Rice cookers and steamers are among the most versatile small appliances you can purchase. These little appliances are not just another fad tool that will end up in your appliance graveyard. They are very useful and can be used cooking many other foods than just rice. They can also steam vegetables and can be used to cook soups or stews. A small rice cooker makes the perfect gift for a starving college student.

Of course, the rice cooker can cook rice. It will cook your rice to perfection every time. A thermostat in the bottom of the cooker senses when the last bit of water has cooked away. The cooker switches to warm just before your rice would burn or scorch. A good rice cooker is able to have your selected amount of rice cooked in twenty to twenty five minutes. That is only about fifteen minutes more than it would take to cook instant rice that requires you to boil the water and then let the rice sit for five minutes.

Rice is a staple around much of the world. It is much easier to prepare, using the rice steamer and cooker, than potatoes. It requires no pealing, washing or dicing like potatoes. You just measure out the desired amount of rice into the cooker, add water to the mark and press the button for great rice every time.

In addition to cooking rice, rice cookers can also make a great steamer. Vegetables can even be steamed at the same time you are cooking rice. This allows you to save both time and electricity. You can also steam the vegetables without cooking rice if it is not on your menu for the evening. Hot dogs can also be steamed just like those at the ballpark. Fish cooks to perfection in the steam basket.

If you have one family member that refuses to eat rice, dice up a potato in the steamer basket for him to cook while you fix nutritious rice for the rest of the family.

The pot of the rice cooker can be used to boil foods as well. Just remember that the liquid in the pot is going to boil at full heat setting. This will burn cream soups, but is ideal for those that are broth based. These soups include many vegetable soups, hot and sour soup or egg drop soup. Pasta can also be boiled in the rice cooker pot as can potatoes for mashers.

For easy clean up, choose a cooker that has a nonstick pan. This pan allows you to dump the rice out of the cooker with virtually no grains sticking to the pot. Any of the starch that may have cooked out of the rice can be removed by wiping with a paper towel. Rinse the pot and it is ready to cook your next batch of rice.

For the best rice cookers and steamers, look for those that are manufactured in Japan. They will last longer and make better rice. Many of the cookers from other countries will not last as long as the Japanese cookers.

Lots of people decide on a Zojirushi rice cooker because it is well known brand, but don't limit yourself. Click over to ricecookersandsteamers.org to see what's available.

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