As someone who spent three years he'd rather forget managing in a burrito joint, a good rice cooker is worth it's weight in gold. Set it and forget it, no need to bring water to boil, monitor, stir, reduce heat, or trust that shady "Uncle Ben" fellow (there's only one "Uncle Ben" in my book, and he died because of Peter's selfishness).
When juggling multiple things at once for a proper meal, a rice cooker is a convenience that makes everything run much, MUCH smoother, at least in my experience.