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Read this page before buying any rice cooker!
In my opinion, rice cookers are just about the best thing to happen since sliced bread. If you enjoy rice then there really isn't any reason why you shouldn't own a rice cooker. They make such a difference in the kitchen, taking out the guess work, allowing even the most inexperienced cookers to learn how to cook rice perfectly every single time. I can promise you that once you start using a rice cooker you'll never want to go back to cooking your rice on the stove again.
As simple as it is to use a rice cooker, choosing the best one can be a bit more complicated. There are a number of different brands, styles, sizes and options to look at, but don't worry, I'll go over them all here, and by the time you're done you'll know just what you want. Scroll down to read about what you should be looking for when choosing your rice cooker.
Recommended rice cookers:
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orWhat to look for when searching for the perfect rice cooker
The first thing you need to decide when buying a rice cooker is how much you're willing to spend. As a general rule, the more you spend, the better the product you'll get.
The cheapest, most basic rice cookers will range from $15-$25, whereas the highest quality cookers with the most options run well over $100.
The second thing you need to look at is the size that you'll be needing. Rice cookers come in sizes related to how many cups of rice it will cook.
Average sizes range from 3 to 10 cups, although you can find them as small at 1 cup or up to 20 cups and higher.
As a single person I find that the 5 cup size fits me best. I can make enough if I'm cooking for friends or if I'm looking to make enough for my current meal and then have enough for some fried rice the following day. I don't really recommend the smaller cookers unless you plan on travelling with them a lot as you will probably only find yourself in situations where a few more cups are necessary.
The third step in finding the perfect rice cooker is to choose the one with the options that you'd like. Options to look for are:
A timer on your rice cooker can be very convenient. I love it especially when I have to get up early or if I'm planning on getting home late. Some timers allow you to set what time you want the rice to be done cooking and some you set when you want it to start.
Some rice cookers have a bit more complex steam release valves, these tend to have flip-top lids. If you do decide on one like this then you should make sure that it has a removable inner lid as it greatly expedites the cleaning of your cooker. Those without the removable inner lids are difficult to clean and often require you to get into tight corners with your sponge. So for sanitary reasons, get one with the removable inner lid.
Most rice cookers these days have a non-stick bown inside, but it's definitely worth mentioning, make sure you don't get one without.
Having measuring lines on the inside of the bowl makes things extremely simple when cooking rice. Typically you put in two cups of rice and you fill up the bowl with water to the 2-cup mark.
Most basic types of rice cookers have one setting, however some of the better rice cookers out there have various settings for various types of rice. Not only do some have settings for softer or harder rice but you can set it to make pourrage, wild rice, brown rice and sushi rice. Most of this type of rice cooker also has different measuring lines on the inside of the bowl as different types of rice require different amounts of water in addition to varying cooking times.
Another setting that you might want to watch out for is the 'quick cooking' setting. Although it can cut the cooking time by 20 minutes or more you need ot be careful as you may need to slightly adjust the water level to keep from getting dry rice.