By Tara Richter
I love to cook, but one thing is certain – I absolutely hate making rice. It requires such careful measurement for the appropriate rice to water ratio, and such vigilant attention to prevent it from either boiling over, or (as is often my case) cooking to the bottom of the pot. I’ve also never been very good at getting that light and fluffy rice at the end of cooking. Mine usually resembles some type of sloppy rice mash.
Hamilton Beach has a great product to solve these rice predicaments in the Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer. This little appliance is perfect for making all kinds of rice, beans, pasta, soups, steamed fish, steamed vegetables and much more. The rice cooker has a 4 to 20 cup food capacity meaning that its great for small meals for one to two people, but is even great for larger groups too!
Once I opened the box I decided to make a great big pot of Jasmine rice (my favorite). I added the water, pushed the button for the setting and waited for the timer to beep. Expecting to find beautiful light and fluffy rice when I opened the lid, I was unfortunately confronted with a big pot of rice “goo”. Baffled at why it didn’t turn out as I had expected, I turned to the instruction manual. (Which yes, I realized I should have read FIRST). This handy little manual does a great job explaining how to use all the features on the rice cooker, as well as how to make the proper measurements for perfect rice.
My error, as it turns out, was in assuming that a rice cooker used the exact same measurements of rice to water as stove top methods. I had simply added far too much water, and had the wrong cook time setting that inadvertantly turned my rice into a goopy paste. As it is explained in the user manual, there is a small plastic measuring cup that comes with the unit and is key in getting the perfect water to rice measurement.
I was really impressed at the versatility of this small appliance. Not only can it make every kind of rice, it can also be utilized to steam fish, vegetables, as well as pots of soup, pasta, and rice mixes. The user manual has some great little recipe ideas too including one I wouldn’t have originally thought of making in a rice cooker – Oatmeal.
I simply LOVE having nice hot oatmeal first thing in the morning, but (like rice) I hate having to wait for it to cook. One of my favorite things about this Hamilton Beach product is that it has a delay setting on it which means you can combine all the ingredients the night before and hit delay (between 1 and 15 hours), making fresh oatmeal a reality each morning. Not only does the delay setting provide a hot breakfast, but its also great to set in the morning just before work and have ready to eat when you arrive home for supper. It even has a ‘keep warm’ function so that once the food is done cooking, it won’t get cold! I also found that I locks in the moisture of the rice (or oatmeal) so that it doesn’t dry out as its on the keep warm function.
After playing around with the different settings, and taking some time to read the manual, I attempted a second round with my Jasmine rice. This time it was absolutely cooked perfect, and was even light and fluffy as I scooped it out of the pot and onto my plate. While the jasmine rice was cooking, I tried out steaming some vegetables too! Not surprisingly – they were also cooked absolutely perfect. As a busy parent with lots to do around the house, I really value the ability to simply toss the ingredients into a pot, hit some settings and then walk away to have it cook without my constant attention. It really frees up so much more of my time to do other things instead of worrying if the water will boil over or if the rice will be sticking to the bottom of the pot.
I really think I’ve only scratched the surface of what this Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and steamer can do and I’m excited to try all the recipes included in the book and maybe even come up with some of my own. It definitely has made cooking my favorite side dish an absolute breeze! Its really so easy to use that even my eleven-year-old son who is just learning how to cook some basic things, can use it too. This alleviates a lot of stress for me of him having to cook over the stove for safety reasons too!
This holiday season, give the gift of the Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer. It makes a perfect gift for those who love to cook but like to have a bit more flexibility with their time. Hamilton Beach is a trusted product and this one is really no different. You can find this product for sale at many local retailers like Walmart (currently on rollback for $32.96!), or online at places like Amazon.ca
I love the timer option.
I would love to gift this to my daughter, she eats a lot of rice based dishes.
I’d love to have this rice cooker because of the delay start option. It would be wonderful to wake up to hot oatmeal or come home to warm soup or stew. A great appliance to have on any kitchen.
I’ve never tried a rice cooker before but so many people have told me how great they are so I’d love to try one myself.
I’ve never had a rice cooker but I always hear how good they are – I would love to try one out!
I would love a rice cooker. I heard great things about them, and it would help make perfect rice every time.
My daughter would love this as she is away at school. She loves rice and steaming her veggies.
I love to win to do rice and steam other food such as fish and veggies in it.
Would love to have a steamer!
We eat lots of rice dishes in this house..this would be wonderful to have
I need a new rice cooker and this one looks great!
I would love to gift this to my brother as I love mine.
I would love to win because I’ve always wanted one. Yes, for me. I love my rice dishes.
I would love this as we eat a lot of rice! this would make it easier!!
Love to have it just for making fresh oatmeal each morning so that it will be ready as soon as we get up
It would make weeknight meals much easier!
Looks very easy to use!
I’d love to keep this for myself as I’ve always wanted a rice cooker.
I would love this because it would make things so much quicker and easier in the kitchen
I love the timer option
I’ve just gone low carb, so wouldn’t use this for rice, but it would be great for vegetables. And the novelty factor might mean I’d actually eat more :0
This is actually on my mom’s Christmas wish list this year! I can now see why she wants one! I’d love to gift this to her if I won.
a friend of mine has a rice cooker and swears by it
We love rice and this would cook it to perfection
I don’t have a rice cooker yet and all my friends who have them swear by them so I’d love to win this
I’d love to give this to my dad! He eats a lot of rice and this would make it easier for him
I’d love to have the Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer,because rice and steamed veggies are the biggest part of our meals
I would love to have this because I am hit and miss when it comes to cooking rice. This would be so handy to help with meal prep!
I would love to win this because it would be a total help with every meal – from breakfast to lunch and dinner. So versatile!
We eat a lot of rice and veggies, so this would make dinner prep much easier!
Well I was going to say I would love to win this because we love rice, but now that I have read about the time delay and how I could use it to have fresh, hot oatmeal made every morning I definitely want it for that!! I am not a morning person, so the ability to pre-set it to be ready for when we get up would be amazing!!
We eat alot of rice here so this would be very nice to have!
would love this as i always manage to burn the rice when made on the stove!
I would love to win this for myself as I have been wanting one for a long time now.
I`d love to have one for myself. I used to use one all of the time for rice but it`s on the fritz. This new one looks wonderful!
I love that you just put your rice and water in the cooker and it automatically shuts off. I don’t have such good luck when I cook rice on the stove top.
I would gift this, thanks for the chance
My daughter would love a rice cooker.
I would actually love to keep it for myself. It sounds like a handy appliance to have, and it will definitely motivate me to make more homemade meals.
I would like to have a rice cooker for our home.
I would love to win this rice cooker because I don’t have one and I cook a lot of rice dishes.
My husband and I are working shift work and starting our own business in the new year so anything that can simplify my life is a plus right now 😉
I’d love to have this rice cooker so I can make perfect rice in a snap!
I’ve never owned a rice cooker but really appreciate its ease of use!
I have never owned one and heard many great things, plus I am living a healthier lifestyle and this would be perfect for me!!
I would love this for my niece she wants a really good rice cooker but can’t afford once since she going to nursing school right now
I love rice so this would be nice to
Rice is definitely a staple in our house. This would be great, even the kids could figure it out 🙂
This would be handy for get togethers!
I think it would make my life easier in the kitchen. I’m always looking for shortcuts.
I’d love a rice cooker – we dont have one!
My kids loves white rice and this would make making rice so much easier and have it turn out every time.
I want to gift it to my parents!
I would loe to have this to make meal time easier especially after a long day at work, it looks easy to add to the meal at dinner
I would keep the Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer for myself because cooking perfect rice is an art I haven’t mastered yet.
I’d love to win because we eat a lot of rice. This would make cooking it so much more convenient!
I’ve wanted a rice cooker for a while but could never quite justify getting one
I would love to win as my life is so hectic – this would simplify one thing 🙂
I’d love to win as my bf would use this!
I’m not the best at cooking rice so this would be great to have!
I would to love to win this for the fact that is easily steaks so many items and it would be so helpful!
I’d love to win this for my Grand-Mother who cooks rice regularly.
I would appreciate the delay feature on the Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer. I would use it for rice, veggies and oatmeal and maybe more!
What a great tool for any kitchen! We had a rice cooker growing up and it’s something I am really missing.
Our rice cooker is on its last legs – we’d love a fancy new one!
I have heard good things about rice cookers, but don’t have one. i would like to try one and maybe eat more rice and oatmeal!
I’d love to win this for my mom who makes rice daily!
We have this rice maker and we love it but I would love to gift one to my daughter who is just moving out for the firsttime on her own soon !
i would gift this to my sister who just moved and doesn’t have many kitchen appliances
I would love to make my own rice in this, steam my awesome vegetables and now… make some oatmeal.
I would love to have this for myself to help with dinners! What an awesome idea to make oatmeal in it!
I would gift this to my mom because she loves making rice dishes 🙂
I would love to gift this to my son, he loves rice.
I would love to use it for oatmeal in the mornings!
I would love to have this for myself,because I do not own a rice cooker!!
I would love to gift this to my sister-in-law. She likes to make a lot of rice and this would be make it so much easier for her.
I always cook rice so this would be perfect for me!
I would keep this for me
Like you say, making rice is iffy and you never know what you will end up with. A rice cooker (and this one looks/sounds fantastic) would really help!
love this rice cooker! would be so useful in our kitchen! both making rice and a steamer!
I would keep this for myself. I’ve always wanted one.
I’ve never had a rice cooker and would like to try one out.
My sister is now a mom of 3 so I think this could help her out a lot with meals. I’d love to gift this to her if I won.
I need an rice cooker I always burn my rice when I make it!
I’d love to win this for myself. I make rice often, so this would be great to win.
I would like to have the Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer because that way I could make great rice every time.
I would be keeping this for myself. Haven’t had a rice cooker in years. I never thought of cooking oatmeal in a rice cooker before. We eat oatmeal 5 days a week.
I’d gift it to me I don’t cook rice very well.
I thought I was the only one who messed up rice! Lol, mine is never light & fluffy it’s always too mushy & sticky & I always make waaay too much! I’d keep this for myself, I’d probably end up using it as a steamer for veggies more often than as a rice cooker since we only eat rice a few times a month but the idea of having crisp steamed veggies instead of overcooked boiled veggies is nice!
I would like to win a rice cooker so that my husband can actually make rice for once. He can never seem to get it right lol!
I would love to win one. I have never owned a rice cooker before but have tried rice cooked in one and loved it. Thanks for the chance to win
My daughter moved out this past August..and when she did, she took the rice cooker. I really, really miss it!
I’d love to gift this to my sister because i know she’d get a lot of use out of it!
I’ve never own a rice cooker! Thanks for the chance on this versatile one 🙂
I have always wanted a rice cooker and this would make oatmeal perfect for the cold mornings.
I’d love to have this. My old rice cooker isn’t programmable so this would be great. Love the idea of hot oatmeal ready when I am.
My family LOVES rice … this would make my life soooo much easier …..
It would be great to win this Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer.
I would love to have the Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer
because i like to eat rice and this looks like a great product.
Thank you for having this giveaway.
Our family eats a lot of rice and we usually do the stove top method with 5 minute rice. I’d love a rice cooker to make it properly.
I would love this rice cooker because we make a lot of rice. mine is just a cooker , doesn’t have a steamer on it, would love to be able to steam my veggies, instead of boiling them and loosing all the nutrients in them.
i loved having a rice cooker then my hubby broke it. i would keep this for me
We have rice everyday & we need a new rice cooker.
I would love a rice cooker it would help make perfect rice every time.
I would love to have this for my husband who hasn’t perfected cooking rice yet.
I’d love one because I have heard they work amazing and now I know they can cook oatmeal!
I would like it and gift it to my friend
I would keep this because I’ve always wanted one (and I love how it can be used to cook oatmeal!)
I would love to have this for our family, we love rice and I am also thinking oatmeal, my favorite.
I would like to win this because I have a teenager who loves and lives on rice but is to lazy to cook it lol this would help out
I would love to own a ricer cooker , never ever had one , it would be awesome and so easy , thanks for the chance 🙂 i would have to keep it for myself !
I would love to win for my family . We have a large family and this would make dinner time a little more simple
my mom has one and i love it,easy way to cook perfect rice
My rice cooker broke and i miss it. This would be fantastic to have.
I would love to have it because I love rice but I’m terrible at cooking it!
I’ve never had a rice cooker. Would be so convenient!
I would love this for my son. He eats rice most days and this would be so convenient.
I would love to gift this to my niece. She is always cooking different rice dishes or steaming foods
As a bachelor with few kitchen appliances….I would keep it
I would love to gift this to my husband, who is a much more adventurous cook than I am, and see what he concocts!
My current rice cooker is over 15 years old and on it’s way out.
I’d keep this for myself. I don’t have a steamer.
I love eating rice!
A rice cooker with a timer…it’s a win/win!
Never owned a rice cooker – it would be awesome to have this
would love to win this. Have never had a rice cooker before
I was just talking last night about how I cannot make rice on the stove top so this would be ideal for me!
We’ve always wanted a rice cooker
I would love to have the Simplicity Rice cooker as my daughter has one and it is great.
I want to gift this to my mom since her rice cooker is really old and she cooks rice every day, so this will be perfect for her
As a runner I consume my fair share of carbs in the form of oatmeal and rice, this would be a great addition to my kitchen!
We eat rice everyday.
This would be perfect gift for my son, he has rice most days.
I would love to have a rice cooker, because I love rice, but hate cooking it over the stove!
I have never owned a rice cooker. Instead I continue to cook it the old fashion way and 50% of the time it doesn’t turn out as light and fluffy as this wonderful product would produce!
I would gift this to my mom! She has always wanted one!
I would love to have this for myself. I’m always cooking rice.
I usually make rice in a pot on the stove. This seems like it would be easier and better.
I so need to win this to gift to my daughter and her husband..she has been wanting one for such a long time especially now since she just found out shes a diabetic. Fingers crossed
I would love to gift the Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer to my mother. She is elderly and doesn’t cook as often as she used to, this rice cooker and steamer is a safe way for her to be able to make rice, and steam vegetables. She would get a lot of use out of it, and it would help her to be more independent.
My daughter Lisa has always wanted a rice cooker and I would love to gift this to her. She is such a busy mom with three really busy young children. Her kids love rice so much, and this would make things easier for her. Thank you for the chance.
I always struggle with making good rice – this would help!
i absolutely love rice and would be delighted with a rice cooker!
I’d love it for my neice as she is the biggest rice fan I know and eats it every day!
We eat rice everyday, it would be nice to have a new rice cooker to help speed up my meal prep.
Fav fish is curry and rice.
I love cooking rice 🙂 It would simplify the process for me.
I would love to win. I always mess up the rice.
always like rice and would make it easier to cook!
I would love to win this and replace the old hand-me-down rice cooker that we have used for years
It would be the perfect housewarming gift for my friend.
I would keep it as I have nothing equivalent
I would love to win this as I have never owned a rice cooker. It wasn’t until I read this post that I learned about everything else you can cook in it. What a fab machine.
I would love to give this to my mother in law for Christmas
Since the price of meat has gone up we are making more stirfrys for meals. Stirfys means rice. I would love a rice cooker to cook actual rice instead of minute rice. Thanks for this chance
I want to win this one for my mom for Christmas.
I’d love to have this rice cooker because it is better than the one that I have now. The one I have doesn’t have a locking lid.
We have rice all the time, our old rice cooker is over a decade old and it sticks. I love the timer option. I could really use an upgrade.