I have a Sanyo 5.5 cup micro-computerized "fuzzy logic" rice cooker that I've used 2-3 times a week for several years. Before I got it, I was unsure whether it would be worth the space in my small kitchen because cooking rice on the stovetop didn't seem that hard (although I admit I did occasionally burn it or let it overflow and make a mess). Several of Asian-born and co-workers convinced me that a rice cooker was a must-have, so I finally broke down and bought one. I've very happy that I did. The best part is that it's so easy to set up and completely trouble-free. You don't have to worry about timing the rice so that it will be ready when everything else is, or keeping the rice warm if someone's late. The rice can never burn, overcook, or overflow. The Sanyo I bought is super easy to use and clean, and it has lots of nice features - a retractable cord, battery backup for the clock/timer, a carrying handle (handy for pot luck dinners), a clip-on holder for the rice paddle, an automatic keep-warm feature, and a steamer tray). I chose this one because it had excellent reviews (even though it's not perfect) but was less expensive than a comparable Zojirushi (many of whose models are very similar to Sanyo's). Sanyo is a subsidiary of Panasonic. I usually make 2 to 2 1/2 cups of rice at a time, but I occasionally cook as little as 1 cup. (The rice measuring cups that come with Japanese rice cookers = about 3/4 c. in American measurements.) There are markings for the water levels for various amounts and types of rice on the inside of the inner pot, so you just add the amount of rice that you want (using the measuring cup that comes with it) and fill with water up to the corresponding mark on the pot. (I usually rinse my rice in the pot and pour off the rinsing water before adding the cooking water.) I could have gotten by with a smaller 3.5 cup rice cooker, but I wanted a medium-sized one so that it would be large enough for entertaining. Rice cookers usually come in 3 sizes: 3.5, 5 or 5.5, and 10 cups. I cook a lot of Indian and Thai food, so I usually make basmati or jasmine rice, but I've used my rice cooker for other types of rice as well. The rice comes out best if you fluff the rice when the cooking cycle ends (as the instructions tell you). The only negatives about this model is that water tends to condense in the trough near the hinge (they may all do that - this is the only rice cooker I've used), and after several years of frequent use, the titanium-coated inner bowl has gotten scratched (ever though I've never used anything but the plastic rice paddle with it). Also, I haven't found a source for replacement bowl for my model. I recommend that you compare the various sizes for any particular model that you're interested in before buying. The difference in footprints (counter space) between the 3.5 and 5.5 cup models isn't that great (although if you have a tiny kitchen like mine, every inch counts), and the prices are not that different either. The larger models tend to be more versatile. My 5.5 cup cooker came with a steamer tray, for example, but the corresponding 3.5 cup model did not. In addition to steaming, some models claim they can be used to make tofu, bake bread, or double as a slow cooker. I've read that some models can be used to make yogurt or proof bread dough. I've added a link to a Sanyo model that looks very similar to mine. Now that I know how much use I've gotten from my rice cooker, if I were shopping for a new one, I'd probably be willing to consider higher-end models as well, even though this mid-price one has done its job. For example, Zojirushi now has pressurized rice cookers that cook faster and are supposed to keep the rice soft longer (but the pressurized ones are pretty expensive). Here is a link that might be useful: Sanyo 5-cup microcomputerized rice cooker

Which ever machine you choose, I'd also give her a copy of "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook" by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann so she can get even more use out of the rice cooker by cooking not just rice, but also other whole grains (making a wide variety of pilafs, risotto, polenta, chilis, soups, porridges, puddings, whole meals and more - from recipes in the cookbook). If you can locate the book at your local library (or through inter-library loan), there is a great deal of information about types of rice cookers, features, functions, etc., that would be helpful with your choice - so it will "fit" her needs.

we do steel cut oats in the microwave at work (coaches oats) but I thought it would be nice to make one big batch instead of individual batches...plus I was trying to dupe the Jamba Juice oatmeal..After looking for jamba juice dupe recipes, all I found was that they use soymilk and one person said they had seen them use Country something or other steel cut oats...but on jamba juices website it states they used Quaker Steel cut oats, soymilk.

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