I learned how to cook rice properly in India, just pot, water, some salt in right quantities and timing. Did that for decade at least.

I still use rice cooker though these days, even more trivial to operate, can't mess up things if I miss the final part, and it will keep it warm for hours. Extremely practical. Its also baby trivial, at least the device we have (which is not pure rice cooker rather some multi stuff with rice as one of many options, but we basically just do rice and yogurt).

Also, paella may be a fine food (if eaten in Spain or affiliated countries), but that type of rice has nothing to do with usual type of rice used as side dish. I actually don't know how to cook that type of rice well.