Aldi's Ambiano Is A Cheaper Dupe Of This Classic Rice Cooker

Rice cookers are a must-have kitchen tool for anyone who frequently cooks and eats rice. They're essentially mini steam cookers that heat food while keeping it moist and tender. Sure, you can do the same with a pot and lid, but the science behind rice cookers is that they are designed to heat rice to perfection, without having it stick to the bottom of the pot or dry out, taking the guesswork out of the process. If you've been putting off getting one of these gadgets because of the price, the Ambiano 2-Cup Rice Cooker at Aldi is only $14.99, and it's a nearly half-priced dupe of another popular cooker on the market.

Aldi's rice cooker has drawn comparisons to the Dash Mini Rice Cooker, sold for $24.99 on Amazon. Dash is a cookware company that offers several convenient, miniature products, including waffle presses and ice cream machines, whereas Ambiano is a trademark Aldi brand that carries several kitchen appliances. Each brand's rice cooker holds two cups of rice and features a removable inner bowl for easy washing. The rice cookers also have two settings: one for cooking and one for warming, which keeps the rice warm to prevent it from drying out or spoiling quickly. The only notable difference is that Aldi's Ambiano cooker is $10 cheaper.

Aldi is a German grocery chain that sells private-label brands at a fraction of the cost of equivalent name brands, and this strategy helps make it the cheapest grocery store in America on average. Aldi is known for its dupes that taste like the real thing, but this sentiment extends to certain kitchen products as well. Some budget kitchen appliances sold online end up having poor (or zero) customer service options, but Aldi allows budget-conscious shoppers to find affordable products with solutions should payment or quality issues arise.

The Aldi Ambiano 2-Cup also offers more savings than those at checkout. A mini 200-watt rice cooker is likely to be more energy-efficient than heating up the stovetop, as it takes a similar amount of time to boil and steam the rice. The non-stick pot that holds the rice prevents burnt, stuck-on messes, saving you time when it comes to clean-up too. Some of the best Aldi kitchen finds have included food processors, air fryers, and griddles, so it's not surprising that the grocery store has added rice cookers to its lineup.