The Oster CKSTRCMS65 3-cup uncooked rice cooker is the perfect size for one or two persons. The Oster CKSTRCMS65 cooks up to 3 cups of uncooked rice to prepare up to 6 cups of cooked rice. It has an aluminum steaming basket for steaming vegetables. The glass lid gives a good view of the rice or vegetables while it is cooking and steaming. Here is our review of the features, questions, likes and dislikes of the Oster CKSTRCMS65 rice cooker and food steamer.
Oster CKSTRCMS65: List Of Features
- Aluminum steaming basket for steaming food.
- Automatic keep warm.
- Includes measuring cup and rice ladle.
- Indicator lights for cook and keep warm.
- Made for use in the USA with 120V, 60Hz, AC power supply.
- Maximum rice capacity is 3 cups of uncooked rice.
- Nonstick pot can be removed for easy cleaning.
- One switch operation for cooking.
- Rice cooker uses 300 watts to cook.
- Tempered glass lid.
Cooking Pot
The cooking pot has a nonstick coating which is easy to wash, but remember not to use any metal utensils, or it will get scratched. There are markings on the inside of the cooking bowl for 1 to 3 cups of water.
Use the included measuring cup for measuring the rice as well as the water. The measuring cup has a capacity of almost 6 ounces, which makes it smaller than a standard US 8-ounce cup.
Aluminum Steaming Basket
The steaming basket is made from aluminum and can be used for steaming vegetables such as broccoli, carrots or asparagus. You can steam veggies while cooking rice in the pot below, but then there is not enough space to cook the maximum amount of rice.
You may use the rice cooker as a steamer. Put water in the bottom of the cooking pot and steam the vegetables in the steaming basket. The vegetable steamer tray can hold about one serving of vegetables, which is enough for one person but not for a family. Get a larger rice cooker with a deeper steamer tray if you want to steam more vegetables.
Steam Vent
The steam vent releases excess water in the form of steam and might sometimes be a little messy. Remember to rinse the rice before putting it into the rice cooker bowl. This will reduce the amount of starchy bubbles and make cleanup easier.
Automatic Keep Warm
The keep warm feature does not work well to keep the rice warm and tasty. It tends to dry out or burn the rice if left inside for too long. Unplug the rice cooker (it does not have an on/off switch) after the rice has finished cooking to avoid this problem.
How long does it take to cook rice?
The Oster CKSTRCMS65 rice cooker takes about 20 to 30 minutes to cook rice, depending upon the amount of rice you are cooking. Brown rice will take longer to cook than white rice, and it also needs a little extra water. The rice cooker cannot tell whether it is cooking white or brown rice, so check the rice to see whether it is done or needs more water.
Can you wash the pot in the dishwasher?
You may wash the lid, steamer tray and inner pot in the dishwasher. However, the nonstick coating might last longer if you wash it by hand. Soak the pot in warm water and soap for a few minutes, and then wash it. Use a soft sponge and dishwashing liquid. Avoid using abrasive materials which will damage the nonstick coating.
Can it cook steel cut oat porridge?
The Oster CKSTRCMS65 does not have a porridge setting (or any other settings). It has only one cook/warm switch. Nevertheless, you might cook a small amount of steel cut oats in this rice cooker. You will need to watch the oats to see when it is done. Leave the glass lid slightly open to prevent steam and bubbles from building up inside the pot.
How do you switch it off?
The Oster CKSTRCMS65 has one switch for either cooking rice or keeping warm. You press the switch to the cooking position to cook the rice. The switch pops back automatically to the keep warm position after the rice has finished cooking. You therefore switch off and unplug the rice cooker at the wall outlet to turn it off.
What do we like about it?
- It is cheap to buy and easy to operate.
- The compact size is big enough for 1 or 2 people.
- Glass lid, aluminum tray and nonstick pot are easy to clean.
What do we dislike?
- It does not have a delay timer function.
- The automatic warmer function tends to dry out the rice.
- Most rice cookers use a smaller measuring cup: about 2/3 of a normal 8-ounce cup.
- The lid needs to be left slightly open when cooking steel cut oats to prevent excessive bubbling.
Conclusion
The Oster CKSTRCMS65 3-cup uncooked rice cooker and food steamer is a very affordable rice cooker. It does not have much else to offer except for cooking rice and steaming food, but that is what it is supposed to do. It will work for this purpose, but do not expect restaurant quality rice from this inexpensive rice cooker.
The Oster CKSTRCMS65 rice cooker is simple to use and easy to clean. It does not have a delay timer or any special cooking settings. Nonetheless, it cooks rice at a cheap list price (shop now on Amazon).
Thank you for reading our review of the Oster CKSTRCMS65 3-cup uncooked rice cooker and food steamer.