Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer (10-Cup/Cool White)

I have only had this rice cooker for a couple of days, but have already made rice and oatmeal with great results. I didn't know much about rice cookers, and really doubted that I need one at all until I realized they could be used for other things - like oatmeal. I don't eat rice every day, but I do eat oatmeal every morning. I prefer the long-cooking kind, steel cut or rolled oats, and usually make it in the microwave, which is fine if not special. But recently I have gotten into batch cooking and wanted to make enough to last several days. Not so easy in the microwave. I had tried overnight oats, and discovered that this method is acceptable only if one likes raw, uncooked oats. So, I decided to research rice cookers. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information about batch cooking oatmeal in one, so I had to make a blind purchase. I decided to go for broke and get one with fuzzy logic (why not?) I chose a smaller and cheaper competitor's product first. Wrong decision - no beep at the end of the cycle to let you know it is finished and an thin, cheap-looking inner pot that was too small for cooking more than 3/4 cup of raw oats on the porridge setting. Plus the inside measurement markings were impossible to see once placed in the cooker. Though less expensive than this model, we were still taking a lot of money, so that one went back and I purchased this Zojiruchi 1.8 L model instead. This one is a keeper! Large enough for my 4-days of oatmeal recipe that uses almond milk and a mixture of steel-cut and rolled oats with farro grain thrown in for good measure (makes 4, 12-oz servings.) Perfect, creamy results in about an hour using the porridge setting, and I can do other things during that hour - much better than standing at the stove stirring the pot for at least 30 minutes. No boil-over at all, and super easy clean-up due to the inner pot's non-stick coating and the removable cover plate under the top. I don't write many reviews, just the ones that I might have appreciated reading before making a purchase for a slightly different reason than the usual.

The process of cooking rice with this cooker is very simple, you just measure out how much rice you want to use with the measuring cup provided with the cooker, then dump the rice into the cooking pot, and rinse it a few times in the pot, then fill the pot with water to the inside line that corresponds with how many cups of rice you put in, and then put the cooking pot back in the cooker, select which type of rice you're using, (which is usually sushi rice for me,) and press start. the cooking time is about 20 mins, but there is also a quick cook setting if you want your rice to be ready asap. I haven't tried the timer function, I don't really think it's necessary. I just leave my rice to cook on the normal setting, and then once it's done cooking, I'll leave it on the keep warm setting. You can leave it on the keep warm setting for literally days, and it will stay fresh and warm, ready to eat. The quality of the rice produced by this cooker is top notch, restaurant quality. I previously owned a very cheap rice cooker that produced terrible quality rice, so this is a world's difference for me, and I'm very very happy with my purchase. When I was looking at reviews before buying this, I didn't see a lot of people explaining the cleaning process, so I want to go into depth on that. I asked on the official Zojirushi website before buying, if the inner cooking pot was dish washer safe, and it is NOT, so keep that in mind. The cooking pot as well as the metal tray attached to the lid are HAND WASH ONLY, however both components are VERY non-stick and can be easily cleaned. Even just wiping the inside down with a wet paper towel is enough to remove all traces of rice and any seasoning used from the pot. This cooker arrives fully equipped with two measuring cups, a rice scooping spatula, a holder for the spatula, a cord to plug in the rice cooker, instruction manuals, and of course the rice cooker, inner cooking pot, and metal lid component, which is pretty much all you need to use this cooker (besides the rice.)

I'm not yet sure what to think of this item. I ordered it from Amazon Marketplace - Warehouse Deals. It was described as used but in like new condition. When I received it, 3 items were missing from the box and the manual was not in English. At least the box was in great shape and the rice cooker, manual and power plug look new. The sticker was still on the top of the rice cooker. I had to call Amazon several times to get this missing items sent to me, and I have not yet had time to test the appliance to see if it works. It does come on, and I have set the clock. I just haven't cooked in it yet. I am confident that it will be fine, as Zojirushi makes great appliances. I have owned and used a Zojirushi on/off rice cooker for years; still have it, and it is going strong. I just wanted to try an electronic model so I can make better brown rice and try other types of rice. I also own a Zojirushi bread machine. As soon as I put this model to the test, I will post an updated review. UPDATE: I cooked brown rice in it today, following the instructions in the manual. The cooker was very easy to use, and the rice was perfect. I reserve a 5-star rating for how it performs with other rices and for its durability and reliability. Stay tuned for further updates. UPDATE 2: This little appliance is great! Easy to clean, easy to use, and it cooks brown rice so well. We are really enjoying it.

When my old Tiger rice cooker went on the blink, I bought another, newer Tiger rice cooker. Makes sense, right? I keep a pot of rice warm all the time just like my mom did. That's so everyone in the household has something to eat if they're hungry. I'm a third generation Japanese guy living in Hawaii so this having a "warm pot of rice" in the house is practically a sacred commandment. If you don't have this, you are a pathetic excuse for a human being. So the problem with the Tiger JBV-S10U that I bought is that yes, it did have the warm feature that automatically kicked in after the rice was through cooking, but it would keep it so hot that it was withered, brown and inedible after a mere 12 hours. My old Tiger could go a couple of days, and sometimes 3 days if one had the willingness to subsist on a bachelor's practical cuisine. This made the Tiger rice cooker UNACCEPTABLE for me. I bought this Zojirushi NS-WAC10-WD because it had an "extended warm" setting. Certainly that's what I was looking for, right? But what I found out is that you couldn't use that setting for brown rice. I have no idea why that is. So I was about to write this cooker off as well. But the truth is, it replicates the "3 days on the outside" performance of my old cooker so keeps the "warm pot of rice" doctrine alive at my house! In terms of cooking performance, it does take a long time (1.5 hours) to cook half a pot of brown rice, but the rice (without soaking) is perfectly done. The metal top of the container pulls out so it can be cleaned and that helps much and ensures a cleaner cooking environment as well. That long cooking time (the old Tiger was less than an hour) subtracts 1/2 star, so my actual rating is 4.5 stars, but I don't think my rounding up to 5 will lead anyone astray. Especially if they read this review for the basis and details of my rating.

I've tried many rice cookers. First my mom taught me to make it in the microwave, which is messy since it overflows. Then I purchased rice cookers. Several burned at the bottom. One ALWAYS left a gooey wet clump of mushy rice in the middle. Worse than burning; horrible stuff. The Aroma rice cooker was much better, but I was very interested in finding the ultimate. When I purchased this Zoji, I made a batch in it, plus a batch in my Aroma. The Aroma rice was fine. But the Zoji rice was absolutely perfect and sublime. The best way to describe it is perhaps eating a peach from the grocery store vs one ripe from your tree. Also, using cold Zoji rice for fried rice made perfect fried rice. For the first time I didn't have to heavily oil the wok. It didn't stick! Don't ask me how. I'm very happy with the Zoji and the Aroma has since been rehomed.

I upgraded to this model after my cheap rice cooker just was too small for my needs. I went back and forth on size between 5.5 cup and 10 cup capacity and decided that the 5.5 cup was better suited for my needs. I use a rice cooker daily for not only rice but for: boiling eggs, cream of wheat, oatmeal, cornmeal porridge, steaming a small batch of potatoes, and even just heating up a can of baked beans. I find the tune chime charming (for now at least :) ) and it is nice though that you can turn it to a plain beep or turn it off. The handle is convenient and the unit is light but sturdy. I had to balance what I wanted with price. The size of this cooker was what I expected -- nice and compact but can cook a lot of rice. I cook for 3 people and so didn't need the 10 cup capacity. It makes perfect rice and it doesn't scorch on the bottom. It is so much easier to clean than my old cooker -- it was clearly designed with that in mind. However, I hate the timer. I feel that strongly about it. It isn't a deal breaker but I find myself frustrated. I like a timer that you can set easily for minute intervals whether that be 3 minutes or 32 minutes exactly. Or a delay timer that I can set for 5:00 and have it on for however long I want. This timer (from what I can see) only allows you to set an exact time in 10 minute intervals. So if it is 2:03 pm and I want to cook something for 20 minutes I can't. I can only tell it to be /done/ with rice at a certain time. It's fine for rice because it has those functions but not so nice if I want to use it for hard boiled eggs. Just to make any buyer aware, the time is set in military (24 hour) time and cannot be changed. I'd rather have the option to just set it for 20 minutes and be done. Yes, I can use the quick cook function and set an external timer but it's not what I prefer. For all that my cheap cooker had flaws, I really thought the ability to set the timer to what I wanted in addition to the rice pre-cook time was its best feature. Of course it didn't have a delay time to set it to turn on by itself, but I found that I didn't really need that functionality. Though, it would have been nice to have both. It is probably the case that a more expensive model that comes with a steamer function and a steamer basket has the coveted flexible timer ability. It's a shame because this is a wonderful machine and it doesn't seem to me that the timer needs to be designed the way it is. Overall, I highly recommend this cooker. You just have to decide if the timer is something you are okay with and if the lack of being able to set the machine to turn off when you want is something you can adapt to. I'd say if you are going to use this machine for rice only, its 100% designed for that and you won't have an issue. If you like to make hot cereal daily or like to use it to steam your eggs too, you might find the timer issue very tedious, so you might consider another model.

Why did you pick this product vs others?: It was a gift for my son. He said the rice comes out perfect every time!

This is all you need in a rice-cooker. I’ve had the more expensive models of Zourjirushi before but am happy with the cheaper one. It is not as heavy or study-feeling as the $200-$300 models but it works great, is light and, as far as I can tell, performs the same as the more expensive models. Very happy with my more economic purchase. Brown rice cooks very nicely.