In Asia, where the average person eats more than 200 pounds of rice a year, a rice cooker is standard equipment. But does the average American - who eats only 25 pounds of rice a year - really need such a specialized appliance? And if so, which one? Dozens of models, from $20 to more than $200, are sold in stores and catalogs.
The machines do offer advantages over the stove top. Without special attention from the cook, even the most basic models cook rice and other grains without burning, scorching or drying them out; most turn off automatically when the rice is cooked, and some keep the rice warm and moist for hours.The best - and at $200, most expensive - incorporate microchip technology called fuzzy logic. This means that time and temperature are monitored and adjusted for different grains. Two Japanese companies, Panasonic and Zojirushi (pronounced zo-zhee-ROO-she), make fuzzy logic cookers.
The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker looks like a space-age incubator. The machine senses when the grain is done, stops cooking and switches to warming mode, which keeps the rice or other grain hot and moist up to 12 hours.
Zojirushi also makes a well-insulated and tightly sealed bucket-shape rice cooker. It cooks and holds rice well but doesn't have the microchip technology.
For sources, call 1-800-733-6270.
Many ordinary cookers, basically lightweight electrified pots that boil rice, are made in Asia and come with instructions that are often confusing. Almost any grain or even couscous can be made in a rice cooker. But those that need stirring, like risotto, polenta or oatmeal, are best left for the stove top.
A mid-price model I used successfully is the Hitachi rice cooker, which cooks automatically, shuts off when done and automatically stays warm. Call 1-800-448-2244 for sources.
Classic cookers like the Hitachi use less steam than the Zojirushi, and produce rice that is a little less than perfect, but they do the job without burning or drying it out. Even infrequent rice eaters would find them convenient for a party or a buffet.