As a half-Japanese child, I was taught at an early age from my Mom and Grandma to prepare white rice properly, as we ate it for almost all meals. It pains me to think that others do not know to wash their rice prior to cooking, and how many bugs hide in grains.
I'll start with mine (and most people's) favorite rice cooker brand, Zojirushi. You can't go wrong with any model from their brand in my opinion. They even make a smaller (5.5 cup) size, if you are only planning on cooking for 1-4 people in your household. The rice cooker sings to you when starting, as well as when your rice is perfectly cooked at the end.
These rice cookers keep your leftover rice perfectly warmed for days! I honestly wouldn't want to live without my rice cooker. Waking up to fresh, warm rice to accompany a fried egg, or leftovers for lunch is a game changer when time is short or work is busy.
Ideally, we wash the rice (or any grains) with filtered water, but tap works if not feasible for your situation. Typically, I will wash 3-4x, but you want to be able to see clearly through the water, to the rice.
My Japanese Grandma taught me to "wash" the rice by massaging the grains with love (and clean hands), but using your rice spoon also works if you work the rice thoroughly around. These rice cookers should be treated like a Teflon pan--do NOT use any metal utensils or metal scrubbing sponges.
Pro-Tip: I was told that the "dirty" rice water is great for water your plants, as it contains an immense amount of nutrients for your garden. We love to reduce, reuse, recycle!
