I was anti-extra-appliance for a long time and firmly in the just-cook-rice-on-the-stove, but not anymore. We use the $20 simple cooker to make rice, farro, sorghum, wheat berries, and all sorts of other grains which we can then simply add to almost anything to make a heartier meal.

Definitely get the ones that have thermos-like insulation and can keep the rice warm for a long time.

The really cheap ones have a "keep warm" feature that just burns the rice on the bottom.