As long as you leave a cover on your pot on the stove, your rice won't dry out or get cold. Just my experience.

 

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Panasonic makes a mean rice cooker/steamer combo. Picked one up at the local Asian market store. Works like a charm.

The size you "should" get is dependent on how much rice you actually eat. I got the 4 cup one and that's a ton of rice to make in full. A 2 cup one would have been sufficient for a single person/couple.

 

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I had a cheap $10 from Wal-Mart and it worked just fine.

 

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its the convenience. esp. if u make rice several times everyday like i do. u can just put everything in and leave, and not have to stand by the stove and make sure it does not burn.


as for types, i have a panasonic...the type where its a round metal container that goes inside a base. i have no idea on the model, i bought it at an indian foods store and threw out the box. i can say that i have owned 3 different of these round type rice cookers in the past and all of them regularly burn the rice at the very bottom. dunno if that is normal at not...but i just scrape it off and toss it.


but i think the large square ones that are all one piece are supposed to be better. i'd look for one of those in a major brand name if i was getting a 2nd one

Actually, from my experience the rice is good for days.

Once it actually gets dry/crispy, you can make fried rice.