Be careful, though, as the vent releases quite a lot of steam during cooking so never take the lid off without the aid of an oven glove or tea towel. With basically two settings – cooking and 'keep warm' – it’s certainly not fancy but it does the job. It allows you to cook rice or steam veg without having to watch over it to ensure it doesn’t boil dry. If you’re determined to invest in only the “best brand” of rice cooker — we have some news for you: There isn’t one.

Having broken down the best rice cookers on the market, it’s fair to say each and every one of them will serve you well come dinner time. Designed to produce the lightest, fluffiest, most satisfying rice, we’re getting hungry just thinking about them. There’s no denying an Instant Pot is a great kitchen appliance but you may be wondering if it’s really worth it? Or will it simply end up as another kitchen gadget that languishes on your countertop gathering dust? Rice is overcooked or too soft: This might be due to adding too much water. Again, refer to the water level lines.While it’s not particularly cheap, especially for its smaller capacity, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid is one of the most versatile Instant options out there. To start, it has thirteen cooking functions on tap, including air frying and bread proofing. And, it does a wonderful job with most of them as well, though its steam function can be a bit too intense for some ingredients. While you can dive even deeper into how to clean an Instant Pot, you should also take a look at all the different things you can cook in them. There are all sorts of signature dishes as well as the ability to simplify easy recipes even more. Don’t believe us? Take a look at our guide on how to cook hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot. It’s easy, fast, and a great example of how an Instant Pot can make something that’s relatively simple even easier and hassle-free.

Multifunction rice cookers are pretty common these days. In fact, their ability to do more than just cook rice is part of their very appeal. It’s worth remembering that cooking times can vary – especially with the processor-controlled “fuzzy logic” models as these will adjust cooking times automatically as needed. Even so, our results should give you an idea of what to expect. Even if cooking times are long, this isn’t necessarily a disadvantage – some of the models with the longest cooking times also produced the best quality rice. Plus, that time can be used to cook the rest of your meal or attend to other household tasks.There’s no fanciness with this machine, it does what it says on the pot. But if you want something that does the job and is small enough to store in a cupboard when you’re not using it, this is perfect. Unlike the electric machines, it’s all dishwasher safe, too.