Rice Cooker Reviews

As for the product: I'm not into modern rice cookers. My parents have a double-lid contraption from the 60's, and it cooks the best rice out of any other place/person/cooker I've ever experienced. The new swing-lid, sealed ones cook well, but I have a soft spot for cooking mine in a plain ol' pot, as I can monkey with it while it's cooking (spices, etc.).

The real reason I'm writing this review is some misinformation from another review...
I live in the middle of rice-country in California (The last statistic I had was that CA was #2 or #3 in US rice production, following either TX or LA...), and have -literally- eaten rice 3 times per day, sometimes. I LOVE rice, and there are so many ways to cook and enjoy it that I consider it a "perfect" food.

A statement in a past review caught my attention, and I feel it needs clarification. Another reviewer wrote that rice needs to be rinsed before cooking so it won't foam. According to the reviewer, foaming is the result of packer-applied talcum powder.

Talc is NOT used by rice manufacturers and packers in the US. It was used in the past, but not now. I don't know if it's still used in Asia.

Talc wasn't used to keep rice dry, like with an infant. Talc was used to make the rice look shiny. I guess people thought shiny rice was good, or something. So, rice would have to be rinsed before cooking in order to wash away the powdered rock. People in the US still rinse rice out of habit, though there is no need. A family friend told me that she always saw her mother rinse rice, so she thought that was something "that just had to be done".

NOTE: There is no such thing as white rice. All rice is brown rice. White rice is merely brown rice with the "brown" ground off through the process of milling.

As a consumer, you wouldn't want your rice "dry". Ever. I won't go into the whole harvest-drying-milling process, but dry rice is a bad, bad thing.

In the end, you have rice with some moisture in it (around 12-13% average moisture), even after it's in a bag, sitting on a store shelf. Totally dry rice cracks and breaks easily, so that's why it needs to have some moisture when being hulled and milled, or else you'd be left with nothing but little broken bits of rice instead of nice, whole grains. Dry rice also doesn't cook as well as rice with some residual moisture.

Currently, rice is coated with glucose in order to make it more shiny (I guess people still like shiny rice...). One could argue that the glucose and some bran residues from milling would cause the boiling water in your rice cooker to foam. More likely, the starches being drawn out of the rice are causing the foaming. Think of how risotto becomes creamy -it's the starch being drawn out- and of sticky rice, which is really starchy.

The steamer insert can be used to steam broccoli or other vegetables like carrots while the rice is cooking. Simply put them in the top of the steamer after filling with rice and the water. I will often add special ingredients to the rice and love the fact that I can just leave the rice to cook. I know it will turn out perfect every time. Here is my favorite recipe. Depending on the rice you use, you can adjust the amount of water. This works well for me, but there are so many varieties.

SIMPLY RICE

When a mother calls her family to a meal in Thailand she simply says, "Eat rice." Rice is an integral part of meals in many countries. Over 29,000 grains of rice can be found in one pound of long grain rice. Lemon juice and butter can be added at the end of cooking to compliment a meal with fish.

2 cups uncooked long grain or brown rice

4 cups water

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon butter or favorite oil is optional

1. Place rice in a sieve with small holes, rinse rice in cold water.

2. Rice cooker: Place rice, water, salt and butter or oil in cooker. Turn on and check when done.

Hint: Serve in a large dish or press rice into small custard cups or a rice mold; invert on individual plates. This gives a professional look to your meal. For variety, two teaspoons chicken or beef base added to the rice adapts the rice to different meals. Sautéed onions, mushrooms and leftover frozen green bell peppers may also be added.

Makes 6 servings.

I haven't used it to cook rice yet. I decided to try steaming vegetables in it first. This is a great device. I use to own a cheaper steamer but it just didn't hold up. I really love my steamer and use it several times a day to steam vegetables or fish.

First off, let me say that the first time I used this rice cooker, I was immediately impressed with the texture of the rice and the ease of use. It couldn't be easier -- add rice and water, insert the metal bowl, close the lid and hit the "cook" button.

After several months of use, I've realized several flaws in the design. First, there is no "off" button. To me, this seems to be a bit of a fire hazard, as it is far too easy to forget to unplug the machine after the rice has cooked (it reverts to "warm", which WILL burn eventually). Secondly, there is no timer or bell to alert you to the fact that the rice is done. I've never quite managed to "catch" it reverting from cook to warm, so after 8 months, I still don't know exactly how long it takes to cook rice in this cooker.

I've also noticed that the metal "bowl" included for cooking loses its anti-stick qualities over time. After several months, rice began sticking to the bottom of the bowl during cooking, resulting in a lightly burned bottom layer of rice. I've also noticed that during the first few months of use, lots of moisture was captured in the drainage caps, resulting in very sticky rice. Now, no moisture is ever captured, and the rice almost seems wet (and often undercooked).

Finally, unless you're positive you want to cook at least two cups of rice every time you use the rice cooker, this is NOT the cooker for you. I honestly thought I'd want to prepare two cups at a time each time I used it, and now I understand that a cooker with a one cup minimum would have been a better purchase.

In all honesty, I don't feel the quality of this cooker was significantly higher than those a fraction of the cost. While I'm certain I'd love the "smart logic" high-end Zojirushi cookers, I would have been better off buying a cheaper model than this one -- the cost was astronomical compared to the quality, and now I feel I'm a bit turned off from Zojirushi. They just have not delivered the quality I would expect from their reputation.

I've had this rice cooker for about three months now. I wouldn't say that it is a great rice cooker, only slightly better than average. Does a better job with long grain than short grain.

This has been the rice cooker I have ever owned. I threw away my "el cheapo" Aroma after I got this one. The rice on the bottom does tend to get a little more done, but it's no match for the non stick surface. I have made anywhere from 2-10 cups (uncooked) of rice in this cooker and it does equally well with both large & small amounts. I guess if an ON/OFF switch is really that important to you, then I wouldn't recommend this rice cooker. Otherwise, buy and enjoy.

You have to take off the fan part to add an extra tray which causes you to place your hands over the hot steam. Very easy to hurt/burn yourself.

This steamer is very nice. It is large, well made and easy to use. It even cleans up fast. I use it daily for dinner. I just line up the vegetables and meats on the two wide and long trays. Press the up/down buttons to set cook time and hit start, what could be easier? A full, healthy meal for a family that adds no artery clogging saturated fat/trans fat by way of oils. What could be smarter? The only risk involved is when you ignore the instructions and common sense by opening a working steamer, as another reviewer did. Each to their own eh?
But I had to get the truth out about this. This steamer impresses both Donna (my lovely g/f) and myself. I also considered the TCS-60 and other models. But this model is very solid, very quiet and fair priced. I'm very pleased.
Good Luck to you.

This steamer has a big capacity, cooks stuff really fast, and is really easy to use. All the parts are easy to clean, and everything but the base can go into the dishwasher. Nice slippery, tough plastic that your food comes right out of without sticking. It cooks rice as well as anything else, so save yourself the trouble of buying a separate rice cooker. I had a cheap rice cooker that didn't cook the rice well, and broke after about 2 months. Do yourself a favor and get this instead, even if you only want to cook rice.

You can also cook beans in a very short amount of time as compared to traditional methods.

I would agree with the other reviewer regarding the safety factor; you should know better than to open a working steamer. Would you give a stove 0 stars because it was too easy to burn yourself on it? A knife 0 stars because it was just too darn sharp?

I highly recommend this steamer.

Please do not even consider getting this rice-cooker. It is a waste of money. Brand new, we used it for a week and became defective after then. The cooker would not go into the 'keep warm' function automatically and would continue to 'cook' and therefore burns the rice. We tried this unknown brand since it was one of the few that had a glass lid but unfortunately it just was not worth it (I am from Asia so it is not like it is my first time preparing rice; done it all my life).

This cooker is good. It cooks rice perfectly, and does NOT stick at all. I tend to unplug the cooker once it is done cooking, rather than keep it on the warm cycle. The Keep Warm cycle if kept for a long time would dry the rice a little since it has no source of additional moisture. It's stainless steel exterior also looks sleek and very nice on the countertop.

I would recommend that you adjust water levels to suit the rice you are using. Water levels required depend on the consistency you desire and the age and type of rice. This is not for just this rice cooker but for most brands and types under $100.

This rice cooker is very good for it's price. It is easy to maintain and looks neat. However, the cord is a little too short. But for the price it is minor. The steaming tray that comes with it is also very neat. I would recommend this rice-cooker to anyone who is looking for price, looks and a good capacity.

I got this to replace an old hitachi rice cooker (lasted 9 years). After trying it for a few times, I returned it. It takes too long to cook the rice, you have to soak the rice for 30 minutes before cooking, then turn it on, then it takes about another 30 minutes. (I can make rice quicker using the stove). I followed the manufacturer's instructions, rice browned on the bottom, and cooked uneven. I tried to adjust the water, either rice turned out uncooked or too soft. The only thing good it was easy to clean, but so was my old Hitachi rice cooker that did not had the nonstick surface.

This is an inexpensive rice cooker, and as such does not quite turn out the quality of rice that some of the more expensive models do. It IS, however, a terrific value for your money. I've owned mine for over 6 months now and it has consistantly turned out delicious rice and steamed veggies. Occasionally the rice gets a little over-cooked on the bottom, but in general it is a great inexpensive rice cooker, and I have no real complaints!

It is excellent one except for a little bit long cooking time.
Non-stick pot and some fun in steaming food. And I never burned the rice on the bottom.

I received my rice cooker today, it was packaged terribly, (I think Amazon skimps on packaging when you go with free shipping)manufactures box was open, foam was all broken and item was dirty. I thought at first it must of been a return or used. I suspect this item will be discontinued soon because of the drop in price and also I saw a similar item with more features and a Krupp name badge that looked like it was made by panasonic that Amazon was taking pre-orders on.

I am not a rice professional, this is my first rice cooker and cant judge it against others.

Rice cooker is not stainless steel but a grey metal and black parts are plastic. The spoon holder doesnt do anything for me and it looks like it would easily break. Not sure how long automatic cord rewind will last either, didnt work that great and not that handy in my opinon. The instructions are ok I didnt have any trouble with them and everything was addressed. Rice cooker will make more rice than our family will ever eat at one time, (could of used a smaller one as this unit is about the size of a small crock pot)
I cooked brown rice $1.15 bag, made 3 cups which our family of three couldnt eat all. Rice was a little burnt on bottom but overall was very tasty and didnt effect taste just texture. Clean up was easy, but had to do more than just rinse as other reviewers claim, sponge with soapy water but no big deal, also had to clean inner lid and I suspect you will have to clean it everytime. At $59.00 (the price I paid) I would have given it 3 stars because I dont think it is that great, its not high tech and its kind of chintsey. At the current price ($39.99) I would be happier with it.

This is the third or fourth rice cooker I hava purchased in the last year.So far it has been the best!It is very easy to use and the rice comes out perfectly each time.It has a retractable cord.Unlike other rice cookers the rice does not brown when you leave the cooker in the keep position.Rice remains hot without browning for five hours.Clean up is a breeze!Get this one!

Having worn out many rice cookers in my lifetime, it was time to buy a new one. So what makes this one so different and better than the others I've had?

- This one has a gasket that completely seals the cooking pot. The steam is allowed to escape in only one place. This makes for very fluffy rice! All of my others did not have this feature, and the ones that did were much more expensive than this one.

- Other conveniences include the cover drip catcher - to relieve wet countertops when the lid is opened....

- The locking cover helps to - to keep people from opening up the unit and release all of the steam.

- Add to this the non-stick coated pot inside, and clean up is a snap - just a rinse will do.

This is a professional rice maker, at a fair price! Beware - for those of you who like the bottom rice browned and crispy - this is not the one to get - it's fluffy all the way to the bottom.

The rice cooker seems to overheat everytime and sends froth boiling over. This can be avoided by opening the top from time to time. The rice tends to stick to the metal after you are done. With a close eye the rice will turn out fine. However, this product fails the test for convenience. I'd rather use the stovetop with some good cookware and a timer than use this. I suggest looking for a product with better non-stick material and one that doesn't overheat.

I grew up in Japan, so I am pretty picky when it comes to how I like my rice. This was given me as a gift, and although I wouldn't have chosen an American brand of rice cooker, I was surprised at how well the rice turned out. I was using Japanese rice. The cooker gets the rice pretty perfect in less than 35 minutes for 6 cups, which is fairly fast. Unfortunately, the first time I used it, I left it on the "warm" setting for over an hour. This was never a problem with my older Japanese rice cookers, which do not have a glass lid, but whose tops are normally hinged, preventing you from seeing the contents until they have finished cooking.
After everyone had come and gone and finished eating, I could see the bottom of the pot, and noticed the yellow color of the rice that was hardened there. I soaked the pot, (which is not dishwasher-safe, by the way, as neither the lid nor utensils that accompany this set are) and decided to unplug the rice cooker immediately the next time.
I did unplug it the following night after it had finished cooking and the light automatically switched over to the "warm" setting. However, upon stirring up the rice to loosen it so that the texture would be uniform, I noticed again the same problem on the bottom of the pot. I am disappointed in this particular feature of the rice cooker, but I noticed the price was at least $100 lower than a traditional Asian rice steamer/pressure cooker, and since I didn't purchase this myself, I can't complain - but I do give it only 4 stars because of this problem, as well as the low quality of the rice scooper and paddle.

This is a versatile appliance but since I purchased it to cook small amounts of rice, it's a bit of a disappointment. Everytime I steam rice, lots of water overflows onto the counter top. I am afraid that it will reach another appliance and electrocute someone or start a fire. According to the instructions, you're to add water to the bowl of rice itself, but it seems to be too much for the steamer to handle. The rice comes out perfect, but I think this will be my last time using it for that purpose. It sometimes overflows [from the base] when steaming other foods for a long time, so it's not always just the rice. Don't buy this steamer. Nice concept, not so smart design.

This is the only steamer I have experience with so I don't know if it's better or worse then others. It cooks decent white rice in less time than a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker which I also own. Rice cooker results are more predictable and you can make a lot of rice in a large rice cooker. The steamer is less sophisticated but if you only cook 2-3 cups of rice, this steamer is all you need. Vegetables come out very good but you need to watch them, because every vegetable requires different cooking time. Overall I like this steamer but these are some negatives: 1) If you steam a lot of vegetables the bottom water collection tray may overflow. 2) In summer time in hot and humid climate, more steam in the kitchen is the last thing you want. 3) When I use a tray for steaming fish, it collects water, and fish sometimes comes out boiled rather than steamed. However there was no odor left after steaming fish. Regardless of the above, this is a good way to prepare food and sometimes the only way.

This is the only steamer I have experience with so I don't know if it's better or worse then others. It cooks decent rice in less time than a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker which I also own. Rice cooker results are more predictable and you can make a lot of rice in a large rice cooker. The steamer is less sophisticated but if you only cook 2-3 cups of rice, this steamer is all you need. Vegetables come out very good but you need to watch them, because every vegetable requires different cooking time. Overall I like this steamer but these are some negatives: 1) If you steam a lot of vegetables the bottom water collection tray may overflow. 2) In summer time in hot and humid climate, more steam in the kitchen is the last thing you want. 3) When I use a tray for steaming fish, it collects water, and fish sometimes comes out boiled rather than steamed. Regardless of the above, this is a good way to prepare food and sometimes the only way.

I find this steamer a hassle to use. I purchased it primary to cook rice. The tray is big enough to cook two cups of rice - not much if you have a large family. Everytime you want to add something in, you have to take out the fan and it is a hassle, not to mention the danger involved due to the extreme hot steam!!! Everytime you are done cooking, the water needs to be empty and it makes a mess. I find that the rice cooks much faster in a convention rice cooker - a much cheaper appliance. Overall, I am disappointed in the product. If you have young children, be sure this thing is out of reach when in use.

When I received my steamer as a gift a few weeks ago, I thought, "Oh no, another specialized appliance I'll use once or twice." Was I wrong! I've used it several times a week since I received it, and I love it! I haven't tried rice or grains in it yet, but my veggies come out perfect every time, and the fish filets I cooked in it were delicious. I especially love it for corn on the cob, and broccoli with sweet red pepper was divine. I haven't had problems with water running out or overflowing, but what I cook usually takes 10 minutes or less. And of course, I use oven mitts to open it during and after the cooking cycle. That seems pretty elementary to me, although the gift came with an oven mitt in the box to draw my attention to that point. I may still use my stove-top steamer sometimes, but I get much better results from the Cuisinart steamer.

I have used my steamer for rice, boiled eggs, fish and veggies.
Like one of the other posters I too did not put enough water in the reservoir the first time I made rice (the instructions don't say how much?) so I was sweating it for the timer to go off before the water was gone. Now I fill it up all the way if I am cooking rice.
I have not had the overflow problem some of the other cooks have had. I plan to use mine alot this summer to keep from standing in the hot kitchen. I wish the rice bowl was bigger, I don't like the plastic, but read you can use other bowls, glass or plastic, as long as they allow the steam to circulate around it.
I have not burned myself either, I read the instructions and have been cooking for years, so this was common sense for me.
It really is a trial and error thing, I wish they encluded more recipes with the steamer.

I find that this unit spatters and sputters terribly when I make quantities of rice measuring 3 cups dry or more. It is a 10 cup cooked unit and I can't imagine making any larger quantities than I have. I use the right amount of rice and water. Water spills over onto my countertop and through the air hole. As it nears being done the liquid spatters out the air hole all over my countertop. What a mess! I threw away the packing materials or I would probably return it. I do like the non-stick pot and the keep warm feature. If anyone has any advice on how to keep this mess from happening, I would appreciate it!

This rice cooker surprised me with its quality in material and workmanship. I expected much less. Of course, the measuring cup and ladle are still made of very cheap disposable-like plastic, but everything else is respectable.

HOWEVER, I would NOT have purchased this item if I knew that it doesn't have an ON/OFF switch. The only way to turn it off is to unplug the electrical cord. What a pain! I tend to use a rice cooker often, and I like to have it plugged in all the time.

As for it's performance, it takes a long time to heat up. Expect over 30 minutes for the rice to cook. My old Hitachi was much quicker....and it also came with the ON/OFF switch.

After reading reviews on Amazon, I purchased this rice cooker for my mom for Christmas. She loves it! I bought her a Salton cooker the year before and it bit the dust after a couple months of use. In comparison, she said the non-stick surface on this cooker was a dream to clean. Once I knew it was a winner, I bought this same cooker for a friend for a shower gift. So far, so good. Both people I've purchased them for have been happy. For the price, I don't think you can beat it.