Nov 5, 2009
5
comments
Leave a Comment

The Best Rice Cookers

Print Save Article
Zojirushi rice cooker Enlarge Image Credit: Zojirushi
Who's willing to admit when her mother-in-law is right about some things? Well, mine was right on about Zojirushi rice cookers. She's Korean, and she knows about rice: the 10-cup induction-heating Zojirushi she gave us a few years ago makes wonderful white, brown, or sushi rice. My only complaint is that it doesn't do a great job with smaller amounts like one cup, which is why I think a lot of people, especially singles and smaller families, will love Zojirushi's three-cup Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer. It employs the company's "fuzzy logic" technology, which enables the appliance to automatically make fine adjustments to temperature and heating time, and it has a clock and timer functions. You can apparently bake a cake in this thing, too, which sounds pretty weird, but if anyone's tried that, I'd love to hear about it. Zojirushis are widely available: online sources include Chefs Catalog and Amazon.

Comments (5)

noAvatar
My problem with the Zojirushi rice machine is how long it takes--40-50 minutes! If I have that much time I can just as easily make it on the stove top. That said, I love the Zojirushi mini bread machine.
noAvatar
It does take as long as the stove, but I like that it keeps rice warm and ready to use for several days. It also has a GABA brown setting that's supposed to produce more nutritious rice. Good to hear you like the bread machine -- I want one of those!
noAvatar
the Zojirushi Micom has been on my wish list since I first heard about it--from you, and a Korean friend on Facebook. I don't care how long it takes. I am mildly obsessed with making perfect brown rice. I have ordered from so-so Chinese restaurants and Go Sushi just because I like the the way they make their brown rice.

If I get one for the holidays, I'll report back.
noAvatar
well, I did receive the 3-cup Zojiroshi for Hanukkah from my Jewish mother-in-law, and it is as fabulous as I dreamed. First run was the hard-to-get-right sticky (glutinous) brown rice and it performed beautifully.
Next up is standard white, then the mixed rice.

And the GABA function is for something called germinated brown rice, which I occasionally buy from Japanese supplier DHCcare.com, an endearing and bizarre cosmetic company that sells a bunch of food items, too.
noAvatar
You know what? I actually prefer the traditional rice cooker with just "Cook" and "Warm" function and I could do 101 things in there ;p

Your Comment

Please log in to leave a comment. Not a member yet? Sign up here.