Don’t let the name fool you. Rice cookers can do a lot more than just cook rice. In fact, some rice cookers have so many purposes, they could turn out to be one of the handiest small appliances in your kitchen.

There are two kinds of rice cookers: basic and multifunction. As well as their original intended function, most models, even the basic ones, can also be used as a slow cooker to make porridge, stews and soups - plus a lot more.

Basic rice cookers

As the name suggests, basic rice cookers are the no-frills models, and they also happen to be the cheapest. Depending on capacity, you can find one for under $30. As capacity increase, so does the price - up to around the $100 mark.

Basic rice cookers will cook your rice and automatically keep it warm once it’s cooked. As mentioned above, they can also be used to cook soups, stews and the like, and if they come equipped with a steaming basket or rack, you can use them to steam vegetables, some meats and even sweets such as puddings. However the automatic switch-off functionality will not work when using the cooker to steam food, so you will need to monitor it closely.

Multifunction rice cookers

Multifunction rice cookers are more expensive than basic rice cookers, but also offer more bang for your buck. They can be used to cook rice, steam and as a slow cooker, all with automatic settings. For this reason they are also known as three-in-one rice cookers. Individual models may also have an array of other features, such as a porridge cooking preset, delayed start, alarm, clock, programmable timer with LCD screen and more.

Prices for multifunction rice cookers start from around $90 and can cost as much as $300 for a fuzzy logic rice cooker.

Fuzzy logic rice cookers

The most expensive multifunction rice cookers use a microprocessor and something called “fuzzy logic” technology. These cookers have presets to cook perfectly just about any type of rice you can name. The cooker automatically adjusts the heat throughout cooking, depending on the type of rice.

Best rice cookers

One of the most popular brands for multifunction and fuzzy logic rice cookers is a Japanese manufacturer called Tiger. It isn’t widely available in department stores and electrical retailers, but if you can track one down at a specialty or homewares store, you’ll appreciate the difference.

Breville and Tefal rice cookers are also very good and are more widely available.

Buy a cheap rice cooker on sale

By Caroline Warnes

If you can’t even contemplate starting your day without a cup of coffee, then you’re probably thinking of buying a coffee espresso machine for home or the office.

There are several different types available, depending on your needs and budget, as explained in our coffee machine buying guide below.

Manual coffee machines

Manual coffee machines are the cheapest available - you should be able to pick up a basic one for less than $200. However, as the name suggests, all functions are manual so you’ll be doing most of the work (including frothing the milk - there’s art to this). Cheaper manual coffee machines are likely to be made out of plastic, however if you spend a little more cash you will be able to get one with a better build quality, possible made from stainless steel.

Semi-automatic coffee machines

The next step up from a manual model is a semi-automatic coffee machine. These cost a few hundred dollars more (but usually under $1000) and have some automated features. These could include programmable control panels, an LCD screen for viewing the temperature or an in-built coffee grinder.

Automatic coffee machines

If you’re looking to buy at the top of the range, then you need an automatic coffee machine. As the name suggests, everything about this machine is automated so you should always be able to prepare the perfect cup of coffee to your liking. With the touch of one button, your milk will be frothed, your beans ground, your coffee brewed and poured.

Another bonus of automatic coffee machines is that they clean themselves - cleaning a coffee machine manually can be quite a tricky process, considering all the small parts and crannies.

Of course, for this kind of quality you are going to have to pay. The most expensive automatic coffee machines can cost anywhere up to $4000.

Capsule coffee machines

Capsule coffee machines are newish to the market and offer an alternative to their traditional manual and automatic counterparts. These are very small and compact machines that use pre-packaged capsules of coffee, which come in individual serves. You simply load the capsule, fill the water tank, press a button and out comes the coffee. Most come with a manual milk frother.

Unfortunately, these capsules usually need to be ordered online so if you run out and forgot to stock up, you may be without your coffee until replacements can be delivered.

Best coffee machines

Popular brands of coffee machines include DeLonghi and Saeco. Nespresso is the best-known brand of capsule coffee machine.

Buy a cheap coffee machine on sale

By Caroline Warnes

As we head into the hottest part of the year, you may be looking to purchase a new air conditioner to help you cool down over summer.

There are several different types of air conditioner technology that you should understand before you make your purchase. These are explained below. Some of these technologies can co-exist in a single unit - for example, LG makes both inverter split and ducted split systems.

Portable air conditioners

A portable air conditioner is exactly what the name suggests - a cooling unit that can be moved from room to room and plugged into any powerpoint. They tend to be the cheapest air conditioners, and are mostly the least effective. You probably won’t be able to cool more than a single room with a typical portable air conditioner, so if you live in a studio or small one-bedroom apartment, this option might suit you.

DeLonghi and Dimplex portable air conditioners are a popular choice.

Buy a cheap portable air conditioner on sale

Window wall air conditioners

Once again, the name gives it away. Window/wall air conditioners are designed to be fitted in a window or wall and are generally more powerful than their portable counterparts. If you have a larger room or space to cool of up to 50 square metres or so, then this is the air con unit for you.

LG window wall air conditioners, like the one pictured here, are worth taking a look at.

Buy a cheap window wall air conditioner on sale

Split system air conditioners

If you need to cool more than one room, a split system air conditioner is one of your options. They can also cool single rooms that are slightly larger than the 50 square metres that a window wall unit can cover, and therefore tend to be more expensive. The name “split system” comes from the fact that the main compressor unit is housed outside the premises while the outlet(s) through which the air flows are located inside.

These days multi split system air conditioners are available for domestic premises, although they’re still more common for commercial buildings. The technology is the same but they cool on a larger scale - sometimes up to nine rooms. They are still fairly expensive to buy and install.

The best split system air conditioners are from LG, Mitsubishi and Fujitsu.

Buy a cheap split system air conditioner on sale

Central ducted air conditioners

Central ducted air conditioners are the most expensive of all the cooling-only systems to install and are generally only used for large commercial premises (such as office blocks) or very large, multi-room houses. A fan and motor sit outside and distribute the cool air around the various rooms via ducts. These systems need to be installed be a professional.

Many professionals recommend Daikin central ducted air conditioning systems.

Inverter air conditioners

Some of the air conditioner types mentioned above are available with inverter technology. This means they are constantly on and adjust themselves to maintain the desired room temperature, rather than switching themselves on and off to do so (which is how traditional air conditioner technology works). This makes them quieter and more energy efficient, and thus cheaper to operate, than conventional air conditioners.

Buy a cheap inverter air conditioner on sale

Reverse cycle air conditioners

Reverse cycle air conditioners are capable of both cooling your home in summer and warming them up in winter. Because of this dual functionality, they are more expensive to buy than most cooling-only models, however they can work out cheaper in the long run - you won’t have to buy a separate heater and they are cheaper to run.

Buy a cheap reverse cycle air conditioner on sale

By Caroline Warnes