What features should I look for in rice cookers?
Rice cookers differ in more aspects than just the cooking device. Much like a new car, many of them have additional features that make them more of a luxury item than some of the older rice cookers of the past several decades. Many of these features will cause the cost of the device to rise, but as technology advances, several of these options can be expected to become standard.
Optional Rice Cooker Features
1. Fuzzy Logic
Fuzzy Logic rice cookers (also known as Microcomputerized rice cookers) are one of the newest advances in rice cooker technology. Fuzzy Logic uses a sophisticated computer chip to makes adjustments to cooking temperature and speed based on external factors (such as a hot or cold day) as well as internal features (specific rice types, density, heat speed and more). Fuzzy Logic is based on advanced mathematical principles using multi-valued logic, and its application has been used in dozens of other types of electrical equipment and appliances.
There are also two types of Fuzzy Logic rice cookers: Basic and Induction. Basic has more than enough settings for the average household, but Induction also adjusts for measuring errors and specializes in all types of rice varieties.
2. “Keep Warm”
A useful button on several newer varieties of rice cookers is the Keep Warm button. The Keep Warm button automatically turns down the heat after cooking to allow the rice to sit until it is ready to be eaten. Keep warm can also be used as a way to reheat the rice (and other food) after it has cooled.
3. Delay Timer
For those who are going to be away from their home throughout the day or need to prepare rice for the morning, a Delay Timer can be extremely useful. It lends itself best to those that prepare their meals ahead of time, but it can make rice cooking much easier for active households.
4. Condensation Catchers
Though simply a luxury item that serves no necessary purpose, condensation catchers are a nice way to remove excess water from the rice cookers before they make a mess. Condensation catchers are often detachable, and after you are done cooking you can pour the remaining water out into the sink.
5. Steam Tray
Perhaps the most practical of all of the additional features is the steam tray, which allows you to utilize the steam that the rice is already creating for other purposes. Detachable steam trays let you steam vegetables, rice buns, and other items so that you can easily cook the foods along with the rice before serving them both together.
Luxury Features
The cost of most rice cookers today is based on size, brand, and a combination of these features. Fuzzy Logic rice cookers tend to be the most expensive devices on the market, but other features (such as the “Keep Warm” button and Delay Timers) are common enough that they have come standard on most modern electrical rice cookers, and the cost increase associated with them is minimal, if any.
Useful Links:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/rice-cooker2.htm
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