R ice cookers allow even the worst cook to make perfect rice every time. Truth be told, even the most experienced cook can sometimes find it difficult to cook soft, fluffy and appetizing rice. It’s often a hit or miss effort. Fortunately, a good quality rice cooker takes the guess work and difficulty out of cooking great rice. It’s important to note that not all cookers are created equally. There are a number of different types of rice cookers. On/Off, Cook and Keep Warm, Inductions and Fuzzy Logic rice cookers are the most common.
On/Off rice cookers are amongst the most inexpensive and simplest to use. These types of cookers don’t have a lot of features but are typically good enough to cook a delicious batch of rice.
Cook and Keep Warm cookers cook rice and then keep it warm. This is great for people who regularly cook ahead of time and need to keep their rice warm until it’s time to eat. These typically have more features than On and Off cookers, for instance built-in steamers.
Fuzzy Logic rice cookers can be programmed so that rice can be cooked to specification. For instance, it is possible to choose the texture of the rice (soft or firm). It can also be used to make rice for sushi and soup.
Induction Heating rice cookers are one of the more advanced types of cookers. These typically cook the best rice, partly because of the even heat distribution. The heat can also be adjusted, as can cooking time to correct over or under cooking due to measuring errors.
When choosing a rice cooker, besides considering what type to buy, it is important to choose a cooker that has the features a person wants. The size of the rice pan, whether or not it contains measuring markings or non-stick coating, are a few available features. The materials in which the pan is made, for instance, aluminum versus stainless steel is an important consideration as well. Some home cooks will prefer a clear lid, which makes it possible to keep an eye on the rice while it’s cooking. Others won’t care either way. It’s also a good idea to look for lids with a steam release hole. It makes the cooking process less messy. Quality construction is important as well.
Zojirushi, Sanyo and Panasonic are considered by many, to be the top rice cooker brands on the market. Zojirushi cookers prepare great rice almost every time. It’s great for white, brown and sushi rice. The bigger models, cook up to 10 cups of rice. Sanyo rice cookers are another great option. These are feature packed, sometimes more so than Zojirushi. The largest Sanyo rice cooker, the Sanyo ECJ-HC100S, can cook up to 10 cups of rice. Panasonic is a well known brand. This particular rice cooker is dependable and won’t break the bank. The brand’s Fuzzy Logic cookers are best. The Panasonic SR-MS182 cooks up to 10 cups of rice.
Some Popular models
