I’m considering buying one of these for my house, and I would like to know what you think of the one you have, or what you’ve heard from those that have them.
Thanks for your input.
I have been using my Zojirushi rice-cooker for about two years now. All I can say is that it is (when properly combined with a slow cooker) THE SINGLE GREATES PIECE OF KITCHEN WARE IN EXISTENCE!!! Just imagine, being able to have perfectly cooked rice with NO EFFORT! Just pop in rice and water, turn it on, and BAM, you’ve got perfect rice.
Mine’s a Tiger brand that I’ve had for about four years. The thing’s pretty close to perfect: easy to use (just like Drizzt’s), easy to clean, makes good-tasting rice.
Put rice in.
Put water in to the mark for the amount of rice you put in.
Plug it in.
Press the button.
Go do something else.
Hey presto! Perfect rice kept warm even after it’s cooked! 
In case you’re asking for advice, get one with a non-stick coating on the “pot”. And use a plastic rice scoop.
Other uses for a rice cooker:
Boil soup
Japanese/Chinese style “hot pot cooking at the table”
Porridge maker (add more water before cooking)
Steamer (Some of them have little tray doohickeys that sit on top of the rice, to steam fish or eggs)
I thought about getting a rice cooker, but instead have a double-decker vegetable steamer (Black and Decker). I can steam anything in it, as well as cooking rice in the bowl that comes with it. I’d go for the multi-purpose tool rather than the single-purpose.
She’s about 5’5" tall, 120 lbs, 32 years old, dark brown hair and dark eyes.
Same here, a small Tiger brand model. I can’t imagine living without one.
I’ve got a Panasonic version I got for $30 at least ten years ago. I don’t even measure now, I pour rice in, rinse it a few times, then with my hand flat on the surface of the rice, I pour water so it passes my second knuckle. I might use a little less if the rice is really new crop, but a little past the second knuckle does it all the time.
I agree, it’s easily my most used kitchen small appliance. I can cook a whole meal in it as well! For example, tonight I will take a couple chicken breasts, marinate them in soy/sesame oil/sugar/salt then slice them thin, I will toss in some trimmed fresh green beans I got yesterday and add a bit more water than I usually do. Voila, perfect chicken beans and rice.
We have 2 Hitachi Chime-O-Matics. (My husband and I each had one when we met.) They are pretty lousy. The rice always gets burned at the bottom and they’re hard to clean. So, I’d recommend against that model.
We are definitely looking to get a new rice cooker, though. It’s such a great convenience, especially as I love brown rice, which takes such a long time to cook. I’d eat more brown rice if I had a better rice cooker. We’ll probably invest in one of the really expensive ones with all of the different settings.
One person in this household lived in Japan for years, so a rice cooker is not an option – it is required. And I will be getting one for myself when I have my own place again. I’d think you’d probably get a better deal (and possibly a better cooker!) going to an Asian store for one. That’s my plan.
They are brilliant. Wonderful. But DO get non-stick. Having had to clean both non-stick and stick ones, GET THE NON-STICK.
I married mine.
It’s 1000 cc, black with silver & gold pins, fuel injected and with Kerker 2 in 1 exhaust. Yes, it leaves a wonderful taste in my mouth.
I have a fairly standard Japanese model. However my parents have a Zojirushi pressure rice cooker, and it makes noticeably better rice than mine. I think they paid over $300 for it, and it’s not even listed in their English language web site.
I have a National rice cooker (which unless I am quite mistaken, is just another name for the Zojirushi brand). It came with a little aluminum plate that, when placed in the bottom of the rice cooker, magically transforms it into a steamer. Very useful feature.
The volume is about 3 times that Black & Decker Steamer, which is no good if you want to cook rice for more than 2-3 people.
Basmati rice, a pot with a lid = perfect rice every time. Rice cookers are a waste of money unless you are making a large amount or need to keep it warm for some reason.
I cook brown rice in my pressure cooker. 15 minutes under pressure, let it cool down on its own.
I can also make rice and beans in 45 minutes, without pre-soaking the beans.
However, I am still lustful for a rice cooker, but I’m always loathe to buy new appliances. Got too many of them taking up space as it is. I think maybe we should have a garage sale, and spend the profits on a rice cooker.
I don’t think Zojirushi has any connection to National. Zojirushi just makes thermos bottles, hot pots and other household electric appliances.
National is one of the brand names of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. They also own the Panasonic, Technics and Quasar brands.
We’ve got a Zojirushi 6-cup model. Works well but the steam hole in the lid tends to “spit” so we always set the steamer basket upside down over the top of the lid. We’ve never used the included measuring cup; instead, we measure rice, rinse thoroughly, and add the amount of water called for on the rice-package instructions. We also let it all soak for a few minutes before cooking (not critical for white rice, but essential for brown).
A real treat for someone who was raised on Minute Rice as I was. I never had much luck cooking on the stove, as the rice always boiled over and/or scorched. I’m enjoying being able to have real rice any time I want it.
The 6-cup size is the minimum size you’d want for a family of 6ish. We (family of 4) could prolly get by with a smaller one but if we have guests, the 6-cup unit barely makes enough for us all.
Definitely go for a nonstick pan. And don’t put it in the dishwasher - a friend of mine ruined hers that way.
Thanks for all the replies!
I don’t know who mentioned these, but…
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I probably will check the asian food market before I check anywhere else.
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My mother’s gas stove is weird, so a pot with a lid could end up with burnt rice, which is hard to clean.
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I’ll probably get a 4 cup one, simply because I’ll probably be the only one using it most of the time, but if my faimly uses it, 4 technically should be enough, if the rice is served as a side dish.
Thanks again.
argh! Lieu beat me to it, but mine is an 02 model, 650 CCs, shaft drive, air cooled, and it looks like I’ll be riding her in the rain to work tonight. 