The rice cooker is an underappreciated kitchen appliance that most people think is only good for steaming rice. It’s the quiet workhorse of Bangladeshi kitchens, churning out piles of fragrant chaal without much supervision. But what if I told you that this humble machine is capable of much more?

Every meal in Bangladesh starts with perfectly steamed rice as its essential base, whether a simple home-cooked meal or a grand feast. Here are our picks for some locally available rice cookers you can try out, under the budget-friendly price tag of BDT 5,000. Keep in mind that pricing and availability may vary across stores.