Electric Rice Cookers
The preparation of rice has traditionally been a cooking process which requires attention to ensure the rice is cooked properly. Rice cookers simplify the process by automatically controlling the heat and timing, while at the same time freeing up a heating element on the range. Although the rice cooker does not necessarily speed up the cooking process, the cook's involvement in cooking rice with a rice cooker is reduced to simply using the correct amount of water. Once the rice cooker is set to cook, the rice will be cooked with no further attention.

Typically, a rice cooker contains an insulated outer container containing a heating element, into which is fitted an inner removable bowl, which is sometimes non-stick or teflon-coated, which often has graduations marked in cups of rice (white). Whereas less expensive and older models use simple electronics and mechanical and thermal sensors, high-end rice cookers use microprocessors to control the cooking process and often incorporate a timer which can be used to set the desired "ready time". Some higher-end rice cookers use induction heating. Many rice cookers can keep rice warm safely for up to 24 hours. This helps to avoid the dangers of food poisoning due to Bacillus cereus. New rice cookers normally include a small measuring cup, and a plastic paddle for serving the cooked rice. The rice cup measure is normally 180 ml, approximately 25% smaller than the American measuring cup of 8 (US) fluid ounces / 250 ml.

Restaurants that serve a lot of rice, particularly those specializing in Asian cuisine, often use industrial size rice cookers that quickly and cheaply produce large quantities of cooked rice. A rice cooker is a standard appliance in kitchens in many Asian countries and in many Asian households; indeed a recent survey showed that over 95% of Japanese kitchens feature such a device.

Rice Cooker Operation Principle
The bowl in the rice cooker is usually removable, and beneath it lie a heater and a thermostat. These form the main components of the rice cooker. A spring pushes the thermostat against the bottom of the bowl, for good thermal contact to ensure accurate temperature measurement. During cooking the rice/water mixture is heated at full power. The temperature cannot go above the boiling point of water — 100°C (212°F) — as any heat put into the rice/water mixture at that point will only cause the water to boil. At the end of cooking, some of the water will have been absorbed by the rice and the rest is boiled off. Once the heating continues past that point, the temperature exceeds the boiling point. The thermostat then trips, switching the rice cooker to low power "warming" mode, keeping the rice no cooler than approximately 65°C (150°F). Simple rice cookers, may simply turn off at that point.

Cooking Rice in Rice Cooker
The rice is measured and added to the inner bowl. Cold water is measured and added or the bowl is simply filled up to the appropriate graduated mark in the inner bowl.

Different kinds of rice require different amounts of water. Usually, there are graduated marks for the right amount of water only for white rice, but sometimes there are separate scales for brown rice (as more water is required) or for cooking other food in the appliance.

Once the lid is closed and the cooking cycle has been activated, the rice cooker does the rest. Higher-end models give a countdown in minutes to the "ready time," or beep when done. Many people prefer to let the rice soak for a while before cooking the rice; additionally, some like to allow the rice to "rest" for a while after cooking before eating the rice. Higher-end models automatically time the soaking and resting periods.

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