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

Jill DZines

Jill DZines

New member
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:


https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Cooker-Model-Formerly/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 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!
 
dotcomkari said:
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!
Click to expand...

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?
 
Our favorite rice is brown basmati rice. We cook that up with some cumin seeds and it is delicious! It is not sticky like a white rice is. I know it does have some starch, but it is all intact like Jill said and so the fiber cuts down the carbs and such. It is so yummy!
 
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