Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker 8 Cup Review

When it comes to picking a rice cooker for your household, you’d obviously go for the one that can make perfect rice, is convenient to use, and can also be used to cook other delicious meals. The Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker 8 Cup 37518 promises to do all this and more, with its pre-programmed settings and a dishwasher-safe nonstick cooking pot that can cook a complete and balanced meal in one go. Read more below to find out more about this rice cooker.

About the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer

Hamilton Beach rice cookers offer some of the best rice cookers in the market, and this rice cooker model is possibly the most ideal cooker for most households based on its price and performance. The Hamilton Beach 37548 rice cooker outperformed considerably more costly rice cookers and it is just as excellent at cooking grains.

Is Hamilton a Good Rice Cooker?

Using this unit means cooking healthy is as simple as adding the ingredients to the inner cooking pot and turning it on. Like its counterpart, it is not only great for cooking rice, but it also has an integrated basket that can be used to steam vegetables, fish, and poultry, while the rice cooks underneath. 

After it cooks rice, you can keep the rice warm with its “Keep Warm” button. A countdown timer shows how much time is left on the cook cycle, so you don’t have to open the lid to see if the grains are finally done. The unit also comes with a rice paddle, a rice measuring cup, and a cooking pot with nonstick coating for easy cleaning and a fresher taste for your rice every time.

Can You Cook Rice with Hamilton Beach?

White rice, whole grains, steam, and hot cereal are among the four preprogrammed options of this cooker, and the nonstick coating on the inner cook pot makes cleaning old rice out a breeze. In terms of cooking rice, the unit can cook grains perfectly but has a longer cooking time than most. Regular rice can take 45 minutes while brown rice, long grain white rice, and other rice types might take even longer.

How Do I Use My Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Rice Cooker as a Steamer?

The Hamilton Beach 8 cup rice cooker comes with a steamer basket that doubles as a rice rinser. While the rice is cooking, you can steam seafood, poultry, or vegetables on top of the cooking pot using the steamer. This means you can serve salmon or chicken along with your rice at the same time without worrying about additional pots and pans to clean.

How Do You Steam Carrots in a Hamilton Rice Cooker?

You can steam cook carrots and other veggies using the steamer basket separately, or as you’re cooking your rice. Steaming veggies requires little effort, and cooking them along with brown rice ensures you enjoy a healthy meal filled with nutrients.

How Do You Cook Rice in a Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker?

Use the unit as you would any rice cooker. To use the steam basket, ensure that you’re only making one serving of rice, particularly if you’re planning to steam veggies and meat alongside the grains. After you’re done preparing the rice, simply put the steamer on top of the cooking pot, close the lid, press your desired settings, and leave it to cook. Since the rice cooker comes with dishwasher-safe accessories and an inner pot, cleaning after your cooking is hassle-free.

How Do You Cook in a Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Rice Cooker?

While it may have its own unique features, this 8-cup rice cooker is just like any rice cooker and can be used as such. You just have to rinse grains, add them to the cooking pot and place it inside the cooker. Make sure the bottom of the cooking pot is dry so water wouldn’t touch the heating element below. Pick your desired setting and let the rice cooker do the rest.

How Much Rice Do You Put in a Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker?

The Hamilton Beach 37518 is an 8-cup rice cooker, meaning that it can cook up to 8 cups of cooked rice (4 cups raw). Adding more and you’ll risk overworking your cooker, leaving you with unevenly cooked grains.

How Much Water Do You Put in a Rice Cooker With Rice?

Rice cookers come in different capacities and build, so some may need less water than others. In the Hamilton Beach 8 cup rice cooker, you’ll need the usual 1:1 water to rice ratio.

What is the Best Ratio of Water to Rice?

1 cup water to 1 cup white regular rice is the common ratio for most cookers, however, it ultimately depends on what type of rice you’re cooking. For example, brown rice typically requires two cups of water for every cup of brown rice. To ensure you’ll have perfectly cooked rice every time, you can refer to this water-to-rice ratio guide.

How Long Does Cooking Rice Take in a Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker?

One of the cons of using this 8-cup rice cooker, aside from its large size that can take up quite a bit of storage space, is that it has a longer cooking process than most rice cookers. However, the digital counter is a major benefit since you will know precisely how long you will have to wait before you can eat.

How Do I Set the Timer on My Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker?

Using the timer in the Hamilton Beach 8-cup rice cooker requires just a few presses. To set the timer, just press and hold any desired button until it reaches your preferred cooking time. If unsure, you can always refer to the guide that comes with the unit.

Hamilton Rice Cooker Features

Time-Saving

Since the unit includes a steam basket, you can cook your side dishes along with your grains. This is particularly ideal for families that want to enjoy, warm home-cooked meals even during busy mornings.

Multifunctional

The unit features pre-programmed settings that let you cook rice, grains, and hot cereal perfectly. It also comes with a steam setting if you plan on steaming your food separately.

Automatic Keep Warm Function

Once your grains are cooked, keep them at their optimum serving temperature using the unit’s Keep Warm setting. Since it’s automatic, you don’t have to worry about overcooking your food as you do other chores.

Pros and Cons of the Hamilton Rice Cooker

What People Are Saying About It

In terms of design, the Hamilton Beach 8-cup rice cooker isn’t that impressive compared to other high-end rice cookers. However, it can outperform considerably pricier rice cookers and is ideal for families or individuals that love to cook their meals in one go.

Where to Buy Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker

Looking to add the Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker 8 Cup 37518 to your household? You can head out to Amazon to check the best deals and prices.

Want to look at other similar or better rice cooker models? You can read our comprehensive rice cooker reviews and guides here.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where is Hamilton Beach rice cooker made?

While this rice cooker brand is sold all over the world, it is exclusively produced in China.

How do you cook rice in a Hamilton Beach steamer?

You can reheat cooked rice using your steamer basket to regain the fluffy texture and fresher taste of your grains after it has been refrigerated. Simply place the rice in the steamer and steam it separately or alongside your newly-cooked rice.

How do you use a Hamilton Beach multicooker?

Like any other programmable rice cooker, A Hamilton Beach multi-cooker can be used to create a variety of dishes in a short amount of time and using the least amount of effort. A multi-cooker is the ideal cooking tool. It can slow cook, bake, pressure cook, fry, and do a variety of other things. And, with a one-button operation, even culinary beginners can use them.

To understand how to operate a multi-cooker, always read the manual that comes with the unit. Many brands have unique functions and cleaning procedures, so spend some time studying them to ensure your unit can last a long time.

How do you cook rice in a Hamilton Beach pressure cooker?

To cook rice in a Hamilton Beach pressure cooker, first, add 1 1/4 cups of water to the rice in the pressure cooker. Only 1 cup of water should be added for each additional cup of rice,  meaning you need 2 1/4 cups water for 2 cups of rice, 3 1/4 cups water for 3 cups of rice, and so on. Cook grains for 3 minutes on high pressure, turn off the pressure cooker, and pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Once done, you can remove the rice from the pressure cooker, fluff with a rice paddle, and serve.

How much water do you put in a rice cooker for wild rice?

When cooking wild rice on the stovetop, the liquid to wild rice ratio is 3 to 1. If using a rice cooker, one cup of wild rice to two cups of water should be enough. In an instant pot, 1 ⅓ cup of water is sufficient.

Can you cook basmati rice in a rice cooker?

Using rice cookers is the fastest way to cook grains perfectly, so cooking basmati rice in a rice cooker is an ideal option. Wash the rice to remove extra starch and drain thoroughly in a colander or rice washer. Add rice and adequate amounts of water to the rice cooker. Set the rice setting to normal. Brown basmati rice may be cooked by selecting the Brown Rice setting. When the rice is done, fluff it with a rice spatula/paddle and serve hot.

How much water do you put in a rice cooker for basmati rice?

The amount of water required depends on what type of rice is used. If you’re using old, long-grain basmati rice, you’ll need 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. If you’re using American or freshly harvested basmati rice, reduce the water to 1 3/4 cups.

How much Visil do I need for basmati rice?

Typically, it takes around three whistles for the rice to be perfectly cooked. If you’re cooking more than 2 cups of rice, you can wait until 4 whistles before turning off the pressure cooker.

Which is the best brand for rice cooker?

It depends on what functions you need for your household. Knowing which features you want, such as dishwasher-safe accessories, induction heating, large capacity, etc., should be taken into account before you make any purchase. For more information, you can check out our best rice cookers guide here.