Author Topic: ...more on rice cookers...  (Read 4211 times)

KnuckleBuckett

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...more on rice cookers...
« on: November 04, 2007, 12:17:52 AM »
Review By Cooks Illustrated....

Rice Cookers
 
Rice cookers promise great rice—every type of rice, every time—and they’ll keep it warm until needed. But with prices ranging from $15 to over $800, how much do you need to pay to achieve rice nirvana?


Achieving perfect rice is surprisingly challenging even for an accomplished cook. The same cooking technique that delivers excellent long-grain white rice needs adjusting to produce perfect brown or sushi rice. Enter rice cookers, promising to produce well-cooked rice every time and to keep it warm until ready to serve. But with rice cookers priced from $15 to $830, we wondered: Just what features do you really need, and how much do you need to pay?

All rice cookers work on the same principle. The cooker brings water to a boil (212 degrees). When the rice has absorbed all the water, the temperature inside the cooker begins to rise. A built-in thermostat detects this temperature rise and turns the machine off or down to a keep-warm setting for four to 13 hours. Rice cookers vary, however, by programming ability and machine structure.

While all rice cookers call for different water amounts for different basic rice types (long-grain, brown, and sushi), programmable models have a computer chip that further tweaks the machine's temperature and finish time to allow for preferences such as softer texture or moister grains, or to adjust to highly specialized rice types. These more expensive machines also have an ability to program a cooking start time. Regardless of whether they are programmable, though, all of the rice cookers from the big three manufacturers (Zojirushi, Sanyo, and Panasonic) are constructed as one-piece models, with tightly closing lids and steam caps and dew collectors to trap excess water (see photos below). Nonprogrammable models from other manufacturers are often two-piece models, a simple pot with a glass lid that has a hole through which steam escapes.

We chose both programmable and nonprogrammable versions from Zojirushi, Sanyo, and Panasonic as well as two-piece models from Rival and Breville. Prices ranged from $15 to $180; all of the rice cookers came with nonstick pots and keep-warm functions (in our opinion, mandatory features).

One other word about purchasing: in the rice cooker world, a cup is not a full measuring cup. Rice cookers use plastic cups that hold about 3/4 cup of raw rice, and these are the cups referred to on the packages and in the instruction manual. A "6-cup rice cooker" cooks up to 4 1/2 standard cups of raw rice, making about 10 cups of cooked rice (a rice-cooker “cup” of rice makes about 2 1/4 standard cups of cooked rice). Cookers labeled as within the 5–6 cup range are the biggest sellers, since they can handle a small amount for 2–3 people, but still make 5 ample servings. Buyers beware, though; some manufacturers do not follow this naming protocol. We ordered Rival's "6-cup rice cooker" expecting the same size machine as the others, but the "6 cups" referred to cooked rice, so the cooker was half the size of the others.

Testing
We ranked the cookers on four criteria:

Quality of cooked rice: We made white rice both in 1 and 3 raw rice cup uncooked quantities, brown rice, and sushi rice. We judged taste, texture (optimally, each grain should be tender, with a slight bite), and consistency through the entire batch.
Efficiency: We timed how fast the machines cooked each type of rice and also evaluated the quality and temperature of the rice during a seven-hour keep-warm period.
Ease of use: We looked at how well the pot and cup markings indicated the amount of water to add, the visibility or audibility of the finished signals and cooking/keep-warm status, how easily the rice could be removed from the pot, whether the machine was easy to clean, and if the accompanying instructions were comprehensive and easy to follow.
Special Features: We noted special features such as additional uses (steaming, cake baking, porridge) and programmability.


Results
The six models from Sanyo, Zojirushi, and Panasonic produced at least acceptable rice, and their keep-warm functions performed well. All earned a recommended rating. The higher-end models did have nice special features (especially programmable timers and water measurement lines for different rice types), but they all proved to have one significant drawback: cooking time. In Japan, cooks often fill and set their rice cookers before leaving the house in the morning. But for people who don’t eat rice frequently enough to make it part of their regular morning routine, a shorter cooking time may be more useful than the ability to preprogram. Because of the continuous temperature and time adjusting, the higher-end models took longer to finish. White rice required an average of 50 minutes to cook and brown rice an average of 1 and 3/4 hours—too long for a quick side dish, especially if you add the suggested 15-minute rest period after cooking. By contrast, the less-expensive models cooked white and brown rice in averages of just under 30 minutes and 50 minutes, respectively. We felt this difference was important enough to rank each of the less-expensive cookers higher than its more expensive sibling.

As for specific brands, the Sanyo and the Zojirushi cookers are excellent choices. In the basic model category, we gave the Sanyo a slightly higher rating, as it had a steaming basket (giving the machine a second function) and comprehensive, clear instructions, whereas the Zojirushi had an incomplete instruction manual (it did not include any discussion of how to make adjustments to cook brown rice). The Sanyos are also cheaper. However, the Zojirushi did keep the rice a little moister after a two-hour period. The Panasonic model came in third because it delivered slightly inconsistent batches of rice—some grains were a little soft.

The higher-end models are a good choice if you're very particular about rice texture, value the ability of a machine to differentiate among rice types (including sweet rice and specialized browns rices like GABA and Genmai), and are organized enough to use the preprogramming function. For sheer rice quality, we ranked the Zojirushi slightly higher than the Sanyo, as it included more options, and the Sanyo, in a few trials, delivered texture variations within the same rice batch. But the Sanyo costs $65 less ($115 versus the Zojirushi price of $180). The Panasonic model was ranked lower than the other two because it overcooked the brown rice in two trials.

The models with glass lids (Rival and Breville) did not perform as well as the one-piece units. The one-piece design keeps a tighter seal, retaining heat more effectively and keeping moisture evenly distributed, which allows the entire batch to cook to the same consistency. Without this tighter seal, both glass lid models had the same four problems:

The rice did not cook to a consistent texture, as some grains (especially those on top and around the perimeter) were blown out and some were still crunchy.
During the cooling period, the rice cooled down too fast, molding into a solid brick.
Some water vapor spat through the top hole.
The lids were difficult to hand wash (although they came clean in the dishwasher).


Overall Best Choice
Unless you’re very particular about your rice texture, cook highly specialized rice types, or want to preset your rice cooker in the morning, we’d recommend buying a basic Sanyo or Zojirushi electric rice cooker. For a reasonable price, they delivered consistently good white, brown, and sushi rice, and the keep-warm option delivered well-cooked rice even after more than two hours.

One Final Recommendation—the Paddle
Each rice cooker came with a small plastic rice paddle for stirring and serving the rice. The paddles for the Zojirushi and Sanyo models have a textured surface (with small bumps) that proved to be very effective in dislodging the rice—especially sticky sushi rice—and were very easy to wash. We recommend these paddles even if you prefer to cook rice in a saucepot. You can buy a textured paddle at Fantes.com for $2.79, item #42011.

Results: We ranked each unit using the criteria described above, awarding three stars for Good, two stars for Fair, and one star for Poor. Please note that capacity refers to a standard cup measurement of raw rice.

Recommended:

Sanyo Electric Rice Cooker & Steamer, Model #ECJ-N55W, 5 1/2 cups
Capacity (raw rice): 4 1/8 cups
Price: $54.95
Rice Quality: ***
Efficiency: **
Ease of Use: **
Comments:
The Sanyo excelled with all three types of rice, especially the brown rice, and it was our second-lowest-priced model. Two minor complaints: After two hours in the keep-warm stage the rice became bit dry, and the indicator lights were hard to read in a bright kitchen.

Zojirushi Electric Rice Cooker/Warmer, Model NS-PC10, 5-Cup
Capacity: 3 3/4 cups
Price: $79.99
Rice Quality: ***
Efficiency: ***
Ease of Use:*
The Zojirushi also excelled in cooking all three types of rice, and the keep-warm function performed well. However, unlike all the other brands, Zojirushi did not provide steamer baskets with their cookers. The instruction manual was very limited (although you can find good information on cooking rice and using rice cookers at the Zojirushi website, www.zojirushi.com).

Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer, Model NS-ZCC10, 5 1/2 cup
Capacity: 4 1/8 cups
$179.99
Rice Quality: ***
Efficiency: *
Ease of Use: **
The Fuzzy produced excellent rice, though the 1-cup test produced slightly softer rice than the 3-cup. Like all of the computerized versions, a menu option (rather than an on/off lever) allows you to fine-tune the machine for a variety of rice types and textures—but at the price of a lengthy cooking time. Among the extras are a choice of finished signals (melody or beep), rewarming, and programming—but still no steaming basket.

Sanyo Micro-Computerized Rice Cooker/Warmer, Sanyo ECJ-D55S, 5 1/2 cup
Capacity: 4 1/8 cups
$114.94
Rice Quality: ***
Efficiency: *
Ease of Use: **
Very similar to the Zojirushi—and notably less expensive—the Sanyo offers two extra features: a countdown clock to keep you informed of when the rice should be done and a steamer basket. The only drawback was some slight inconsistency in grain texture in the brown rice test.

Panasonic Rice Cooker/Steamer, Model SR-TMB10, 5 1/2 cup
Capacity: 4 1/8 cups
Price: $75.83
Rice Quality: **
Efficiency: **
Ease of Use: **
The rice (both white and brown) was softer in texture than the others—it lacked the slight bite we prefer. We also found the inside lid somewhat hard to clean, especially after cooking brown rice. Both Panasonic models offer a unique setting for baking cakes, which we tested. The cake had good flavor, but was misshapen, with an acute dome.

Panasonic Electronic Rice Cooker/Warmer with Advanced Fuzzy Logic Technology, Model No. SR-NA10, 5 1/2 cup
Capacity: 4 1/8 cups
Price: $104.63
Rice Quality: **
Efficiency: *
Ease of Use: **
We had problems with the brown rice in this model. Our first run produced rice with a burnt flavor (the machine took almost 2 hours and 15 minutes). A second attempt completed the rice in just over 2 hours, but it was still mushy and lacked a nutty flavor. The white and sushi rice, however, were well cooked.

Recommended with Reservations:

Breville Gourmet Rice Duo Cooker, Model #BRC350XL, 10 Cup
Capacity: 7 1/2 cups
$59.95
Rice Quality: **
Efficiency: *
Ease of Use: *
This cooked the rice a bit unevenly; it was the only cooker that created a brown layer on the bottom. But the primary problem was its ability to keep the rice warm. The rice lost temperature fast (50 degrees in the first hour) and hardened into a block.

Not Recommended:

Rival Rice Cooker, Model #RC61, 6 Cup
Capacity: 2 1/2 cups
Price: $14.99
Rice Quality: *
Efficiency: *
Ease of Use: *
This cooker had a serious inconsistency issue. In the same batch of white rice some of the grains were cooked well, but others were blown out. And the cooker had worse problems with brown rice; some grains were blown out, and some were undercooked. With the keep-warm setting on, the cooker lost heat steadily, and the rice became starchy and chewy.


stealth

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Re: ...more on rice cookers...
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2007, 01:41:03 AM »
I use my microwave and a microwave-safe container, adding in boiling water to a certain mark and cooking it on high for 10-15 mins white rice, 20 mins for brown rice.  Comes out pretty much spot on.

Govtcheez

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Re: ...more on rice cookers...
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2007, 07:31:46 AM »
So can I get a decent rice cooker for less than $50?  Preferably a lot less?

KnuckleBuckett

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Re: ...more on rice cookers...
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2007, 07:33:46 AM »
I have seen the thing stealth mentioned.  It works well and costs about $20 maybe less.  So yes you can.

Also according to the ratings, yes you can.

Go for it bro!  Let us know.

Govtcheez

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Re: ...more on rice cookers...
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2007, 07:40:48 AM »
I dunno, the only one they reviewed that was kind of cheap got a bad review.

KnuckleBuckett

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Re: ...more on rice cookers...
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2007, 07:48:18 AM »
I dunno, the only one they reviewed that was kind of cheap got a bad review.

True.  I guess you caould always return it if it sucked or didn't work out for you.  What brand and model do you have stealth?

As far as the electrics go, I would get one of the two Sanyo models.  My wife said it was a popular brand in Shanghai.

hans

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Re: ...more on rice cookers...
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2007, 08:55:29 AM »
I'm looking at getting one for my dad's xmas present this year. He has chicken and rice for dinner almost all the time.

I'm a minute rice sort of person now. Boil water, throw in rice cover, walk away. My kind of cooking.
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charlie

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Re: ...more on rice cookers...
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2007, 03:01:36 PM »
We have a Kitchen Gourmet that works fine. Sure it doesn't work perfectly, and yes, it only cooks about 3 cups total, but we don't need more than one or two cups. So we cook two cups and 1/2 a cup is not cooked properly so we don't eat it.

I'd be shocked if it was more than $20. If you don't expect to eat a lot and don't need the steaming feature, just get a simple small one. You'll be cooking the same amount each time so you'll get a feel for how much rice and water to add. Maybe you'll find that you need to let it sit for a few minutes after it finishes as well. Whatever, once you get it right you stick to it and it's good for a long time.