Does anyone here use a rice-cooker? What kind? must do brown rice well!

Anyone have a favorite rice-cooker they use? I'm getting ready to buy one (probably at Amazon) and want to know what is the best one that's in the under $100 price-range. There are a few that look amazing that are well OVER $100, but I don't want to spend that much until I know I'll actually be using it at least once or twice each week. I want to increase whole-grains in our diet, so it must be able to do a good job with brown rice. I do have a brown-rice oven recipe that almost always turns out really good, but would like to expand my repertoire to include various rices and other grains (including quinoa for sure). :)

I'm kind of looking at this one - all stainless-steel with no non-stick coating:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Stee...dp/B000PC3G7M/

I also like that this one has a stainless steel steamer basket that you can cook vegies in at same time as rice.

Does anyone use a stainless-steel rice-cooker? Is sticking a big problem, or does spraying the inside help reduce sticking? I have an olive-oil sprayer I use (it's awesome - you put olive oil in it, pump it up a few times with your hand, and it aeresolizes the oil to work just like the canned sprays, but with no chemicals added) so I would spray with that before cooking. I like to stay away from those teflon/non-stick surfaces whenever I can, cuz they're really not good for us, but will use it if there's no alternative.

My in-laws have a rice cooker that they got from Japan- it's about 20 years old and still works great! (We actually use it 2-4 times every week.) It cooks brown rice really nicely. I have never sprayed in oil, because it wouldn't do any good since it mixes into the rice. Actually, we needed beans once and my husband cooked hard beans- that weren't soaked- in it. I was furious that he would do something like that, and since beans foam when they cook- I wouldn't suggest doing it again! We also cooked spaghetti in one once, but that's another story! lol

Sorry I'm no help, but I hope whatever you get works well for you!

I bought a cheap Black & Decker one from Walmart. I never thought I would need a rice cooker but I really have liked it. Mine has a removable pot which is teflon lined. It's a little scratched up but the rice doesn't stick too bad.
When I use it I cook brown rice & it works great. Last night I threw a handful of dry split peas in the pot with the rice. they didn't do so well!

I've one, from an asian store in Paris. Not an expensive one but i like it a lot and my husband too. I find it very easy to use, you don't have to stay in the kitchen and when your rice is ready, it stays hot.

Go go go :)
And if you say that on the top you can cook vegetable...
GO GO GO :)

Thanks for your input, Ladies! :) I'm still not completely sure if I want the stainless steel one, or if a non-stick coated one would be okay... I know I remember reading something about that stuff (Teflon and other non-stick coatings) being bad for our health, but can't remember the details off-hand. I might have to do a bit of reading to find out if that concern is valid, or if it's just another one of those internet-scare-stories that don't have a lot of basis in truth... KWIM? I may post in the forums at Amazon too... I'm pretty sure they've got a "healthy cooking" forum in with all their others. :)

I have had mine for years and don't think the model is available anymore, but this is the newest version of mine:
http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CIYBEPICMAM
and I love it. works awesome, perfect rice every time and great for veggies too if you run out of room on your stove :)

I have a CHEAP one I got at a garage sale for 25 cents a few years ago, it is teflon lined and SOOO amazing! it never sticks and we use it to make everything from rice to noodles... it is used about 3 times a week or more!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dotcomkari

I have a CHEAP one I got at a garage sale for 25 cents a few years ago, it is teflon lined and SOOO amazing! it never sticks and we use it to make everything from rice to noodles... it is used about 3 times a week or more!

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Can you tell me what brand/model it is? And size?

oh geesh girls...i like to cook, but ya'll make me look bad...LOL! my rice cooker is a big bowl with water that i stick in the microwave...LOL! we don't have rice very often, as i try not to do too much starch during the week (and it is usually instant rice when we do). but i do break out the "nice" rice for special occasions...LOLOLOLOL!

LOL! Yeah, I have usually either cooked it on the stove (2nd choice) or - better - in the oven in a glass bowl (I have a great baked-rice recipe that is SOOo yummy!) but I've heard such wonderful things from people who use rice-cookers - that rice is so much better, easier to get good results with all different kids of rice, etc.

I've read recently that if you wash the rice 2-3 times in cold water prior to cooking, that it really cuts down on the starch - and helps prevent gummy/starchy results. :) Whole-grain rice is really pretty healthy... is there another reason you don't like it?