Which rice cooker/steamer - recommendations?

meoldchina, Oct 11, 9:28pm
I have a surplus of Fly Buys and the only item in their catalogue that interests me is a rice cooker. Please don't try to talk me out of it. I know that many of you recommend the absorption method and the microwave method, but I would like to try the electric steamers while I have the opportunity to "get one for nothing".
I saw the Kambrook "cheapie" one in a shop and wondered if it was any good. I like the fact that it's half the size of some of the other brands, but is it any good and is it easy to keep clean? Are the bigger ones proportionately better?
Your thoughts and recommendations will be gratefully received.

samanya, Oct 12, 3:42am
I've got a 'cheapie' . can't remember the brand ( thinks it's a no name thing) & it's perfectly adequate.
It's small, but that's OK for me, it has a keep warm function etc.
Go for it meoldchina.

buzzy110, Oct 12, 4:22am
Glad you asked this question. When it comes to cooking rice I am an abject disgrace. I too have looked and seen that there are cookers that will also cook pilaf, rissotto and paella and I have thought that if I was to get a rice cooker then I would get one of those. They are a bigger than the simple, boiled rice cookers and I'd have to spend ½ hr in the shop reading the recipe book first to make sure that the dishes are actually all cooked in the cooker.

Reading other rice cooker threads on here, apparently they can be used to make other things as well, thus freeing up your stove and time (no watching) and thus providing greater flexibility during meal prep. It would be good for when there are guests or for bigger-than-two families.

Davidt4 made a valid comment when she recommended getting one with a warming function to keep the rice (other foods) warm for a period of time. Oops I see that post 2 also recommends a warming function.

samanya, Oct 12, 5:45am
I'm happy with my little $17 rice cooker & I've never been confident enough to cook rice for a crowd.
If I was, I'd use the microwave method. I think.
It always worked for me, for up to 4 serves.

buzzy110, Oct 12, 5:57am
Don't have one of those fandangle contraptions. I rarely cook rice. I can cook a mean seafood rissotto. That is about the only rice dish I can cook with any degree of expertise. No one wants to eat my boiled rice, not even me. A cooker would probably make me look more competent when it came to rice cooking.

I think, based on my rice cooking skills that the OP should jump right in and go for it.

nanasee1, Oct 12, 6:45am
Our is a Zip - works fine - if there is a little more water than recommended. I usually add an extra 100 - 150 ml depending on the rice amount. Without the extra water the rice can be a little under cooked for our taste

lynja, Oct 12, 5:49pm
My cheaper Kambrook tends to have a ring of hardened rice around the edges when it is cooked. I was super keen to get one and liked the idea of having it cook and remaining warm. I must experiment again with it and see if I can get better results.

snapperheadrkp, Oct 12, 11:05pm
Warehouse have a 10 cup Digital Rice Cooker on their Website today (13/10) for either Courier delivery or buy and pick up at your nearest Warehouse. Claims to be marked down from $49 to $29. If you want to pick up (tip) buy something else off their site for $1 and you will save the delivery fee they add for purchases under $30!
Have one on its way, so can't tell you if they are any good

snapperheadrkp, Oct 13, 6:49am
Rice Cooker arrived this afternoon. Only used the steaming mode to steam some Asparagus
Worked fine - it counted down the minutes then turned off.
Have had a National Panasonic Rice cooker for 25 years and it works fine (but purchased this to see if the modern cooker was any different) Will report when I cook the next lot of rice! .

meoldchina, Oct 13, 10:01am
Did you buy another Panasonic? I look forward to reading the review of your latest acquisition.

meoldchina, Oct 13, 10:03am
I look forward to the review of your new acquisition too, Snapperhead!

norse_westie, Dec 16, 3:01am
I bought a cheapo $19 generic one from the supermarket 5 years ago. As we don't eat a huge amount of rice at a sitting I got the smallest one. OMG it makes perfect rice. So so easy, so perfect. All those years of doing it in a pot.