Rice Cookers and Steamers
Buying the Right Rice Cookers and Steamers For Your Kitchen
With so many people that cook rice and all the different kinds, one of the biggest problems really is cooking it right. Long grains, darker rice, and rice medley mixes often cook longer than your average white rice, and if they are not cooked properly, they can be hard and crunchy. On the other hand, if it is overdone the bottom gets scorched, and you might as well throw the whole thing away.
This is where a rice cooker comes in. With their automatic settings, warmers and other functions, you get perfect rice no matter what kind it is, every time. They come many different sizes to choose from, from small units that only cook a few cups, to huge commercial cookers that can whip up enough to feed an army. All you do is add the water and rice, turn on the unit and wait; it does all the work for you.
Inside the cooker is a heating plate, a thermal sensing device, and an internal cooking pan. When the weight of the mix depresses the heating element, it turns on. It will bring the water up to boil quite quickly and then the sensor detects the heat and turns down the temperature. Once the rice is cooked it either automatically shuts down, or turns from a cooking unit to a warmer, keeping the rice at a perfect temperature until needed. In some cases, there is an audible alarm, letting you know when it is done.
When you are looking for rice cookers and steamers, there are some things to take into consideration. There are many different types and brands of cookers on the market and this can be overwhelming. The important thing you want to remember is that unless you are some kind of chef working in a restaurant, you don't really need all the bells and whistles more expensive cookers come with. You just want a cooker that will cook the kind of rice you want, without all the hassle. Price is important, and varies greatly, so this is something you want to look at closely.
You may want to consider a cooker that doubles as a warmer as well, which will keep your food warm until needed. The next thing you have to look for is capacity. Regular cookers range in size from just one cup, up to ten or more. You have to think about how many people are in your family, usually, unless you eat a lot of rice at dinner, a regular serving size for most people is about a half a cup, so do the math and pick a cooker that is right for you, since you don't want to waste food.
You can pick up rice cookers just about anywhere small kitchen appliances are sold, and you can find them online as well. There are just as many brands as there are cookers, with Oster, Zojirushi, and Rival being at the top of the list. Some of these can be as cheap as $20 or so, and some more than a hundred dollars, depending on the make, model, and all the extras. While buying a cooker may be cheaper online in some cases, a visit to your local store will give you a big selection.