I finally convinced my wife to replace the old but still functional single switch rice cooker I'd owned for about 10 years. I have longed for something with an off switch so rice doesn't burn to the bottom when I forget to unplug it. This guy was the ticket.
It seems like a fairly complex machine but its really easy to use once you understand the setup. Its well designed. The pot is easy to clean and the inner lid snaps off for easy cleaning as well.
I have to say the rice it produces is some of the best I have had. I did a side by side cookoff with the old and the new rice cookers. The same rice just seemed to have more consistant texture and better strong flavor. Definatley worth the upgrade since we do lots of rice.
The one drawback I found is with the somewhat misleading specifications. They say this is a "5 cup" rice cooker. So I'm thinking 5 cups=40oz. Plenty big enough for a family of 4. Well its not quite that much. It seems in Asia (on the metric system) their idea of a cup is a teacup. If you look at the picture and see the two little cups next to the machine, it will hold 5 of THOSE cups. Those cups are approximatley 6oz each. So really it is a 4 (American) cup rice cooker, not 5. Of course 3/4 of a cup is about how much rice you'll eat in a meal so one run of this machine should be able to produce rice for 5. If you need more that that consider the NS-ZAC18 10 cup (8 cup) model.
The trick to the machine is to use the little cups that come with it. You measure out a few "cups" of rice and dump it into the pot. Then you add water and fill it up to the graduated mark on the inside of the pot. So if you toss in 2 cups you add water until you hit the 2 cup mark. It has different markings for Brown, White and Sushi rice.
Before discovering the proper way of using the smaller "cups" I used a regular 8oz cup on some Jasmine rice (then filled it to the designated level). It still came out way better than my rice cooker. It was firm but not hard and full of flavor. So if you screw up or loose your little "cup" you can still get great rice as long as the stickness is not absolutely critical to the receipe.
The manual makes a huge deal out of its ability to handle some "no rinse" rice who's milling technology was proudly developed in Japan. They devote pages to the setting and cooking it, but actually its pretty similar to the regular rice, you just use the green cup instead of the clear cup.
All in all this is a great little machine. If you want the best and are willing to pay the bucks this is the one to get. You will not feel your money is wasted.
Update:
Its now 6 years later and countless batches of rice and this little thing is still going strong. The pot has a few scratches from years of continous daily use but its holding up.
We expanded our use of this little gem. I've learned not to think of it as just a rice producing device but as a rice cooker + modified crock pot. My wife started using it to produce porriage and then later soup. She'll pour the ingredients in the night before, set the timer and her breakfast is ready 30 minutes before she wakes up. You can use it for grain soups, porriage, oatmeal and more. We buy packs of Thai flavored rice that say were supposed to cook on the stove. We dump the stuff in and hit go. They come out plenty tastey.
There is a quick cooking cycle that we use a lot. Shaves about 20 minutes off the cook time. Flavor suffers a little (though its still great) but when your in a rush...
Perhaps the most amazing thing however is what it does to brown rice. As a kid I was never fond of brown rice. Too hard and crunch and I was never that big on bran flavor. We got some brown rice and started cooking it in this thing and it was a whole new world. I don't know how it did it but it came out soft, a little chewey and decent tasting. Brown rice was now something worth eating vs avoiding.
So if for whatever reason you are looking to switch to brown rice but not thrilled with the flavor do yourself a favor and get one of these units. It makes it a whole new experience.
We haven't tried steaming anything yet. Maybe when our steamer breaks..
Update – 2015
After 12 years of service one of the boards went out on the cooker. It took some digging but there was a place in Fort Worth that I sent it off for a repair. The fix cost around $80. Still works great. Still used 1-2 times a day.
Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5.5-Cup (Uncooked) Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer, Stainless Steel
NS-ZCC10
The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer features advanced Fuzzy Logic technology, which allows the rice cooker to 'think' for itself and make fine adjustments to temperature and heating time to cook perfect rice every time.
The Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer cooks flawless rice .
This 5-1/2-cup rice cooker and warmer makes 10 cups of cooked rice and includes a variety of cooking functions comprising of white (regular/sushi, softer or harder), mixed rice, porridge, sweet, semi-brown, brown, rinse-free, and quick cooking. This unit uses a black thick spherical pan with stay cool side handles that provides even heating for better cooking. There is a programmable melody or beep audio indicator to indicate when the cooking cycle has ended.
Other highlights include a detachable and washable inner lid, an easy-to-read LCD control panel, and automatic keep warm, extended keep warm and reheating cycle, delay timer with two settings and a built-in retractable power cord. Accessories include a spatula, a spatula holder, and 2 rice-measuring cups (regular and rinse-free). The 680-watt rice cooker and warmer measures 10-1/8 by 13 by 8-1/8 inches.
Micro computerized Advanced Neuro Fuzzy logic technology
Menu settings include: white (regular/sushi, softer or harder), mixed, porridge, sweet, semi-brown, brown, rinse-free and quick cooking
Programmable melody or beep audio indicator
Extra Large Easy-to-Read color LCD display
Automatic keep warm, extended keep warm and reheating cycle
Spherical inner cooking pan and heating system ensures even heating for perfectly cooked rice
Programmable Delay timer (2 settings)
Fold down handle for easy carry and transport
Built-in retractable power cord
Accessories include: Spatula, spatula holder and 2 measuring cups (regular and rinse-free)
cETLus listed
Make every rice type imaginable with a Zojirushi Rice Cooker
Brown Rice
This is a menu setting designed to cook delicious brown rice. In order to cook hard rice bran and the rice inside, preheating time is extended for better absorption of water, and is cooked at a lower temperature to allow the rice to cook longer without becoming mushy.
Sushi Rice
Because sushi rice will be processed after it's cooked, it's easier to handle when it is a little firmer. This menu setting is very similar to regular white rice, but uses less water (adjusted by the water fill lines) for a firm finish.
Mixed
Mixed rice is rice cooked with additional ingredients and seasonings. This setting extends preheating for better absorption of seasoning. Also, the cooking temperature is slightly lower than regular white rice, to avoid ingredients from boiling over.
Porridge
Instead of cooking rice in larger amounts of water and risk making it sloppy, use the porridge setting to cook fluffy porridge. Cooking temperature is slightly lower than regular white rice, to be cooked longer for soft texture.
Steam
Steam your favorite foods. Steaming function can be lengthened or shortened by adjusting time setting.
MICOM (Microcomputer) Technology
Aided by microcomputer technology, this category of rice cooker takes having rice on your menu from “occasional” to “serious”. Basically, the microchip does all the thinking for you, as far as adjusting cooking times and temperatures according to the type of rice you are cooking, and timing the pre-soaking of the raw grains and the final “wait” .
MICOM allows the cooker to have multiple functions on its menu, making it a necessity for any avid rice fan who wants to incorporate rice into their daily diet.
How it Works
Conventional rice cookers simply turn on and off in reaction to temperature. The “fuzzy logic” of MICOM fine tunes this adjustment to adapt to various rice types, such as white, brown, sweet or porridge, which all has different cooking requirements. The trigger to everything is the thermal sensor, a small round button at the bottom of the inner body of the cooker. As the inner pan’s weight rests on it and activates the sensor, it starts the cooking process and keeps an eye on the temperature and time.
Key Features:
Convenient detachable inner lid
for easy cleaning.
Stay-cool side handles make removal of the inner cooking pan quick and easy.
Spherical inner cooking pan provides even heating for better cooker.
- Enter your model number above to make sure this fits.
- 5-1/2-cup computerized rice cooker and warmer with advanced Neuro Fuzzy logic technology
- Multi-menu selections; automatic keep-warm, extended keep-warm, and reheat cycles
- Spherical, nonstick inner pan allows for uniform heating; LCD clock and timer; retractable cord
- Includes 2 measuring cups, nonstick rice spoon/scooper, rice spoon holder, and recipes
- Measures approximately 14 by 8 by 9 inches; 1-year limited warranty
- NOTE: Please ensure to measure rice in the cup that comes along with the product ONLY
