Hot take: my cheap $15 rice cooker actually cost me more in the long run

I grabbed a tiny rice cooker from the Asian grocery store in Chicago about 2 years ago. It worked fine at first but the nonstick coating started peeling after like 6 months. I kept using it anyway cause I thought "it's just rice" but then I realized I was throwing away burnt batches all the time. Plus the scratched coating cant be healthy right? Finally replaced it with a $30 one last week. Should have just spent the extra $15 upfront instead of wasting food and maybe eating teflon flakes. Anybody else have a cheap appliance that bit them back?

2 comments

2 Comments

simonw411d ago

You think that peeling nonstick coating was bad? Wait till you find out that cheap rice cooker probably started leeching lead into your rice too. I had a buddy who used a rusted out $10 hot plate for three years because "it still gets hot." He finally replaced it after he set a pan of water on it and the whole thing just cracked in half. Sometimes you gotta admit that saving a few bucks just means you'll pay for it later with burnt food and a side of mystery chemicals. Hope the new $30 one treats you better.

mason_jackson1d ago

Have you ever tried just sanding down a cheap hot plate's rust spots and sealing it with high-temp paint? I've salvaged more than a few budget appliances that way, but honestly once the metal starts getting brittle like that, it's done for. At least the new one won't give you tetanus with your scrambled eggs.