The best rice cookers for gloriously fluffy grains at home: nine tried and tested favourites
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From long-grain to quick-cook, brown basmati to jasmine, different rice grains have different cook times, different rates of absorption and varying starch levels, which can all affect the result. Instead of fluffy, individual grains, you may find your rice burnt, stuck to the pan or with a claggy, chalky or overly glutinous texture. Dinner ruined.
That's where a specialist rice cooker comes in. They're a common kitchen appliance in Asia, and the best rice cookers guarantee perfect rice every time. Many machines intuitively set up the cooking time and guide you to add the correct ratio of rice to water depending on the variety. Many have a delay function, or can safely keep the rice warm for up to 24 hours – so you'll always have dinner ready and waiting. Today's technology has also seen some rice cookers become multifunctional, with the ability to slow cook, sear and stir, too. At the other end of the spectrum are basic microwave rice cookers – we tested this variety too.
Best overall rice cooker:
Yum Asia Bamboo rice cooker£189.90 at Yum Asia
Best budget rice cooker:
Russell Hobbs large rice cooker£26.49 at Amazon
Best multi-cooker rice cooker:
Ninja Foodi 8-in-1 PossibleCooker£119 at Amazon
Best microwave rice cooker:
Sistema rice steamer£7.99 at Amazon
Best mini rice cooker:
Yum Asia Panda mini rice cooker£94.90 at Yum Asia
I've been testing kitchen goods, recipes, food and drink for newspapers and websites for a decade, so I have a good grasp of what's really useful to have in your cupboard, and whether something is good value for money.
I enjoy cooking but am far from an expert, so I approach these appliances just like any other home cook would. I cook for my family every night and understand how much of a tricky balance it can be to make tasty, nutritious food without spending hours in the kitchen. Ultimately, I'm looking for gadgets that are easy to use, give good results and can make your life easier.
I tested 10 rice cookers, each of which was either personally recommended, well-reviewed or from a well-known kitchen appliance brand. Most were new to me, although a few I had tested years previously, and one appliance was still in play from my recent slow cooker testing.
To test each machine, I cooked a cup of basmati rice, following the manufacturer's instructions where provided or using the ratio suggested on the rice packet if not. Next, I cooked a cup of sushi rice using the same method; few appliances gave guidelines for cooking sushi rice, so I used the on-pack instructions. If the appliance performed well during both these tests, I then experimented with brown rice and jasmine rice. Some appliances had further functionality that needed testing – where there were risotto programs, for example, I made risotto following recipes provided by the manufacturer.
In the interests of safety, I also used an external temperature sensor to record the temperature of the appliance at the end of the rice cooking program; none of the machines posed a hazard and were all fairly cool to touch.
Some of the rice I cooked wasn't edible and had to be thrown away, but the vast majority of rice cooked was good quality – so I have eaten rice every which way over the last month. Luckily, if food safety guidelines are followed carefully, it's perfectly fine to freeze cooked rice, so I've had a useful supply of fluffy basmati, fragrant jasmine, sticky sushi rice and creamy risottos on hand. My family and I are now at peak rice consumption levels, thanks to the weekly poke bowls, Indian banquets, egg fried rice and everything in between.
The rice cookers sourced for this article are either being sent back to the manufacturers or donated to a community hub in Barnet, where they will find useful new homes or be used in a community kitchen.
£189.90 at Yum Asia£199.90 at Amazon
The Yum Asia Bamboo rice cooker uses 3D induction heating technology – whereby the rice is surrounded by heat to cook evenly – and its 'AI Smart Brain' microprocessor to analyse the weight of the rice, water volume and other factors to cook rice using a wide range of settings. Choose from white/long grain, short, brown, crust, quick cook, 'yumami' and gaba (germinated), add the specified amount of water to well-rinsed rice and away you go for enough rice for up to eight people. Other settings are accessed on the easy-to-use LED display panel: steam, porridge, slow cook and cake, all cooked within the same ceramic-coated inner bowl or using the steam basket supplied.
Why we love itYum Asia is a master of rice cooking, with an unparalleled understanding of how to cook different types of rice to perfection. I've never made sushi rice as perfect as in this machine, and it churned out variety after variety of the same quality. One cup takes about 35 minutes to cook, although the gaba setting – which claims to germinate brown rice to increase its nutritional value – takes a bit longer. I'm someone who has never particularly enjoyed brown rice, but I do now.
The machine automatically keeps warm once the rice is cooked and has a delay function, as you'd expect. It's large enough to be useful, but not too large for easy storage, and it operates with just a low whirring noise and no excessive steam. I also like the cool handles to lift out the pot; others should take heed. A standout machine.
It's a shame that … I have no criticism to make of the Yum Asia Bamboo: it's perfect – if you can afford it.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 35minsDimensions: 27 x 37 x 24cm (WDH)Capacity: 1.5 litresExternal temperature at end of cook: 21C
£33 at AO£26.49 at Amazon
A large-capacity, budget-friendly, no-frills rice cooker from Russell Hobbs that performs better than you'd expect. The instructions are light on the ground, as is its functionality – there are no different programs or guidelines for different types of rice, nor any timer function.
Why we love itTo my surprise, the Russell Hobbs rice cooker handled every type of rice well. Basmati, sushi, brown and jasmine rice all cooked quickly and evenly without any fuss, sticking or mess. It was also the only machine that didn't stipulate that rice should be washed first, so I didn't. The rice was still great and took between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on the variety, and the machine switched to keep-warm mode automatically after cooking. This large-capacity cooker would be ideal for any family.
It's a shame that … there's no estimated time for how long your rice will take to cook. You'll learn this over time, but the first few times you'll need to stand over the cooker until it's done. Especially as I wouldn't recommend leaving this one on the keep-warm mode for too long: the rice dries out fast.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 20mins
Dimensions: 32.2 x 24.5 x 22.6cm (WDH)Capacity: 2.8 litresExternal temperature at end of cook: 45C
£119.99 at Argos£119 at Amazon
The Ninja Foodi 8-in-1 PossibleCooker doesn't bill itself as a rice cooker, but it's hard to define it as any one thing with this much functionality. I held on to this one after our recent test of the best slow cookers so that I could put it through its paces against designated rice-cooking appliances.
Why we love itI wasn't surprised to find it did well – Ninja appliances can rarely be faulted in my experience. I used the steam function to cook the rice, but you'll get all the other functions too: slow cook, sear, braise, simmer, bake, prove and keep warm. With one of these, there's no need for a separate rice cooker.
Ninja suggests a recipe for risotto, which turned out beautifully. You'll need to scour the internet to find guidelines for other types of rice, but I made a guess at a ratio and cook time (one cup of basmati rice to two cups of water, 10 minutes on steam function and a five-minute rest) and it was successful – no sticking, scorching or excess starch. I cooked sushi rice equally successfully using the same method, and I increased the water by half a cup and cooking time by five minutes when dealing with brown rice, which worked well.
It's a shame that … it's very large. But with this many settings, it can replace so many other appliances in one.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 15mins
Dimensions: 28 x 29 x 42cm (WDH)Capacity: 8 litresExternal temperature at end of cook: 45C
£7.99 at Currys £7.99 at Amazon
A microwave rice steaming bowl is nothing new, but it's probably not something most of us own. And why not? It's inexpensive with a simple, failsafe design, offering quick, mess-free convenience. This Sistema version has a large 2.6-litre capacity, suitable for feeding a family, and uses a pressure-chamber tray to draw away overflow liquid for perfect steamed rice and couscous. It's also dishwasher- and freezer-safe.
Why we love itI wasn't anticipating this to compare favourably with the expensive electric rice cookers I tested, but it actually does. Using its suggested ratios and timings, my basmati emerged after 15 minutes with individual fragrant grains, with no starchiness or chalky middle. Other rice varieties weren't mentioned in the instructions, but sushi rice worked well using the same method. For brown rice, I added another five minutes and was successful. If you're nervous about cooking rice in a pan, then I highly recommend trying one of these. It guarantees results without having to put your hand too far into your pocket. For anyone concerned about Pfas – the 'forever chemicals' in some plastics – this cooker is made from safe polypropylene.
It's a shame that … it gets so hot. It's been in the microwave for 10 to 15 minutes, so there's no getting around this. Much is made of the 'easy lift handles', but you'll still need oven gloves to handle the container until it cools.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 15mins
Dimensions: 21.6 x 21.6 x 16.4 (WDH)Capacity: 2.6 litresExternal temperature at end of cook: 85C
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£94.90 at Yum Asia £99.90 at Amazon
Yum Asia's cute mini rice cooker isn't just a pretty face. Despite its diminutive size, it can cook rice for up to three people and has four rice-cooking functions, plus another four settings: porridge, slow cooking, cake and steaming. It can also be set in advance and has an automatic keep warm setting. Yum Asia says the machine cooks rice using 'advanced fuzzy logic' technology, which means it gauges the weight, content and water volume of your cook to adjust the temperature, steam level and rest time accordingly.
Why we love itYum Asia has done it again with this rice cooker. You can't fail to turn out the best rice you've ever made with one of these on your worktop. Basmati, sushi, brown rice and jasmine were all fantastic, cooking silently and mess-free with minimal steam escaping. It's brilliant.
It's a shame that … it takes quite a long time. One cup of basmati takes about 40 minutes, which is longer than most of the other rice cookers on test.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 40minsDimensions: 22.5 x 30 x 21cm (WDH)Capacity: 0.6 litresExternal temperature at end of cook: 36C
£135 at Sous Chef£166.60 at Amazon
Best for: sticky rice
Cuckoo is a premium Korean brand that has been making rice cookers for more than 40 years. This model uses an intuitive four-step process of soaking, heating, steaming and resting rice based on the type selected. You can choose from eight settings including various types of rice, congee and slow-cooked stews, with enough capacity for up to three people.
It didn't make the final cut because … I found it cooked sushi rice well, but some longer-grain varieties were slightly overcooked, with a lot of rice sticking to the pan. The instructions also seem to have been badly translated, and as a result, they're confusing. It looks very cool on your worktop, though.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 40mins; dimensions: 20 x 29 x 22cm (WDH); capacity: 0.5 litres; external temperature at end of cook: 27C
£34.99 at Lakeland £34.99 at Amazon
Best for: using on the go
Lightweight and compact, this 500ml affordable rice cooker is ideal for taking to work for lunchtime-ready rice or walking in to creamy porridge ready for you in the office. It's easy to use, cooks in 30 minutes and switches to keep-warm mode automatically. It's not as sturdy or well-made as many of the other cookers on this list, but it does the job. It's a good machine for a first foray into rice cooking.
It didn't make the final cut because … starch kept bubbling out of the steam vent and it gave off a burning smell even though the rice was fine.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 30mins; dimensions: 16.5 x 14.5 x 19cm (WDH); capacity: 0.5 litres; external temperature at end of cook: 41C
£78.99 at Robert Dyas£79.99 at Debenhams
Best for: quick cooking
This imposing German-made rice cooker is great for quickly preparing large amounts of rice. With a minimum two-cup capacity, this machine is best for catering for several people at a time, or batch cooking. It cooked my basmati rice in 15 minutes and gave good results, despite not having guidelines for any particular rice varieties. It also works as a steamer and cooks porridge, although you'll need to stir throughout and stick to only water to cook it.
It didn't make the final cut because … at this size and price, I'd like more functionality.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 15mins; dimensions: 31 x 29 x 29cm (WDH); capacity: 5 litres; external temperature at end of cook: 27C
£200 at GreenPan£200 at Currys
Best for: feeding a crowd
GreenPan makes an outstanding slow cooker, so I was excited to try its Omni Cooker. It has lots of settings – sear/saute, stir-fry, sauce, simmer, steam, white rice, brown rice, grains, soup and keep warm – and a sizeable 5.6-litre capacity, perfect for family dinnertime. The rice programs take 50 minutes or more and are best for cooking large quantities. The basmati rice towards the bottom tended to crust and some was unevenly cooked, but the top layers fared better. This machine would be best used as a one-pot-meal maker – I'd suggest cooking plenty of rice layered with veg and a protein on top.
It didn't make the final cut because … the rice cook was uneven and took a long time.
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: 50mins; dimensions: 22.5 x 34.8 x 21.5cm (WDH); capacity: 5.6 litres; external temperature at end of cook: 43C
If you can't get to grips with cooking rice in a pan, are keen to master different types of rice, or simply eat a lot of the stuff, then a rice cooker is a sensible investment. And while multi-cookers are extremely tempting, not all of them have nailed the rice cooking aspect in the way that dedicated appliances have done – proceed with caution.
If you haven't got cash to splash, then a machine for about £30 will do the trick perfectly well – or consider a microwave rice cooker to see how much you actually use it. Otherwise, I'd point you to one of the Yum Asia machines – real rice cooking mastery awaits.
Joanne Gould is a freelance food, drink and lifestyle writer with a decade of experience. As well as enthusiastically eating her way through London's best bars and restaurants, she's also a keen home cook and can often be found trying a new recipe or kitchen gadget, while taste-testing anything from South African wines to speciality coffee or scotch. Luckily, she also enjoys walking, running and keeping fit and healthy in her spare time – for balance
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The Guardian
20 hours ago
- The Guardian
The best office chairs for all-day comfort and support, tested
What's the most important thing when you're spending hours sitting in front of a computer? Is it having the fastest internet? The sharpest screen? The perfect keyboard? No. When you're spending most of your day sitting on your bottom, the most crucial element is what's directly underneath. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. With a good office chair, you can handle a long working day without any feelings of discomfort. With a bad one, you can expect backache, neck ache, tender glutes and assorted nagging pains. Who wants to return to work when the last day left you feeling achy and decrepit? Many decent chairs are available, and while you don't want to go cheap, you also don't have to spend a fortune. I've spent the past three months trying six of the best office chairs – including some lower-cost alternatives – to help you make a better choice. Best office chair overall: Slouch Task One Best budget office chair: Habitat Beck Best for all-day comfort: Herman Miller Aeron Best for style: Ikea Hattefjäll I'm a hard-working writer who spends long days (and often nights) sitting at a desk. I'm prone to spending even more time at my desk after working hours, playing video games and working on personal projects. Basically, I'm a world-class endurance sitter, and I demand a lot from my office chair. I'm also an experienced reviewer, covering consumer technology, PC hardware, ergonomic office accessories and a wide range of home and garden products. I've got a strong idea of what works, what is going to drive you crazy, and what you need to think about before you buy. I'd like to say I spent hours running automated pressure and wear simulations, but in truth, I simply spent a lot of time sitting on each chair. I assembled each model where assembly was required, noting any issues with the process, the supplied instructions and the fixtures and fittings provided. I then spent up to a fortnight using each as my everyday office chair, sitting in blocks of up to five hours, two or three times a day. I also roped in my wife for further testing. She's a freelance illustrator and similarly inclined to spending long days at her desk. We rotated the chairs between us, occasionally bickering over who got to sit in the most comfortable option and who would be hit with the chair with the immovable backrest and less cushioning. I also put each office chair's adjustments through their paces to see what could and couldn't be moved, checked for safety issues and noted any mechanisms that didn't feel built to last. When we'd finished with a chair, it was dispatched back to the manufacturer, or a branch of Devon charity Hospiscare, so that it could go on living a useful life at someone else's desk. The Slouch Task One may not have the wow factor of the Herman Miller Aeron featured below, but it still gives you everything you'd want from an office chair. It comes unassembled, but can be put together in 20 minutes because of clear instructions, complete with videos to help. Once assembled, it feels solid, with none of the cheap plastics or creaky fittings found on the budget chairs. It looks good, too, in a choice of black or light grey for the frame and seats in beige, charcoal, pink, light grey and blue. Most importantly, it's hugely comfortable, making light work of even the most epic working days. Why we love itSlouch has got the seat spot on, with enough padding to keep your posterior from encountering any hard surfaces, and a moulded shape that holds up well under pressure. The mesh backrest keeps the spine upright while allowing for a degree of tilt, with a four-stage lock and synchronised mechanism to keep you balanced. Just about everything is adjustable, from the seat height and depth to the tension of the backrest, the height and position of the arms and the placement of the lumbar support. The gas lift has a smooth action that makes it easy to get the height right. Slouch also offers the chair with a choice of casters, covering soft and hard floors (though there is an additional cost of £19 for the hard floor option). It's a shame that … you have to pay £39 extra if you want a forward seat-tilt mechanism, although it's still a bargain compared with most other chairs. Some may hanker for more padding on the soft-feel armrests or find the colour options bland. Dimensions: 70 x 65 x 108cm Seat depth and height: 42-48cm; 42-54cm Adjustments: seat depth, seat height, arm height and position, back-tilt tension, lumbar support Habitat's chair does a good job of fitting into your average home-office setup. It's compact and attractive, with a white frame, a pink mesh backrest and a sunny light orange seat. Clear instructions make it easy to assemble – I had it ready within 15 minutes – and it feels solid once that's done. There are, sadly, no adjustments for the back or arm rests, but the seat height can rise from 44cm to 52cm, and it tilts backwards and forwards as you move. Why we love itIt's less than £100, but the Beck looks and feels like a more expensive chair. The seat has better cushioning than you'll find on other budget options, and it's neither too soft nor too firm. You may want more support from below for all-day working, but it's fine for a few hours here and there. The tilt mechanism is also more responsive than on some cheap models, though the fixed back means you don't get the same flexibility as on the Slouch, Herman Miller and Ikea chairs. The Beck is a great chair for slouching at your desk while you're engaged in deep thought or otherwise procrastinating, but not so great when you're sitting up and trying to get work done. The backrest feels slanted backwards, suggesting a relaxed posture rather than the more ergonomic vertical stance. It's a shame that … the back isn't adjustable, and neither is the seat depth or the height of the armrests, so you're stuck with what you've got. If it were my own money, I'd really try to find the extra to get the Slouch. Dimensions: 65 x 60x 92cm Seat depth and height: 48cm; 44-52cm Adjustments: seat height, back-tilt tension, tilt lock The Aeron is a high-end office design classic, and you only need to sit on one for an hour or two to understand why. Counterintuitively, the mesh seat is gentler on the glutes than any conventional padded effort, sloping down and curving off to support your thighs at just the right angle without digging in behind the knee. You can't even feel the hard plastic edge at the front, which is where so many copycats fall down. It looks and feels like the seating equivalent of an executive saloon car, mixing tough plastics with the occasional bit of chrome. Why we love itIt comes already built, so there's no pain there, and it's incredibly adjustable. It's the only chair where I needed to refer to the instructions to figure out all the controls. However, once you spend an hour or so tweaking all the heights, depths and angles, it fits the body like a glove, effortlessly tilting forwards and backwards in perfect synchronisation as you move. If you absolutely have to spend long days and nights beavering away to hit a deadline, this is the chair to do it in. While getting up to move and stretch is recommended, your back and neck won't be accusing you of torture when you do finally get away. Make sure you buy it in the right size, with smaller and larger A and C options as well as the standard B fit. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion It's a shame that … it's big and heavy, so best for an established office space; you don't want to lug this big galoot around. Really, though, the only reason not to buy it is the price. It's arguably worth it even so, but it is a serious investment. Dimensions (size B): 66 x 60 x 109cmSeat depth and height: 46cm; 45-58cmAdjustments: seat height, arm height and position, back-tilt tension, tilt limiter, lumbar support With its elegant frame, sleek seat and backrest and choice of tasteful fabrics, the Hattefjäll brings a touch of Scandinavian style into the office. You'll feel like you're working at an upmarket consultancy, even when you're sitting in your faded T-shirt and jogging bottoms because you haven't got a video call that day. Why we love itAs with pricier chairs, it has a synchronised tilt mechanism, so you can shift backwards and forwards to keep the body moving, and the casters lock in place when there's no weight on the chair, so it won't skid around when you sit down or stand up. The Hattefjäll is more than just a great-looking chair; it also has a strong set of features for the price. The backrest is adjustable to five different heights, and you can tweak the seat depth and the lumbar support. The armrests are height- and width-adjustable, reducing strain on the shoulders, and you can lock the tilt to avoid excessive slouching. It's among the most ergonomic options at this price. It's a shame that … the levers to adjust the height and tilt are a bit too small for comfort, making these adjustments tricky. I also had a serious problem with assembly. The arms attach with bolts that screw into a slit in the fabric of the seat, but these were a nightmare to align, and one bolt refused to screw cleanly into place. Yet the long-term issue here is a seat that's thin and firm, which I found uncomfortable as I neared the end of every day. Do our Swedish friends have something against cushioning? Dimensions: 68 x 68 x 114cm Seat depth and height: 40cm; 46-56cm Adjustments: seat height, seat depth, arm height and position, backrest height, back-tilt tension, tilt lock, lumbar support Best for: a very low budget The Archie is affordable for a mesh-backed office chair, but you lose a lot in terms of flexibility. The backrest bolts on to the arms, meaning neither can be adjusted, and there's no way to move the lumbar support up and down. I found the backrest solid and supportive, but if you're taller or shorter than average, you may find the lumbar support in the wrong place. On the plus side, I found this chair easy to assemble with straightforward instructions, and it's relatively comfortable if you're sitting for only an hour or two. You can tilt backwards and forwards to shift your spine around, with an adjustable tension knob and a handy lock on the height adjustment lever. It didn't make the final cut because … there's just not enough padding on the seat, and the foam used doesn't do a great job of holding its shape under pressure. After a few hours, you can feel the stiff board underneath the seat from your bottom to your lower thigh. I managed to spend more than a week with the Archie as my main office chair, but only because I had a memory foam cushion I could stick on top. Dimensions: 61 x 60 x 102cm; seat depth and height: 46cm; 44-56cm adjustments: seat height, back-tilt tension, tilt lock. Best for: a cheap desk chair for occasional use It's no mystery how this chair can be found at such an astoundingly low price. Everything inside the box needs to be assembled, including the base, involving 30 slightly agonising minutes of Allen-key action before you get a chance to sit down. The arms and backrest are fixed in place, as is the lumbar support, and while you can tilt forwards and backwards, the chair creaks and groans if you push it too far. Despite this, I found the chair surprisingly comfortable for short periods. The arms felt too low to keep my shoulders level while typing, though – a problem when there's no way to shift them up or down. It didn't make the final cut because … of its insufficient padding, with the seat feeling brutally hard and unforgiving within the space of three or four hours. I might consider it as a desk chair for lightweight offspring or for occasional evening use, but you need to spend more if you work from home. Dimensions: 59 x 46 x 100cm; seat depth and height: 46cm, 45-55cm; adjustments: seat height, back-tilt tension, tilt lock Looks are important, but what's vital is that an office chair is comfortable. And that's not just what you feel when you first sit down, but how it supports your body and posture over longer periods. Ideally, you should be able to adjust the chair so that you can sit with your feet flat close to the desk, with your thighs close to horizontal and your back vertical and straight. Your arms should be able to sit parallel to the desk and be supported by the armrests. Chairs that help you achieve this working posture will be more comfortable when you're sitting in them for most of the day. This is what makes adjustments so important. The more you can move the backrest, the arms, the seat and any lumbar support, the better chance you have of finding the right fit. DesignBeyond that, the design and structure of the seat and backrest make a difference. Foam backrests can be solid and supportive, but they can affect your posture if they're too soft. Mesh backrests are usually cooler in the summer, while still providing plenty of support. The seat will always be subjective, but you want enough cushioning to relieve pressure on your thighs and buttocks, without it being so soft that your posture suffers or you can feel any hard surfaces below. Look out for hard surfaces near the front or edges that might end up digging in an inch or two behind the knees. TiltSome degree of tilt is great. It means you can push back in your seat and rest for a minute, and that the chair will support you as you shift around. However, there needs to be control if you want to adopt a better posture while you're working. The best office chairs offer a synchronised tilt, where the seat and backrest tilt independently, but still move in unison to support you as you move. A degree of forward tilt can also be useful if you want to avoid pressure behind the knees. SafetyWatch out for safety aspects of the design. Office chairs have to conform to British standards for fire resistance, but it's also worth checking for rough edges or sharp points that may poke you as you move around your workspace, and for any mechanisms that might trap a finger while you're leaning back. Don't go cheap on a chair you're going to spend a lot of time in; you'll regret it later on. Stuart Andrews is a journalist with more than three decades of experience in computing and consumer tech. When he's not messing around with PCs, laptops and projectors, he's trying to tame his post-apocalyptic garden with the latest cordless gadgets. Likes arty movies, walking and devices that just work; hates things that won't connect to his home network
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Why have I been hoarding 39,674 emails?
Our worst water-wasting habit might not even feel slightly damp: we're now being told to save water by clearing out our inboxes. 'Deleting emails, unbelievably, makes a difference to the amount of water the country uses,' Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency director of water, told the World at One last week. Hoarding decades' worth of 'Your Amazon order is out for delivery' notifications in datacentres consumes not just energy but water for cooling, and tech companies are building those datacentres in some of the most water-scarce places in the world. Wakeham called an email cull 'something really tangible people might not think of that can make a difference', and I do want to make a difference. I don't use water-gobbling ChatGPT, I comply with the hosepipe ban (albeit swearing at Yorkshire Water as I slop washing-up water into my shoes transporting it to my dying plants) and my showers are so short they're basically pointless. So I checked my inbox: 39,674 emails dating back to 2009. Ugh. And what emails! I sampled a random month in 2017 and it was mostly ads (for everything from Pokémon cards to a Thai cafe where I once used the wifi), plus low battery alerts for my long-defunct FitBit, updates on a rat I sponsored (also, surely, long-defunct), PTA round robins and a rudely rejected pitch. Why did I keep them? Why do any of us? Inertia, and overwhelm; irrational anxiety we might need some of it 'someday'; a misplaced belief there's gold in them thar folders (a gif of a leopard trying Marmite I once sent myself admittedly sounded golden, but the link was dead). Maybe – and I'm mostly trying to convince myself here – we could cast off this thirsty digital comfort blanket. Will HMRC ever demand proof I went to Peterborough in 2011? Could I find that cookie recipe another way (say, ooh, by Googling it)? Is a forensically detailed discussion of Gap boyfriend chinos really vital material for my memoirs? Join me, and let's free ourselves of decades of digital dross. We have nothing to lose but a complete record of every pizza we ordered 2012-2025. Emma Beddington is a Guardian columnist
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
The real meaning behind 99 Flake's name - and it's not what you might think
The origin of the 99 Flake's name has been revealed, and it's not what you might think. As the UK cools down from yet another heatwave, many Britons will have found themselves re-familiarised with the tuneful sound of ice cream vans, and while some prefer the fruity refreshment of an ice lolly, the treat seemingly most synonymous with British summers is the 99 Flake. Though it's a treat loved around the nation, few of its fans know the true origin behind the 99 Flake's moniker. The creamy vanilla soft-serve has been at the heart of cost controversy over the years, with many complaining that the treat has become unaffordable, and many believing the name represents its original cost of 99p. However, the real reason has nothing to do with its price. The moniker was given as a way to entice Italian customers visiting the UK. A company representative said: 'An ice cream served in a cone with a Flake 99 is the UK's favourite ice cream. In the days of the monarchy in Italy, the King had an elite guard consisting of 99 soldiers. 'Subsequently, anything really special or first class was known as '99', as reported by The Mirror. 'When Cadbury launched its small Flake for ice creams in 1930, the UK ice cream industry was dominated by ex-pat Italians. So, to appeal to Italians, we called our superb Flake a '99'.' The treat, piled high with delicious swirls of creamy vanilla ice cream, is known for being served in a wafer cone and topped with a Flake chocolate. Though a Cadbury's Flake can be purchased from most UK-based shops, it was originally designed by the confectioner 'for ice cream and culinary use'. Its cuboid structure was designed specifically to fit into a wafer, and by the 1930s, it was being sold in half-sized portions for serving in an ice cream cone. The Flake itself was first invented ten years earlier in the 1920s when an employee at the Birmingham-based chocolatiers noticed that when the excess chocolate from the moulds used to create other chocolate bars was drained off, it poured out in thin streams. When it cooled, the chocolate would then set in distinctive ripples of chocolate with crumbling properties. The original craftsperson behind the treat is reportedly unclear, though some think it was down to the invention of Stefano Arcari, an Italian who owned an ice cream shop in Scotland at 99 Portobello High Street - hence the name. It's thought that Arcari would snap pieces of flake in half and wedge them into ice creams sold to customers. 'It has been a family legend for as long as I can remember that my grandad invented the '99', but the problem is, we have no proof,' Tanya Arcari, Stephen's granddaughter, told the BBC. 'My dad always said that my grandad broke a Flake in half - before the short '99' Flakes were manufactured - and stuck it in an ice cream. 'We're not sure of the exact date he did that, but it was not long after he opened the shop in 1922.' Other theories include one which claims that the '99' Flake was so-called to honour the i Ragazzi del 99, 'the Boys of '99'. They were a group of soldiers born in 1899 and so the last to enlist in the First World War. While the original name origin of the iconic ice cream may be unclear, there is one thing about the 99 Flake that can be said for sure - it's price is rising. Prices for a single 99 flake have spiked to shocking highs of £5.75 - showing the drastic shift as Britain's favourite cone becomes unaffordable for much of the country. Recent reports revealed some ice cream fans flogging Mr Whippy for as much as £5.70 at one popular tourist destination in Coventry. One UK citizen called Emma visited Coombe Abbey along with her young son on Tuesday, April 2. The mother said she was 'taken aback' by the cost of ice creams which were priced at £5.70 for a twin with flake. Emma decided to go ahead with buying the treats and reluctantly forked out £7.90 for the pair. If the prices were clearly displayed, the 37-year-old said she would have 'avoided' the kiosk, which is run by No Ordinary Hospitality Management. However, a spokesman for NOHM said the prices were clearly displayed. A spokesman for No Ordinary Hospitality Management said: 'Items from the kiosk start at £2.50 and all prices are clearly displayed on the board. 'We work as hard as we possibly can to offer refreshments and treats to suit all budgets but we have had to increase the prices of these particular ice creams due to a 26 per cent rise in the cost of ingredients and a 10 per cent rise in staffing costs. 'We are in regular contact with our suppliers and our ice cream prices are in line with other outlets which have fixed costs.' Additionally, outside a stall on the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park, which is run by the Royal Parks charity, prices for a 99 are edging towards £6 - with extra toppings costing 25p extra. Parents lining up with small children grimly accepted the rocketing costs as they prepared to fork out on the soft-whip desert. One father, who was waiting his turn, told MailOnline: 'It is not the price - everything is increasing everywhere. The prices are increasing.
