Rice cookers are, in my opinion, just about the most useful device anybody could have in their kitchen. However, there are still many people who have never used a rice cooker, nor do they see why they should ever start. But on the opposite side of that coin there are many others who have used rice cookers and swear that they will never go back to the pot-on-the-stove technique.

Due to many varying reasons, rice is becoming ever more popular in the west, but cooking rice can be time consuming and if you mess up you can easily ruin an entire meal. Using a rice cooker is incredibly simple and makes cooking rice all but foolproof.

The rice that is made in rice cookers is perfect every time, it won’t over cook it, it won’t under cook it, and as long as you put in the amount of water that it calls for you will never have anything less than perfection. They save an incredible amount of time and effort in the kitchen, allowing you time to spend on other aspects of the meal or to take a nap.

If you want to learn to cook, getting a rice cooker wouldn’t be a bad move, it will it will provide you with a great base. Plus, there are many sites out there that will start you off right by showing you numerous rice cooking tips.

But before you go out and buy your new rice cooker there are a few things that you need to keep in mind:

1) Cost of rice cookers

You can get the bare-bones rice cooker for $15-$30 or if rice is a big part of your diet you might want to consider a higher-priced cooker, some of these can easily reach to $150-$200 or even more. Simple, inexpensive rice cookers usually have a non-stick inner pot, a glass lid and a start button. As long as you measure your water properly it will cook your rice to near perfection. However if you enjoy a variety of styles of rice then the basic cooker may not give you the quality that you’d like.

Spending a bit more on your rice cooker will get you a lot of extra options. Many more expensive rice cookers come with extras such as a timer, the ability to cook various types of rice, all to perfection, or a warmer to keep your rice hot long after it’s finished cooking, without drying it out.

2) How big of a rice cooker do you need?

Some people never cook more than a couple cups of rice at a time, however others need to be able to make enough for a large family and will need 10 cups or more. There are rice cookers to fit any size family or occasion.

Normally, if you’re single then I would recommend a 5 cup rice cooker, I personally don’t like the 3 cup sizes as you never know when more rice my be necessary. The 10 cup sizes are perfect for that larger family or the small family that cooks for two meals at a time.

3) Other options

Some other options that you might want to consider when buying a rice cooker include:
A removable inner-lid for sanitation purposes
A non-stick bowl (very important)
Support for different types of rice, including brown, mixed, sushi, etc…
Measuring lines on the inside of the cooking bowl, this allows you to always add the perfect amount of water, even after having washed or rinsed your rice

There’s a lot to choose from when deciding on a rice cooker, I’ve been using a higher-end cooker for years now and couldn’t see my life in the kitchen without it.

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