In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleReviewsZojirushi Micom Rice Cooker Features I LoveSome Cons to ConsiderRice Cooker vs. Instant PotOther Rice Cookers We RecommendWhat Can You Make With a Rice Cooker?Are Rice Cookers Worth It?Our Trusted Expertise
In This ArticleView All
In This Article
View All
Reviews
Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker Features I Love
Some Cons to Consider
Rice Cooker vs. Instant Pot
Other Rice Cookers We Recommend
What Can You Make With a Rice Cooker?
Are Rice Cookers Worth It?
Our Trusted Expertise
Photo:EatingWell / Nick Simpson
EatingWell / Nick Simpson
Rice is a staple in my family’s house each week. Our “rice” drawer is filled to the brim with all sorts of varieties—white rice, brown rice, long grain, short grain, sushi rice, arborio rice, jasmine rice, basmati. But for a busy family, one of the biggest issues with cooking rice during the week is time—well, lack of it.That’s wherea good rice cookercomes in: After a lot of research, I decided to invest in a Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker (view at Amazon). I’ve now used it every week for over two years. It has changed my rice-cooking life, and I’ve never looked back.
Rice is a staple in my family’s house each week. Our “rice” drawer is filled to the brim with all sorts of varieties—white rice, brown rice, long grain, short grain, sushi rice, arborio rice, jasmine rice, basmati. But for a busy family, one of the biggest issues with cooking rice during the week is time—well, lack of it.
That’s wherea good rice cookercomes in: After a lot of research, I decided to invest in a Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker (view at Amazon). I’ve now used it every week for over two years. It has changed my rice-cooking life, and I’ve never looked back.
Zojirushi NS-TSC10 Rice CookerPHOTO: Amazon$233$175 at AmazonCapacity:5.5 cups uncooked, 11 cups cooked |Dimensions:10-1/8 x 14 x 8-1/2 inches |Includes:steaming basket, rice measuring cup, nonstick rice spatula and spatula holder |Settings:white/sushi, mixed, porridge, sweet, brown, cake, steam and quick cookingPHOTO: EatingWell / Nick SimpsonPHOTO: EatingWell / Nick SimpsonPHOTO: EatingWell / Nick Simpson
Zojirushi NS-TSC10 Rice CookerPHOTO: Amazon$233$175 at Amazon
Zojirushi NS-TSC10 Rice Cooker
PHOTO: Amazon
$233$175 at Amazon
Capacity:5.5 cups uncooked, 11 cups cooked |Dimensions:10-1/8 x 14 x 8-1/2 inches |Includes:steaming basket, rice measuring cup, nonstick rice spatula and spatula holder |Settings:white/sushi, mixed, porridge, sweet, brown, cake, steam and quick cooking
PHOTO: EatingWell / Nick SimpsonPHOTO: EatingWell / Nick SimpsonPHOTO: EatingWell / Nick Simpson
I love this rice cooker so much I use it every week, sometimes multiple times a week.
When I began my search, my biggest question was “Should I get a rice cooker or anInstant Pot?” I needed an expert opinion, so I consultedBreana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD, EatingWell’s Test Kitchen & editorial operations manager, who pointed me in the direction of a rice cooker.
“A Zojirushi has been in every kitchen of my life,” she told me. “The Instant Pot does cook rice pretty well, so would be a good choice if you’re an occasional rice eater. That said, if you don’t think you’ll want to pressure-cook, or if you don’t want a large-ish appliance and you eat rice all the time, stick with a rice cooker.” I already have a slow cooker and didn’t think I would use any of the other Instant Pot features, so for me the choice was easy.
Zojirushi Micom 10-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer ($200at Amazon):This model has all the features of my 5 ½-cup cooker but with a 20-cup cooked rice capacity. It is bulkier, yes, and will need dedicated counter space.
Hamilton Beach 8-Cup Rice Cooker and Food Steamer ($40at Amazon):This slightly more compact rice cooker is easy to operate and costs a fraction of Zojirushi models. Steel-cut oats also turned out well in this cooker.
Cuckoo 10-Cup Pressure Rice Cooker ($280at Amazon):This splurge option is sleek-looking and boasts a large capacity. Its niche features might be more than what the average home cook needs, but its voice prompts eliminate user error.
Rice goes with so many of my favorite meals and cuisines:curries,stir-fries,sushi, simmered with broth and veggies forchicken soup, or mixed with spices and beans for arroz con gandules, a Puerto Rican dish I grew up eating. For a quick lunch, we top leftover white rice with kimchi (or in my son’s case, ketchup). More often than not, we’ll have rice as a side for fried tofu, roast chicken or grilled fish for an easy weeknight dinner.
One day after skateboard camp, my then-7-year-old came up to me and asked me to make rice for lunch, since we had no leftovers in the fridge. Rice. For Lunch. On a workday! Who does that? Me, that’s who. Instead of getting all worked up and stressed out and saying no, I replied, “Sure! Let me just push a button and lunch will be ready when it sings to you.” This machine has turned me into a yes person. How cool is that?
Rice cookers allow you set it and forget while you tend to other things—whether it’s making the rest of your meal, folding laundry or just relaxing on the couch for a “me minute” with a glass of wine. Rice cookers usually have a sensor to know when the rice is done and will switch off or to a keep-warm function until you’re ready to eat, so you don’t have to worry about pots overflowing on the stove or food burning in the pan.
When I know rice is on the menu, the first thing I’ll do when I start cooking dinner is get the rice going. That way I know it will be ready whenever dinner is done. Getting the rice in the cooker takes less than five minutes, and most of that is for rinsing the rice. Really, if you can scoop rice and pour water, you can make rice in a rice cooker.
Not all rice cookers are created equal, however! My first rice cooker was a very basic model that I inherited in my kitchen when my husband and I moved in together. I used it for over 10 years at least a couple of times a week, even though it had two major drawbacks that really bugged me. While it was cooking, the steam vent hole would spit out a sticky mess of rice splatters all over the floor. Also, no matter what adjustments I made, the rice always stuck to the pan—making it really difficult to get the rice out (not to mention, it was a real pain to wash).
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