Rice Cookers: Reviews

A mid-priced rice cooker from one of the top-recommended brands, the Sanyo ECJ-D55S is less expensive than comparable rice cookers and has added features: a steaming basket and countdown clock that lets you know exactly… when your rice will be ready. The Sanyo is a programmable "set and go" rice cooker that comes with a measuring cup and spatula. Although the more expensive Zojirushi Fuzzy Neuro rice cooker is better if you are picky about texture, particularly with brown rice, reviewers say the Sanyo performs nearly as well, making about four cups of cooked rice.

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Although the compact Panasonic SR-G06FG rice cooker can't really compete with more advanced models, it does have some advantages in addition to its budget price; reviews say it cooks quickly and has a small countertop… footprint. The Panasonic cooker does a good job with standard white and brown rice, but not with specialty rice types like sushi and sticky rice. Owners say that its small three-cup capacity makes it a good choice for singles or couples.

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This cooker offers a great balance of features and price from one of the best-known names in rice cooker machines. And unlike other Zojirushi models, the NHS-18 is a "double duty" cooker that comes with a steamer basket.… Reviews say it does as good a job with brown and white rice as it does with steaming vegetables. Its large ten-cup capacity makes it a great choice for families. Users warn, though, that to get great texture and avoid clumping, you must rinse your rice before putting it in the machine. This machine doesn't have "fuzzy logic," so it makes rice faster (but with less precision) than fancier models. Users say it's easy to operate and a breeze to clean. Its warming feature keeps rice ready for up to five hours.

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Reviewers identify this 5.5-cup Zojirushi rice cooker as best more often than any other rice cooker on the market, but it's expensive. This model has "fuzzy logic," so it can automatically adjust for different kinds of… rice, storing your texture preferences in its memory. The tradeoff is longer overall cooking time. The Zojirushi Neuro rice cooker has just about every feature you could want, including quick-cook, re-warm and extended keep-warm settings, but it is missing one feature found on many less expensive models -- a steamer basket. If the price tag makes you flinch, though, rest assured that experts say you can make great rice in even a budget cooker.

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