Rice Cooker

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socal78

socal78

Well-known member
I need to replace my rice cooker. What better group of people to ask for recommendations on rice cookers.

Here is what I'm looking for:

Over 4 C. capacity but not too big
Steaming tray preferred & in stainless steel if possible
No splattering
No Teflon finish if possible
Timer not necessary

I've been using a Cuisinart for many years. I mostly make Jasmine (long grain white). Sometimes basmati, wild rice, and oatmeal.

The Cuisinart is good but has its drawbacks. It splatters a lot. It overcooks rice when using the steaming basket at the same time. I've been looking at all the brands, trying to decide. Might buy a Zojirushi but not if there is a better value.
 
We use any cheap $10-20 ones you see at Ranch 99 or even the mexican marts...  Smaller the better as we have a lack of counter space.  Zojirushi is expensive and honestly i can't tell the difference in how the rice turns out (water + rice + heat, nothing complicated).  Lasts a couple years and then throw it out.. I don't believe Zojirushi last longer and by that time it's pretty nasty anyways.. I believe rice selection is more important... I'm a fan of short grain... forgot the name, but its in a pink bag at ranch99
 
Here is what I use:
Aroma Digital Rice Cooker with steamer (with brown rice function) to cook brown/wild rice.
Fagor Pressure Cooker to cook Indian rice (it's somewhat like long grain, but taste is distinctly different).
Black and Decker 3 cup rice cooker without a steamer to cook Basmati White rice. It's my itty-bitty love. (3 cups cooked rice)
Aroma Electric Pressure Cooker for make 'well cooked' rice that some Indian recipes call for. Also for lentils/beans.

Black and Decker splatters a little, but I keep it on the wooden chopping board for easy clean up. Aroma digital one is my favorite, I can program a dish to be cooked and ready when I come home. Cooking rice according to me is dependent on the quality of rice, and proportion of water to rice than the cooker..

My recommendation? Go for Fagor! You will find multiple use for that baby.
That said, any Japanese who can share the art of making brown sticky rice?
 
Cubic Zirconia said:
Cooking rice according to me is dependent on the quality of rice, and proportion of water to rice than the cooker
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Same for me except one problem I ran into with Cuisinart is that it does not shut itself off. It switches to Warm, which if left unchecked, overcooks the rice. I would love to find one that actually turns off. Do those models listed power off? My Cuisinart is mechanical so what I've been doing for years and years is having to babysit the cooker. As soon as it switches to warm, I run over and unplug it (the only way to shut it off), lift the lid, fluff it, and replace the lid so it can rest. Resting the rice is important to me. If only I could find a model where this is taken into account.

Thanks for all the tips. I'm excited to check out these models. Costco had two rice cookers I was looking at over the weekend. Didn't buy them because one had no basket and the other did but it was plastic and it was an 8-cup capacity... too big.
 
ps9 said:
I'm a fan of short grain... forgot the name, but its in a pink bag at ranch99
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Are you using it for sushi? The only short grain I use is Arborio. I use it to make risotto and sometimes Rice Pudding. With risotto, you have to keep adding liquid in small increments so the rice cooker won't do... need to be able to control the duration and cook without a lid. Other than that, I'm a huge fan of rice cookers. They can be so versatile! I use mine for soooo many things.
 
This is what every Chinese and Japanese restaurants uses.

ZOJIRUSHI_NS_RNC_4bbfce92a62bd.jpg


Homer made the best recommendation.
 
irvinehomeshopper said:
This is what every Chinese and Japanese restaurants uses.

ZOJIRUSHI_NS_RNC_4bbfce92a62bd.jpg


Homer made the best recommendation.
Click to expand...

We actually still have that at home... I need to pull it out of my pantry. 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NS-ZCC10-Uncooked-Cooker-Premium/dp/B00007J5U7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339627499&sr=8-1

i have this one. no flowers.
 
kalbi said:
http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NS-ZCC10-Uncooked-Cooker-Premium/dp/B00007J5U7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339627499&sr=8-1

i have this one. no flowers.
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Oh I like that one, no flowers and has a nice sleak look that goes well with my contemporary furnishings.  :D
 
USCTrojanCPA said:
Oh I like that one, no flowers and has a nice sleak look that goes well with my contemporary furnishings.  :D
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Don't buy the cooker. Buy a wife that comes with one.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
My doctor says rice is bad for my view lot. :(
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I think your doctor is just referring to hulled rice (white). Brown rice should be okay and wild rice is better -- lots of fiber.

Fwiw, of all the inside jokes, I've never understood the reference to a view lot.
 
SoCal78 said:
Fwiw, of all the inside jokes, I've never understood the reference to a view lot.
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The IHO view lot?

As in if you buy a house next to me in Irvine... that's what you'll get to see because the houses are so close?

I thought that was self-explanatory... I'm not sure who coined that first... IPOPlaya, Graphrix, PStar, BK or myself.
 
Lucky neighbors.

Ah. I think the joke started on a different site I didn't read which could explain why I didn't get it.
 
SoCal78 said:
ps9 said:
I'm a fan of short grain... forgot the name, but its in a pink bag at ranch99
Click to expand...

Are you using it for sushi? The only short grain I use is Arborio. I use it to make risotto and sometimes Rice Pudding. With risotto, you have to keep adding liquid in small increments so the rice cooker won't do... need to be able to control the duration and cook without a lid. Other than that, I'm a huge fan of rice cookers. They can be so versatile! I use mine for soooo many things.
Click to expand...

can't make sushi, just grew up with short grain and always liked it better.  Good for Asian foods that come in stews, so when you pour the sauce over it doesn't get too loose like long grain (choke and then it's rice up the nose, not fun).  There is a California rice with a Japanese name, kokuho I think, that's the one my family uses.

Go short grain!
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Get the stainless one to match your appliances. :)
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I think what he meant to say, Trojan, is that the rice cooker comes in these three colors: blond, brunette, or redhead. See my previous comment.

 
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