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There is nothing fundamentally wrong with microwaving a packet of rice. It's quick and it's easy. Consider this a judgement-free zone. But listen: in your heart of hearts, come dinner time, don’t you think you deserve something a little… fluffier?
It’s a question of self-respect (this is no longer a judgement-free zone), and the answer is yes. And cooking rice, despite what student cookbooks claim, isn't as easy as boiling a kettle (especially if you're studying under sushi master Jiro Ino, in which case you're going to spend three years learning how to wash the stuff before you're even allowed near a saucepan).
Perfect rice is basically maths; you need to work out the correct ratios and temperatures to create fluffy grains, with no water left in the pot. If your rice requires a sieve, then your rice is bad. Get it wrong, and you may even become the subject of a humiliating YouTube takedown.
You could avoid all of that hassle and indignity, of course, by investing in a machine that produces perfect rice every time. A top-quality, big-batch rice cooker that can handle any variety and keep the grains separated. Far from a lazy solution, even professionals use them, and they're a staple in Asian kitchens. To prove it, we asked chef/owner of Anglo Thai, John Chantarasak, to explain why home cooks should consider investing in one.
How to use a rice cooker
"The rice cooker is an indispensable piece of kit for any commercial kitchen cooking Asian cuisine," says Chantarasak. "The cooker works by measuring its internal temperature as the rice steams and water boils, allowing it to make adjustments as the rice is cooking, resulting in perfectly steamed rice. One of the greatest benefits is that different types of rice that have varying cooking times will be cooked uniformly without scorching or turning to mush.
"Another thing I like is that you can start your rice early and the cooker will keep the rice warm after it's done cooking, so it doesn't require babysitting. Rice cookers aren't as essential at home, where you can achieve nicely cooked rice using a pan, although a cooker will free up hob space in small kitchens and no self respecting Asian household is without a rice cooker tucked in the corner."
A word on washing rice
No rice cooker will produce perfect rice unless you prepare it a little first. If your rice is coming out claggy, it's probably because it's still covered in starch – you need to wash it first, which is why most rice cookers are calibrated to work with wet rice (dry rice will absorb too much water and come out sad and crunchy). If you want to swerve the three-year Jiro Dreams of Sushi apprenticeship, then the basic technique is simple: stick the raw rice in a large bowl, cover with water, swirl around while gently rubbing the grains between your fingers, drain, repeat. The stuff turning the water cloudy is the starch, so keep going until the water runs clear. Job done.
Now you've got your rinsed rice, you need something to cook it in. We’ve rounded up the very best rice cookers on the market, from simple budget options to multi-purpose kitchen behemoths.
Best rice cookers of 2021
Isn’t it beautiful? Very few rice cookers on the market deserve pride of place on your work surface, but the Yum Asia YUM-IH07 is a step above the rest (that is, unless you’re bang into brushed metal). The matte white exterior is topped by a wood-effect control panel, which features a hidden ice white LED push display that shows off the machines myriad features: a 24-hour timer, a 12-hour keep warm function (which maintains the optimum temperature throughout), settings for white/long grain, short grain (for sushi) and brown rice, and a countdown timer. Rice cooker veterans will be happy to know that the process of navigating the menu couldn’t be easier, which annoyingly isn’t always the case. In terms of special features, you can even opt for the innovative Yumami setting, which cycles through different temperatures and releases sugars within the rice during the cooking process, upping the umami qualities of your dish. (The machine is also capable of steaming and slow cooking vegetables and meats, and can be used for grains, porridge, yoghurt). Needless to say it's just impressive on the inside: a 5mm thick Shinsai handmade ceramic bowl and a patented ‘UMAI’ (Smart Brain) Induction Heating system both ensure that rice is cooked evenly. Powered by induction heating and capable of cooking four cups at once, the Yum Asia YUM-IH07 is the ultimate premium option.
Key features:
0.8 litre capacity bowl
12-hour Keep warm function
24-hour timer
Tray for steaming fish or vegetables
Ceramic bowl for even cooking
Capable of slow-cooking meats
Includes spatula and measuring cup
Russell Hobbs 19750 Rice Cooker and Steamer
A steal for the price, and quite possibly the most popular budget rice cooker on the market. This glass-lidded machine comes with a tray for steaming fish and vegetables, which is very useful, but there are no real bells or whistles beyond that: it cooks rice (a lot of it! Ten whole cups of the stuff!) and keeps it warm, making it a damn near essential addition to any busy, hungry household. It’s not dish-washer safe, but the non-stick bowl is easily washable.
Key features:
1.8 litre capacity bowl
Keep warm function
Tray for steaming fish or vegetables
Non-stick removable bowl
Includes spatula and measuring cup
This Sage-built, Heston Blumenthal-endorsed rice cooker can sear meat, sauté vegetables and steam fish, but the real ingenuity lies in its risotto function. Usually a fussy process that requires constant observation and stirring, this large-bowled machine (3.7 litres, allowing for a whopping 20 cups of rice) uses temperature controls to imbue grains with flavour and lightly agitate the rice while simmering. Finally, it’ll automatically detect when the risotto is ready and switch off the heat. For those of us with trust issues, there's a big glass lid for peeking at the dish’s progress. Easy to clean and even easier to control thanks to its idiot-proof layout, this is a fantastic mid-range option (albeit a sizeable one)
Key features:
Combination cooker
Capable of steaming, searing
Keep warm function
It doesn’t get simpler than this. Thoroughly wash 250 grams of rice, put it in this red plastic doohickey, cover it with 500-600ml of cold water and place it in the microwave for 8-12 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before fluffing it up. Easy. The results are surprisingly great, but you'll have to adjust your cooking times and water levels depending on the portion size and strength of your microwave. It’s capable of cooking quinoa, polenta and couscous too, and is one of the only dishwasher safe options on this list. The ultimate budget option.
Key features:
Includes spatula
Release valve lets out pressure
Easy to clean microwave-safe bowl
Another machine from Yum Asia, a company that set out to lead a “rice cooker revolution” when it started up in 2006. Cheaper than the previous entry on this list but still packed full of functions, the YUM-EN15W can steam, slow cook, bake cakes and crust, as well as produce porridge, soups, casserole and yoghurt. On the rice front, it arrives with a 7-phase process that ensures a beautiful texture, taste and smell, whatever variety of grain it is you’re cooking. The bowl features a simple water level guide, and the LED provides a ten-minute countdown when the rice is nearly ready.
Key features:
1.5 litre capacity bowl
10 minute countdown for rice
LED display
Capable of steaming, slow cooking, cake baking and crust-making
If Wayne Enterprises designed a rice cooker, then it’d no doubt look like this (though it’d probably have a bazooka built in somewhere. Is Batman a bento guy? We digress). Lakeland’s simple and affordable cooker isn’t going to blow you away, but it does the simple stuff very well. Just cover one cup of rice with one cup of water and leave it be. It’d probably struggle to feed a group, but it’s a great option for people who need a portion of rice in a hurry.
Key features:
Simple four-button interface
LED interface
Lift-out non-stick 500ml bowl
Includes spatula and measuring cup
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