Rant: My cheap rice cooker ruined dinner 3 times in a row

I was making beans and rice last Tuesday in my $15 rice cooker from the discount store. The thing kept burning the bottom layer while the top stayed soggy. After the third batch came out like glue I got so mad I just dumped it all in a regular pot on the stove. 20 minutes later I had perfect fluffy rice and tender beans with no burnt spots. Now I just use that old pot and save the cooker for storage. Has anyone else found a cheap kitchen gadget that actually makes things harder instead of easier?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_thea1mo ago

Gotta disagree with you on this one. My $12 rice cooker from a random dollar store has been a champ for like four years now. I rinse the rice first and put a little butter or oil in before cooking and it never burns more than a super thin crust that comes right off. The stovetop method is fine if you like standing there watching a pot but the whole point of a rice cooker is throwing stuff in and forgetting about it. Once you figure out the right water ratio for your specific cheap cooker they work just fine.

ninaowens1mo ago

Ugh, that $15 rice cooker struggle is way too real. Cheap ones just can't regulate heat at all, so you end up with that nasty burned layer every single time. Honestly, the stovetop method you switched to is the way to go. A heavy bottom pot with a tight lid does the job better than any budget gadget I've tried. For cheap kitchen stuff, my old school metal colander is a pain because the holes are too big and quinoa falls right through. Some things are just worth spending a little more on, or skipping the gadget entirely.