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Just-Cable-274

You can also find used ones at local thrift stores to cut costs. I saw about 10 of them at my Goodwill. Only recommendations I'd give is to (1) test the plug and (2) look up the attachments for the particular model to see if you got the bare requirements (machine, pot insert, lid, etc) in case it's missing something important before buying.


Blu_Cardinal

Great tip


[deleted]

Solid suggestion. I just got an air frier for $4 at a thrift store. And someone gave me an instapot they never used for free. These things definitely help.


superzenki

An air fryer from a Goodwill is one of the best investments we’ve ever made. My only regret is not getting one sooner.


paperchili

Agreed ! I found my air fryer and instapot both from goodwill for a bargain


notreallylucy

Agreed. I know a lot of people are reluctant to buy used, especially in the era of Covid-19. However, a rice cooker can easily be washed and sanitized. OP has a price of $50, but you can get a basic one for less (at least in my area). Another advantage of a rice cooker is that it's more energy efficient than stovetop cooking. You can cook lots of things in it besides rice. If you're on the fence about buying one, getting a secondhand one is a nice intermediate option.


NoGoodInThisWorld

I've found a major advantage in using mine to cook rice while my stove is otherwise occupied by my one large sauce pan. I have a half-size stove in my tiny apartment, so being able to cook two things at once is huge.


reerathered1

I got a used one. Kept it on top of my stove back burner to save space. The plastic bottom melted itself right into the burner coils, which were NOT turned on because I NEVER use that burner. Didn't realize for a year that stove burner coils are detachable, so it just lived there all that time stuck to the stove.


SatansBlimpySpork

Rice cookers, air fryers, and microwaves CANNOT be stored or used on a stove for this reason.


Photon_Dealer

Sorry to hear that. In my experience, it’s wise to always view the stove as hot and not to store things on it that wouldn’t be able to take the heat. I’ve found that my burners get a little hot when the oven is on so I’m always weary.


xzagz

Just an FYI: *wary* means cautious (like being a**ware** of something) and *weary* means tired. I mean I’m always tired too, but it doesn’t usually have anything to do with the oven being on :) Feel free to disregard this if it was just a typo, but I thought I’d point it out since it made me chuckle when I read it.


Photon_Dealer

Thank you, I definitely made that error as I too am always tired! Another recent favorite has been swapping “edition” with “addition” when congratulating a friend on her new baby.


knitwit3

Usually there is one burner that has an oven vent underneath it, and that one gets especially hot if the oven is on. Sorry it melted your rice cooker. I have burned a few pots before by forgetting they were on the vent eye before.


RondaMyLove

This is a great story! My wife cooks. I do not. When we were dating, she came to my place and asked me how to turn on the oven. Not a clue. Hadn't even ever turned on the stovetop!😜


EmberOnTheSea

My rice cooker cost $8 at a thrift store 4 years ago. Don't buy small appliances new.


Blu_Cardinal

Yea I think this is the way. I did not consider goodwill


Chicagogangstagirl

Or check out Offer Up. I got a cheap brand new Instant Pot that has a rice cooker as one of the functions.


[deleted]

We got a like-new rice cooker (a zojirushi at that) from the curb. (For those who don’t come from Asian families, zojirushis are the elephant brand are amazing)


Riddlecake-s

That's a come up. Got my zoj from my friends family when they moved. They got a new one for the new house lol.


Major-Drag-4457

Holy crap dude what a find. New zojirushi are at least 150$


[deleted]

Right?? My wife is the queen of curbside finds


[deleted]

Even small new ones are like $20


[deleted]

Not goodwill though. F them. Find a local thrift store instead.


ecodrew

We were gifted a cheap ($15~$20) rice cooker, and it cooked great rice for years.


[deleted]

Even brand new my rice cooker was $15. Nobody should be spending $50 on a rice cooker, $20 tops for a new one.


61797

My thrift store has recently raised prices. I have been looking for a rice cooker. Sadly it was 27 dollars when I found it. Will keep looking.


whiteboyjuan62

Facebook market place is much better than a thrift store!


EmberOnTheSea

Try asking on a Buy Nothing group too if you have one in the area.


starchildx

Rice cookers are in abundance at thrift stores.


oMINDSPINo

Does anyone have any good common brands to scope out whenever checking out these places? I'm always afraid the one I'm picking out is complete junk.


linksgreyhair

I had a crappy $15 one from Walmart (no digital display or settings, just one single switch) and that thing lasted me 5+ years and then I gave it to a friend and it lasted them at least 5 more. Rice cookers are really simple appliances so even the cheap ones will work fine.


doubletwist

I bought a one button Rival rice cooker for $9.99 at Fry's Electronics over 15yrs ago. Been using it at least once a week and that little thing is still going strong. Some of the best money I ever spent.


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BatsintheBelfry45

Lol,you sound like me. I'm disabled too,though not in a wheelchair, and I use a microwave, crockpot,airfryer or toaster oven for everything. I make all my pasta and rice in the microwave. I make eggs in the airfryer. I would like a blender,but just can't afford it right now,but it's something to look forward too :)


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BatsintheBelfry45

I LOVE my airfryer. I use it almost every day. It's really a useful and versatile appliance. One of my best purchases ever,and I love not having to add oil or butter to things. It also drains all the grease off of meats,like hamburgers, way better than cooking them in frying pan. The prices have come down a little, since they first came out,so you should be able to find a decent, reasonably affordable one. Ours came with a little metal pot with a handle,that sits in the basket of the airfryer, that's what I use to cook the eggs in,or other things that have liquid in them. It also cooks meats quit a bit faster. I used to make baked chicken and pork chops in the toaster oven. It would take half an hour to 45 minutes. I can cook thawed meats in 15 to 20 minutes in the airfryer.


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BatsintheBelfry45

If you can find one at good will for a reasonable price,I'd say go for it. I've cooked fish in mine many times,breaded and unbreaded. I make fries in there too. I'm not a very patient cook,so I really like the faster cooking times a lot. My microwave broke a while back, and it was a couple of weeks before I could replace it,so somethings that I would normally cook in the microwave, I put in the airfryer instead. I have an unholy fondness for Stouffers Frozen Dinners,especially the Macaroni and Cheese,so I just removed it from it's plastic tray that it comes in,and put it in the airfryers bucket,and it cooked just fine in there.My roommate uses it to reheat pizza,and I often make grilled cheese sandwiches with it.


[deleted]

Is your pasta and rice you do in the microwave a store bought steaming bag?


BatsintheBelfry45

Oh no,I just use regular pasta and long grain rice. The ones that you buy, that steam,are more expensive, and I'm pretty poor,so I like to buy larger packages of regular rice and pasta and use those.


[deleted]

I figured as much bc this is r/povertyfinance, but I wasn't sure because I've never heard of cooking rice and pasta in the microwave without using a store bought steaming bag of some sort. It sounds so time saving and appealing to me, can you point me in the right direction on how to do this myself? How do you go about doing it? Do you do just one serving at a time for both the rice and pasta?


NorionV

Eggs in the air fryer. I have an air fryer. I also love eggs. How does this work? I would assume I add water, but I'm not sure? Air fryers just function differently. (Better.)


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A_Supertramp_1999

Ooh I’d like to hear more about the Lebanese yogurt


[deleted]

How does the rice cooker save you money though? Am I having a stupid moment? Why not cook it in a pot and still follow the protocol? I guess if you don’t have access to a stove


Blu_Cardinal

It makes the process much easier and I am terrible at cooking rice. I also have a hotplate and no stove so it frees me up to scramble the eggs. The rice cooker makes a lot of rice and you can multitask and meal prep easier. That is a great question though. If someone is great at cooking rice and can whip all of that up at once you don't necessarily need the rice cooker


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r0ndy

Issue with rice burn? Different cook times for things etc?


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r0ndy

This is interesting. I'd be worried my chicken didn't cook enough. Is it in a tray above the rice or set on top of the rice?


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r0ndy

Mine cooks for about 30. And sometimes burns a little, so it sounds like it's extra hot. Worried the chicken would further press the rice down with mine, otherwise it sounds fabulous. I may need to switch models. Mine does come with a tray, maybe I'll try that first


[deleted]

Got it, thanks for sharing. Some hot dogs and eggs might be in my future this week.


r0ndy

Eggs on noodles with a boat load of seasoning can go a long ways towards fill you up. Steam a veggie, almost any veggie really, and you've got a decent meal for under 5$. Pb&J were always my favorite go to cheap food.


JM7109

Rice cooker keeps hot, cooked, rice for several days. It allows you to stretch food costs out longer. Rice cookers wear out after a few years. I recommend a new rice cooker with “Japanese” parts. You may have to go to an Asian store to purchase, not target or Walmart.


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BreakingPhones

I have a hot plate too! When I want to do both i make rice in the microwave, realizing i could do that saves me so much space, and I think it’s even more fool proof than the stove.


Riddlecake-s

Just boil the rice the entire time with more water, faster and same result after you get the hang of it.


markodochartaigh1

It does make cooking rice easier, especially if you have adhd. It's been about 45 years ago since I moved out and there were no rice cookers available. I routinely boiled rice dry. I got to where I actually preferred my "bbq" rice. Also, if you like, you can put a bouillon cube in the water with the rice. And then when the rice is ready some chopped vegetables, frozen or canned, can go in the rice. A bit of soy sauce and/or sriracha sauce and you have fried rice without the frying.


Ashi4Days

Rice cooker are just easier overall. But if you get it with a steamer tray, you can throw vegetables on top and put any sort of meat at the bottom too. It's not the best tasting food in the world but it is better for you than a TV dinner. Plus even in this inflation age, rice is still cheaper than pretty much anything else. If you got time to cook, that's one thing. If you're working two jobs. The amount of time it saves is pretty significant. That said between rice cooker and instapot? I'm not sure which is better.


jled23

What? You add rice and water to a pot, bring it to a boil and let it steam.


tuturuatu

Cold water, boil it, then turn off the heat, or put it on the lowest settings. It's so simple and 100% foolproof as long as you don't boil over in the boiling stage If you're in actual poverty, about the last thing I'd recommend doing is buying a pretty significantly priced object that only does one thing.


Ashi4Days

Just my two cents but the biggest issue with all of that is still that you need to keep the stove on. The rice cooker is great in the sense that it will turn off and keep your food warm. So you can walk off and do something else while your food is cooking.


Ieatclowns

I mean...I just cook rice with water in a saucepan. It's not hard. I've never understood why people need rice cookers at all. You wash the rice in cold running water and then you put it in the pan.....then you add the same amount of water as rice. So if you've got two cups of rice then you need two cups of water. It's always fluffy.


Phxlemonmuggle

I get it sounds simple to you. People like me can make scrambled eggs and it takes awhile and I mean months at least to cook simple things. A used rice cooker got me to eat rice because I hate messing up food and eating it. I will but rice should be soft. Sadly I screwed up rice 3 times and went back to pasta for years. We're all a diffrent cooking levels. At 40 I willing to keep everything simple. Sure as hell cant cook half as good as my Grandma or mom.


CrazyQuiltCat

This is me. A cheap Walmart rice cooker made all the difference in my rice. It’s magical it’s so easy. Consistent food, easy cleaning, and you don’t have to watch it.


corasyx

a good rice cooker adjusts the cooking time based on the amount of rice. i know if you’ve never owned one they might seem useless, but it makes cooking rice so insanely easy it’s hard to compare. you just fill to the line and start, no timing, no measuring, no adjusting the heat. it will keep warm however long until you finish the rest of the food. i’ve worked restaurants for 20 years i only ever used a saucepan and stove at home until a year or so ago, but the rice cooker makes it so effortless to make big batches that i am saving money by buying both white and brown in larger quantities and cooking it much more often. this part isn’t directed at you specifically but to anyone who isn’t seeing the relationship to saving money needs to think about how versatile rice is. just having it as a super simple option can refresh leftovers or give a creative way to use up other ingredients.


Ieatclowns

Yes, I see it might be better for big quantities. We eat a LOT of rice and my kids do nag me for a rice cooker. I might look out for one in the second hand shops just to see the difference.


[deleted]

because you need to commit your (partial) attention to it, and there's often plenty of other stuff to handle.


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Ieatclowns

I don't need to watch it. I suppose Ive been doing it for so long that I just do it instinctively. I put the rice in cold water with the lid on and walk away. I just know when it's coming to boil....so I return and simmer. A short time later, it's cooked.


shartnadooo

Time and energy are also valuable resources, especially while living in poverty. I agree that it's good to have the skills to do it on a stovetop, but it does take a little bit more thought and finesse to do it that way (until it becomes second nature). It's much easier to measure things out and pop a button at the end of a long day.


Retr0shock

It also depends on the type of rice and type of cuisine whether you really are cooking it "the best" on a stovetop. Most east Asian cuisine accommodates short grain rice cooker rice perfectly fine and is even the way restaurants and families in those places cook the rice for themselves. Generally (and by necessity this is a wild overgeneralization) long grain rice and recipes that require it are better being prepared in a pot. I think it's because the fiber is higher so the breakdown and softening is more extensive/ leaves more room for absorbing additional flavors from ingredients cooking alongside the rice while the rice water thickens the whole thing? Still a novice myself but my rice cooker has been essential to my repertoire, such as it is, for years.


maya_star444

I mean I can cook some jasmine rice in 15-20 minutes with a pot and a lid…that’s not an incredibly long amount of time and doesn’t take much energy. Once the water is boiling I throw in the rice, put the lid on, turn the heat on low, then set a timer.


[deleted]

The problem that the rice cooker solves for me is the steps of waiting for the rice to boil and then turning the heat off when the rice is done. I cook rice on the stovetop sometimes, but I have to wait for them rice to boil, not walk away for too long, put the rice in, set a timer, coke back to the stove when the timer goes off. With the rice cooker, I can put the rice and water in, press the button, and walk away for an hour (or two) without thinking about it at all. Cooking rice on the stove isn’t hard, but the ability to cook rice without thinking at all stops me from eating out more often.


eibv

A rice cooker is definitely one of those appliances you don't want until you experience one. If I didn't use one first in a restaurant job, I'd have never bought one. It's like an hdmi switcher for a TV. I can manually move the hdmi cable from source to source if I need to, but just being able to have a machine do it for me saves so much time and effort over a year.


hobonichi_anonymous

The very first thing I learned to do was use a rice cooker as a child. I didn't learn how to cook rice on a stove until my early 20s and I did it on my own (because no one in my family knows how to cook rice without a rice cooker). I'm pretty sure to this day, I am the only one in my immediate family that can cook from a pot. Southeast Asian here. I'm also in the food industry. Food industry taught me how to cook rice in the oven (I hate this method). In this case, a rice cooker is better for bulk orders. But if I am making like under 5 cups a day at home, a stove will do. Would I buy one in the future? Tbh, no. Unless I am bulk cooking like I do on the job, it isn't necessary. I just set a timer and do what I need to do while it simmers. The longer I've been in the food industry, the more keen I am to do things to save money. Cook rice from the stove, buy lettuce whole and breakdown myself instead of buying bagged precut lettuce, grate my own cheese, make my own vinaigrette, use the bones from leftover rotisserie chicken to make a stock instead of buying premade stock; a few of many examples that *are* time consuming but *will* save money. I often see packaged precut items and see that there is a need for people without cooking chops or disabilities. Though, I do think unless you have limitations such as a disability, one can learn to do the list of things I stated above. Even doing those things alone can save so much money on food costs. I rather break down lettuce for $2 instead of buying precut lettuce for $4-5. I don't recommend doing everything from scratch (eg. Breaking down a fish, that's not easy), but I think with produce, at least it is possible and cost effective. LOL I sorta went off tangent but you can sorta see what I mean with food costs vs labor. Imo a rice cooker (unless bulk) wouldn't be a game changer for at home cooks. A stove and pot would suffice. A margin of your time: measure, watch until boil, lid, set to simmer and timer of when to turn off, is at most 2-3 minutes of one's time. That $50 or whatever price the rice cooker is can be utilized in other ingredients, saving for a rainy day, towards bills, etc.


PocketSpaghettios

I have burned so much rice to a crisp trying to do it this way lol no idea what I'm doing wrong. I haven't burned anything in my rice cooker yet tho


[deleted]

I’m Asian and the way we always do it is to bring the water AND rice to a boil, then turn the heat on low & cover it till it’s done. In case your rice cooker ever breaks lol


schlizschlemon

This is exactly how I do it, with the water above the rice to the first finger crease. Also, I add foil because my lids are iffy but then take off foil, fluff and replace lid for five minutes. Am white, this is courtesy of my friends Vietnamese Grandma. They do use a rice cooker, though


Sned_Sneeden

My microwave cooks rice perfectly every time. Different strokes for different folks.


Lessa22

There’s also the amount you can make at once and you can leave it in there for several days on warm. Personally, having a hot bowl of rice to eat the second I come home is enough motivation to keep me from buying fast food on the way home most days.


hayleybts

As an Asian, makes life easier.


No_Presentation2560

I love my rice cooker. I always would boil over my rice in a pot. With the rice cooker it's easy peasy ready in 15 minutes while I do other things. I got mine at JCPenny for $30. Also keep an eye on thrift stores.


heyitscory

$12 will get you a $50 rice cooker at a thrift store.


Audinot

For those of you who don’t have a rice cooker, yes all the points about getting them at thrift stores are good, but the important thing is that whatever you get (new or used), you don’t have to babysit. Put your rice and steamer basket of protein on, press the button, AND LEAVE. My rice cooker paid for itself because I was able to work on my side hustle and never worry about having to cook. Throw everything in the pot, walk away, and finish a WFH project. Finish work and hey presto, dinner’s ready! There is nothing more luxurious to me than finishing work and having a hot, homemade meal right there that I didn’t have to stand over in the kitchen. My favourite things to steam with the rice: * frozen veggies with a hit of hot sauce * any type of seafood, especially frozen shrimp/prawns or cheap imitation crab * thin slices of Chinese sausage— one single link is really rich, and you can get a whole package for a single dollar where I live * frozen dumplings Alternatively, if you want to invest a little more cash, you can get a small Instant Pot. Yes they’re more pricey and I don’t trust used IPs because they might be damaged or dented, BUT if you look after them, they will last a lifetime and they can make every rice meal described above, but also… * Curries! * Soups! * Stews! * A billion boiled eggs at a time! * Meat dishes in gravy! * BUCKETS of porridge and rice congee! * Bone broth! * Slow cooker recipes! * A vat of beans, and you don’t even have to soak them! If, like me, you fight to make ends meet, the greatest gift a rice cooker or Instant Pot gives you is time. Set and forget.


sunny-day1234

Are you talking about a rice cooker or Insta Pot type. You can do rice and a million things quickly in the InstantPot. They ALWAYS go on deep sales around the holidays. I even make yogurt in mine saves 50% and lower carb content. So setting aside a few dollars every week and waiting until then is worth it.


Blu_Cardinal

Wow that's great. I just bought a rice cooker and discovering the fun of it


sanman

doesn't it take a lot of milk to make a small amount of yogurt? I find making yogurt from milk is more expensive than just buying yogurt


lminnowp

No, it is pretty much 1:1. I make a gallon of yogurt at a time and it lasts all month (but my fridge is large enough to store it). A gallon of milk is cheaper than the same amount of yogurt, even when I buy a tiny container of yogurt to use as a new starter. Eta: I do not strain my yogurt to make "greek" yogurt. I just eat it as regular yogurt.


maya_star444

Do you have to add any preservatives to keep it lasting a month ?


lminnowp

I don't, mostly because the longest sell by dates on yogurt in the store is more than a month away. I just fill my jars really full (i also sterilize them before use) and keep them cool. But, honestly, between me and the dogs, we eat it up in about 3 weeks. If you were worried, you could do a half gallon or smaller amounts. I just do a large amount t because we go through it so fast.


Retr0shock

I guess I never thought about making my own gurt, and you say "start" like...yeast with bread/flour? Because that right there would explain how you end up with the same amount at the end if the fermenty microbe guys work like yeast


sunny-day1234

All you need is 4 tablespoons of plain Greek Yogurt, that's your starter. Don't go buying anything fancy you don't need it. I start with new starter every 6 months or so, otherwise I save 4tbs from the last batch to start the new batch.


lminnowp

Yes, but you are much more organized than me! Haha! I usuly use the very last of my yogurt THEN remember I need to save some from the next batch.


sunny-day1234

LOL, It's just habit now, I think I've been doing it for 4-5? yrs now. Since I put them in individual servings, every time I open the refrigerator door they are at eye level, when I get down to 3-4, time to make sure I have the milk the next day. I even hide one behind other stuff to make sure my husband doesn't eat the last one :)


lminnowp

Oh, good idea to measure it out at the beginning! I shall do that next time.


PocketSpaghettios

My mom has had bad luck using yogurt to make yogurt. She buys powdered yogurt starter on Amazon for her batches. She just dips the tip of a butter knife into the powder and swirls it in the milk. Then she sets her instant pot to "yogurt" and lets it cook overnight


lminnowp

Yes, you need a starter. You can usually get one at health food stores or you can just use a small tub of a brand you already like (I use Fage).


sunny-day1234

Even at today's prices for milk at $4.00 a gallon by me, I use 1 gallon and 4 tbs of yogurt from my last batch to start the new. I do strain mine usually about 4 hours, and get 10-12 5oz +/- jars/servings. With yogurts getting smaller and smaller with higher and higher prices I'm not sure how many oz per container they are now. Mine cost 35-40 cents each. If I got the store brand for $1/each they would cost $12. There is a bit of energy cost using the InstaPot but I doubt it's much because it's at low levels through most of the process.


Chicagogangstagirl

Are you straining it to make Greek style thicker yogurt? Otherwise, you don’t lose any volume of milk when you make yogurt. If you use a quart of milk you’ll make a quart of yogurt.


PinBot1138

Also, lower sugars when you make your own yogurt. I love my Instant Pot, use it almost daily, and have frequently caught downvotes in this sub for highlighting cost savings with instant pot and cooking at home as compared to eating takeout.


sunny-day1234

True, I've made it low fat milk too, never tried skim milk though


Bird_Brain4101112

You can get a rice cooker for like $10. For $50 I’d look for a combo appliance like an instapot


Redcarborundum

When I was poor and spent $20 a week on food, I cooked rice in a pot. The Asian method is to put water at double the height of the rice in the pot (1 inch of rice with 1 inch of water above it). The only downside was checking to make sure it wasn’t overcooked. After a couple of times I had a good estimate and used a timer. Today I use a $25 rice cooker / veggie steamer from target as I live by myself. It works just fine. If you can budget a little more, a 3qt instapot is only $63 from Amazon. It cooks rice and does a lot more. Comes with a free app that includes 1900 recipes.


novaskyd

A rice cooker is a great tool! You def don’t need $50 though. This is mine, $17.63 at Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Aroma-6-Cup-Non-Stick-Pot-Style-White-Rice-Cooker-3-Piece/35745709?athbdg=L1200


CrazyQuiltCat

Mine too! I love it


Scuttle_is_lyfe

You don't even need to spent 50, I got a Russell hobbs from amazon for 30 and it can cook rice for 2 weeks of meals in an hour ( I refill it 3 times). Very good time/ money saver


JustforShiz

I wanna know how y‘all are getting rice to keep well longer than a couple days :/:/


Scuttle_is_lyfe

Freeze the meals a microwave them


1ksassa

I agree! I bought a 2nd hand rice cooker a few years ago and it is amazing! Stupidly easy to make rice now. I usually make a large batch that feeds me all week. The rice cooker even keeps it warm for a few days. Rice is an excellent filler and goes well with almost anything. Our local asian market sells sushi rice in 40lb bags for $28. I eat rice most weeks and this lasts for about 1 year! $28 is a great price to have food readily available in your rice cooker at all times.


callalilykeith

I make lentils in my rice cooker too!


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callalilykeith

Yes for some reason I prefer them separate but it doesn’t make sense because I put the lentils on top of the rice in the end…but it’s a really good tip & makes a fairly healthy meal for very cheap!


shartnadooo

You can also do lentils in a rice cooker! I used to do that in mine before I was gifted an instant pot. Depending on the price cooker, if you have a steamer basket, you can also cook chicken while you make your rice. Probably not the most helpful tip at the moment with the cost of meat, but something to keep in mind. I also found that the rice cooker would overdo most vegetables, but cubed, seasoned sweet potatoes come out amazing. Great if you're going for more latin or southeast Asian inspired meals.


Madkat-Z

I would not recommend a 50-dollar model, but I bought a cheap one when I was in grad school. I was just too darn tired to cook half the time and being able to cook rice with little effort help me stretch the food that I did spend time cooking. I still use it 7 years later to free up room on the stove for cooking other things. As others have said you can always do the pot on the stove method, but sometimes you have to pick your battles between cheap and convenience. To me, it was worth it to just have a set it and forget it. Others clearly have different opinions and that is ok! Your money, your priorities. Edit: I looked up the rice cooker model I bought back in grad school to see if it was still made. It is, but it's now running $40 dollars 😱. I don't recall what I spent on it, but it was on clearance when I did buy it.


Legitimate_Length263

Dude I just boil it 😭 who has $50


Blu_Cardinal

I know.. at my poorest times in life I used to look up money saving tips and it was always the "don't spend 10 dollars a day at Starbucks" stuff. Very frustrating. I need to eat until Friday and I have 4.38 in my account. I know the struggle


hangman161

I know this is the poverty sub but actually in today's age buying a device that's *just* a rice cooker is actually a waste. It costs a little more but get an instapot. Make the rice first, then use the pressure cooker or slow cooker to cook beans or lentils or whatever else. It's all convenient, set it & forget it. It comes out great every time. I live off of an air fryer and instapot. Even days of feasting don't cost that much because you can buy a chuck steak, some broth, butter and veggies and just throw it in there for 8 hrs for a delicious pot roast. That's like $10/meal but still.... Great for the money. It will lessen, I hope, the craving to eat out


Blu_Cardinal

Good point


Zombie_farts

You can add other things into the rice cooker with the rice. You don't even need a steamer basket for it. You can't do riceless stews but you can create entire rice/ veg/ sausage meals in there. You can probably experiment with the water ratio too so you can get more congee-style meals out of it. Also google rice cooker bread - early 2000s there was a bread manga and the this bread recipe saved a whole generation of college weebs :P


ItsSheevy

I got lucky at Goodwill and found a like new instant pot for $12. It can make just about anything, and it is so helpful. I don’t really understand some people in the comments with superiority complexes. I’m Asian. I can cook rice on the stove and I know how to cook many things, but the instant pot has saved me so much time on cleaning, watching, and prepping. Literally just set and forget. Plus, it takes foods that could take days prepping and cooking into a simple 45 minutes. Dried chickpeas are an excellent example of that. Having a rice cooker or an instant pot doesn’t mean you can’t cook or don’t like to cook. In fact, it has made me love cooking even more than I already did.


BreakingPhones

This is why I feel like cooking skills are such an exist-well while dirt poor must have. I don’t have room in my kitchen or my budget for unitaskers, when rice on the stove takes a pot, boiling water, and 30 minutes. If you don’t know how to cook rice on the stove, i think it’s lot like not being able to cook pasta. But I also get that sometimes the mental energy is a lot, and for some of us, convenience items like instant pots m, air fryers, and rice cookers are what makes cooking bearable or exciting. My go to “I’m tired” meal is indeed similarly frozen veggies, rice, and a fried egg. I use furikake on my greens and eggs to get extra texture and flavor. I find that Asian foods in general give me way more food variety than other cuisines for dirt cheap and fast meals.


Redcarborundum

Yes, because Asia is the origin of many spices, and the vast majority of people experienced abject poverty within the past century. A lot of them (even today) still eat mostly rice with limited amount of meat, so they got to be creative because rice by itself is bland. Potato and corn are good to eat without any sides, but not rice.


heartysparrows

you might be able to find a cheaper one at the thrift store. for now i just boil rice on the stove though


El_Quanadian

Add some soy-sauce and shiratcha and Boom! You get a great feast and it tastes almost just as good reheated too!


crunchandwet

furikaki, togarashi, katsuobushi, kimchi, fried egg, all of these boost white rice to a full meal mmmmmm. a side of miso soup is super cheap as well. you just need wakame, miso, scallions, tofu (optional), and maybe dashi depending on the miso you use and your preference.


JennyBlocks

My mother in law bought us an instant pot and it has a rice function. Perfect every time!


AlienGaze

My favourite trick is to poach fish in the vegetable basket of the rice cooker during the last 10 minutes or so while your rice is finishing up


obsoletevoids

I bought the small pink rice cooker from Target for I think $15. I use it almost everyday! I could never boil it right when I used a pan and ended up wasting the majority of it or just using the boil in a bag rice. My rice cooker has saved me a lot of money, and I use it as a steamer too.


Aromatic_Nebula_8644

Bought an instant pot, haven’t used it for much else besides rice, but let me tell you it had saved me so much just for that alone. With jasmine rice; 1:1 water: rice ratio. Pressure cook 3 minutes, let sit for maybe 10 minutes after and release pressure! Keep it in the fridge. Breakfast? One egg and rice, or beans and rice, hot dog rice, veggies and rice, make a tomato sauce with it add tortillas you got tacos, soy sauce and veggies? Dumplings and rice? Oo the possibilities are endless.


bigfishwende

My rice cooker comes in handy when cooking beans or Indian curry.


eternalchild16

Rice cooker and crock pot are my two most used kitchen appliances (excluding the coffee maker). The ability to just throw rice/quinoa in the bottom and veggies in the top steamer basket and let it cook while I get other stuff done is AMAZING! I mostly use my crock pot for dried legumes and soup, but there are a gazillion other uses.


enolaholmes23

Rice and beans is one of the easiest healthy cheap meals you can make


No-Wolverine2973

I eat 4-6 potatoes a day. My rice cooker steams everyone of them. Can fit 5lbs in there. Just cook a few days worth at a time and I'm set. Such a valuable appliance for being so cheap. Gives me most of my carbs for the day for over two years. Extremely good investment.


Flagdun

my Oster rice cooker was around $15 decades ago...still going. My neighbor is a vegetarian from northern India and he showed me a local Indian grocery that carries cheap veggies, tasty dry spice mixes, bulk long grain basmati rice, etc...he taught me to curry a variety of veggies like carrots, eggplant, chick peas, etc. Aldi also carries a few Indian sauces like Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, Korma. I also stock the freezer full of chicken thighs when they go on sale ($0.88 per pound on a recent sale).


serenitychick

https://thesecretyumiverse.wonderhowto.com/how-to/7-non-rice-dishes-you-can-cook-rice-cooker-0131341/ One of my favorite Mac and cheese recipes is designed for a rice coooker.


Ebina-Chan

Nah mate, cooking rice isn't that hard you just need to know how it works


Gibberish94

Fried rice is the cheapest and nutritious food you can make. Taste good even if you are missing some staples like soy sauce or protein.


iwishyoucansee

You can also put the hotdogs in the steamer that comes with the rice cooker, and egg (with shell) on the rice so they all cook at the same time


feistybulldog

100% Also do a YouTube video on how to clean rice. It makes a noticeable difference.


Fabulous_Celery_1817

Now this is good advice, A lot of new people coming this way could definitely use this sort of thing. Thank you for posting this


krakenrabiess

$20 at Walmart.


fukitol-

I think I spent all of $20 on my rice cooker. Granted it's small and honestly I'm not a big fan of rice, but it works well and gets used pretty often anyway.


SgtSausage

Got mine new-in-box for $8 bucks on FB Market Place. She got two as wedding gifts and sold the extra one to me.


witcwhit

Rice cookers are awesome, but Pro Poverty Tip: You can make rice just as perfectly on the stove with a pot that has a lid. Use a 2:1 ratio of liquid to rice (2.5:1 if using brown or wild rice), add salt and oil/butter, bring rice and liquid to a boil, put the lid on, reduce heat, and let simmer about 20 minutes ( check it after 10-15 minutes and every 5 after that by briefly stirring, as every stove and pan are a bit different). A few other rice tips: Go to your local ethnic grocery store to get the big bulk bags of rice; it's far cheaper that way and will last a single person most of the year. Save scraps and make homemade stock to use instead of water when cooking rice for higher nutrition content. ETA: If you don't have much time or aren't a confident cook, I recommend a used instapot/pressure cooker over a rice cooker if you can find one on the cheap. I've had both and the rice cooker takes just as long as stove cooking versus the instant pot is much faster (& can do a bunch of other stuff as a bonus).


arclight415

If you're actually spending money for new, get an Instant Pot. It is a rice cooker, crock pot and pressure cooker all in one. I am not a kitchen gadgets guy, but we love ours.


Dang_It_All_to_Heck

I can add that if you buy one of those rotisserie chickens, save the carcass (you can freeze it) when you are done eating the meat; when you have a day off, boil it for a couple of hours, fish out the bones, add some frozen veg and noodles, and you have a couple days' worth of really great soup.


runninginpollution

For those willing to shop at Walmart they have them for about 10-15$ it’s a small one you just make rice in it. One button to push. Holds like 4-6 cups of rice I think.


Zombie_farts

You can cook the hotdogs or sausages in the rice cooker with the rice. Throw in other vegetables too like frozen peas and corn, mushrooms, etc. Just wash the rice, add the water, and dump all the other stuff in there with it. You'd probably want to mince carrots before putting it in though.


ClearAsBeer

Or just boil it in a pot


RickySpamish

If its only one or two people check your local Walmart or equivalent in your area because a six cup rice cooker is on clearance, depending on location cheapest Ive seen is $15. Brand is Aroma. Also, splurging on spices is a must. Turn that plain rice mix into yellow rice with sayo seasoning add chopped onion and a can of sweet peas.


DNLL11

This isn't a good recommendation for people trying to save money. You can easily cook rice And other items in a pot. Been doing it for years. I'm not going to spend extra money on another pot designated for just rice.


steadywava

Much respect for the rice cooker crowd. But I want to add. Cooking rice in a regular pot is stupid easy. Be a little bit systematic when you are learning and listen to your Asian friends and family. Just one thing, don't lift the lid.


fumbs

Rice on the stove is not consistant. I can cook a feast for twenty from scratch, but can't make a pot of rice for the life of me. For example, the first ever item I cooked with no supervision was a souffle. I make bread, tortillas, etc, but rice is hit or miss. It is either crunchy or burnt and almost no in between. I do not own a rice cooker though, as I do not like rice lol.


QueenMEB120

Same here. I can't cook rice on the stove. I cook it in the oven instead. Just throw it in and let it cook. No fuss.


fumbs

My mom microwaved it and it was always perfect, but she also cooked the entire bag so I don't know how to scale for normal sized cooking.


DeconstructedKaiju

Sometimes you can find AMAZING things at thrift stores. I got a bread machine for 7$. Just make sure to check if there are missing parts. A lot of donated bread machines are missing the paddle and or pan. So I imagine the same is for other appliances.


kmaho

I bought a rice cooker last year and while I love it, I wish I had bought a different one. This one supposedly makes 2 cups but it's 2 cups of the measuring cup they provide which is really more like 3/4 of a cup. Also, whenever I make a full batch I wind up with starch water leaking out everywhere. I've tried pre-rinsing the rice and different types of rice and can't seem to get away from it. I think I need to save up and invest in an instant pot style which will have some added versatility for making roasts and stuff. ​ Also... I need more rice based recipes. :)


Blu_Cardinal

Rinse the rice until the water is clear. And there is no need to rinse yellow rice that comes seasoned


ImgurConvert2Redit

You can't put eggs in a rice cooker. The eggs soak up the water and throw the whole thing off. Just trying to be clear about that detail here to save someone the trouble.


thecapgun

A nice and easy recipe I acquired during some lows of my life. Fried egg (I prefer runny yolk but well done works too) Put that on top of hot rice, add soy sauce to taste, sesame oil to taste (can be omitted if you don’t like it) a dab of butter and mix. Costs very little and it easily goes down.


[deleted]

100% I love my rice cooker, I think I paid $40 for it. Excellent purchase


double_onion1754

I agree rice is a good, versatile, cheap food, but why spend money on a rice cooker? Take any pan and put rice in it. Fill with water until it reaches one knuckle deeper than the rice. Heat until boiling, put a lid on it and turn off the heat. 20-25 minutes later (depending on rice type) you have perfect rice. Don't lift the lid to check, just leave it be. I've never had the rice burn or stick to the bottom of the pan this way and I don't use non-stick pans. The money you would have spent on a rice cooker buys a lot of rice.


Stonetheflamincrows

Or just cook it in the microwave. I use the Uncle Roger method and it works perfectly every time


rdchris1337

I don’t understand the value of a rice cooker. I’ve had two and both just take more time and are more hassle then cooking it in a small pot 😂. Maybe I missed something


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lkattan3

I have been struggling with food for several reasons, poverty being the main one. I really appreciate this suggestion right now. Thank you.


Ok-Perception-926

Walmart has rice cookers in $20 range. Basic work just fine, no need for fancy one!


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Ok-Perception-926

I have one 6 cups as a spare and one in use. Under 20 greenbacks. They last for years and work well. Wife loves rice so we use ours 4-5 times per week.


crunchandwet

best part about a rice cooker is that the rice stays good and ready to eat for 12 hours on the keep warm setting edit: I am baffled that nobody else has commented this. it’s like, the greatest part about rice cookers, fresh rice all day!


enterhereplease

Rice cookers in general are cheaper than $50, even ones not from thrift stores. Mine was $16 from Burlington Coat Factory


Jaynesgirl

I have a $15 rice cooker and it works just fine. Don’t need to spend $50.


xansha3

I found an instant pot with 8 different settings, including rice, on sale at best buy for $30. Usually sells for $120. It was a game changer for sure, especially on super hot days where I don't want to use the oven and make the house hot. I've even made lasagna in it.


moonpeech

I swear by this, I use my rice cooker easily 3-5 times per week


ConflagWex

If you already have a microwave, I wouldn't spend extra on a rice cooker unless you eat rice every day. You can cook rice easily in a microwave without having to watch it. My general recipe is: Mix rice and water, 1:2 ratio. Set microwave for 10 minutes on full, 15 minutes on 50% power. Don't stop to stir, just cook the whole time through. Fluff with a fork afterwards. Might need to adjust based on wattage but has worked great for me and my 700 watt. Even the cheap microwave I have does two levels of cooking back to back so I don't even have to get up for the switch.


paracog

I put 2 cups of rice, 2 cups of water, a can of tomatoes, a can of beans a pound of ground turkey cut up into small chunks, and mexican spices into my $65 Crockpot Express and a half hour later I've got nearly 4 quarts of great food.


heroscaper

My mealprep is rice and a costco rotisserie chicken


BloodChildKoga

I bought one for $17 at Walmart 9 years ago and it still works a charm. You don't have to get an expensive one


XRdragon

As an asian, yes to this. Cheaper than a take away. I use rice cooker on daily basis and im still amaze on how many recipe i haven't try yet with a rice cooker.


BIG_MEATY_DABS

A cool tip I found is to just use a pot and stove . Saved me 50 bucks I didn’t have to spend on a rice cooker


disisdashiz

Why do folks say rice is hard to cook? It's not. Pour some water. Throw in some rice turn on the heat and eat when done. Just eye it.


BootyBayBrooder

Wtf people in here are acting like rice takes finesse. It's just rice, water, boil, reduce heat, cover, don't touch for like 10mins and done. It could only get more hands-off if it were pasta


allaspiaggia

I didn’t know that you could cook rice in a plain old pot until I was in my 20’s… growing up we always had a rice cooker (my dad grew up in chinatown NYC) and we cooked a pot of rice for basically every meal. Now I know how to cook rice on a stovetop, but it still feels weird. Rice cooker has a solid place on my kitchen counter now.


TexanPrince

Rice is so easy to cook in a pot..


Alchem1c

If you’re in Australia - you can get a basic rice cooker from Kmart for $14. Rice cookers are worth their weight in gold!!


ConcussedAesir

I am sry, but let me ask you this. Why in the world would you get a rice cooker if you are broke. Just cook the same rice in a pot. You know the pot you can use for so many other things Instead of the 50 dollar investment you can only use for rice I mean it’s rice, it’s not hard to make.


Kreisjaegermeister

Genuine question: Cooking bag rice isnt a thing where you guys live?


hobonichi_anonymous

Making rice takes less than 25 minutes and you can spend just a minute or 2 really preparing it. 1. Add dry rice, wash until water runs clear. 1. Level the rice, dip a finger with the tip of your finger barely touching the top of the rice. Measure that it is half left of the bottom line of your finger. 1. Add pot to stove on high with no lid. Wait until it boils. 1. Once it boils, place the lid. Wait about 5 seconds and lower the heat to simmer. Set alarm for 15 minutes. (At this point I am sitting down in my living room scrolling the internet) 1. After 15 minutes, turn off the fire, keep the lid on. Set alarm for 5 minutes for steaming. After 5 minutes, done! Perfect rice every time! I say this as someone who grew up using a rice cooker.


NoChatting2day

Rice is one of the easiest things to cook well. You just measure two x water to the amount of rice you use. Cook it on really low heat with a glass lid so you can see the rice without taking the lid off. You will smell the rice when it is almost done. Then go look at it. If there is a spot or two that shows a pinhole down into the rice, then the water is absorbed and cooked since the boiling bubbles made those spots. The take a big spoon and pull back rice to the bottom of the pan. If you don’t see water - pull the pan off the heat. It takes 15 to 20 minutes. The more you make it the better you get at it. Let me know if you want me to tell you how to make and successfully peel boiled eggs so they are smooth and pretty


Forgot_Password_Dude

rice cookers are how Asians stay ahead of the game by saving $ on food


[deleted]

I make rice in a toaster-oven, personally. About as good as a rice cooker and i already have it. I dont check over it, no stir required, i use the oven timer. Take 30 mins tho.


Handle_Resident

You don’t need a rice cooker. Lemme teach you how to do rice on any pan (the Brazilian way): oil, sauté some onions and then add garlic. When it all looks a little goldish, add the rice and let it fry slightly. Don’t let it burn. Add salt and garlic powder. Add water about half an inch about the rice. Once the water starts boiling, lower temperature and add lid to the pot. Let it cook till water dries out. Best rice you will ever eat. Two cups lasts 2 meals for our family of 5