How to Choose the Correct Rice Cooker for You?

Table of Contents

What is a rice cooker and how does the rice cooker work?

The name says it all – a rice cooker is a device that you can use to cook rice. Of course, you can also cook rice in a conventional saucepan on the stove, but it often happens that the rice overcooks or burns. This does not happen with a rice cooker because the non-stick coating and overcooking protection prevent this.

There are different rice cookers, namely

Electric rice cookers, also known as active rice cookers, and
Microwave rice cookers, the passive rice cookers.

The electric rice cookers consist of an outer container and an inner container. A heating element that regulates the temperature is integrated in the bottom of the outer container.

The electronics of the rice cooker control the temperature automatically. The inner pot of the rice cooker is removable and has a non-stick coating. This prevents the rice from sticking and is easy to remove from the container.

To cook the rice, you have to know how to use rice cooker and add the desired amount of rice to the cooking container and add the appropriate amount of water. The addition of water in the rice cooker is very important, since all the water evaporates when cooking in the rice cooker.

In the first step, the rice cooker heats the water to 100 degrees Celsius – until the water is completely used up. The automatic control then regulates the temperature of the heating elements in order to switch off or switch to warming mode when the rice is cooked.

For the rice cooker for the microwave, also add the appropriate amount of rice with the appropriate amount of water to the micro container. At a certain temperature – which can be found in the product description of the micro rice cooker – you cook the rice in the microwave and then serve it.

You yourself have to check and determine when the rice has the desired consistency. You can cook all types of white rice and wholegrain rice in most rice cookers – milk rice is not in any of the rice cookers.

The advantage of the rice cooker over the classic cooking method of rice is that

The rice cannot boil over and
The amount of water is dosed precisely to the amount of rice.

How to Choose the correct Rice Cooker for you?

For the purchase decision, which rice cooker is the right one for you, the size is decisive. If you want to cook rice for 4 people on a regular basis, you should also choose a large rice cooker.

You can also cook a small amount of rice in a large rice cooker. This is not a problem for the rice cooker.

Warning: you should know that! On top of that, you also have to make the decision whether you want an electric rice cooker or a rice cooker for the microwave. Whether you choose a cheap rice cooker, a medium-priced or an expensive rice cooker is also up to you. As a rule, the larger rice cookers are of course also more expensive than the smaller ones.

One point that you should definitely pay attention to when buying a rice cooker is the scope of delivery. With some rice cookers, a steam attachment is included as an accessory so that you can steam vegetables, fish or meat in addition to rice. The rice cooker spoon also makes sense, as it is adapted to the shape of the inner pot and you can use it to remove the rice perfectly. The measuring cup is part of the standard equipment for rice cookers.

The inner pot should be provided with a non-stick coating so that the rice cannot stick. However, the rice cookers are usually equipped with the non-stick coating. The keep-warm function is also part of the standard equipment of a rice cooker. And the automatic switch-off is also an integral part of an electric rice cooker.

How much water does the rice cooker need?

Rice cooker test for each cup of rice – but this also depends on the type of rice – take about two to two and a half cups of water per cup of rice. If the rice is too firm after cooking, take a little more water the next time you cook it.

How do you cook rice in a rice cooker?

As a rule, the electric rice cookers are delivered with a measuring cup. With this you can dose the desired amount of rice and the appropriate amount of water. Put the rice in the inner container of your rice cooker, add the water.

The inner container of the rice cooker is provided with markings and numbers. The number of rice cups must match the number on the marking. Close the lid of the rice cooker and switch it on. Now the rice is cooked until it is ready.

How long does the rice in the rice cooker take?

This answer cannot be answered across the board. The cooking time depends on the rice used – whole rice, brown rice and wild rice take longer than the basmati or classic rice varieties. It is also important how much rice you want to cook as you can read some article on kitchen & dining reviews.

The more rice you prepare, the longer it will take for the rice to cook. As a rule, it takes a little over 10 minutes for a quantity of rice for 1 to 2 people until the rice is cooked – with a “normal” rice variety.