How do rice cookers work?
Anyone that has ever left rice in a pot for too long, misjudged the water amounts, or simply does not know how to cook rice correctly has experienced the reason that many people like rice cookers. Rice cookers are designed to make the rice cooking process not only easier, but better – with the ability to make perfect rice without having to constantly measure or watch the pot cook.
For rice to become tasty and edible, it needs to fluff with water. Without one of these appliances, you would put the rice in a pot, measure the rice amount of water, let the pot boil and then try to stop the pot as soon as the rice is done before you overcook it. You will need to be constantly watching the pot if you hope to stop it in time, and a little too long or a little too early will leave you with poorly made rice.
Rice cookers are designed to do the entire process for you. Once you put the rice in the pot, the rice cooker will:
· Boil the water.
· Monitor the rice.
· Stop the rice once completed.
· Keep the rice warm.
And it will perform these steps all on its own, without your assistance.
How Does it Work?
The standard electric rice cooker consists of four parts: The outer fixture, the inner pan, a heating plate and a sensor. Once you have placed the rice in the pan and measured the proper amount of water (also placing it in the pan), you close the lid and just press “Start.”
The rice cooker will quickly bring the water to a boil with the heating plate. It will boil completely on its own with no additional assistance from you. After a while, the water will be completely soaked into the rice, the sensor will see a change in heat (more on that later) and the device will automatically shut off, or keep itself in “Keep Warm” mode if your rice cooker comes with that feature.
The result, assuming you made the proper measurements, will be perfectly cooked rice that is already ready to eat.
How Does a Rice Cooker Know Turn Off Automatically?
Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. When there is water inside of the pan (which will be present as long as the rice is not “done”), the pan will be at a constant 212 degrees. However, once the water has been completely soaked up by the rice, the pan will start to heat up beyond 212 degrees because the water is no longer present to cool it. The thermal sensor notices this change in heat and shuts off.
It is possible to use this sensor to your advantage as well. When making a dish like congee, which requires rice to be over-boiled, you would simply add a great deal more water and the device will not shut off.
All electric (non-manual) rice cookers use this method, or some variation of this method in their design. It has shown itself to time and again be the most efficient way to cook rice, and its simple mechanical process continues to work even today.
Useful Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_cooker
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