. For high quality cookers, even if you use some crap rice, you will end up getting something more than edible; great for a meal. If you use high quality rice...drool. Ours cost around $600 (USD) and we forked out $250 for a transformer to bring it to Aust. In the end, after buying many cookers, we just forked it out for what we have now. Couldn't go back. Just from our experiences and our 2c. Hope it helps |
Just to close the loop .......
As I said a few posts ago I ordered the Zojirushi ZAQ10 a couple of days ago which arrived an hour or so back and I've just cooked my first Jasmine Hom Mali rice. I'm thrilled to bits with the result ... much better than I was producing manualy and the difference was greater than I expected. Even my wife who was sceptical about spending on a rice cooker is surpised at how good the rice is and thinks it was very worthwhile. I'm looking forward to my first batch of basmati - I hope it's seperate grains and not too much like chinese in style! During the course of my reading I've read some interesting things about how rice cookers has changed the lives of people in Thailand. Quite a difference between getting up at 4am to light the charcoal in order to have the rice ready for breakfast! From my own point of view this will add a new dimension of not only improving my rice - and I want to increase the number of meals with rice and decrease the number with potato - but also cooking "to the point". Up until now all cooking and eating times revolved around the time that the rice would be as close to perfect as I could previously manage. Now - it's ready when I'm ready. It keeps warm! The combined effect of my sous vide cooker and the rice cooker (where they are both used in the same meal) should give me a much more relaxed approach to when we sit down to eat because it'll now be ready when we're ready. Thanks for all the pointers and help in deciding! ps I found this list interesting - hope it's of interest to others! Did You Know? 1. Rice is the staple food for two-thirds of the world's population. The simple grain has been a popular life-sustaining food for thousands of years because it is nutritious, versatile, economical, easy to prepare and tastes good! 2. Rice is a complex carbohydrate. Humans need complex carbohydrates in their diet because they fuel the body. Complex carbohydrates are stored in muscles and released as energy as needed. 3. Rice protein, when compared to that of other grains, is considered one of the highest quality proteins. It has all eight of the essential amino acids, necessary building blocks for strong muscles. Rice is also a good source of other essential nutrients -- thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, iron and potassium. Rice contains no fat, no cholesterol and no sodium. This along with being nonallergenic and gluten free makes rice especially well suited for persons with special dietary needs. 4. Rice offers versatility unsurpassed by any other food. It can be made part of any meal in recipes for soups, salads, main dishes and desserts. 5. In Asia rice is considered sacred. In Japan there are shrines to the god of rice. 6. Honda means "main rice field." Toyota means " bountiful rice field." 7. Arkansas is the largest rice producing state in the U. S. 8. Rice can be indefinitely cropped in irrigated fields. Some rice fields are believed to have been continuously cropped for more than 2,000 years. 9. There are over 29,000 grains of rice in one pound (based on long grain white rice). 10. In Japan, rice grains are affectionately called "little Buddha’s," to encourage children to eat rice for the rest of their lives. 11. The Greek poet, Sophocles, in 495 BC mentioned rice in the Tragedies. 12. Louis Armstrong signed his autograph "Red Beans and Ricely Yours..." 13. In China, the typical greeting is "Have you had your rice today?" The typical answer is "Yes." 14. In India, it is said the grains of rice should be like two brothers: close but not stuck together. 15. In Thailand when you call your family to a meal you say, "Eat Rice." 16. The Japan word for cooked rice is the same as the word for meal. |
A rice cooker has been a welcome addition in my kitchen for 15 year
I had a zojirushi for 9 years. I replaced it after it's demise with an Aroma ARC-838TC 8-Cup purchased on Amazon. It works better. I use it for short grain brown rice or basmati rice. I purchased an inexpensive, $ 19.95, black and decker cooker for one of my college kids. After 1.5 years it works great. |
I have the Aroma ARC-838 TC (whatever all that means) and I've been really happy with it. It's way better than the pan and obviously better than microwaving the instant stuff.
I like Rice |
Originally Posted by Elli
(Post 15772495)
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?
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Originally Posted by uk1;1578683 QUOTE
10. In Japan, rice grains are affectionately called "little Buddha’s," to encourage children to eat rice for the rest of their lives. ????? I guess one could argue that European children are awed by a slice of bread as it represents the body of Christ. Or bread is so important that many use the word when talking about money. |
Originally Posted by Elli
(Post 15790269)
My question got sort of lost in the various brands of rice cookers. Comments anyone?
The simplest way to cook long grain (converted) white rice is to place rice in cooking bowl and add liquid to appropriate line marking. The more expensive fuzzy logic versions that only cook rice ie they are not multi talented - combine pre-soaking, boiling and steaming and when the fuzzylogic chip detects the temperature rising above 212f (the maximum temperature water reaches) it presumes when this temperature has been reached that all the water has now been used and goes into keep warm mode. It also allows you to select different rice types and desired different hardness of finished cooked rice. With your unit, you may take the lid on and off the unit whilst cooking in order to add stuff to steam - and this will compromise the accuracy of cooking perfect rice - with the fuzzy logic versions you have to leave it without disturbing it until you're told by beep that it's ready. Basically they just cook rice. I'll be corrected if this is wrong - but I hope it helps explains the difference. |
Originally Posted by uk1
(Post 15792573)
Basically they just cook rice.
My fuzzy logic cooker makes quinoa beautifully - light and fluffy - on the quick white rice setting (takes about 20 minutes0 |
I am a service tech for Zojirushi. They are great machines. Customer support is excellent. Very nicely constructed. But :)be careful not to scratch the cooking surface.
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