Rice cooker

Few people know, but the rice cooker is the progenitor of the multicooker. This device was invented in the 1940s in China, and is still one of the main kitchen appliances in Asian countries and oriental restaurants. In addition, rice cookers are popular with athletes and fans of proper nutrition, as well as lovers of sushi, rolls and other Asian dishes. And their popularity is fully justified, because rice is rather “capricious” product that can be digested, remain tough, burn or turn into homogeneous sticky mass. Unlike inexperienced home cooks, the rice cooker handles rice cooking flawlessly and requires minimal time and attention from the user. Just load the required amount of rice, water and spices (optional) - and the technique will do everything automatically, turning off the heat at the end of the process. Moreover, the rice cooker is able to cook any kind of rice. Whether it's regular white rice, brown, wild or arborio, it always turns out delicious and fluffy.

And what to cook for those who do not like rice? Often, of course, such people do not even think about buying rice cooker, but if by chance this device gathers dust in your kitchen, know that it can cook not only rice. In general, almost any cereal can be cooked in ordinary models, and multifunctional rice cookers are equipped with additional modes and functions: for example, frying, stewing and steaming. Thus, they will help not only cook rice or buckwheat, but also cook healthy vegetables and steamed meat, soup and even yogurt. In addition, most modern models have keep warm function so that the finished dish does not cool down while someone lingers at the table.

The multifunctional rice cooker Tefal Mini Multicooker RK601132 has steaming, stewing and yogurt programs.

Multicooker

Multi-cooker is universal miracle technique that, despite its modest size, can perform the functions of various kitchen devices: stove, oven, double boiler, frying pan, regular pan, etc. Its capabilities depend on the number of modes and programs. Usually, among the standard functions are frying, stewing, boiling and baking, but more expensive models can have several dozen options: steaming, dough proofing, sous vide, baby food, fondue, jellied meat, etc. Some multicookers even allow cook several dishes at the same time: for example, boil cereals below and cook steam cutlets or vegetables in basket on top.

The Tefal Multicook & Stir RK901F32 has over 70 cooking programs.

Thus, the range of possibilities for such devices is very wide, and most importantly, most processes are automated and do not require user participation. The slow cooker itself maintains the optimum temperature and consumes electricity quite economically, monitors the duration of cooking and often, at the end of the process, automatically switches to the keep warm mode so that the food remains hot, but not burnt. That is, you can simply download the products and select the desired program, and then continue to do your business or even leave home. In the latter case, functions such as remote control via a smartphone or tablet using Wi-Fi and a start timer that activates cooking at any time (usually up to 24 hours) will also be useful, so that the dish is ready when you arrive.

Cookers

pressure cooker

A pressure cooker works little differently. The products inside the sealed chamber are subject to high pressure heat treatment. The internal temperature exceeds 100 degrees, which ensures uniform cooking and speeds up the cooking process. Compared to ordinary stove, pressure cooker cooks dishes several times faster, compared to slow cooker - 1.5 - 2 times faster. For example, it takes about 10 minutes to cook potatoes, 20 minutes for legumes, and up to 30-40 minutes for meat in large pieces. In addition, due to short-term heat treatment and the absence of interaction with oxygen, the products retain maximum of useful substances and their natural color. And the amount of oil used is also reduced, so the dishes are less high-calorie and more healthy.

Multicooker pressure cooker Tefal Cook4me+ CY851130.

At the same time, safety is on the other side of the scale: high pressure, temperatures above 100 degrees and large amount of steam increase the risk of burns. Therefore, modern manufacturers carefully study safety issues. It’s definitely not worth worrying about an electric pressure cooker exploding from excess steam or burning everyone around, but care and caution are necessary when using it. Modern models are equipped with an automatic system that, if necessary, releases excess steam during cooking. The resulting vacuum is prevented by opening the lid during the process. And at the end of cooking, the steam, together with the excess pressure, goes outside. In more advanced models, this happens automatically, in ordinary ones, the user needs to open the valve manually. If you do this slowly, carefully, the risk of getting burned is reduced to zero.

It must be emphasized that most pressure cookers on the home appliance market are not independent devices, but special type of multicooker with pressure cooking function. There are also pressure cookers with special sealed lid, but they are certainly not as convenient as electrical appliances with process automation.

By the way, devices such as slow cookers work on the opposite principle. The temperature inside the working chamber rises gradually and slowly, allowing you to stew and simmer food, which is especially important for meat dishes. Unlike pressure cooker, cooking in slow cooker takes lot of time.

Pressure cookers (multi-cookers with pressure cooker function)

Advantages and disadvantages

Each of the above devices has its own advantages and disadvantages. So, the rice cooker skillfully copes with the preparation of any kind of rice and other cereals, they are not digested, do not burn and do not stick together into continuous unappetizing mass. Due to the lack of large number of modes and programs, these are quite easy-to-use and manage devices that even inexperienced users will understand. At the same time, rice cooker is narrowly focused technique with limited choice of cooked dishes.

Slow cooker is versatile device that boils, fries, and bakes - in general, it performs most of the culinary processes and prepares variety of dishes with minimal user intervention. And all this in fairly compact size: just one oversized appliance can replace almost half of kitchen appliances. Therefore, multicookers are especially popular among students, owners of small apartments and cottages, as well as during travel, recreation in sanatoriums and tourist camps. However, real gourmets feel the difference in the taste of food cooked in slow cooker or on regular stove. For example, while baking in slow cooker, the dish is unlikely to have the same crust as in the oven. And frying food requires much more time than in regular frying pan.

The pressure cooker function further expands the possibilities of the multicooker, although they are already quite extensive. In general, the multi-cooker-pressure cooker is 2-in-1 device, as you can use high-pressure cooking, reducing the process time by several times, or use the model like regular multi-cooker. The only difference is that in the second case, you can open the lid at any time, mix the products and add ingredients if necessary, but this is not possible in the pressure cooker mode. That is, you need to immediately calculate the required amount of food, liquid and spices - it is impossible to try the dish and adjust its taste before the end of cooking. And, of course, do not forget about safety issues - this is perhaps the main nuance of pressure cookers.

What to cook in

When choosing the type of kitchen appliances, the preferences of the user in food are important. For lovers of oriental cuisine, rice cooker will become an indispensable assistant, in which rice for sushi, any kind of rice for garnish, as well as other cereals are usually prepared. If you need more functional device for cooking goulash, stews, as well as meat, vegetables, fish and steamed dough products, choose models with the appropriate programs. At the same time, ordinary multicooker can also cook rice and cereals, so rice cooker is usually chosen by those users who need specialized equipment without complex settings and an unclaimed long list of programs.

The rice cooker will become an indispensable tool for lovers of oriental cuisine.

The pressure cooker is designed for cooking foods with liquid content, especially vegetables and meat. It can be pilaf, stewed beef, pork, lamb, chicken, potatoes and legumes with vegetables. In addition, the pressure cooker is indispensable in the preparation of rich soups and jelly. Simply put, she knows how to cook and stew - for frying steaks and baking pies, you will definitely need other devices.

The possibilities of the multicooker can be safely called unlimited: the more programs and modes, the more varied the menu that you can cook. Among the basic abilities are cooking cereals, soups, various casseroles, pies, frying vegetables and meat. Often, even budget models are equipped with steamer function and basket for preparing healthy, low-calorie steamed dishes. But the principle “the higher the price, the more programs” usually works. For example, programs for baby food, baked goods, desserts, yogurt, legumes, jams and desserts. Some multicookers boast the presence of such specific modes as sous-vide, dough proofing and sterilization. Therefore, before buying, think about what you will cook, read the model programs in detail and choose the ones you need.

Rice Cookers

What else to pay attention to

To make the technique not only functional, but also easy to use, we advise you to pay attention to the following parameters and options:

Volume. The larger the volume of the bowl, the greater its capacity and, as result, the dimensions of the device. There are rice cookers designed for just one or few servings of rice, and there are multicookers with volume of 5 liters or more, which are suitable for large family.

Non-stick coating. Fortunately, all modern rice cookers, slow cookers, and pressure cookers have non-stick bowl coating, as it prevents food from sticking and burning, and also makes cleaning easier. Teflon coating is more affordable solution, but is susceptible to metal spatulas and heavy scrubbing, which can lead to scratches. The ceramic coating is more durable and scratch-resistant, but it is afraid of shocks, sudden changes in temperature, and it costs more.

Heat. The competition in the home appliance market is strong, so manufacturers are trying to experiment not only with the number of functions, but also with heating technologies. So, induction heating involves the use of magnetic induction instead of the traditional heating element. As result - fast heating and prompt response to changes in temperature settings. There are also models with several heaters located not only from below. They provide 3D heating and uniform cooking, as well as help speed up the process and expand the functionality of the multicooker.

Multicooker pressure cooker Ninja Foodi OP300 with 3D heating technology.

To sum up, we do not have single answer for you to the question “What to choose: rice cooker, slow cooker or pressure cooker?”. It all depends on personal preferences and needs. But we know for sure that any of these devices will ease the kitchen chores and make cooking easier and more enjoyable.