Convince Me to Get Something More Expensive than The $13 Kmart Rice Cooker

LKlyJuly on 21/01/2022 - 21:09
Last edited 21/01/2022 - 21:22

I never had a rice cooker growing up until I bought the Kmart once when I moved out, and I found it great! Easy to use, cooked rice just fine for my tastes (I'm not fussy) and was of course very cheap. It got damaged in a subsequent move 6 months later and now I'm rice-cooker-less again. I see rice cookers for $100s of dollars, what makes them so much better than the $13 Kmart one that justifies the cost? If I wanted 'the next model up' what would that be and what would I get for it?

I terms of size I really won't need to cook anything more than 2-4 cups of rice at one time so a 6-7 cup model seems fine, 10 is overkill, and at this stage I'm not looking for a fancy multi function device, just cooking rice well is fine. Easy to clean, durability and food safe materials are desired. I only eat rice ~2 times per week so not an everyday thing, but regular enough.

Cheers

Food & Grocery Rice Cooker

Comments

        • Michael15286 on 25/01/2022 - 13:46

          Do you mean you've got the same rice cooker aldi have on sale this week?

          https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/678859

          If so, I'll probably give that one a try too.

          • itsyaboyrickyy on 25/01/2022 - 18:00
            +1

            @Michael15286: Yes that's the exact one, has the same features as the premium Asian brands. Takes a while to cook rice but there is a quick setting also.
            I've noticed some people complain about the keep warm feature and rice spoiling but I think that may be due to the summer climate, but general rule of thumb is that rice should only be kept in keep warm mode after cooking rice for approximately 12 hours max. anyway.

  • BargainDemon on 24/01/2022 - 18:33
    +1

    I used to use that Kmart one, used to be $10, I thought it makes a perfectly acceptable rice, but oh boy, after my partner got me a Tiger rice cooker, it's a totally different game, rice stood up after cooking, literally. Perfect fluffiness perfect texture, rice tasted so good, you could just eat it by itself. If you can afford a rice cooker, you owe it to yourself one of the greatest life pleasure.

    • Vote for Pedro on 24/01/2022 - 19:43
      -2

      Wait til you discover sex. You’re in for a treat

  • lhou021 on 24/01/2022 - 20:03

    if you want to get rid of non-stick coated cookware then get an expensive stainless steel rice cooker :)

    I upgraded from a $40 kmart rice/multi cooker to a $300 full stainless steel rice cooker

  • StalkingIbis on 24/01/2022 - 20:06

    my one is also a slow cooker and vegie steamer. Saves room in cupboard. Otherwise the kmart one is brilliant!

  • maverickjohn on 24/01/2022 - 20:29

    Lol I have a Panasonic rice cooker. My wife is filo and we both resort to the traditional saucepan and finger measurement method

  • sassypants on 24/01/2022 - 20:37

    The branded rice cookers can make congee.
    Real, legitimate congee in a rice cooker that has a specific setting for it.

    I've tried the Aldi rice cooker and although it's cheap and can do the job, it also takes twice the amount of time to do so when compared with a Tiger.

    Small, quality of life features like the water drip collector, a 'keep warm' function, removable inner pan for easy cleaning, more efficient cook, etc are what you pay for over the cheapo ones.

  • ddhar on 24/01/2022 - 21:30

    I just realised a cook I follow closely on Youtube did a video on this very topic. She sold me on a rice cooker:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YBYm8FTXro

    I was thinking of the Aldi one though now I wonder if I should spend more on a Tiger (the Zojirushi commands serious bucks). I've been cooking mine in a pressure cooker for almost a decade…I can definitely say it never comes out fluffy like how rice should be.

  • hueyg8 on 24/01/2022 - 22:42
    +1

    If you eat rice nearly every day and really care about the texture and longevity of your rice, then get a proper cooker (e.g. tiger).
    But judging by your question, you just want any kind of cooked rice so just stick to your kmart brand.

    I also used to be like you and would rather save my money but then I got introduced to a proper Tiger rice cooker and never turned back. After that I got a Dyson vacuum, 55" Sony TV, MacBook Pro laptop, etc, and I'm now a pompous prick. It's so nice to have things always working but the issue is: I just lose my mind when things don't go the way I expect it to! lol

  • baskinghobo on 24/01/2022 - 23:58

    Believe it or not I actually found my pressure cooker cooks rice faster and just as good as my Japanese rice cooker.

  • wjb on 25/01/2022 - 00:14

    The bigger question is what type of rice are you buying to cook?

    Low quality rice will still taste like plastic regardless

  • hasher22 on 25/01/2022 - 01:56

    tiger Electric Rice Cooker ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!! (The 200 dollar ones)

  • Gorgeousmorgeous on 25/01/2022 - 10:45

    I have a Kmart one. It cooks rice well. No complaints. I've had more expensive ones. They also cooked rice well until they died.
    My advice get the Kmart one. They all crap themselves in the end.

  • epsilon on 25/01/2022 - 11:02

    Thats the perfect appliance for rice cooker. Alternative sale on wholworths 5cups $10.00, and for a year we are using thermo cooker now. use in camping. if not in the camp, we use it to cook rice

  • Metre on 25/01/2022 - 11:07

    You can get a really good xiaomi one from bangood if just for rice for about $150. It’s got smart controls to let you remotely start cooking from app.

  • kalithreaver on 25/01/2022 - 11:50

    ive had a cheap kambrook one before and was content until it died. i bought a $100 one to see how it was and it was night and day imo. after using that for a few years i updated again to a Tiger which is better still but the price difference might not make it worth it due to diminishing returns on value.

  • SupeNintendoChalmers on 25/01/2022 - 13:51

    Zojirushi>Tiger>Panasonic>everything else.

  • TheOtherLeft on 25/01/2022 - 14:13

    I'm Chinese and we grew up using a rice cooker. Now I just use the stove and a saucepan. After a lot of trial and error I've got the process and timing down pat to get fluffy rice.

  • J6 on 25/01/2022 - 15:33

    Never really like brown rice as it's was terrible when my mum made it in the Kmart rice cooker. Now I have the 10cup Panasonic and it makes the best brown/white rice. I paid $79 for it and would pay more. I use it every 2nd day.

    • Mosher on 26/01/2022 - 07:48

      Can I ask what model panasonic 10 cup rice cooker you have?

  • jim0519 on 25/01/2022 - 18:17

    you won't understand if you ask such question.

  • plasmoske on 25/01/2022 - 23:07

    I'm Asian and my parents used a Tiger rice cooker since forever.

    When I lived on my own, used a Kmart rice cooker and it was fine.

    Didn't need anything massive and the rice from the Kmart rice cooker came out fine.

    Only thing the Kmart rice cooker is bad at is keeping the rice warm. But there's no point to doing that if I'm just eating by myself or with a partner.

    Cooks faster. Smaller portions. Doesn't keep warm (we just eat it all in one go). A bit more less forgiving on rice/water ratio and time (so need to get it right).

    I don't eat rice much (let to mix it up a bit) so having an expensive big rice cooker is a bit pointless for me.

    I'd only recommend a more expensive rice cooker if you eat rice daily and want to cook in large amounts (big family).

  • aboogee on 26/01/2022 - 00:10

    i'd spend a little more and get the pressure cooker from Kmart
    Quite handy when you are looking to cook something other than rice, eg stew, congee….. you name it

  • burns13 on 26/01/2022 - 02:33

    I just have one of those electric crock pot. It slow cooks, pressure cooks and does perfect rice.

  • aurotaro on 26/01/2022 - 15:52
    +1

    Just a pot, lid, water and heat mate. Pick your rice and it's all done in 15-20 mins.

    https://www.recipetineats.com/how-to-cook-rice/

    https://www.recipetineats.com/how-to-cook-basmati-rice/

    https://www.recipetineats.com/how-to-cook-jasmine-rice/

  • superkieu on 27/01/2022 - 01:17

    "I terms of size I really won't need to cook anything more than 2-4 cups of rice at one time so a 6-7 cup model seems fine, 10 is overkill, and at this stage I'm not looking for a fancy multi function device, just cooking rice well is fine. Easy to clean, durability and food safe materials are desired. I only eat rice ~2 times per week so not an everyday thing, but regular enough."

    2 time per week, no more than 2-4 cups of rice at one time = not a regular user.
    I'll say any rice cooker will do. Stick to the $13 Kmart Rice Cooker - it is what you have used before and happy with its quality.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 27/01/2022 - 12:50

    Convince Me to Get Something More Expensive than My Cheap Saucepan And Lid

  • Bec-a on 02/02/2022 - 20:39

    Are rice cookers worth it? I’ve been happy using a pot

  • Debt Free on 24/02/2023 - 14:48

    I have had my $13 Kmart Rice Cooker for 4 Years- Cooks Perfect Rice every single time- just Set and Forget— Best Value Purchase

  • KlyJuly on 24/02/2023 - 22:57

    1 year on I can say the Kmart rice cooker is still going fine!

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