Rice cookers for singletons

[KennethT]

57 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

Bumping this up to get the latest information and opinions.  I am rice cooking challenged.  In my 45+ years of cooking, I've mastered many things but rice is not one of them.  No matter the method, rice cooking is still a hit or miss mystery to me.  So, I'm thinking of trying a rice cooker.  I'm usually only cooking for 2 or 3 and Jessica doesn't really eat much rice.  So, I'm hoping there is a small, decently dependable and not too expensive model out there.  Thanks!

I use an 18 year old slow cooker that has a rice cooking setting.  It took a couple tries to use the right amount of water, but now my rice is perfect every time.  We're just the two of us and my wife doesn't eat much rice so we often make more than we need since it's practically impossible to make less than 2 cups in this cooker.  One day, when it finally gives up the ghost, I'll break down and buy a real rice cooker - there are some small ones that will make 1 cup which would be perfect for us.  Personally, I'd look for a model that has a small capacity and is neuro-fuzzy or something like that. I'm thrifty in that I don't think I'd spend for a Zojirushi, but not so much as to get the super-cheap ones that just have an on/off switch.

[blue_dolphin]

Just now, liuzhou said:

I'm pretty sure the names of the specific brands would be of no use to you, but I'd check out a Chinese or generally Asian market if you have one nearby.

 

@Kim Shook, I suspect you can find similar inexpensive ones if you search for "dorm room rice cooker" or "college dorm rice cooker" or something like that. 

[Kim Shook]

14 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

I have two small rice cookers which each do about two servings. They are, of course, Chinese and were very cheap. I bought the first about 5 years ago or more, but when I moved house in January this year couldn't find it in the jumble of boxes littering the new place and wanted to eat that night, so I bought the second. They're that cheap here - almost disposable. This it the 2nd one. Cooks 1-4 cups of rice; I usually just do one or two.

 

 

I'm pretty sure the names of the specific brands would be of no use to you, but I'd check out a Chinese or generally Asian market if you have one nearby.

 

 

We have two very large and one smaller Asian markets within a couple of miles of us and another 2 or 3 a bit further away (yes, we are very fortunate).  I will check with these.  Thank you!

[rotuts]

@Kim Shook 

 

any fuzzy RC will be very fine fo you

 

3 cup( japanese cups)  is not large at all

 

easy to move around

 

get the 5 cup/  some price difference 

 

but inexpensive for the potential :

 

mix in's on 2 USA cups of rice.

 

easy for right now

 

very easy leftovers tomorrow.

 

plain fuzzy ,or induction ,   

 

the same  results  on your pate.  no need for pressure induction

 

and get that  book.above

 

Rice and the like ,  beyond easy and perfect.

 

I don't know how to fix the odd type.

Edited May 31, 2024 by rotuts (log)

[mgaretz]

I use a 3QT Instant Pot, makes as little as 1 "cup" of rice (their included mini cup).  For Basmati or any other long grain white rice, 1 cup of rice, rinsed, 1 cup of water, 4 minutes on high pressure (not the rice program) and natural release.  Natural release is the key to keeping the rice from sticking to the pot.

 

Before that I used a 5 cup rice cooker  - pretty sure it was a Panasonic - because it could make as little as 1 cup.  Fuzzy logic and all that.  It worked but no better than the IP so I gave it away when we moved.

 

After all that, 1 cup cooked is still a lot of rice.  If we have leftovers of the main dish that's fine, but if not I will vacuum pack and freeze the rest.  Heats up nice in the MW.

[Kim Shook]

Thanks to everyone for the input.  I may put the small IP on my wishlist, but for now I've ordered a 4-cup (cooked) Aroma rice cooker.  And it's PINK!  😁

[weinoo]

In my mind, the biggest mistake made when cooking rice is using too much water.  And not washing the rice.  Most ( all?) rice cookers have markings which help alleviate the problem of too much water.

[rotuts]

please also remember :

 

their are Cups and cups, and many other volume measures.

 

if you get a Japanese RC , the markings on the cooking container 

 

are probably Japanese cups.   thus , keep the plastic volume measuring unit

 

the manufacture' included w the RC.

 

Loose it ?     #$%)&@#)%&+)#&%@#&%  !!

 

not really :  use your own volume device , and use that same system 

 

for the water volume measurement.

 

its simpler than it reads.:   you are creating a rice//water ratio 

 

without thinking too hard about ir.

[weinoo]

I've found that a "cup" of rice (a Japanese GO cup) weighs between 145 - 150 grams.  Most Japanese rice is cooked at 1:1 water:rice ratio; that much water weighs 180 grams. Don't forget the water that clings to the washed rice!

[liuzhou]

Like almost everyone here in the largest rice eating country in the world, I don't use cup measurements. Totally unreliable.

For rice/ water ratio, I tend to use the first knuckle of the index finger method as do my neighbours.

 

That said there are many factors involved in rice cooking. Even two batches of the same rice can be quite different. How it's stored, how old it is, what variety it is, the weather!

 

Every time I get a new bag (I usually by 5 or 10 kg bags) I test and adjust.

 

Then I consider how I'm going to use that rice. A drier rice works better for fried rice. Much wetter for congee 8:1 Water:rice.