I never use a rice cooker it is the easiest thing to make on the stove and takes less time too. We have a Korean student so do rice most nights and I cook it while cooking the rest of dinner 20 Mins max.

Even the Japanese don't build in rice cookers!

I'm not familiar with a built in rice cooker other than on the Audi A8 car sold in Japan.

We have an A8 (USA though) that's the only reason I know about this and it's CRAZY!!!! If they can do this in a car, can't see why they haven't come up with in for a home!

I have never heard of a built in rice cooker. I have a countertop model and it makes great rice. I may upgrade to one of the newer induction models. The only built in that I know of that can be used for rice cooking are in steam ovens. Quite a few people use the combisteam or stand alone steam ovens to make rice.

Good luck!

Never heard of a built-in, but I'd consider it! Mine is always out as well. No reason to put it away.

How about using a combi steam oven instead of a rice cooker? Kinda expensive substitute, but it's built in and useful beyond rice ;-)

My Japanese friend, who built their house in Tokyo (that's another story...), cooks rice with induction and LeCreuset. They set the induction to turn off at a particular time and leave the pot there til they are done with everything else for dinner prep. They are the ONLY people who do not have a rice cooker among their friends.

I put mine away after I use it nearly everyday. Most Asians do not use stove top to cook rice. Mostly because typical Asian dinner preparations are fairly intense on the stove top even for a family dinner. Ovens are not used. So everything has to happen on the stove top and served at the same time, hot. Typical traditional Asian family only has 1 cook and it allows the cook to not mind the rice.

Really? How hard is it to take the rice cooker in and out of the cupboard. That's what I do.

I keep mine out because I cook a large batch and use it over several meals. Or if someone comes over and wants a quick bowl, I always have some available. The keep-warm function is perfect.

Hmmm... I use my rice cooker frequently. Not daily, but usually several times a week. I have two, a big one and a small one, LOL! The idea of a built in seems interesting but I'd worry about reliability. I know I've cycled through several during my almost 25 years of marriage, so I consider it almost a disposable appliance, except like something such as a dishwasher, there isn't a standard size for rice cookers so that's why I'd shy away from a custom built in if it were me.
However... it might be nice to have a slide out drawer/cabinet that you could use for your rice cooker. Something where it could stay plugged in if you want, but you could close the drawer when you're cleaning up the kitchen when the rice is done. I'd think you'd want it open when rice is actually cooking... don't know about you, but I don't even put my rice cooker under my upper cabinetry because I don't want all that steam shooting onto my wood cabinets so I sure wouldn't want it cooking inside an enclosed space. ;)
I recently saw a poster on these forums and her hubby had built a drawer for her toaster oven, she pulls the drawer open when she uses the appliance and closes it shut when she's done, always stays plugged in. It could be used for anything in the future too if she decided she was done with toaster ovens. I thought it was pretty clever.

I have never heard of a built in either, but love our rice cooker and have rice almost every night..the putting away just becomes part of the tidying up, as you would do with everything else used over dinner. The Audi Special Edition A8 has a built in rice cooker in the back seat, so perhaps a built in model in a kitchen is not too far off!

Gaggenau has a steamer in their Vario line that can do rice. I don't know if it's satisfactory rice though.

The best way to cook rice, I have found - be it whole grain rice or white rice - is to boil it in a big pot of water like you are cooking pasta. That way the rice floats around and the starch stays in the water and it's not sticky and turns out nice and fluffy. Get the water to boiling, and once it's boiling, add the rice. For white rice cook ten minutes, for whole grain rice, 30 minutes. After the 10 or 30 minutes, strain all the water out by pouring it all into a very fine collander/sieve, and when the water is all drained out, put rice back in the pot, put lid on, and let it sit for another ten minutes. Then it's done. I know I really got off the subject here, but I recently came across this way of cooking rice and it's the best. Just wanted to share, Allison, and maybe it wil help you make a decison about whether to have a built-in rice cooker or not.

I did a google search and found an Audi model in Japan that is available with a built-in rice cooker on the middle console. lol

Pressure cooker. 12 minutes. Natural steam release.

Not everyone cooks the same rice the same way all the time. I'm not very hardcore and only keep two or three different rices on hand at any time. I'm not set up for Creole or Japanese cooking with my rice selection (but my rice cooker could handle it if I did.)

Sometimes rice is supposed to be sticky. Sometimes it isn't. A dedicated rice cooker can take whatever rice you put in it and deliver it to you with the features you want.

It's not the same as a pot. (I usually use a pot.)

The beauty of a rice cooker is that it not only makes GREAT rice, but there is no babysitting required. Put your rice and water in and forget about it. It’s done perfectly when the beeper sounds, and if you can’t get to it, no problem....it can sit there for hours and it’s still delish. I use my pressure cooker all the time, but for rice, the rice cooker truly shines.

The multi pot replaced the rice cooker, slow cooker, and pressure cooker. And occasionally an electric skillet. It can do all of that. You can even cook rice pot in pot on top of your main dish and it all come out perfect.

Sophie....when you say “multi pot”, do you mean something like the instant pot? I loooove my instant pot and use it all the time, but still, for rice I prefer the rice cooker. Though if I was only allowed either a rice cooker or the instant pot, the instant pot would win because of its versatility.

Yes, an off brand insta pot. Got it last year as a trial. Didn’t want to spend instapot money on something that might end up dusty. Probably buy a real one if the holiday sales offer a deal.

gnu36

Your method may work for basmati rice but for Japanese short grain rice, that would not work. You could not make sushi with that type of rice.

Making Asian rice porridge (can be also be done in a Japanese rice cooker. (easier to go to a Chinese restaurant and order it, IMHO). I should make some as a savory hearty breakfast :)

Anyhow, many East Asian (and Hawaiian) families have multiple rice cookers. One size for family dinners, giant size for large gatherings (holiday dinners etc) and a small size (often bought when the kids leave for college) to cook just enough for 2 at home. Hawaiians eat Japanese rice.

FWIW, Indian families do not use the rice cooker as often. They use your type of method of cooking rice; stove top.

I often have 4 or 5 different types of rice at home; short grain, basmati, jasmine, brown basmati, brown short, wild etc. I make the appropriate rice for the dish that I am making.

That was probably TMI for everyone!

Read huango’s comment from 2012.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/built-in-rice-cooker-cross-posted-dsvw-vd~2695316

I've used 3 different kinds of rice cookers. The best was the Panasonic when it came to taste - it took the longest, and the rice (we prefer soft and sticky) came out the most flavorful in it. But it died in exactly 2 yrs, and since it was also by far the most expensive brand, I just couldn't justify another one for the two of us.

I then got an off-brand, which cooked really fast and the rice (same brand I always use) tasted meh. Finally I couldn't stand it any longer and sprang for the Zojirushi last year. The rice comes out well, although still not as flavorful as the Panasonic can do with its longer/gentler steaming.

I used to use a pot, but have to admit the rice comes out more consistently with the cooker. Now that we have solar offsetting our local utility's extremely expensive electricity rates, I don't feel so bad about using electrical appliances, LOL.

I keep the cooker in a closet which serves as a combo 2nd pantry and microwave area. I make enough rice for 3-4 days at a time. It's so fast to reheat rice in the microwave, I don't bother to cook it fresh every day any longer. Don't know if that would work for you, YMMV.

Porter.....Now THAT is amazing (rice cooker in the car)! They are really dedicated to their rice in Japan..... I love all my gadgets, but that one kinda leaves me speechless.

Sophie.....I think the InstandPot Duo is around 80 bucks and I do believe I’ve seen the Bluetooth model regularly go on sale for $99 (although I have that one and the Bluetooth capability is almost useless because the range of it is barely 25 feet - bluetooth doesn’t work off site).

suzyq53,

You had me looking at Audis. Unfortunately it was an April Fools joke. I still think this is a good idea for my next car.

Audi Rice Cooker April Fools Joke

Good luck!

Thats so funny homepro! I want a frozen vodka dispenser for my BMW console.

Suzy,

as long as it is in the backseat and you are not driving, it may work! BMW bar :-).

A different kind of built in - our pantry build included spots for key appliances, so using the rice cooker is as simple as walk in / grab / walk out. I love our rice cooker!

That said, to Sophie's point, I recently read the below article from SeriousEats and ordered the Instant Pot ($75 on Amazon), as an upgrade to our stove top pressure cooker.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-better-than-slow-cookers.html

It includes comparison pictures of recipes made in slow cooker, pressure cooker and dutch oven.

I have used our crock pot so many times over the years but often results can be bland (still, DH never complains). For example, I made Marcella's 4 ingredient tomato sauce in the crock pot last week. It was pretty good but I bet it would be better in a dutch oven or pressure cooker!

Yesterday, I made the caramelized onions in the pressure cooker and then french onion soup for lunch. Yum! I am new to the seriouseats website but am looking forward to other pressure cooker recipes. Monday night 's dinner: Rich Chile Chicken Verde in under 30 minutes.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/04/pressure-cooker-fast-and-easy-chicken-chile-verde.html

When I was young, my mom used a cooker that was built in the cooking bench as in the past we still used firewood to cook and the built-in cooker could prevent the smoke all released out in the kitchen. But now we all use gas stove and replace the built-in cooker with electric pressure cooker. The pressure cooker is programmable and functional. you don't need to worry about space or time problems.

Hi...I'm not sure if you've seen it already, if not then check out the video "Olivia Munn's surprise renovation for her mom" on YouTube..she did a built-in rice cooker in the kitchen island

[sotto voce] I hate to spoil Audi's fun, but that rice cooker in the A8 was revealed in an April 1 advertisement a few years ago.

Ref: https://www.audi.jp/rice/