Rice Cookers

[TheMatt]

So I went to both Great Wall and Lotte this morning and neither seemed to have much of a bargain compared to Amazon (usually within a few bucks). Still, Lotte was nice because they had a good selection of open models so I could look at them. The IH Tiger looks intriguing as it has an okoge key, and a slow cooker and bread setting. The pressure rice cookers, though, looked too annoying to clean up to me. So I guess I'm between the Tiger and the Zoji...hmm...

[goodeats]

So I went to both Great Wall and Lotte this morning and neither seemed to have much of a bargain compared to Amazon (usually within a few bucks).

I seem to recall Super H in Fairfax has good prices. I have not found Lotte to have good prices in the past. Maxim market in Rockville now has a "store" dedicated to cooking equipment (it's in quotes because it's now housed in the other part of the store next to the exit, but it's the same building, so I don't really consider it a store) that might have good prices.

[grover]

TheMatt, if you are sensitive to the origin of the product, please make sure if it is 'Made in Japan'.

[rvanrens]

I've got a little red cheapy from Target that I bought for about 20 bucks, and I cannot be bothered to go look at the nameplate. I got it because my wife likes the fire-engine red color.

I use it for steel-cut oats all the time. I often make porridge of half oats, half cracked wheat, with equal parts beef stock and white wine, with a good dash of honey and some mulling spices. Throw in a handful of dried cherries and currants. It makes this porridge beautifully, although with the honey you need to stir it every 15 minutes or so, or the sugar starts to scorch.

I've never used a "fuzzy logic" rice cooker, and I've used my little red honey to cook virtually every grain known to man, couscous, pasta of various shapes and sizes, to steam veggies, rolls, and buns, to infuse liquors (the warm setting works wonders for this), warm baby bottles, boil water for tea, sterilize corks and bottle tops, and reheat leftovers. It owes me NOTHING.