Just Bento

That's hilarious!

And how do you fill them?

Personal prejudice and all that, but I really don't get microwave rice cookers. If you really have VERY tight kitchen space maybe it makes sense...but then I think I'd go more for one that makes at least 2 cups at a time.

I got a microwave rice cooker a couple of years ago, that promised to make a bowl of rice. It came in the form of a very nice ceramic bowl and lid thingy. If you followed the instructions, it took just as much time as a rice cooker. To cook one little bowl of rice. I used it exactly...once. (I'm selling it at my upcoming moving sale, if it hasn't gotten broken at the back of the cabinet.)

A small, basic rice cooker only costs like $30 US or so and is so easy to use. And can be used for grains other than rice too. So yeah... I don't get microwave rice cookers. ^_^;

I suppose microwave rice cookers would be good for someone in a college dorm room where they don't allow stoves or burners. That is if you were only going to have one appliance and you choose a microwave. Personally I'd get a small rice cooker and an electric kettle instead, you can make lot more stuff in a rice cooker than rice and other grains too. Some models have a slow cooker setting also. I've made soup and stew and cakes in mine.

The onigiri maker is cute though. :)

I don't get microwave rice cookers because what's the need? It's like microwave popcorn cookers - why can't you just use a pyrex or ceramic casserole dish that you already have? I cook rice in the microwave all the time, using a variety of dishes depending on how much rice I want. Takes exactly the same amount of time as cooking it on the stove, but it comes out perfect each time and there's no chance of forgetting it and accidentally making charcoal.

does anybody mind sharing how do you cook rice in the microwave?
I only got my microwave recently and I mostly use it to defrost or re-heat things, but I wouldn't mind using it for cooking, it's just that I don't know where to start :/

Really good explanations! Now I know why my medium grain and long grain rice come out good, but my short grain is soggy. Too much water! I was washing and draining it correctly but putting in 1-1/4 cups of water to one cup short-grain rice. Thanks!

I like to cook corn-on-the-cob in the microwave too. The other good thing I use it for is too shorten the time for baking potatoes.
Wash the potato, poke a couple holes in it, then nuke it for about 3-5 minutes per potato, depending on the size.

I then finish them in the oven at about 400*F. You can cook them the whole way in the microwave but they are then more steamed than baked. I like the crisp skin baking in the oven give them, but I don't like how long it takes. This way cuts the time in about half.

Thanks to Stimps at Bento Lunches we have more information and pictures of it in use!!!

http://community.livejournal.com/bentolunch/3486879.html

and

http://www.flickr.com/photos/schtimps/sets/72157614179593328/

Thanks for sharing your experiences Stimps!!

Eilish