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