I know I'm late weighing in on this subject, but I'd like to suggest trying something before buying a rice cooker. You can start the rice and let it cook while you fix what goes on top, and by the time 15-20 minutes are over, your food should be ready to eat.

To fix Chinese style home rice, get a saucepan with a good lid. Put your finger down perpendicular to the bottom of the pan. Pour in long grain rice so the rice is to the first joint on your finger. Pour in water up to the second joint. Add one teaspoon of salt, stir, and turn on the stove to get the water to simmer. Turn the heat down, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Do not peek. This should make a moist, stick to the neighboring rice grains, sort of rice.

To fix more distinct grains of rice, use basmati rice, one cup of rice and two cups of water. Add a teaspoon of salt. Turn on the heat on low, cover the pan tightly, and check after 17 minutes.

To make pilaf, chop fine one small onion or half a big one. Saute it in a tablespoon or two of oil. When the onion is turning translucent, add a cup of rice and stir it around for about three minutes. Then add two cups of water or nice chicken broth, one teaspoon of salt, and turn down the heat, and cover tightly. Cook for 18-20 minutes.

It's far from rocket science, folks. You just need a thick bottomed saucepan with a good lid and an adjustable heat source. I wouldn't bother with a rice cooker unless I was fixing rice two or three times a day instead of four or five times a month.

Sue in St. Louis

I'll second this.... I have my favorite rice pot.... heavy cast
aluminum, and put in water up to my second joint of my index finger,
a shake of salt, a bit of oil, bring to a boil, and dump in one cup
of Basmati rice. Stir a couple times until it returns to a boil,
turn down to a simmer, cover and I peek at about 15 minutes for a
sample. Usually I can turn off the heat and let it sit for a couple
minutes and it is ready. Been doing that for a long time and it is
as foolproof a way to excellent rice as I know of..
Heh... I could even make a nice pot of rice over a wood fire if
necessary, which most rice cookers would simply not do....