Oster 4722 3-Cups Uncooked/6-Cup Cooked Rice Cooker with Steaming Tray, Red Review

I've never owned a rice cooker before this, however, I have cooked lots of rice over the years. Its an inexpensive rice cooker and if you follow the directions, it'll do fine.

Since moving to the mountains of Colorado, its taken me years to adjust to the lowered the boiling point due to the higher elevation (8300')... it takes more time (add ~10-20min) and the dry climate means using more water (for a 1 cup of dry rice, takes ~2.5+ cups water rather than 2cups). Still, there have been many times when rice just didn't work out the way I wanted.

So I mentioned that it would be nice to have a rice cooker and let it deal with the cook time. Of course I had done some research, and when this came in the mail as a present, I was a little nervous since Oster's seem to get so-so reviews. Well, I cooked my typical basmati rice, a 1/2 cup dry and added my typical 1c water plus extra, put lid on, pressed the button and went to do something else.

A lot of reviewers mention how the rice on the bottom gets over-cooked, sometimes brown or burnt. Some reviewers like the crunchiness, some hate it. Well, the directions tell you to stir the rice - especially the bottom of the cooker after 15 minutes. Sure enough, the rice at the bottom was starting to stick. I scraped it all loose, added another 1/4 cup water, chopped it up a little, put the lid on, and let fate take its course. Would the rice by a burnt mess? 20 minutes later we had the best sticky rice we've ever had!

Plus it seemed to cook faster. And I really liked that it went to 'warm' mode automatically. One major drawback: It spewed hot sticky water up under the lid and through the vent all over the kitchen but once we wiped the lid off (without picking up the lid), it settled down. If you are a neat freak or want a set-and-forgot, this rice cooker is not for you. And for me, I'll come up with a little steam catcher helmet and deal with the mess. For the price, its a good buy. And, I love the red color too!

[found this cool tip from Spyce: To help keep the starch from bubbling up and spraying out of the vent hole, rinse the rice thoroughly and drain. Heat a small amount of olive oil in the rice bowl, once the oil is heated, carefully add the rice and saute it for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water and continue cooking.] I'm going to try this tip next time!

BTW, this cooker seems like a knock-off of the similar Rival rice cooker (both owned by Jarden]

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Product Description:
Oster's 4722 Rice Cooker and Steamer is the perfect way for couples or small families to make rice perfectly and easily. This rice cooker has a five-cup capacity that amounts to 10 cups of fully cooked rice. The 1-liter steaming tray cooks up healthy vegetables. The cooker can even be used to prepare soups and fondue. And don't worry about different household schedules: The glass lid and keep-warm functions ensure rice won't get cold. Nonstick pot and steaming tray are removable and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. Includes Manufacturer's Warranty.

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