Rice Cookers...silly gadget or useful tool?

We have an 1100 watt microwave. I use the little measuring cup that actually came with the rice cooker - not sure why, but that's what we've always used for measuring rice. Anyway, it's about 2/3 cup in capacity. First we wash the rice in a colander to get rid of some of the excess starch. Then we put the rice into a pyrex casserole with a lid, and add however many cups of rice there were plus one of water. ie. if we have 2 cups of rice, we add 3 cups water - if we have 3 cups of rice, we add 4 cups of water. This goes into the micro on high for 5 minutes, gets a stir, then on medium for 15 minutes. It takes a bit of trial and error to get the time right for your microwave, and also the size of your pot is relevant too. Don't freak out if it leaks out and makes a mess of the microwave, just wipe it up later.

It helps to then let the rice sit for a while before serving - my mum does that even with a rice cooker.

Let me get this correctly. It took 5 minutes on high plus 15 minutes on medium in a microcwave to cook 2 or 3 cups(uncooked) rice? Just this evening I cooked 2 cups uncooked rice on my gas stove and it took just a few minutes to bring the water to a boil and then 15 minutes once I added the rice. Yes, I too let the rice sit for a while before serving. My point is that the microwave took just as long as the gas range did. So, the general question of this post was why get a rice cooker as it is just some specialized countertop piece of kitchen appliance. Some pointed out that they use the rice cooker to cook other things. My observation is that at least for cooking rice the micorwave could be considered a useless kitchen appliance as it, to me, saved no time, over appliances that one would normally have in the kitchen - gas or electic stove top.

Not me; you mean Celia. I cook rice on the stove.

My instructions are very easy; except for rinsing the rice, I cook oatmeal and other grains and vegetables pretty much the same way.

1. Rinse the rice if desired.

2. Add a scoop of rice -- the one with the cooker holds 3/4 cup dry measure.

3. Add a scoop and a half of cold water.

4. Stir with the plastic spoon that comes with the cooker.

5. Turn the cooker on; wait 15 minutes after the dinger goes off to ensure absorption of all water (not necessary really but the rice tastes better).

6. Serve. The inserts can just be rinsed off; they don't have to be cleaned in the dishwasher although mine is dishwasher safe.

Some folks get fancier, I know, but this works great for me.

I have a Salton rice cooker that was a gift. It is free to a good home.

I thought I might be interested until I read these reviews: http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B00005B6Z4/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

I am quite surprised that 24 people gave the product 5 stars. Not that I put a lot of value on Amazon customer reviews, but still. I'll stick with the pot on the stove method.

[Jenise]

How difficult are they to use? (pretend you are 85)

Not always easy to do, is it? I remember when my brother and I both gave my grammy a microwave for Christmas. Gene's was a snappy model that could do a lot of things, where I combed the earth for one that only had the basics: ON, OFF and an analog dial for time. Gene was insulted, but you can guess which one she could operate best.

We only do brown rice here too...and we do a lot of brown rice...how do the rice cookers do for that?

Works fine here, Maria. Brown rice takes more water -- two scoops water/one scoop brown rice. Also, it's better to soak the rice for 30 minutes before cooking.

Some of the fancier models have microchips that modify cooking time depending on the rice you choose.

Best, Bob

We only do brown rice here too...and we do a lot of brown rice...how do the rice cookers do for that?

I've tried brown rice a few times in my microwaveable rice cooker (a great gadget that I absolutely love!) - it's usually come out OK, but not quite as well as when I've used white rice. I'll have to try again soon using Bob's suggestion on the rice/water ratios (as with most white rice in my cooker, it's usually 1:1.5 cups - a little less water for aged basmati).