Zojirushi Induction Heating Pressure Rice Cooker & Warmer NP-HTC10

Bottom line

Cooking with the Zojirushi Induction Heating Pressure Rice Cooker & Warmer NP-HTC10 makes rice taste so good it is worth the high price, reviewers say. The use of induction heating and pressure cooking makes cooking rice as simple as selecting a setting on the LCD display and then waiting for the rice cooker to do all the work. Owners say it is easy to use and clean.

Performance

Perfect rice. The Zojirushi Induction Heating Pressure Rice Cooker & Warmer NP-HTC10 uses precise heat control and pressurized cooking to create perfect rice, reviewers say. Menu settings include white (regular, softer or harder), mixed, sushi, porridge, sweet, brown, germinated brown and quick-cooking and other varieties. The rice cooker automatically selects from three pressure levels, and the vacuum-insulated inner cooking pan distributes heat to the rice quickly. Instead of a heating element, it uses inductive heating to heat the entire surface of the pot. The Zojirushi has automatic and extended keep-warm settings.

Ease of use

Removable parts make cleaning easy. The Zojirushi rice cooker has a clear-coated, stainless-steel exterior and removable parts -- the inner lid, inner cooking pot and the steam vent -- for easy cleaning. The orange LCD display panel is easy to read, and the timer makes it simple to set the cooking time, so you can set it in the morning and return home to rice in the evening. Cooking instructions are clear and easy to follow, users say.

Durability

Durable and sturdy. The Zojirushi NP-HTC10 has a 10-cup capacity (5.5 cups of dry rice), while the sister model, the NP-HTC18, has an 18-cup capacity (10 cups of dry rice). The rice cookers weigh 11.3 and 13.2 pounds, respectively. All Zojirushi products have a one-year warranty, but some reviewers say they wish the warranty was longer for such an expensive piece of equipment. However, we found no durability complaints, so warranty coverage does not seem to be an issue.