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Rice cookers for singletons

Anna N

By Anna N
in Kitchen Consumer

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted

Over here @JoNorvelleWalkerwas asking about rice cookers able to handle small amounts of rice. Today @Kerry Beal and I found this:

 

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BBC9484B-F197-4E5C-98B7-15E162111AED.thumb.jpeg.37ecd35d50b6284c6ab1a199e7b92d50.jpeg

 

88E9DA0E-0FDF-42AF-AC80-76120B7859D7.thumb.jpeg.71b30f47701e577a8b963aa929ddab72.jpeg

 

Note that the included rice measuring cup is much smaller than what one usually finds in a rice cooker.  Those are millilitres on the right-hand side.

 

 My granddaughter loves rice so I thought this might be perfect for her. I will have to put it through its paces before it changes hands though.

 

 

 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Anna N

Anna N

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Posted
12 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Where did you find this and, if you have no objection, can you tell us what it cost?  I'm intrigued.

 We found it in a shop on Central Parkway, West in Mississauga. They have the best stuff in terms of what’s the latest in kitchen gadgets particularly electronic ones.   This was $30 plus tax.   It comes with a one-year warranty and if anything happens the store will take care of the warranty service.  

 

30C3F693-4746-44A0-937B-BE1147130E62.thumb.jpeg.b20460393d048c6fdf72354806401a26.jpeg

 

 As you can see they have many branches around the GTA.

 

 

 

 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

Posted
Posted

I have this one...

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Maximum is about 1 cup of uncooked rice. Full height from counter to top of the handle on the lid is around 6". My wife bought it so I don't know for sure but it most likely came from either Walmart or Canadian Tire. I've had it for a long time and it still works great. I have no idea if they're still available or not.

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It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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Anna N

Anna N

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Posted (edited)
24 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:

 

I have this one...

 

But come on. It’s not nearly as sexy as an electric lunchbox now is it?  😂

Edited by Anna N (log)
  • Haha 3

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Anna N said:

But come on. It’s not nearly as sexy as an electric lunchbox now is it?  😂

 


A valid point! :D

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It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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Anna N

Anna N

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Posted

 I put it through its paces and came out with a C minus.  175EE07A-F3A5-4B93-A14E-0280FBE7F8BE.thumb.jpeg.699a265149b77aa2a9fecabb18ccb518.jpeg

 

Nothing wrong with the rice BUT there was some sticking and the tiniest bit of scorching on the bottom. It is very small and the base is flat so it is not that easy to clean.  I’ll give it a few more chances but I can see my granddaughter becoming quite frustrated if it is this difficult to clean.  

  • Like 4

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

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Posted
19 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Nothing wrong with the rice BUT there was some sticking and the tiniest bit of scorching on the bottom. It is very small and the base is flat so it is not that easy to clean.  I’ll give it a few more chances but I can see my granddaughter becoming quite frustrated if it is this difficult to clean.


Not sure what would be the cause of that. Mine recommends letting it sit in "keep warm" mode for 10 - 15 minutes after it cooks and there's still no scorching or sticking. I've let it sit as long as 30 minutes or so and just got some very light coloration on the bottom of the rice which also gained a bit of nice texture but still no scorching or sticking. With mine, the lid is more difficult to clean than the bowl because, with a full load, it bubbles water up through the little vent which then runs back down into the rice around the sides so the lid gets a good basting in starchy liquid. But I just fill the bowl with water after it's empty, flip the lid upside down on it so it's submerged in water and by the time I'm ready to wash it, it just wipes clean.

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It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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Lisa Shock

Lisa Shock

Posted
Posted

Honestly, unless one doesn't have a regular stove or lacks a burner o some sort, I prefer to just make rice in a small pot on a burner. In my experience, it's faster. I've had small rice cookers and they do a fine job, but they take too long compared to a simple pot. I have a rice cooker, but it's a larger one which I use for parties and potlucks because I believe that rice cookers handle large amounts of rice better than an uninsulated tall stock pot on a burner. And, if I'm making food for an event, generally all the burners on the stove are needed for other foods.

Have you read eGullet's Kitchen Scale manifesto?

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Anna N

Anna N

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Posted
24 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:

Not sure what would be the cause of that.

Me neither.  I have a Zo which cooks rice perfectly every time without any sticking and I only need to rinse the inner bowl to get every last grain of rice out of it. 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

@Anna N

 

possibly

 

but probably not

 

as you are an experienced Ricer

 

not washed enough ?

 

drip dried ?

 

see

 

you have already thought of those things and

 

not let them effect Your studies.

 

your GD might enjoy 

 

a small , but Fuzzy item you find for

 

very little

 

in a thrift shop.

 

work on what youy have

 

pls post future results.

 

then there is Of Course

 

the 3 qt iPot

 

w various add ons.

Edited by rotuts (log)
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kayb

kayb

Posted
Posted

I had an el cheapo Rival rice cooker ($19.99 at WalMart) that served well enough but did have a sticking issue. I found if I sprayed the pot with cooking spray before I cooked the rice, it eliminated it.

 

Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, Lisa Shock said:

Honestly, unless one doesn't have a regular stove or lacks a burner o some sort, I prefer to just make rice in a small pot on a burner. In my experience, it's faster. I've had small rice cookers and they do a fine job, but they take too long compared to a simple pot. I have a rice cooker, but it's a larger one which I use for parties and potlucks because I believe that rice cookers handle large amounts of rice better than an uninsulated tall stock pot on a burner. And, if I'm making food for an event, generally all the burners on the stove are needed for other foods.


I haven't found the time to be an issue. It takes around 30 minutes (I've never timed it precisely) and stays nice in warm mode for quite a while so I just start the cooker so that things get done in the same general time zone. For quick things like stir fries, I can just start them when the rice cooker kicks to warm mode and it gets it's recommended rest time by the time the rest of the food is done.

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It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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Anna N

Anna N

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Posted
32 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Anna N

 

possibly

 

but probably not

 

as you are an experienced Ricer

 

not washed enough ?

 

drip dried ?

 

see

 

you have already thought of those things and

 

not let them effect Your studies.

 

your GD might enjoy 

 

a small , but Fuzzy item you find for

 

very little

 

in a thrift shop.

 

work on what youy have

 

pls post future results.

 

then there is Of Course

 

the 3 qt iPot

 

w various add ons.

 

Washed five times. Left to dry for close to 40 minutes.  It’s a habit.:)

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
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Posted
Just now, Anna N said:

your GD might enjoy 

 

a small , but Fuzzy item you find for

 

very little

 

in a thrift shop.

 But you see this was an excuse to buy a new toy and at the same time have a small gift for my granddaughter.   I’m devious that way.  :biggrin:

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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lindag

lindag

Posted
Posted

I have a Zo induction rice cooker that I love love love.  It's quantity is way bigger than I need but it makes every kind of rice one can imagine.  Perfect rice every single time...I usually use the timer so it's ready when I am and keeps warm for a long time.

They make a smaller rice maker but its footprint isn't that much smaller and it costs

more than the one I have.

 

 

 

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Does the rice cooker you have @Anna N and @Tri2Cook only cook white rice or does it do others as well?


No idea. I've never tried cooking any other type in it. I assume it cooks on some form of a timer and there's no adjustment for that so I think any rice that wouldn't be cooked in the amount of time it runs wouldn't work. 

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It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
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Posted
16 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Does the rice cooker you have @Anna N and @Tri2Cook only cook white rice or does it do others as well?

I doubt it’s sophisticated enough to do anything but white rice.  

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Tri2Cook said:


No idea. I've never tried cooking any other type in it. I assume it cooks on some form of a timer and there's no adjustment for that so I think any rice that wouldn't be cooked in the amount of time it runs wouldn't work. 

 

Most rice cookers do not work on timers, but on a thermostat basis. When all the water is absorbed, the temperature rises above boiling point, switching the machine to 'keep warm' mode. So, it can cook any type of rice. It doesn't care what is in the pot. With brown rice, it takes longer for the water to be absorbed, so it is cooked longer.

 

By the way, I have this one. It has three inserts of different sizes ranging from 1 cup to 2-3 cups. All three bowls can be stacked in the machine at the same time, so you can cook something different in each at the same time.

 

It is 240 mm 9¼inches tall, and  cost the equivalent of $8.50 USD

Edited by liuzhou (log)
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...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

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The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

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