Rice is a deceptively simple ingredient that is the backbone of so many dishes around the globe. From egg fried rice and congee to sabzi polo and jambalaya to paella, rice is amazingly diverse. But it is also surprisingly difficult to cook. While many of us try to cook rice on the stovetop it can be incredibly frustrating. All too often cooking rice ends in yet another pot of overcooked, burned, or soggy rice. If you’re sick of scorched pans and want perfect rice every time, then a rice cooker might be the best option for you!
A good rice cooker will help you get the perfect rice, every time! Whether you’re a chef or a cooking beginner, a rice cooker will still produce the perfect rice for your meal. And there are rice cookers available for every need and every chef, for single people and for big families! A quality rice cooker eliminates all the effort – and the mistakes – of cooking rice on a stovetop. No more babysitting the pot, no more undercooked mush or undercooked crunchy grains. Just a perfectly cooked meal every time!
How Does a Rice Cooker Work?
A rice cooker is very simple to use. Simply use the included measuring cup to measure out your rice and water – or stock. It is important to use this cup as rice cups are smaller than standard measuring cups. Use this included cup to ensure you get all the measurements and cooking times spot on. Simply pop the rice into the bowl of the rice cooker. Turn the rice cooker on and the cooker heats the rice to just boiling. Once the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed, it automatically switches to a keep-warm mode. This will keep the rice warm for hours, so it’s ready whenever you are.
What Size Do I Need?
Rice cooker capacity is measured in cups. This usually means how many cups of uncooked rice you can cook at once. A large rice cooker can handle up to 10 cups while a smaller one can handle around 5 cups. While 5 cups still sound like a lot, remember that a rice cup is smaller than a regular measuring cup. A rice cup is around 160ml.
- On average 1 cup of uncooked rice will make 2 cups of cooked rice
- 5 cups of rice are perfect for a couple
- 10 cups of rice are perfect when cooking for a family
Do I Really Need a Rice Cooker?
It is important to consider if you’ll get much use out of the rice cooker. If you cook rice frequently then a rice cooker is the perfect investment. And it makes rice that looks, tastes and smells far better than microwaved pouch rice! It also extends the range of dishes you can make, no matter if you’re cooking for yourself, a couple, or your family! It saves a lot of time and effort when it comes to meal planning, and it is a lot easier to clean up than trying to scrub that starchy water off your stovetop when a pot bubbles over! And it is easy to use. Simply measure out your rice, your water, and turn on the cooker! Simple!
How Long Does It Take to Cook Rice?
A rice cooker is extremely quick! It usually only takes about 30 minutes to cook white rice. However, when it comes to brown rice, it can take up to 2 hours.
What to Consider When Buying a Rice Cooker
Are you looking to buy a rice cooker? Here are some important features you need to consider when deciding to buy your first one or a brand new model! It is important to remember that the rice cooker prices will increase based on the materials, capacity, functionality, and accessories included. Smaller rice cookers are likely to be cheaper than the larger rice cookers that come with more accessories and functionality. And commercial rice cookers will, of course, be far more expensive than domestic models.
Capacity
Capacity is the first thing to consider when it comes to choosing the right rice cooker for your needs. Singles and couples should stick to smaller rice cookers, around a 5 cup capacity. This will allow you to cook a minimum of 2 cups of rice without wasting rice. For larger families, you want to look for rice cookers around the range of 7-10 cups. These can produce up to 20 cups of cooked rice at a time and are perfect for handling the hungriest of families.
And always remember to use the measuring cup that comes with your rice cooker! Rice cups are much smaller than standard measuring cups. If you use a standard measuring cup your cooking times and measurements will all be off.
Lid Type
There are generally two different lid types for rice cookers – removable and non-removable. The removable lids are usually made of glass, so you can see into the rice cooker and check on the rice as it cooks. They are also easy to clean. However, food can rattle, bubble up, and splatter onto your benchtop if you don’t place the lid on properly.
Non-removable lids are not always transparent, so you won’t always be able to check on how the rice is cooking. They can also be a little more difficult to clean. However, they are less likely to rattle and spill, compared to removable lids.
Easy to Clean
Regardless of lid type, you should consider how easy it is to clean your rice cooker. The cooking bowl should be removable and non-stick. You shouldn’t need to scrub at it to remove stuck-on rice.
Keep Warm Function
A keep-warm function is a fantastic feature that your rice cooker needs to have. This feature is fantastic for when your food is ready but you are not. It prevents overcooking and also ensures your food is still warm when you finally sit down to eat. Also, check how long the keep warm function will last. Will most will last for 5 hours, some will go even longer!
Accessories
The most important accessory your rice cooker should come with is a rice cup. It is smaller than a standard measuring cup, as we mentioned above, making it indispensable when getting the right measurements and cooking times. Some rice cookers will also come with a plastic serving ladle that will let you fluff the rice, mix in ingredients and toppings, and serve the rice without scratching the non-stick coating.
Fuzzy Logic
Fuzzy logic is a function that allows the rice cooker to work out if you’ve added too much or too little water. It can then adjust the cooking time accordingly. Not all rice cookers come with this function but it is useful to have, especially if you are not always the best at following instructions!
Cooking Modes
A rice cooker with a variety of cooking modes can be incredibly helpful, especially in small kitchens. Do you want to steam meat or dumplings at the same time as your rice? Do you want to cook brown rice as well as white rice? What about other grains? If you just want to cook basic white rice, a simple model will be perfect for you. But if you want to use your rice cooker for a variety of different kitchen functions, look at some more expensive models that offer more cooking modes!
Below are some of our picks for the best rice cookers of 2021!
Commercial Rice Cookers
This large white rice cooker is able to cook a whopping 35 cups of rice. Ideal for commercial environments it features a steaming function that brings your rice to fluffy perfection. The Progress Chaser function allows the rice cooker to cook, steam and then warm the rice without intervention from the kitchen staff. And the double-layered lid provides high warming efficiency.
The inner pot has a PTFE coating and the rice cooker itself has a stainless steel body and top cover. It also comes with a dew dish. The Cuckoo 35 Cup Commercial Rice Cooker comes with a 1-year warranty and is made in Korea.
The Panasonic 30 Cup Rice Cooker is a reliable, high-quality, commercial-grade rice and grain cooker. It has a built-in, double thermal fuse that ensures safety and precision control to keep your cooked rice fresh and warm for up to 5 hours. This virtually eliminates burning or overcooking while protecting the cooker from possibly rising in temperature. It provides uniform cooking with the triple coil system, utilises a micro switch control for more durability, and a double thermal fuse superior safety.
The 30 cup capacity yields around 60 cups of cooked rice, or around 123 serves. The electric rice cooker comes with a push-button start feature, automatic shut off, an anodized aluminium pan, measuring cup, stainless steel lid, non-stick pan, and silver exterior.
The simple one-touch operation of the Robalec rice cooker makes them the ideal appliance for rice production in busy commercial environments. The 55 cup capacity makes them the ideal solution for cooking large volumes of rice in the non-stick coated rice bowl. The easy to use Robalec has a one-touch operation with an automatic shut off feature. It utilises a burnproof pad and rice napkin. It also features a measuring cup and spoon.
A product from Roband Australia, Robalec is an example of Roband’s commitment to meeting the diverse needs of the Australian food service establishments. Roband Australia recognised the need for reliable, efficient rice preparation and after years of research and development present the Robalec, the perfect large capacity rice cooker for the commercial cooking environment. No matter if you cook Thai, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, or other rice-based cuisines, this rice cooker is perfect for your kitchen. The Robalec delivers the very best quality steamed rice, making it the automatic choice for any commercial kitchen. And the simple, one-touch operation and automatic shut off makes it the perfect “Set and forget” appliance for your commercial environment. Enjoy trouble-free service with Robalec by Roband Australia.
The Robalec 55 Cup Rice Cooker comes with a 12-month warranty.
Roband Australia carefully sources all their commercial foodservice products to meet the diverse needs of the Australian commercial foodservice needs. Years of research and development have gone into creating the perfect rice cooker. The Robalec 30 Cup Rice Cooker is the perfect commercial appliance that delivers the very best quality steamed rice every time. No matter if your cuisine of choice is Thai, Chinese, Japanese, or Indian, the Robalec provides reliable, efficient rice preparation. They are the automation choice for any commercial kitchen.
The simple, one-touch operation, plus the automatic shut off, makes it the perfect “set and forget” rice preparation appliance for your kitchen. It prepares quality rice, every time, ensuring you always have trouble-free service.
The Robalec 30 Cup Rice Cooker is the ideal solution for cooking large volumes of rice. It is easy to use and features a burnproof pad or rice napkin and a non-stick coated rice bowl. It also comes with a measuring cup and spoon. The Robalec comes with a 12-month warranty.
The Robalec Rice Cooker/Warmer is the automatic choice for any commercial kitchen. It is the ideal choice for cooking and keeping warm large volumes of rice for any recipe or cuisine from Thai to Chinese and Japanese to Indian. It features a simple, one-touch operation, as well as automatic shut off, allowing you to “set and forget”. Enjoy simple rice preparation in your commercial kitchen, today, with the Robalec by Roband Australia
It is able to produce 35 serves of cooked rice in the non-stick coated rice bowl. It features easy, one-touch operation and a solid, stainless steel body and lid. It has an easy, keep warm function that ensures your rice is ready to eat whenever you need it, without being over or undercooked. It also features an auto shut off feature so you never suffer from overcooked rice, as well as a burnproof pad and a steam release pad.
Enjoy a 12-month warranty.
Explore our range today to find the perfect rice cooker for your home cooking or commercial kitchen needs! Make the perfect fluffy rice today with Chef’s Hat!
Domestic Rice Cookers
This compact, 5 cup rice cooker is the perfect size for small apartments, singles and couples. It can serve up to 10 cups of cooked rice. The Kambrook 5 Cup rice cooker has a simple, one-touch operation and convenient keep-warm function, so your food is warm whenever you’re ready to eat! And the non-stick removable cooking bowl makes for easy cleaning! It is also a cheap rice cooker, ideal for those trying rice cookers for the first time.
You can check on the progress of your rice with the easy-view glass lid that provides easy monitoring of your food as well as easy cleaning. And cool-touch handles make this the most convenient rice cooker on the market.
The Kambrook comes with the cook and keeps warm settings, a 1-year replacement guarantee (domestic use only), and the non-stick removable cooking bowl. It is the perfect, small rice cooker for small kitchens and homes. Domestic use only.
Meet the Smart Rice Box, a stainless steel rice cooker with fuzzy logic technology. This 10 cup capacity programmable rice cooker allows you to have rice ready whenever you want it. The fuzzy logic technology senses when too much or too little water has been added and can adjust to ensure you have perfect rice every time. And the smart technology also senses when the rice is cooked and will switch to the “keep warm” mode to prevent burned or gluggy results.
The Breville Rice Box has 8 menu functions, allowing you to cook white, brown, sticky, steamed, or sushi rice, as well as fast cooked rice, soup, porridge, and cake! The combination rice cooker and steamer makes steamed and crispy rice, congee, sushi and porridge with ease. Now you can cook authentic rice and meals, no matter the variety!
The stainless steel steaming tray provided is ideal for steaming vegetables, poultry and seafood in their natural juices. Cook delicious vegetables and meats while you cook your rice, for the perfect, easy meal. It is ideal for busy families or couples and singles o the go!
The Breville Smart Rice Box features an LED display, carry handle, brushed stainless steel housing and tempered glass lid. It comes with a steaming tray, non-stick coated cooking bowl, rice spoon, serving spoon and measuring cup. Domestic use only.
The Breville Smart Rice Cooker can make up to 25 serves of perfectly cooked rice! It features innovative fuzzy logic technology that automatically adjusts the temperature at the right time for each stage of the rice cooking, no matter what type of rice you choose!
This combination rice cooker with steamer makes perfect steamed rice, sushi, sticky rice, porridge and even cake! It also includes fast cook, reheat, and automatic “keep warm” functions!
The ceramic coated cooking bowl has 5 layers of durable and heat conductive materials to ensure perfectly cooked rice every time. It is also PFOA and PTFE free.
The Breville Rice Cooker has an easy-open lid and removable parts for a quick and easy clean up. And the programmable digital timer can be used to preset the finishing cooking time in advance. It also features an LED display with a simple operation control panel.
The Smart Rice Cooker has settings for white, brown, sushi, sticky, steamed, and fat cooked rice, as well as porridge and cake. Domestic use only.
|
