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49 of 50 found the following review helpful:
 Some experimentation may be in order Aug 05, 2004
By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Using a rice cooker should be easy - otherwise, why plunk down the money for it? This Zojirushi is user-friendly only after some experimentation since the manual contains almost no information about how to use it. However, since I've finally found the right procedure (as I'll share later), I've been pleased with its performance.
First, some background. I have a Zojirushi NHS-10 that worked beautifully from the start, but after a year of use, started spitting and gurgling starchy water all over the counter. With that kind of mess, I was afraid to cook larger amounts of rice, so I bought this model as a replacement. I liked that the top latched and that the vent hole had a shallow well around it to catch expelled water. I had loved the quality of rice that the less expensive model cooked, so I stayed with the same brand.
My first attempt with this model resulted in the same gooey mess as with my old model - and I was furious. After several phone calls to relatives who also owned this model, I discovered that you MUST use the measurements provided by the plastic measuring cup and inside the non-stick pan. (Because I found that the plastic cup is not really a full cup of rice and was used to a one cup rice to two cups water ratio, I had used my own measuring cup.) For every Zojirushi plastic cup measurement, fill to the corresponding water mark inside the pan. Fill the pan with water to the correct level AFTER adding the rice.
Rinse rice twice before cooking if you want to avoid slight browning on the bottom. Allow fifteen minutes after the machine changes from cook to warm for additional steaming and fluffier rice. How do you cook brown rice? Not a clue. Brown rice requires longer cooking time and therefore more water. My old Zojirushi came with a small manual that provided rice/water ratios for several varieties, but this arrived with almost no instruction. I suggest experimenting with brown and wild rice before counting on it for company.
The pan for this model is huge, and you must use at least two cups of dry rice. The size stated on the box is misleading, as two to ten cups refers to uncooked, not cooked, quantities; rice doubles in size when cooked. Although it's not practical for a small family, larger families and frequent rice eaters will appreciate its generous capacity. Cleaning is slightly more complicated (though hardly time-consuming) than with less expensive Zojirushi models since the steam valve at the top should be rinsed free of accumulated starch between uses. (One relative rarely rinses the valve, however, and has no problems.) The non-stick pan cleans easily, although care must be used not to scratch the surface. The cord wraps around the bottom for storage. The unit itself is surprisingly light-weight given its appearance, making it easy to remove from even high cupboards.
I have mixed feelings about this rice cooker, as I prefer the results of the less expensive model. However, the overall design of this cooker, with its latched lid, larger steam hole, and "dew" catcher (to collect condensation when the cooker is left on warm for prolonged periods), is better, especially if you intend to leave the rice on warm for an extended time. The biggest drawback of this model is the lack of instruction for users unfamiliar with rice cookers.
Three stars right out of the box, four stars once you adapt.
35 of 39 found the following review helpful:
 Mixed results Aug 03, 2003
By xiuh
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.
17 of 17 found the following review helpful:
 A great rice cooker Apr 07, 2002
By J. Lang
We eat rice often. We've had a Faberware cooker for years that finaly died. Wouldn't get another as it cooked the rice unevenly with 'burned spots'. The Zojirushi costs lots more, but is well worth it. This unit cooks all of the rice perfectly every time. I wish we could leave it pluged in, but there is no on/off switch. The overall quality seams very good, what you would expect from a [price] machine. If you eat rice frequently, and enjoy high quality food, this is an excellent machine and is well worth the cash.
23 of 25 found the following review helpful:
You can get this for $59.99 @ costco.com Jul 02, 2004
This rice cooker is great, but Amazon overcharges you. You can get it for $30 less at Costco.com!
10 of 11 found the following review helpful:
A big fat YES! May 20, 2005
By Spencer
I received this cooker as a holiday gift last winter. Its awesome. I can't recommend it highly enough. Just remember, as others have said, don't really go by the instruction manual.
Almost all the rice you cook in it will be 2:1, even short grain (except Japanese sushi rice, which is really tiny and almost elliptical). For brown rice and small rice batches (1-2 cups) I went even further than that, at 2.5:1, and it all cooked up better than perfect.
As far as rice boiling over, I have never had that problem because I never overfill it. Every rice cooker, stove pots included, will boil over and make a gooey mess if they're overfilled. I always be sure that with rice and water added, its all well under the top line inside the cooking pot.
If you haven't the time to soak the rice first before cooking, just be sure to let it sit after its light switches over for 5-15 minutes. This will really help it cook to the perfect consistancy. Though the light switches from "cook" to "warm," its not actually "ready" for a few more minutes.
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