Rice cooker for microwave oven" is useful for people living alone. It is a convenient kitchen appliance that allows you to cook rice for one person without using a rice cooker, simply by microwaving it. They can be found here and there at mail order sites and 100 yen stores, but is there any difference in the quality of the cooked rice depending on the price?
NITORI "Microwaveable rice cooker for a set of rice
Daiso "Rice cooking for one cup
So this time, we compared the "microwave rice stove" (498 yen, tax included, same below) purchased at NITORI and the "rice cooker" (108 yen) purchased at Daiso!NITORI "Microwave Rice Cooker": Many parts
Upon opening the package, NITORI has many parts (four) and seems a bit cumbersome to use. The Daiso has fewer parts (three), and its use is easier to understand and simpler to handle.However, this impression changes drastically when you actually use the product....
NITORI "Microwave Rice Cooker": Easy Measuring
NITORI's Ichizen-kikki has a middle lid that allows the rice to be measured. One scoopful of rice is equivalent to about 1 bowl (200g (7.05oz)).After the rice is placed in the outer container of the main unit and washed, pour water into the container up to the line marked on the scale and let it soak for 20 minutes.
On the other hand, the procedure is the same for Daiso's single-cup rice cooker. Put one cup (about 150 g) of rice in a bowl, pour 200 ml of water into the bowl, and soak the rice for about 30 minutes.
However, the Daiso does not have a measuring plate or water scale, so you will have to measure the rice and water yourself. NITORI is easier to use in this respect.
Daiso "Rice Cooking for One Cup": Time-consuming
Once the rice has absorbed enough water, it is time to put it in the microwave oven.NITORI first transfers the rice and water from the outer pot to the inner pot. After heating at 500-600W for approximately 6 minutes, the rice is steamed for 20 minutes.
When you're done steaming, give it a good stir and you're done!
For Daiso's one cup rice cooker, place the lid on the container containing the rice and water in a double layer, turn the lid to the right to lock it tightly, microwave at 500W for 7 minutes (600W for 6 minutes), and let it steam for 20 minutes. Alternatively, heat the rice in a 500W microwave for 6 minutes (600W for 5 minutes), switch to low mode for an additional 12 minutes, and steam for 10 minutes.
Here, Daiso differs from NITORI in that Daiso requires the following steps: "After steaming, stir the entire rice lightly, cover the lid, and let sit for another 10 minutes.
The NITORI requires the time and effort to transfer the kettle, whereas with the Daiso, all I had to do was put the lid on the kettle and put it in the microwave! However, Daiso takes 10 minutes longer than NITORI to absorb water, and 10 minutes more for steaming at the end, so it takes a little longer to complete the cooking process.
Difference in rice texture!
Now, how does the cooked rice taste?NITORI first. Yeah, yummy! The texture is fluffy, grainy, and firm when chewed. Sometimes I feel the core of the rice is still chewy, but generally the rice is cooked without any problem.
Then, Daiso. Delicious too! The texture is fluffy and chewy, with just the right amount of firmness. The more you chew, the more the sweetness of the rice seeps out.
Both cooks were tasty, but the NITORI rice was a little uneven in texture, with some rice being soft and others leaving a core in each bite. On the other hand, the Daiso's rice is uniformly hard and the grains are all the same! This may be the result of the longer water-absorption time and the follow-up steaming process.
If you like your rice softer, you may want to use more water or increase the water-absorption and steaming time.
Daiso "rice cooking mug
The editorial team had previously tried a "rice cooking mug" from Daiso. Comparing these two products, the rice cooking mug is the simplest to use. I was able to use it without even reading the instructions. It is truly the ultimate sloppy goods.But the rice cooking mug is almost certain to spill out in the middle of heating in the microwave. That's been a drawback for me, but the NITORI one-cup rice cooker and the Daiso one-cup rice cooker are designed to prevent spills, and that's great! The Daiso had a secure locking lid, and the NITORI did a good job with its Elizabethan-like anti-spill cup.
In addition, the NITORI one-cup rice cooker and the Daiso one-cup rice cooker allow rice to be poured inside the main container, whereas the rice cooking mug requires a separate washing and transferring of the rice into the mug.
Based on these factors, the best buy of the three would be... the Daiso Ippou rice cooker!
It takes some time, but it is simple to use and cooks rice deliciously fluffy, and at 108 yen, it is probably the most cost-effective. If you live alone, give it a try!