Absolutely. There is a huge difference. This is because when you cook rice in a saucepan you are pretty much boiling the rice only. There is very little steaming, braising, resting or rising and falling in temperature. This means that the best of the nutrients, flavour and texture are not retained. This is why would always advise to use a rice cooker with advanced fuzzy logic. A good rice cooker will also save you time and energy too!