If you don't want to fuss with under/overcooked rice, get one of the new rice cookers that has fuzzy logic. It adjusts the cooking time of the rice based on how much water you used. The rice is always perfect, never burned, so you never waste any rice. I make all kinds of rice, pilaf, etc, and you can even make soup in it. I used to laugh at people using rice cookers, but you just load it and never have to worry about it, and you don't take up another burner on the stove. Gone are the days when I burned the rice because I didn't check it. Only drawback is that it costs more than the average rice cooker, but it you're a serious rice eater, you will not be sorry. I bought my sister-in-law one, too.