10 Reasons to Invest in a Rice Cooker

Rice is one of those magic ingredients that can transform just about any meal. Whether you’re rustling up a fragrant curry, spicy stir-fry or a hearty risotto, rice is the unsung hero that ties it all together. But let’s be honest, cooking rice isn’t always easy. Too sticky, too dry, or worse, burnt to the bottom of the pan – sadly, we’ve all been there. That’s where a rice cooker comes in. With a rice cooker, you can say goodbye to all the guesswork and hello to consistently fluffy rice every single time.

A rice revolution

The first recorded mention of rice originated from China all the way back in 2800 BC, where the Chinese Emperor, Shen Nung, established annual rice ceremonies and scattered the first seeds.

Rice is now one of the most common dietary staples worldwide, with the Rice Association, stating that, ‘Despite not being grown in the UK, rice is big business here, and the UK rice industry is worth around £1 billion annually.’

The Rice Association also notes that ‘Our appetite for rice seems insatiable. Rice eaten per person per week has grown 530% since the 1970s, with a staggering 88% of UK households buying rice.’

That’s a lot of rice.

How to use a rice cooker

Rice cookers couldn’t be more simple to use. Just add your grains and the recommended amount of water, select the right cooking programme and press start for simple, one-touch cooking.

All of our rice cookers have a clear LED timer display, and beep to let you know when your food's ready. If you're not quite ready to eat, your rice machine may have a keep-warm function to maintain the perfect temperature so your food stays hot and ready to serve. Our rice cookers also have either a removable cord or removable cooking pot so you can carry your rice straight to the table.

10 reasons to ditch the micro-pouch mindset

Being able to zap a pouch of rice in two minutes or less is something that people are now well accustomed to. However, there’s no getting away from the fact microwavable rice comes with a few compromises that can easily be solved with a humble rice maker. Here’s our list of reasons why we think the rice maker trumps the microwave.

1) Consistent rice every time.

With precise temperature control and even cooking, rice cookers deliver perfectly fluffy and evenly cooked rice with no guesswork, unlike boiling or microwaving where the results can vary.

2) Set it and forget it.

Rice cookers require minimal supervision. Once you press start, the rice cooker handles the rest, freeing you up to prepare other dishes or have a well-earned sit down.

3) Automatic keep-warm function

Unlike the microwave, most rice cookers have a keep-warm feature that keeps rice at an ideal serving temperature for hours without overcooking.

4) Taste

Along with the texture, the taste can often be better than micro pouch rice, partly due to the slower and more natural cooking process, and partly due to the increased control over your chosen ingredients.

5) Versatile cooking options

Beyond rice, some rice cookers can handle porridge, quinoa, couscous or even steamed vegetables, making them a really useful multi-functional kitchen gadget. Always remember to check the user manual to find out what other uses your rice cooker could adapt to.

6) Reducing use of plastic packaging

A rice cooker reduces the need to buy multiple single-serve rice pouches, making them better for the environment – and your pocket.

7) Simplicity

One of the beauties of a rice cooker is its simplicity, with one touch operation in some cases that completely takes the guess work out of making rice.

8) Compact and space saving

Ideal for small kitchens, campervans and student dorm rooms, rice cookers take up minimal counter space, offering a practical solution for those without a full kitchen set up.

9) Built in timers and pre-set features

Most rice cookers come with timers and programmable settings, allowing you optimise your time and potentially even wake up to freshly cooked porridge in the morning.

10) Easy clean-up

Non-stick bowls can make cleaning quick and effortless, so if you’re using micro pouches to avoid boiling rice and cleaning pans, a rice cooker is a great alternative.

Compact rice cookers really are little powerhouses that are great for busy lives and small spaces. They make rice cooking easy, delivering professional and reliable results in a sustainable way – something you just can’t achieve with micro pouches.

Mini Digital Rice Cooker

Sure to cook two servings of perfect rice every time, without needing to be watched like a hawk, our dinky rice cooker also makes deliciously creamy porridge that would delight Goldilocks on the first try. Includes a measuring cup and serving spoon.

Lakeland Mini Multi Cooker

Small but mighty, this versatile 2-litre multi cooker will cook up breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert at the touch of a button. It has eight programmes for white rice, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, cake and yoghurt, plus quick and slow settings, and you can even prove bread dough on the yoghurt setting.

Lakeland 1-Litre Digital Rice Cooker

Perfect for family curry nights, this machine delivers up to six portions of fluffy white rice, healthy wholegrain rice or porridge at the press of a button. With Delay Start and Keep Warm functions.

Shop all of our rice cookers here.