Tools for the job: Rice Cooker

A rice cooker is an incredibly handy tool to have in the kitchen, especially if rice is something you use a lot of. I only have limited experience with rice cookers, but from the few times I have used them, I can say that they made me reluctant to go back to cooking rice on the stove.

 Also, most colleges will not allow anything inside your dorm with an exposed heating element - which means rice cookers are generally allowed.

Most of the high-end rice cookers can run upwards of $200, but I do know that there are a few that you can find for under $20.

Black & Decker makes a small, 3-cup model - the cheapest I could find. 

At the risk of sounding as though I am endorsing certain products, I would recommend the Black & Decker model pictured above. No, I am not some kind of affiliate marketer. This is just the most affordable model I know of, and I write for the cooks on a budget!

Now, if you seem to think that your money does not need to be spent on something that only makes rice - hear me out! These appliances can much more than make just rice. 

There are a whole host of rice cooker recipes to be found on the internet - including stews, pilafs, puddings, soups - some even come with a little rack so you can steam vegetables! 

For the budget cook and college student, these little appliances are worth their weight in solid, gold ninja stars. 

As I said before, I do not personally own a rice cooker (yet), but I would highly recommend them. If anyone has any rice cooker experiences/recipes/recommendations of their own that they would like to share, please comment!