Focus in the Kitchen: Rice Cookers

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.
With ever-rising fuel costs equating to rising costs of food, and with healthier eating habits becoming a larger part of many households these days, rice is rapidly becoming a larger part of many people's diets. Using a rice cooker makes the act of cooking rice incredibly simple, easy and practically mistake-proof.
In addition to their simplicity, rice cookers make near-perfect rice, every single time, all you have to do is put in the correct amount of water. For those individuals and families that make rice a regular part of their meals, buying a rice cooker will save you an incredible amount of time and hassle.
There are a number of important things to consider when searching around for that perfect rice cooker:
1) The rice cooker's cost is the big factor for many people
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.
Cheaper rice cookers can't always cook brown rice with the quality that many would like, nor do they have options such as a warmer that will keep the rice warm for hours after it's finished without drying it out. Another option that's very nice but not usually available on the cheap rice cookers is the timer. The timer will allow you to have your rice perfectly cooked right when you get home from work or when you wake up in the morning, allowing you to enjoy rice with your meals no matter how busy your schedule is.
2) How much rice you're planning on cooking
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.
I will typically not recommend anything less than a 5 cup rice cooker, even for single people as the price difference is negligible and you never know when you'll need a couple extra cups. I would never buy anything less than a 3 cup rice cooker as cooking only one cup of rice at a time can over cook it.
3) More 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
Rice cookers make a wonderful addition to any kitchen that rice is cooked in. Definitely pick one up if you don't already own one, it'll be one of the best kitchen item purchases you'll ever make.

Article Source: http://www.bestwrittenarticles.com

Eric Schmidt writes for Cooking with Eric.com, an information site on cooking and rice cookers. Eric writes articles on health and cooking.

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