IT'S TOO HOT TO TURN ON THE OVEN, SO I'M MAKING EVERY MEAL WITH MY RICE COOKER INSTEAD

Heatwaves are an extremely clarifying experience. Not only are you likely sweating out any manner of toxins and vital nutrients, but you're also learning what you are and are not willing to forego so that you won't add any more heat to your life. (Lights? Off and unplugged! TV? Okay, maybe one more episode of "Outlander"). As for me, last year's 109-degree days in LA taught me that the only cooking appliance I'll be using from June to October is my beloved Toshiba mini rice cooker.

Previously, I'd only experienced thrifted cookers or sneakily used my roommate's Zojirushi (which is like the Lamborghini of rice cookers). But when my roommates and I all parted ways, I had to wave goodbye to the magical singing Zojirushi and say hello to sub-optimal sushi rice. That is, until I found my Toshiba rice cooker and started singing the song of the rice cookers from the rooftops.

Here's What You Can Make In A Rice Cooker

Not only is this bad boy well under half the price of the fancy Zojirushi (making it solidly the Volvo of rice cookers), but I've found that it can cook pretty much everything, all while not steaming up my kitchen when I'm hiding from the heat.

And you can also essentially throw the manual right in the trash—it's that easy to use. Each button corresponds to a different function (whether you want to slow-cook or boil eggs). There's also an up-to 24-hour delay start option and a little jingle to let you know as soon as it's ready!

Perhaps most important of all, it can make a giant pancake. This actually is true of pretty much all rice cookers, but the Toshiba is particularly ideal in that it has eight distinct cooking settings and contains a so-called "fuzzy logic" feature that can detect the moisture levels of what you're cooking and adjust the cook time accordingly. What this means is that if you're cooking polenta, oatmeal, sushi rice, sticky rice, quinoa, or yes, a pancake, this rice cooker will adjust the temperature and timing so that it all cooks evenly. Combined with the steaming valve on top that keeps pesky steam from escaping and the automatic shut-off, we're talking as minimal heat as possible coming off of this guy.

I could essentially open a 24-hour diner with eight Toshiba rice cookers on different settings as my sous chefs. For brunch, expect oatmeal with farmer's market berries, a savory congee, or a buttermilk "table" pancake. For dinner, I'm rolling out all the stops, like sockeye salmon cooked atop black rice or a whole salt-baked chicken prepared right in the gosh darn rice cooker. Yup, pop a whole chicken right in that sucker!

Look, I'm no giraffe, nor am I an Instagram fitness influencer. Even when the 109-degree days started to become more commonplace during last year's heat waves, I just was not about to eat salads and smoothies for every meal of the day. My meals still need to involve some cooking, but I don't want the pit stains to show for it. So, what started with humbly making some truly bomb rice and beans directly into the rice cooker quickly morphed into making a week's worth of heatwave-proof dinners, snacks, and even an entire cake!

Yes, I know I may sound like the ShamWow Guy, albeit for my Toshiba rice cooker. But I'm more than okay with being that girl, because I do, in fact, say "wow" every time I use it, and I've yet to break a sweat.

2025-06-05T17:52:02Z