As budding chef, I’ve been fortunate enough to interact with great cooks and seen a few at work. One thing I learnt is that they all have personal preferences on cooking pots and kitchen appliances.
Come to think of it, we all have personal choices on things we find productive. Instead of having several racks filled with pots (and spending money while at it), you will get more done with a few (well thought) pieces.
I see many people buying cookware sets as they’re considerably cheaper than individual pieces but how many of them will you be using regularly?
Rice is a staple in many homes and it’s wise getting the best pots for cooking rice that are multipurpose too? That’s what we’ll be looking at today.
OUR TOP PICK
To be fair, this made it to the top of my list for its affordable price tag. With it, you can make rice for a small family or a large one making it quite versatile.
The stainless-steel base has an aluminium core. Aluminium is a good conductor of heat and it distributes it evenly to the food you’re making. It’s light too. However, aluminium is not immune to corrosion. Two stainless steel layers sandwich this aluminium protecting it from abrasion.
This ensures that you have no burnt or uncooked rice spots in your dish. This pot is oven safe up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit if you’ll ever need to cook foods that require finishing off in the oven. The self blasting lid it comes with comfortably sits on the pot facilitating quicker cooking by reducing heat loss.
The unit is marked as dishwasher safe. Just in case you miss-time and end up with burnt rice residue, the dishwasher will do the heavy lifting for you. Faberware is a respected brand as they bring quality cookware and at the right price tag.
It’s no surprise that this exact model has many glowing reviews and purchases.
EDITORS CHOICE
This saucepan is quite versatile – just like the one from Faberware. It has a non stick coating which is a huge advantage. Not once have I got too distracted and forgot that I had rice on the stove.
Of course, I would spend the better part of the day trying to get off brunt food residues from the pan. With a non stick surface, this will be unheard of.
It comes at a higher price than the Faberware saucepan which is why ranks second on this list. However, looking at other products from Calphalon, you will admit that it’s a steal especially considering that it has a non stick layer. The comfortable handle is riveted to the pot’s body making it sturdy.
The stainless steel handle and lid handle are both silicon-coated ensuring that they don’t heat up when cooking. The tempered glass lid is quite an advantage when cooking rice as you can see how fluffy it is without having to open and letting the steam escape.
This pot is all aluminum which is paradoxically an advantage and a disadvantage. Aluminium is a great heat conductor and distributes heat evenly. In fact, this is why the Faberware pot has an aluminium core. However, it’s light an volatile.
Aluminium cookware tends to develop dens even under careful maintenance. Again, aluminium is more expensive compared to stainless steel and this is reflected in the saucepan’s price.
BEST VALUE
This cast iron saucepan from Lodge is great at cooking rice due to its innovative design. The cast-iron lid it comes with sturdily sits on the pot securely locking in steam.
This moisture ensures that the rice cooks evenly and is firm without being hard at the end of the cooking cycle. The pot’s enamel layer is somewhat non stick and ensures that cleaning up this pot is a breeze.
It goes for almost the same price as the two other pots we’ve gone through but it’s quite heavy. Few people prefer heavy cookware (unless we’re talking of pressure cookers and canners).
However, cast iron cooking pots are quite versatile with their best use being making stews. And you can use them in the oven at any temperature without worry of damage. Unlike conventional cast iron, its easy cleaning enamel cast iron and this shouldn’t be a put-off.
Best Pots For Cooking Rice Comparison Table
How long does it take to cook rice with these pots?
Of course, this will be dependent on the amount of rice you’re making, type of stove and how firm you love your rice. White and Jasmine rice cooks in 25 minutes. Brown rice, on the other hand, requires preheating before the bran cover soaks in water. It, therefore, takes slightly longer than half an hour preparing it.
What do all good pans have in common?
To the eye, pots and pans are quite different but they have much in common. They all have heavier gauges of material. In fact, this is why cookware brands refer to their cookware sets as being tri-ply or 5-ply. With “ply” referring to the number of layers in the pots.
Thin gauge cookware is cheap to make but doesn’t distribute heat evenly. If you will primarily be cooking on an electric stovetop. Ensure that you get a pot with a flat base.