Rice Cookers - How to Choose The Best Rice Cooker

Rice cookers are best for preparing steamed rice and keeping them warm even after cooking. They have an insulated case with a removable cooking pot and a heating element that controlled by a thermostat is located between the two containers. The cooking pot is calibrated to ensure proper proportions of water and rice.

How rice is cooked

Water and rice are poured in at the start of the cooking, and the water is heated to boiling point so the rice can absorb it to expand. After the preset time, the remaining water is boiled away and the machine switches to “keep warm” mode or shuts down. Here are some models and the ways on how they cook your rice:

Basic cookers

Also called as on/off rice cookers, they automatically shut off after the rice cooks but they have no indicator lights and their pans are regular aluminum, not non-stick. They are cheaper but have fewer featuers.

Cook/keep warm

These cookers switch to lower temperatures after cooking to keep the rice warm. They have steamer baskets for cooking other foods along with rice.

Fuzzy logic

Basic ones can also be used for other recipes like sushi, brown rice, and porridge since they can be set to cook different rice textures like soft and hard rice. They also have keep-warm modes, bigger steamer baskets, and automatic timers.

Induction heating cooker

Another fuzzy logic rice cooker that conducts heat from the bottom upwards. They compensate for measuring errors and provide even cooking. They are also efficient since the power is used for cooking and not for generating heat.

Buying rice cookers

In buying a rice cooker, check the material (non-stick or Teflon-coated), the indicator lights, and safety features. Remember that aluminum, stainless steel, and copper pots are not suitable for induction cookers. Clear glass lids are ideal if you want to monitor the cooking.