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Why should I buy a rice cooker?

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    #32
    Dizzyblonde
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,110 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    MissFlitworth wrote: »
    Dammit. Now *I* want a rice cooker.

    Me too!


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    #33
    MissFlitworth
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,057 ✭✭✭MissFlitworth


    We could probably negotiate a bulk deal with Argos :D


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    #34
    moc moc a moc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,299 ✭✭✭moc moc a moc


    kylith wrote: »
    cum porridge cooker

    Good lord...


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    #35
    Nollog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,463 ✭✭✭Nollog


    Dial Hard wrote: »
    Y'all eat a lot of rice.

    I didn't eat much rice until I bought a rice cooker.
    They make it so easy.

    Mine also steams things with a little tray that goes above the bowl. Handy.

    The price of rice is silly, 1.19 everywhere, Asda sell it for 40p(51cent) per kg.


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    #36
    Dodge
    Registered Users Posts: 10,288 ✭✭✭✭Dodge


    MissFlitworth wrote: »
    We could probably negotiate a bulk deal with Argos :D

    If you do I want some sort of commission!


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    #37
    MissFlitworth
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,057 ✭✭✭MissFlitworth


    €1.19 a kilo doesn't seem bad :) I'm addicted to shortgrain brown rice & it is either €5/kg or €18/5kg depending on where I buy it and how much I fancy carrying a sack through the city centre.


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    #38
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,519 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    Dodge wrote: »
    I bought one yesterday. €18 in argos. Felt at that price it was worth a gamble. Will be trying it out tonight.

    Thanks again for the replies

    FYI this rice cooker jumps from €18 to €25 after today...
    Current selling price valid until 16/02/2016

    http://checkargos.com/product/9367809

    Yeah, after reading this thread, I want a rice cooker too. :)


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    #39
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz..."

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-HD3037-03-cookers-White/dp/B00GOWJUUY/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen-appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1455633599&sr=1-3&keywords=rice+cooker


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    #40
    Mrs Fox
    Registered Users Posts: 2,292 ✭✭✭Mrs Fox


    Yesterday I tried cooking quinoa in my rice cooker. Came out perfect! Why haven't I tried this before?


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    #41
    beertons
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,102 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    Will I, won't I? Will I notice much of a difference in the rice?


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    #42
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    beertons wrote: »
    Will I, won't I? Will I notice much of a difference in the rice?

    It's much easier to adjust the precise amount of water to the exact type of rice you are using, and then you will never have to worry about inconsistent or ruined batches thereafter.


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    #43
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,382 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    /\/ollog wrote: »
    I didn't eat much rice until I bought a rice cooker.
    They make it so easy.
    I also did not eat as much until I discovered the microwave absorption method, so simple and foolproof, zero risk of over cooking. I often will leave the house with my rice cooking away safe in the knowledge nothing can go wrong and it will be still warm when I get back.
    Mrs Fox wrote: »
    Yesterday I tried cooking quinoa in my rice cooker. Came out perfect! Why haven't I tried this before?
    I was saying t companies do themselves a disservice by naming devices. I use the george foreman "grill" for doing other stuff. I was using "toasted cheese sandwich makers" to cook eggs 25+ years ago. They should call rice cookers "grain cookers", or some other term, I expect some are suitable for several other uses.


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    #44
    Curry Addict
    Registered Users Posts: 1,274 ✭✭✭Curry Addict


    a pot with a lid = perfect rice in 6 minutes. rice cooker is a silly waste of money and space!


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    #45
    tampopo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,333 ✭✭✭tampopo


    Curry Addict wrote: »
    a pot with a lid = perfect rice in 6 minutes. rice cooker is a silly waste of money and space!

    I've limited space, my rice cooker is in another room. I've better things to be doing than looking, checking on the rice as it cooks. It's automatic. It's great. Every time.


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    #46
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    Just wanted to put in, I'm an American. I got an electric kettle as a gift from my Scottish boss when I married my Irish husband. Everyone over the pond says an electric kettle is a waste of money and space because you can always boil water for your tea in a pot on the stove, or in the microwave. Imagine what you'd say to them!


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    #47
    brick tamland
    Registered Users Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭brick tamland


    Seen these in ALDI for 18 quid at the weekend if anyone is interested.

    I dont have any issues cooking rice and they look way to big for my counter so not for me.


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    #48
    furiousox
    Registered Users Posts: 6,971 ✭✭✭furiousox


    Bought the E17.99 argos rice cooker after stumbling across this thread.
    Will be firing it up later for the first time.
    Do you use cold or boiling water for the cooking?
    (Just says "add water" in the instructions but doesn't specify if it's hot or cold)

    CPL 593H



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    #49
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    furiousox wrote: »
    Bought the E17.99 argos rice cooker after stumbling across this thread.
    Will be firing it up later for the first time.
    Do you use cold or boiling water for the cooking?
    (Just says "add water" in the instructions but doesn't specify if it's hot or cold)

    Cold water. The rice cooker will take care of heating the water correctly.

    If you get a lot of foam, you have forgotten to rinse the rice!


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    #50
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,382 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Curry Addict wrote: »
    a pot with a lid = perfect rice in 6 minutes. rice cooker is a silly waste of money and space!
    How are you cooking it that fast? I presume you are not including heat up time if you are boiling a kettle separate, but 6mins is still really quick.
    Speedwell wrote: »
    Everyone over the pond says an electric kettle is a waste of money and space because you can always boil water for your tea in a pot on the stove, or in the microwave. Imagine what you'd say to them!
    I would say the same thing as I would to people getting toasters, rice cookers, bread makers or toasted sandwich makers. If you are sure you will get the use out of it and realise the alternatives and have the space & money then go for it.

    Most kettles will be a lot smaller and cheaper than a rice cooker too. Our kettle gets used about twice a day. I often do use the microwave instead when doing very small amounts of water, and especially if the cup needs to be warmed too.

    I admit my attempts at cooking rice were hit & miss for years, I now find the microwave method to be completely consistent and foolproof, I already have a perfectly good rice cooker. Also less washing as I usually eat in the bowl it was cooked in.


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    #51
    Chimichangas
    Registered Users Posts: 737 ✭✭✭Chimichangas


    Speedwell wrote: »
    It's much easier to adjust the precise amount of water to the exact type of rice you are using, and then you will never have to worry about inconsistent or ruined batches thereafter.

    Any suggestion for cooking brown or wholegrain rice in rice cooker? The kind that takes 30-40minutes to cook on the hob...??


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    #52
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    Chimichangas wrote: »
    Any suggestion for cooking brown or wholegrain rice in rice cooker? The kind that takes 30-40minutes to cook on the hob...??

    Did you ever wonder how a rice cooker knows to turn itself off? The trick is this: Water boils at a constant temperature; the more heat you apply, the more steam it makes, but it doesn't rise significantly in temperature. When the rice in the pot has no more free water, the temperature rises sharply and triggers the cooker to turn to the warm cycle.

    You can easily see that the way to make the cooker cook longer is... use more water! Using more water does not make the rice wetter; it is simply boiled off as steam. The standard rule of thumb for brown rice is to use half again as much water as you would use for white rice, so if you would fill to the 2-cup line when using 2 rice cups of white rice, then you would fill to the 3-cup line when using 2 rice cups of brown rice. The ratio for white rice is 1 part rice to 1 part water. The ratio for brown rice is 1 part rice to 1.5 parts water. Always add the water before you add seasonings or other ingredients, if you are cooking "rice and".

    If you find that this ratio still leaves you with rice that is harder than you want, due to variations in rice varieties or the age of the grain, you can add some additional water and restart the machine. Some resting time on "warm" never hurts. If next time you make rice you don't want to allow the rice cooker to cook for longer than usual, then wash the rice, put it in the cooker, add the water to the correct marking, and let it soak for a few hours to overnight. Just turn the rice cooker on when you are ready to cook and it will take a relatively shorter time to be ready.

    Some rice cooker pots (on more expensive models) have markings in the pot just for brown rice, and some of those have special brown rice cycles.


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    #53
    furiousox
    Registered Users Posts: 6,971 ✭✭✭furiousox


    Just used it there for the first time.
    I like the convenience, just switch it on and forget about it.
    I rinsed 2 cups of dry rice before use and filled the cooker with the correct amount of cold water.
    I was slightly disappointed with the end result, the rice was slightly undercooked and a bit sticky (certainly not fluffy)
    The texture was ok and it did taste fine when added to the chicken/veg/sauce stir fry though.
    First attempt, so next time I think I'll add a bit more water than is required.

    CPL 593H



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    #54
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    furiousox wrote: »
    Just used it there for the first time.
    I like the convenience, just switch it on and forget about it.
    I rinsed 2 cups of dry rice before use and filled the cooker with the correct amount of cold water.
    I was slightly disappointed with the end result, the rice was slightly undercooked and a bit sticky (certainly not fluffy)
    The texture was ok and it did taste fine when added to the chicken/veg/sauce stir fry though.
    First attempt, so next time I think I'll add a bit more water than is required.

    Did you jump on the rice immediately when it snapped off to the warm cycle? It may make all the difference to let it sit on warm for five to ten minutes. Not all rice requires this, but some varieties do better if left to sit a few minutes on warm.


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    #55
    furiousox
    Registered Users Posts: 6,971 ✭✭✭furiousox


    I did actually, would it not just get drier if you left it heating?

    CPL 593H



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    #56
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    furiousox wrote: »
    I did actually, would it not just get drier if you left it heating?

    No, it is literally just steaming gently. It will have the effect of equalizing the moisture between the inside and outside, much like what happens when you let a steak or roast rest ten minutes after cooking. With the lid on, the rice in the rice cooker is unlikely to dry out even after an hour on hold. Most of the time, when cooking rice in the rice cooker, I'm not ready to use it right away when it's done, so it sort of sits a little while by default.


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    #57
    furiousox
    Registered Users Posts: 6,971 ✭✭✭furiousox


    Ok, good advice thanks. :)

    CPL 593H



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    #58
    tampopo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,333 ✭✭✭tampopo


    furiousox wrote: »
    Just used it there for the first time.
    I like the convenience, just switch it on and forget about it.
    I rinsed 2 cups of dry rice before use and filled the cooker with the correct amount of cold water.
    I was slightly disappointed with the end result, the rice was slightly undercooked and a bit sticky (certainly not fluffy)
    The texture was ok and it did taste fine when added to the chicken/veg/sauce stir fry though.
    First attempt, so next time I think I'll add a bit more water than is required.

    Mine is always sticky. I would never expect it to be fluffy. Never. It's sticky rice, so it won't be fluffy. That'd be the Uncle Ben's shyte, I would say.

    Japanese children are 'encouraged' to eat every last grain of rice. "the farmer has grown it, the least you can do is eat it all up".

    And they eat with chop sticks, (for the most part). Imagine picking up non sticky rice. You'd be there for a week on one meal! So, it's sticky by design...

    Sticky all the way, I say!


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    #59
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Chimichangas wrote: »
    Any suggestion for cooking brown or wholegrain rice in rice cooker? The kind that takes 30-40minutes to cook on the hob...??

    IDK how long it'd take on the hob, but I made brown rice in mine the other day and I did it exactly the same as white rice (though I did throw in a veggie stock cube and a couple of knobs of butter)


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