01.Introduction
Test results for nine rice cookers priced between $25 and $169
You don’t need a rice cooker for perfect rice, but preparing it on the cooktop or in the microwave can be trickier and messier.
A rice cooker makes it easier, especially for large amounts of rice. You just put the right amount of rice and liquid (water or stock, say) into the non-stick bowl, put it onto the heating element in the cooker, close the lid, switch it on and, voilà, you end up with rice cooked to perfection while you’ve had time to look after the rest of the dinner.
Inside the cooker, the heating element gently heats up the contents of the bowl and gradually brings the liquid to a boil. When the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, the cooker switches to a warming function, where it’ll continue to cook for 10–15 minutes before it’s ready to serve. You can also keep it warm for up to 4–5 hours.
To see how much you have to spend to get a rice cooker you can rely on, we bought eight widely available ones that cost up to $70, and a more expensive one for comparison. All of them come with a steamer tray or rack, so you can also use them for steaming vegies, fish or chicken.
Please note: this information was current as of February 2008 but is still a useful guide to today's market.
Brands tested
- Bellè Rice Cooker and Steamer RC750
- Breville Avance Rice Duo 7 BRC300
- Kambrook Rice Express KRC5
- Kenwood Rice Cooker RC337
- Maxim Rice Cooker DRC 10-SS
- Sunbeam Rice Perfect Deluxe 7 RC5600
- Tefal Comfort Rice Cooker RK4008
- Tiffany Rice Cooker RC220
- Toshiba Electric Rice Cooker/Warmer RC-18LMI
18 Apr 2012
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If you can do with a bit of help in the kitchen, or are always short of time, a slow cooker could be the answer to your problems.
12 Feb 2009
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The Thermos Shuttle Chef consists of a steel cooking pot that fits inside an insulated outer pot.
16 Apr 2008
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If you don’t have room for a full-sized oven and don’t want to pay for a convection microwave, the Daewoo Pizza Oven Combo will make a crispier pizza than you’d get in a microwave.
5 Jan 2009
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The DANOZ Flavorwave Oven Turbo claims to cook healthy meals, including frozen food, up to three times faster than ordinary methods, with no defrosting or preheating required.