How does the rice cooker know when the rice is done cooking?
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I'm sure it has a moisture sensor or somthing like that.
Posted by: Nicole | April 29, 2005 at 08:45 AM
You mean to tell me it's not magic, Nicole?
Posted by: Slice | April 29, 2005 at 08:48 AM
I'm sure some engineer will have a great answer, I don't know why I even bothered.
I guess so I could get mocked, nice slice.
Posted by: Nicole | April 29, 2005 at 08:54 AM
Since I donn't know what a rice cooker is this is hard for me to answer. But I never thought rice was so difficult as to require a special gadget. Steamed rice can be simply timed. Risotto takes the constant attention, stirring and adding how liquid of the rice cooker. He or she knows it is done by the appearance and an occassional taste.
Posted by: wab | April 29, 2005 at 09:23 AM
Why, it tastes it, of course!
Posted by: -Dave! | April 29, 2005 at 09:57 AM
If it didn't, it wouldn't be a rice cooker. It would be a "something else" cooker.
Posted by: Hondo | April 29, 2005 at 10:11 AM
Over-simplified: It watches the temperature profile versus power added. First things warm up. Then the temperature versus power holds roughly stable (near boiling, cooking). Then it drifts up (last bits of water being absorbed). Then it climbs quickly (done). As this is happening the little computer is adjusting the power level. At the end it uses just enough power to hold temperature.
Details are a deep dark secret held by the Japanese experts.
Posted by: rjh | April 29, 2005 at 01:02 PM
That's a good questions, but here's what I want to know:
How does a thermos know to keep hot things hot and cold things cold instead of vice versa? Think abou that for a while and your brain will start hurting! I know mine does!
;-)
Posted by: JT | May 03, 2005 at 02:10 PM
Hondo has it essentially right, except that there is no computer in my rice maker. Water boils at 100 C (give or take), and even the rice starch in the water won't change the boiling point by much. As long as the water is boiling, it will never get hotter than the boiling point -- all the heat goes into turning the water from liquid to gas. After the water's gone, the heat goes into elevating the tempeture again.
I suspect the basic rice cooker has a mechanical temperature-sensitive switch that shuts off when the temperature gets above 100 C. I don't want to tear mine apart to find out.
Posted by: Jack Vinson | May 10, 2005 at 01:21 AM