A rice cooker making rice in a saucepan will yield different results almost every time, a $20-50 rice cooker is just a set it and forget it kitchen tool that yields the same results every time. Very nice and easy
and I will warn you, Get a rice cooker thats one step bigger than what you think you need, cause once you get used to having it, you'll end up making more rice and rice dishes cause its become so damn easy to make rice, and the last thing you want is to be limited by the tiny 2 cup rice cooker that you bought.
Totally not personal experience. (it is, its totally personal experience)
I did the same but went with an instapot since it can do rice too and I hate one trick appliances. Started off with the tiny one and then realized I cooked dang near everything in there after a while.
I'm sure it's possible to cook other things depending on the model. A lot of the one's I ran across where more on/off/time basic ones though. Having a bunch of settings and other options is kind of a pre-req for something that I'm likely to have out as a permanent counter resident, so individual needs vary. Had an old oster kitchen center for a while that was great for that reason until the motor burned out.
If we're giving out Rice Cooker tips: wash your rice before you put it in there. I use a sieve and a potato masher under the tap to squeeze the starch out. My rice has never been sticky since I started doing this, and now my "dish" that I bring to cook outs is my rice.
"A rice cooker. Making rice in a saucepan will yield different results almost every time, but a $20-50 rice cooker is just a set it and forget it kitchen tool that yields the same results every time. Very nice and easy."
It's more than when I'm cooking rice I'm also cooking other things and communicating with and helping my kids all at the same time. It has been invaluable just to not have to worry about the rice
My contrarian opinion is that rice cookers are worthless to any decent home cook, it just clutters your kitchen with yet another specialized tool that you don't need. I much rather have an air fryer occupying that space.
If your rice yields different results every time it's a skill issue not a tool issue.
Your rice cooker is probably too big for the portion you are making. Try making more rice at at time. If it works out, you can either batch cook and freeze leftovers or get a smaller rice cooker.
Oh, is that why is does it? Yeah, it's 1.8 litre one which seemed among the smaller models. But we do like 2-3 cups max, because that's like two big bowlfuls when cooked.