What is the best sort of rice cooker to buy

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petax, May 1, 10:56am
electric or tupperware one that goes in the microwave

elliehen, May 1, 11:20am
If you put 'Rice Cooker' into the keyword search bar at left and 'Anytime' into Date Posted, you'll find a lot of threads devoted to rice cookers.

Mine is a 10-year-old Sunbeam and does a perfect job. I don't know anything about the Tupperware, but an advantage of the electric one is that it keeps the rice warm for several hours after cooking, if needed.

deus701, May 1, 12:35pm
electric one.

I knw two people who had theirs melted in the microwave

natalie9, May 1, 7:02pm
Easiest way of cooking rice. Use a pyrex dish (no lid). 1 cup rice, 2 cups boiling water, 12 minutes on high in the microwave. Cooked. And stays warm in the microwave for a good while. Just fluff up and serve. If you really need to keep it warm for hours then put it in the crockpot if you have one. Just thinking if you wanted to save money on something you don't really need.

gaspodetwd, May 1, 8:03pm
I have 2 Kambrooks. Love'em. Very cheap - and always make great rice. You can get them on offer for $20.

knowsley, May 1, 9:27pm
There is a huge difference between cooking rice by boiling as your way in a mircowave, and the more steaming orientated way in a rice cooker or properly on a stove top. We eat rice at least 4 times a week, and find it easier to use a rice cooker. We use a Panasonic that was purchased 15 years ago and it works extremely well.

battgirl, May 1, 9:30pm
I'm a purist me, stove top all the way. My sister tried to convert me to a rice cooker but it just seems so wrong.

knowsley, May 1, 9:37pm
I used to cook rice properly on the stove top too, but it gets too cluttered on there at time if you are cooking a couple of dishes, especially with a big wok. The rice cooker is a "put it on and forget it" solution. Either way is infinitely better than boiling it, of course. :)

battgirl, May 1, 9:40pm
Good point well made.

toadfish, May 1, 9:46pm
Of all the appliances in my kitchen the Rice cooker gets used the most. On my second one though as the cord doesn't like sitting on a hot element... whoops. I got my breville one with flybuys, but keep an eye out for them on sale at Briscoes... $20-30. Cooks brown rice beautifully and nice if you add a small squirt of soya sauce in the water(only tried it with brown). Definately a nicer texture than boiled rice, we use Basmine of jasmine Rice.

lucemm, May 1, 9:58pm
I have a breville rice and rissotto maker - makes beautiful rissotto

knowsley, May 1, 9:59pm
Ok, I'd draw the line at making rissotto in a rice cooker!

lucemm, May 1, 10:01pm
It is easy and tastes fantastic

natalie9, May 1, 10:34pm
Oh okay. I used to always do the stovetop bring to boil, put on lid turn off and leave for 10 minutes. Can't say I noticed any difference betweeen that and my microwave method but we all have our preferences!

toadfish, May 1, 11:44pm
How do you make rissotto? ? Thanks

petax, May 2, 5:03am
thanks for all the info

cottagerose, May 2, 5:14am
I bought a plastic microwave one from Briscoes. It works a treat

toadfish, May 2, 5:48am
Used Google and found this...

Pumpkin Rice Cooker Risotto

Ingredients:

Arborio rice
1 tbsp olive oil
Chicken Stock (although vegetable stock is also fine)
1 onion, diced
1 to 2 cups of diced and cooked pumpkin
A sprig of rosemary, finely chopped (just the leaves—not the twiggy part)
Cheese, parmesan preferably

Turn the rice cooker on to ‘cook’ and heat the oil in the cooker. Add the Arborio rice and stir for one to two minutes, making sure that each grain is covered in oil, and glossy in appearance. Then add the onion and allow to cook for a further minute or so. Finally, pour in the stock and give the mixture a good stir. Place the lid on and leave the rice to cook until the rice cooker goes ‘ding’ and switches to ‘warm’. Make sure you stir the rice two or three times during this process to ensure none is sticking to the bottom.

When the rice is ready, stir through the pumpkin, parmesan, rosemary and salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy! If you have leftovers and want to be decadent, wrap any remaining risotto around some cheese and fry it into little cakes…

knowsley, May 2, 7:12am
Not meaning to be too much of a pedant, but I think you'd be making a pilaf more than a risotto in the Breville cooker.

toadfish, May 2, 7:29am
I just straight copied and pasted it... ...

I like the idea of that recipe (minus the pumkin) as a rice dish on the side... . .

In fact I like anything that can be cooked with a minimum of fuss after I get home... .

elliehen, May 2, 8:27am
I'd be interested in anyone else's ideas about what you can cook in a rice cooker to make a meal, besides rice. Thanks :)

annie.nz, May 2, 9:33am
Electric rice cooker with a nonstick bowl, and 'cook' and 'warm' settings. I've had mine since 1982, and it's the only thing I own that I don't stick in the dishwasher, I love it so much.

I never cook anything but plain rice in it.

elliehen, May 2, 9:50am
Must confess, annie.nz, that I'm also very fond of my rice cooker. It prevents that cook's panic when everything on the stove or in the oven needs simultaneous attention.

lucemm, May 4, 1:37am
It makes beatiful risotto - it is perfect

chesty1, May 4, 2:05am
We have a plastic one from Briscoes - rice always turns out great I cook it for 13 minutes.