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Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5-1/2-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer, Premium White




  • 058 4  I never had a rice cooker before . I thought I prepared perfectly acceptable rice in a pan on the stove . Oh sure , it might boil over sometimes and make a big mess and the rice might be soft one night and a little hard the next but rice is rice I thought . But , I do love rice and someone suggested I might enjoy a rice cooker so I came to Amazon to do some research . After reading dozens of customer reviews and agonizing about what size , whether no logic , fuzzy logic or neuro fuzzy logic would be best , and worry about which brand would be the most dependable , I finally decided on the Zo Zac - 10 and after having it only a few days , I'm certain I made the right decision . I found it very simple to operate although I agree the instruction booklet leaves a lot to be desired . Plain old long grain white rice is tasty , light , fluffy and so much better than the rice I once prepared in a pan on the stove . I can't wait to try jambalaya , pilaf , risotto and puddings . Do order the Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook . It has some great recipes that will enhance your appreciation of the rice cooker and it's capabilities .
    • 044 4  I am so happy that I purchased this rice cooker . My previous rice cooker a small 3 cup model made by National . The rice that comes out of my Zojirushi is perfect ! I like especially how the entire bowl of rice is made perfectly , from top to bottom , no hard spots or soggy spots . It was definitely worth the investment to upgrade . I love my Zojirushi !
    • 105 4  The fuzzy logic rice cooker is amazing . It took me over two years of drooling over it before I finally gave in and bought this two hundred dollar appliance . I am so happy that I did . My kitchen is full of top of the line culinary gadgets and this by far is the best . In frequency of use it comes only second after the panini press . I love this machine . I haven't had rice this good since my trip to Japan in 04 . I also love the feature that lets me set the exact time for the rice to be finished .

  • 094 4  It does take a long time ( 2hrs ) from brown rice , but it does come up perfect . I tried the quick cook and the time was down to about 75 minutes . I did see the same unit in the Food Lion from about $60 less . Should have looked there first .

    • 108 4  I just got this machine and absolutely love it . I will follow up with this review in six months , but so far , great ! It seems that the ones who don't like this machine either want to cut corners by not reading instructions . . . or by not properly cleaning the machine . Very easy to clean , easy to remove the upper lid and ring . As far as cooking longer , there is a reason that those eating a traditional Japanese meal live longer and have less illness . Preparation is crucial when eating in Japan , and the process is the important part of most prep . Try making sushi in 3 minutes . . . The way to best use this machine is to PLAN your meals and prepare in advance . Slow down . . . you will live longer . Good health and good eating !
      • 060 4  The rice cooker is excellent . It works beautifully every time , and very easy to use and clean . However , buy it at . . . They have the best price , the friendliest customer service representatives , and efficient , quick delivery from California . Definitely buy this rice cooker ; just try to do it at a bargain .
      • 075 4  I love this rice cooker , it lets me eat rice whenever I want , with its timer settings . Not only that , it has appropriate cooking settings - perfect for any kind of rice cooking . I personally like semi-brown rice , so I just put rice in , set the timer for 7am night before , then eat the rice all day for all my meals . I also saw this rice cooker at 99 Ranch market for 120 dollars so maybe it's a better deal than Amazon . I got 25 off for this from amazon but if you can get to 99 ranch , get it there instead if you can find it .
      • 087 4  Makes excellent rice . Easy to use and usefull features . It slides on counter when buttons are pushed . Feet should be more rubbery to stick better . Need two hands to operate with one hand holding onto the unit . Still a fine product that does what it's intended to do . Highly recommended . I found mine for $135 .
      • 091 4  I now have owned this rice cooker for a few months . It cooks excellent rice . Easy for cleaning . Timer feature is great .
      • 125 4  Excellent Product , easy to use ( after reading directions ) This is a foolproof way to cook any type of rice . A quality product !
      • 128 4  I tried Panasonic , Tiger and of course , microwave cooker too , this one is like a Ferrari of cookers , I set the timer to have oatmeal in the morning and perfect rice ( white , brown , pink and black ) in the evening , life is too short , just get it and enjoy .

    • 120 4  This is a great rice cooker . . . it's a little spendy , but if you eat a lot of rice it is well worth it . I bought mine just after Christmas and I love it . The directions are easy enough to follow , the control buttons are easy to use , and my rice comes out perfect every single time . There are multiple cooking settings for different types of rice , too . It's a little bit bigger in size than I thought ( 13 X 9 X 7 1 / 2 ) . It keeps the rice warm for hours after it's finished cooking with no burning . Easy to clean , too . Plays cute tunes when you start it ( Twinkle , Twinkle Little Star ) and another tune when it's finished cooking .
      • 081 4  have been contemplating upgrade from old panasonic rice cooker for ages , finally went ahead and bought zojirushi zcc model ; though directions appear confusing , very easy to use ; convenient and appreciate musen mai feature , makes cooking even easier ; signals start / end of cooking process with melody vs . buzzer which is very amusing ; definitely exceeds expectations , quality of rice cooked with machine very high , which means a lot coming from an asian girl : - ) definitely time saving , which is wonderful when in college ; would take it over a toaster any day .
      • 168 4  this was the first rice maker we ever bought . it is one of the best kitchen investments we ever made . it cooks perfectly , and allows for your own creativity . simple to use , programmable , easy to clean up . i am so happy with this product . it sure beats the heck out of minute rice .

    • 147 4  I purchased this rice maker a year ago and we have being using almost every day . I love it because it makes perfect white and brown rice . Not only that , but I also use to reheat leftovers . It always come out nice and moist . Since microwave is not a really good way to cook , we decided to ditch it and we started to reheat our leftovers on our toaster oven , but sometimes it would come out dry and not so tasty , so I started using this rice maker and it does perfectly . It's fast and it's hot !
      • 072 4  Bought it for my mom who is Japanese . She says it's the best rice cooker she's ever had . She gave it 5 stars . I don't cook , but if she says it's good . It's good ! !
      • 078 4  I have made 6 different varieties of rice with this machine and all have turned out perfect .
      • 104 4  Been married to a Korean for 30 years , rice is a family staple . Its quality is of critical importance . This cooker meets my wife's stringent requirements . I is definitely worth the expense .
      • 121 4  I had been looking for a good brown rice cooker for a long time . This one is IT . The rice is soft and moist and delicious ! Others say they do brown rice , but it usually comes out a little dry and crunchy , this one cooks it just right . Brown rice fanatics this is the cooker for you .
      • 149 4  I bought this rice cooker four years ago . This is the best investment I have made in the kitchen . You will not regret the purchase . I highly recommend this product .
      • 177 4  I love this rice cooker and I agreed with all the good comments about this rice cooker . We searched around and Amazon has the best price .
      • 184 4  This is a great product . I use it regularly , at least twice a week .

    • 161 4  This rice cooker is so easy to use . I did discover that brown basmatti rice , which we use almost exclusively , needs to be cooked with the semi-brown rice setting and on that setting it comes out perfectly every time . You can set the timer for the rice to be ready at a particular time and the cooker starts at the right time to get it done on time . It does take longer than my old rice cooker , but the timer compensates for that . It takes 1 hour to cook brown basmatti rice , and my old cooker took 45 minutes . I have no idea how long white rice takes , because we rarely eat it . I would definitely purchase this rice cooker again if I had it to do over .
      • 146 4  This rice cooker has been very reliable for us . In fact it is the brand that everyone in our family uses . The consistency of the rice is always the same and the keep warm feature is a great plus for always having hot rice available when needed . When cooking white rice you just follow the general directions of using the included measuring cup for the rice and the measuring lines in the cooking bowl for water . It also does a nice job with brown rice , though the measuring is different : 1 1 / 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice . There are some brown rices that cook the same as the white rice , look in Asian markets for these . One added plus for this rice cooker is the plastic handles on the sides of the bowl that make removal and handling of a hot bowl easier .

    • 164 4  Definitely as advertised . It has made my wife very happy . I highly recommend purchase of this model , as it cooks excellent rice every single time .

      • 167 4  This is by far the best rice cooker I've had . In the past , I've used Hitachi and National rice cookers that basically just heat up and cook the rice . This Zojirushi cooks the rice very evenly . I prefer my rice soft yet still resilient and the normal setting does that . It also keeps the rice from drying out if you leave it to warm . I've left it for a couple of hours and the rice remined perfect . Also , this rice cooker is quite easy to use . I highly recommend this model .
        • 130 4  This rice cooker is the best one we've ever had . It seemed a bit slow at first , and we couldn't tell if it was working , but it really doesn't take any longer than our old Hitachi one which we used to death . The rice comes out perfect every time and it tastes wonderful . We really love it . We bought it because of the huge reviews it received , and we have no regrets !
        • 134 4  Expensive rice cooker but you get what you paid for ! It cooks perfectly . I've never liked brown rice before , but this cooker makes it taste great . It's easy to clean as well , because it does not boil over , unlike other switch type rice cookers we've had . Since we eat rice almost every day , I regret not buying it sooner ! We use it for white rice , brown rice , and porridge , and they all come out just right .
        • 139 4  Although the price tag is hefty , I'm so glad I splurged ! I love this little wonder . I've had it for about a month and have made white rice , brown rice , jasmine rice and sweet sticky rice . . . perfect every time . Tomorrow I'm going to try steel cut oats .
        • 148 4  In the past I've either cooked rice on the stovetop , in the microwave or in one of those rinky dink rice cookers that amounts to not much more than a steamer . But when I got this little gadget as a wedding gift , it completely rocked my world . I will never go back . It cooks perfect rice every time . The instructions are easy to follow , and the little song at the start and finish of each batch is the perfect touch .

      • 174 4  I have had this 5.5 cups neuro fuzzy rice cooker for over two years now . I use it on a weekly basis and the rice comes out perfect every time , as is expected from this line and brand of rice cookers . However , I would actually use it more often if the cook time was faster . It takes this little cooker about twice the amount of time it takes a conventional rice cooker to make rice for two people ( about 45mins - 1hr for 1.5 - 2.0 cups ) , which is waaaay too long . I usually want to whip up dinner in less time than that . I have had several embarrassing occasions where I put up rice too late while I had company over and everyone was waiting for the rice to be ready and it feels like forever . I might as well cook the rice on top of the stove . So to compensate , I now have to make my rice in advance on the weekends and keep it stored in plastic containers in the fridge for microwave convenience . It's just not the same as freshly made rice which is hot and steaming from the cooker . My mom's old-fashioned rice cooker which she has had for more than ten years makes rice in about 20mins . However , my mom's old-fashioned rice cooker can't make brown rice like this one can because it sticks to the bottom and becomes crusty . Don't get this cooker if you need a fast rice cooker . I guess they put in new technology that makes perfect rice , but takes twice as long . If it weren't for the slow cook time , which a HUGE minus for me , I would give this rice cooker 5 stars .
        • 003 4  For starter I have no complaints about the quality of the rice this machine makes but I am sure there are many other machines that make very good rice in the same price category . I am giving it a mediocre review because of the process and expense you have to go through to change the battery ( even though it is only every 4 years or so ) . You cannot do it . The machine must be taken ( or sent at additonal expense ) to an authorized dealer who will have to desolder the battery from the circuit board for replacement . The charge for this work is around $20 or more plus $7 + for the battery . This process annoys me because I am sure other rice machines have a simple and inexpensive way to replace the battery ( and it must be changed at some point , it won't work without it ) . Just something to be aware of .
        • 035 4  I would of given it 0 stars because it died 14 months after I purchase it ( right out of warranty ) . I would have thought that for such an expensive product that would be more durable or have a longer warranty such as Cuisinarts 3 year warranty . I know that the main reason that people buyer this rice cooker is to make rice in it . But for $150 it really should have a slow cook and steaming function . You can buy a fuzzy logic rice cooker from Panasonic with both of these features for less and Panasonic rice cookers last a long time .
        • 036 4  I've had this rice cooker for about 5 yrs now and I've never once had a problem with it . It tells time even when it's unplugged and I haven't had to change the clock battery yet . As far as the rice making capabilities of this cooker , I really don't think it could get any better . I also used the programmable time function quite a bit when I was working nights . Add the rice and water to the cooker and press a few buttons to have freshly made rice at the same time my alarm clock was going off in the afternoon . When I initially bought it , it was because I could never make a decent batch of rice . Since then I've been cooking all kinds of rice in this cooker and it always turns up perfectly . That's because all I do now is add my ingredients and press a button and this really smart cooker does all the work . The price is high and hasn't changed much in about 5 years ( in fact I think I paid the same for it , about $180 ) , but if mine broke I would buy another one just like it in a heartbeat .
        • 065 4  Order the cooker November 26 and received it today , November 29 , from an Amazon Marketplace Vendor called Fast Nickel , lowest price we could find including low cost shipping . We want to thank all the people who left feedback on this product as we used it to determine the purchase . My husband and I cooked up a 3 cup batch of white rice that came out so good that we finished it all at one meal ( we figure we better just cook 1 or 2 cups the next time ) . The taste and aroma were just amazing . If you like perfectly cooked rice , you definetely need one of these .
        • 069 4  I bought this machine a few months back because we entertain and serve rice . . . to large crowds . We have fell in love with this machine . The rice stays hot . . . has the extended warm button so the rice stays hot for hours ( longest I have done is 4 hours beyond cooking ) . You can put the rice and water in the machine and set it to be ready when the party starts . . . wonderful ! Every time the rice has come out perfect and no burnt or stuck rice to the bottom of the cooker . The price is high but worth it if you eat a lot of rice .
        • 097 4  This product is excellent . If you want great tasting rice , use the regular setting ( around 45 - 60 minutes to cook ) . If you're in a hurry , use the Quick setting for a 15 - 20 minute cook time . Apparently the Quick setting doesn't soak the rice but it seems to taste just as good . Overall , the device is compact , high quality , and has a convenient retractable cord . Although a little pricy , I feel that the quality and features are worth it .
        • 116 4  I received this rice cooker today . I was torn with the size . Can I feed my family , and have leftovers with this ? We are a family of five and was torn between the ten cup and the 5.5 . After I ordered the 5.5 I really felt like I should have ordered the 10 cup , even though I am not crazy about adding more appliances to my limited counter space . Most reviews don't mention how much this cooker will feed . Well , for my family , we all ate to our hearts content and still had plenty of leftovers . Given that my kids are all eight and under , we don't need a larger cooker . It was quite a bit of rice that it makes ! I can probably feed 7 people easily with this cooker . If you entertain a lot , or eat a lot ( hello carbs ) I'd go the next size up , not a big price difference . It produced excellent Sushi rice , not burned at all on the bottom , a first for me ! I have gone from a fancy $ $ $ Breville , to an Oster and they all burned on the bottom . This came out perfect from the first try . I recommend this rice cooker , didn't give it a five , because I have not had it long enough to give it a perfect rating . Best appliance I have bought in years . Also , would like to add that it plays a cute tune when it starts the cook cycle . It is a unique appliance .
        • 124 4  I grew up in Asia and have always had a rice cooker . When my last one croaked , I wanted a really nice one and this one has certainly come through for me . It makes perfect white rice ( that's all I've used it for so far ) and leftovers heat up just as tasty in the microwave . My previous double-boiler type models didn't produce great leftovers . My old ricecookers often spewed water all over the counter and down the side of the rice cooker , but this one , with it's snap down lid is clean . It took some time to read the directions , but after that initial time investment , I'm cooking like a pro .
        • 143 4  We've had this rice cooker for almost 2 years and we are very happy with it . My husband and I are from Asian families and my husband is native Japanese , so his standards for good rice are especially high . This cooker has not disappointed us . It's extremely easy to use and the rice has always turned out great . If anything , we're kind of disappointed when we go out to restaurants because many times the rice outside doesn't measure up to what we're eating at home . I like that , unlike the cooker we used when we lived in Japan , you don't have to have hair-like precision when it comes to water measurement ; with our previous cooker if I was even a drop of water off , the rice would turn out either too dry or too wet . This cooker seems more forgiving . Finally , it's ( so ) easy to clean and it still looks brand new almost 2 years later ( and we use it almost daily ) . My 70 year-old Chinese mother was also so impressed with it that she finally replaced her 20 year-old rice cooker with this one , and asked me to get one for my brother as well . If you're sitting on the fence because of the cost ( as I was initially ) , I'd recommend you go for it especially if you like rice and it is a major part of your diet .

      • 182 4  I always research extensively before buying . I almost always end up buying the first product that I find on Amazon . This machine does what it claims , but I still don't see why it costs so much . I'm a grits man , but , in my household , the rice eaters outnumber me . The rice eaters insist on designer white rice , but I say any long grain new rice will do . I never rinse . If the package does not require rinsing in its instructions , I assume that it can be cooked on the no rinse cycle . I don't buy rice that instructs rinsing . The porridge instructions are for a rice dish , not oatmeal or grits as one might imagine . I did not realize that until the machine arrived . Porridge , as round-eyes know it , must be whipped constantly at a medium temperature until soft .
        • 151 4  I have had this for a few weeks now and all I can say is good things . I got it mostly for brown rice . I could never get it right on the stove top . This cooker gets it right every time . I cannot say enough good things . If your a rice eater , spend the money and buy today .
        • 176 4  I love this machine . I get perfect rice everytime with no fuss , no muss . No more waiting for my wife to cook it . No more too soft or too hard rice . I'm even experimenting with rice varieties and mixtures I could never have imagined doing before . Like I said , I love the machine .

      • Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) The cooker itself - This model of cooker may look complicated but it's rely not once you know how it works and there is so much that can be done with one of these so be sure to invest in it and the ` ultimate rice cooker cookbook ' . And I want to say right now that the Manuel that comes with the cooker is simple , it includes basic directions and 8 recipes besides basic rice preparation . The Manuel is not a cookbook it's a Manuel ok . To check out all Zojirushi products and download there manuals or to register you're cooker visit http : / / www.zojirushi.com it's a great site ! Cleaning - When the rice cooker runs it leaves water droplets on the detachable lid as well as on the outside lid by the steam vent . That condensed water can cause mold to grow and cover the steam hole . If the steam hole is covered the steam pressure will cause overflow . To keep this from happening take out the inner lid and wipe down the outer lid after every use . The instruction Manuel also states that you should not cover / clog the steam vent ( say perhaps with a towel ) because this can cause overflow , if you mind the directions for proper care stated in the Manuel taking care of you're rice cooker is simple Oatmeal - It seems many people have tried to make oatmeal in the rice cooker and things have gone wrong so first let me state that you can make oatmeal in this machine just not instant oats . You need stone ground oats ; they are also called pinhead oats , in order to make oatmeal in this cooker because they take longer to cook so they won't get mushy . But let me also state that even making stone ground oats in a rice cooker is fairly unnecessary because they cook up over the stove in about 3 or 4 minutes . Another important thing to note is that one should NEVER put milk in a rice cooker ! So if you like you're oatmeal made with milk you'll have to make it on the stove top . My review - I have saved almost a year to be able to finally buy this dream of rice lovers everywhere and now IT'S FINALY MINE ! Thank you God almighty ! ^ - ^ Anyhow as you know it makes perfect rice every time , it's so easy to use and there's so much you can do with it ! So bite the bullet and JUST DO IT ! ! You'll never regret it ! And now I no longer have to go to my local Chinese place to satisfy my rice craving ! Yeaaaahhooo ! ! My rice is ready got to go ! ! ^ o ^ yum ! Oh yeah I'll be updating my review in about a month to let you all know how things are going !
        • 002 4  This rice cooker makes the best rice we have ever had - at least since our travels to Southeast Asia . And despite the fact that this machine * seems * smarter than it's user , it is remarkably simple to operate . The instruction book lacks a little bit in terms of recipes and creativity - but it does a good job giving you the basic idea of how to use this machine . This space age looking rice cooker is a little pricey , so it may be overkill for some - but I love all the features this offers and consider it well worth the price ( which is a hundred less than what it is offered for here at Amazon ) . We eat a lot of brown rice , which is not something that other rice cookers handle well . This one has a setting for brown rice , and cooks it to perfection . Also has a setting for semi-brown rice , sushi rice , porridge & more . You get to pick how soft or hard you want the rice to turn out by using the control panel . Being able to set a timer for having rice ready when we get home from work is handy . This thing also cooks complete meals - definitely get a good cookbook for rice cooker cooking : - ) We are expirimenting with many varieties of rice that I normally would have shyed away from , since I could not seem to cook even plain old brown rice properly until now . It took me 6 months to decide to buy this thing . We were originally contemplating the MYC10 series , but the specific settings for brown rice became important to us . And this one takes up less space on the countertop than the MYC10 . We will be eating rice nearly every day now thanks to this machine ! I am definitely glad we chose the ZAC10 , and would recommend this product . It's a keeper ! UPDATED JUNE 12 , 2004 : We have now had this rice cooker for nearly a year , and have used it at least 3 times a week . It has held up to regular use quite well , we have not had a single problem with it . If anything , we are eating at home more than ever because of the simplicity of planning meals ahead of time . One thing that we have learned is that the 5 cup capacity is for using the cooker for white rice . Brown rice capacity is about 3 cups . So if you anticipate using this for more than 3 6 oz . cups of dry brown rice , you might consider steppig up to the 10 cup capacity model ZAC18 . One tip for making very tasty rice , use a broth instead of water ( or 1 / 2 and 1 / 2 ) . If you are on fence about this cooker go ahead and take the leap - it is fantastic ! No regrets ! UPDATED April 18 , 2008 : Well , the Brown Rice setting finally died this week after nearly five ( yes FIVE ! ) faithful years of weekly use . We remain very pleased with this product , and plan to upgrade to the newest model in a 10 cup capacity .
        • 006 4  I admit , first off , that I have never used a rice cooker before . However , we wanted one because we love rice and most of the time whe we did it ' by hand ' or ' according to instructions ' it was really delicious or pretty good , and sometimes ' not quite right ' . We've had this a few months now . Let me tell you this thing makes it ' delicious ' every time . It's great . We love the rice from it ( we have tried white , mixed , and brown ) . What's more this makes DELICIOUS oatmeal ! ! ! ! We tried the ' instant oats ' in it , and those are way too mushy for our taste - - very creamy . I suppose if you like it like that , it's OK - - but we don't . At the same time I bought the cooker , I bought a rice cooker cookbook from Amazon at the same time , and it said for oatmeal to use ' steel cut oats ' ( also called pinhead oats ) in the rice cooker . My goodness ! ! ! What a difference . The steel cut oats have wonderful flavor , and a much firmer , much more delicious texture . We some cinnamon , brown sugar , maybe some dried fruit ( cranberries , raisins , whatever ) , and maybe a touch of ground nutmeg , and WOW ! Wake up in the morning with incredible oatmeal smell in the air - it's heaven . The porridge setting makes the oatmeal virtually perfect every time ( You MUST read the instruction book first - - it looks complicated but after you actually use the rice maker a couple times it's really easy ! ! ) Anyway - - I've never written a review here before , but after buying this rice cooker I just had to . When I ask my wife Want oatmeal in the morning ? usually I get the response Yummy ! I'd love it . We both love this rice cooker with it's fuzzy logic that makes porrige and rice taste great . I highly recommend it . To those ( very few ) people that don't like it I say READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL BEFORE USING ! ! And to the person that said it's hard to clean - BS . This thing is so easy to clean . Pop the inner lid out and rinse or wash it , and pop the inner bowl in the dishwasher and you're ready to go for the next day . I just set the rice cooker for oatmeal at 6 : 30 tomorrow morning . Know what ? I'm going to wake up to a delicious , healthful breakfast . My thanks to all the previous reviewers who gave this good reviews . This thing is great .
        • 041 4  We have been using this product for sometime now , makes fantastic rice . Would suggest ; THE ULTIMATE RICE COOKER COOKBOOK , as this product is capable of so much more than rice . You can do pudding , soups , deserts and the book that comes with it is lacking . Would check around for price , available most other e-tailers for a hundered dollars less than here ! - - - - - Highly recommend this product . UPDATE ! Amazon has lowered their price . When I wrote the review they were out of line by a hundred bucks . We have had the rice cooker for about a year now . With all the use of this unit , and the excellent results every time , I would now rate the ZO FIVE STARS !
        • 048 4  The cooker itself - This model of cooker may look complicated but it's rely not once you know how it works and there is so much that can be done with one of these so be sure to invest in it and the ` ultimate rice cooker cookbook ' . And I want to say right now that the Manuel that comes with the cooker is simple , it includes basic directions and 8 recipes besides basic rice preparation . The Manuel is not a cookbook it's a Manuel ok . To check out all Zojirushi products and download there manuals or to register you're cooker visit http : / / www.zojirushi.com it's a great site ! Cleaning - When the rice cooker runs it leaves water droplets on the detachable lid as well as on the outside lid by the steam vent . That condensed water can cause mold to grow and cover the steam hole . If the steam hole is covered the steam pressure will cause overflow . To keep this from happening take out the inner lid and wipe down the outer lid after every use . The instruction Manuel also states that you should not cover / clog the steam vent ( say perhaps with a towel ) because this can cause overflow , if you mind the directions for proper care stated in the Manuel taking care of you're rice cooker is simple Oatmeal - It seems many people have tried to make oatmeal in the rice cooker and things have gone wrong so first let me state that you can make oatmeal in this machine just not instant oats . You need stone ground oats ; they are also called pinhead oats , in order to make oatmeal in this cooker because they take longer to cook so they won't get mushy . But let me also state that even making stone ground oats in a rice cooker is fairly unnecessary because they cook up over the stove in about 3 or 4 minutes . Another important thing to note is that one should NEVER put milk in a rice cooker ! So if you like you're oatmeal made with milk you'll have to make it on the stove top . My review - I have saved almost a year to be able to finally buy this dream of rice lovers everywhere and now IT'S FINALY MINE ! Thank you God almighty ! ^ - ^ Anyhow as you know it makes perfect rice every time , it's so easy to use and there's so much you can do with it ! So bite the bullet and JUST DO IT ! ! You'll never regret it ! And now I no longer have to go to my local Chinese place to satisfy my rice craving ! Yeaaaahhooo ! ! My rice is ready got to go ! ! ^ o ^ yum ! Oh yeah I'll be updating my review in about a month to let you all know how things are going !
        • 052 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) The rice from this cooker is not like what you will get from a $50 cooker . Having spend a lot of time overseas , you will see fuzy logic rice cookers going for well over $500 and sometimes $ more in Japan . The fuzy logic is the only rice cooker to buy right now . IT DOES make a noticable difference . Now whenever we order Chinese takeout , we tell them to keep the rice as we make it ourselfs . It takes about an hour to make rice , but with the timer you just put the rice in sometim that afternoon and it will be ready when needed . Or just let it cook the rice early . It will keep the rice warm for hours if needed . Buy your rice in bulk , the best we can get localy is from the korean market , but bulk from the warehouse clubs is very tasty . Here is a tip - use Hot water and the cooking times drop dramaticly . I'm an american from the mid-west - I can't tell you how much rice we now eat .
        • 053 4  The rice from this cooker is not like what you will get from a $50 cooker . Having spend a lot of time overseas , you will see fuzy logic rice cookers going for well over $500 and sometimes $ more in Japan . The fuzy logic is the only rice cooker to buy right now . IT DOES make a noticable difference . Now whenever we order Chinese takeout , we tell them to keep the rice as we make it ourselfs . It takes about an hour to make rice , but with the timer you just put the rice in sometim that afternoon and it will be ready when needed . Or just let it cook the rice early . It will keep the rice warm for hours if needed . Buy your rice in bulk , the best we can get localy is from the korean market , but bulk from the warehouse clubs is very tasty . Here is a tip - use Hot water and the cooking times drop dramaticly . I'm an american from the mid-west - I can't tell you how much rice we now eat .
        • 054 4  My wife was dubious when I bought this for her a year ago . Since that time , we have used it on average 3 times a week and it has never failed to produce rice better than even our favorite Asian restaurant's rice . Though it is very expensive , you will get your money's worth out of it and then some ( we used to have rice maybe 2 times a month before we got this ) . It is very simple to use and the keep warm feature is great too . . . we once accidentally left rice in it on keep warm for 3 hours - - it still came out perfect ! I cannot recommend this product enough . UPDATE - - 2 / 7 / 09 This baby's still going strong 2.5 years later . It's also the only product that I've ever bought where the non-stick surface is still just as good after this amount of time . We've used it at least 2 times a week and HAVE EVEN MADE BREAD IN IT ( search online for rice cooker bread ) ! No problems to date . I pity people who don't have one of these things . . . ; )
        • 070 4  I can't really add anything new to the other reviews . I've seen these in the Asian market in town for years , and finally decided to save up and get one . The price was a little intimidating even though on-line reviews raved about them . I don't regret the purchase at all . In short , it's a great device designed by a Japanese ( who know rice ) company with long experience in making household products . I LOVE IT ! No more burnt rice , gelatinous rice , gooey rice , hard white lump that in theory is rice , etc . that comes from me cooking rice in a pan on the stove . The soaking stage ( which adds to the cooking time ) was a bit of a mystery , but I figured out the key to not complaining about the cooking time . Get the rice going FIRST ( a one-minute action ) , then get out the veggies and chicken and wok . By the time that's ready , rice is ready . What I love the most is being able to throw in rice and water just before going to bed , then waking up to hot rice . Add milk , cinnamon , and a touch of sugar for a great breakfast .
        • 086 4  I just purchased one of the Zojirushi ns-zcc10 five cup units , and would like to post my comments in order to help others in their buying decisions . If I was to rate the product on just the quality of the finished rice / grains , it would rate a six out of five . Everything that has been cooked has been superb , including the steel cut oats we had this morning . The electronics / controls are very easy to use , including the timer / delayed start . The unit does NOT take an extraordinarily long amount of time to cook rice compared to the old Hitachi we had . If you add the time for the 30 minute pre-soak ( which the Zoj does automatically for best quality ) , normal cooking time , then the 15 minute steam / rest period , they take close to the same time . You can cut out the soak time using the ' quick ' function on the menu . Unfortunately Zojirushi seems to have dropped the ball on a couple items . The big one is no removable steam vent assembly . I cannot believe that other reviews ( that I could find ) of this product did not mention this problem / design flaw . Since the vent is fixed in the outer lid , it makes it very difficult to clean properly . There is a rubber gasket that seals it to the removable inner lid that has a lip / ledge above , that is especially problematic . I have been cleaning it with a chopstick wrapped with a damp cloth , but it should be removable to clean under running water at the sink . The manual does not suggest any way to clean the vent , and it DOES get VERY cruddy , especially using the porridge function . The second gripe I have is the use of aluminum on the otherwise very well designed inner lid . The removable lid itself is head and shoulders above some of the others we looked at , like the Tiger and Sanyo . It pivots in two recesses at the bottom , and snaps in at the top . The outer lid will not even close / lock until the inner lid is in place . But why use aluminum that is going to be scratched , is soft and will oxidize over time ? I would have paid a couple of extra bucks to have a stainless steel inner lid . Given the excellent quality of the rice this unit makes , I would probably buy it again knowing what I know now . But Zojirushi should / could do better in this price range . We bought this over the comparable Tiger brand cooker , but others may choose differently if clean-up ease means more to them .
        • 099 4  Great rice every time , and simple to use once you've waded through the instructions once . This is hands down better than the numerous American style / manufactured rice cookers I've owned in the past , some of which were more expensive . Some specific notes : - Thick , quality interior rice bowl . This is one of the most important things because , just like any stove-top pot , even heat distribution is extremely important . I'm not sure if this thing is anodized , but it's definitely thicker than any inner tray I've had with my previous rice cookers . This is one reason that I rarely have problems with the bottom layer of rice over-cooking . - Large , contoured heating element . This is another important thing as it spreads out the surface that is being directly heated , meaning ( 1 ) less heat needs to be used at any particular point on bowl and ( 2 ) the bowl doesn't need to be overly-engineered to spread concentrated heat . Here is reason number two that I rarely get burned rice on the bottom . - Slow cook cycle ( this is a good thing ) . It takes about 45 - 60 minutes to cook even a small amount of rice because this cooker raises the rice to a very specific temperature and then attempts to steam it as part of the cooking process . All the American cookers I've had in the past cook in about twenty minutes through a direct boil-and-be-done process . Of course , this gadget DOES have a fast cook process so it can operate in this fashion , but why waste good rice ? Buy it , and enjoy .
        • 132 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This little cooker is the perfect cooking-for-two size . I have had it for several weeks now and have found it to be reliable in producing excellent rice . Am just starting to experiment with using broth , dried mushrooms , etc . My husband's only complaint is that it DOESN'T burn the rice on the bottom like our old ( extremely cheap ) cooker - he reallly liked that burned part apparently ! This is an expensive cooker but I like it . It seems very well made . The pan is as non-stick as I have ever seen . I like the little song that it plays when you press the cook button too !
        • 133 4  This little cooker is the perfect cooking-for-two size . I have had it for several weeks now and have found it to be reliable in producing excellent rice . Am just starting to experiment with using broth , dried mushrooms , etc . My husband's only complaint is that it DOESN'T burn the rice on the bottom like our old ( extremely cheap ) cooker - he reallly liked that burned part apparently ! This is an expensive cooker but I like it . It seems very well made . The pan is as non-stick as I have ever seen . I like the little song that it plays when you press the cook button too !
        • 158 4  Although I was dubious when my husband purchased this , it has been one of our best kitchen investments ever . We have rice several times a week now ( far more often than we ever did before ) because this cooker ios so easy to use , and it MAKES PERFECT RICE . Keeps it perfect for HOURS . It reheats rice perfectly too . Instead of having day-old Chinese take-out rice that gets hard and yucky , we dump it into this cooker with a spoonful of water , and voila , perfect again . We have used just about every setting . We also use it for oatmeal and other whole grain cereals . Set the timer and wake up to perfect oatmeal ; yummy . It is incredibly easy to use and program , and , it a perfectly quirky Oriental way , it plays catchy little ditties when the rice is done .
        • 178 4  I grew up with one button rice cookers . The kind I liked the best was one where you would put water on the outside of the rice pot as well as in the inside of the pot with the rice and then press the button . I don't think they make those anymore . Nowadays you have to keep the outside of the pot dry . Kinda a pain after you got it wet washing the rice . Back when I was growing up we made delicious rice , rice porridge , steamed sausage over rice , steamed chicken and vegetables in broth , bean soup , etc . using the simple one button rice cooker . The trick for some of the dishes is to run the cook cyle twice to cook longer . I mention all this to explain why just having a rice cooker cooking different things doesn't totally impress me . I'm used to having one that is simple to use and versatile . With this background , I was a little bit disappointed in the ZAC10 rice cooker although I still think it is an excellent product . This neuro fuzzy is CUTE . And it makes DELICIOUS oatmeal . It also makes cheaper rice taste better . The keep warm feature works perfectly - - no making a crust . I use the timer feature for oatmeal in the morning - very nice to have . But it is also awfully SLOW . I'm used to the rice cooker cooking faster than the stovetop method but this one is just as slow if not slower . For 1 small cup of rice it takes 40 + minutes . The machine I grew up with took 20 minutes . Even the quick cook feature on this machine takes 30 minutes . Theoretically you can't use this as a steamer according to the Ultimate Rice Cooker cookbook I also bought . That's too bad since I am used to steaming things in a rice cooker . I will play around with it though and see if that's really the case . I am still torn about whether to get this for my motherinlaw this Xmas . She loves oatmeal but cooked in milk so the timer feature won't help her . But still , it makes delicious oatmeal without her having to stand and stir . And it keeps it warm for a long time . What's making me hesitate is that she doesn't eat rice that often and the buttons in the front are rather daunting . ( It really isn't as complicated as it looks though ) Also the manual has no good recipes . It doesn't even tell you if you can make oatmeal with milk or not in it . ( You can . ) On the web they have some and if I were to get this for her I would definitely print out some recipes to go with it . This would be an expensive gift not to be used . If you eat rice alot or like rice , oatmeal , porridge , that kind of thing . . . a rice cooker is a must and this one is a great one . Just realize that if you're use to a one button rice cooker you'll be giving up simplicity . FOLLOW-UP : I have demoted this from a FIVE star to a FOUR star product . It still makes wonderful rice but disappointingly it doesn't handle oatmeal cooked in milk ( 1% fat ) . I've tried it three times now , two times on porridge cycle and this thing made a COLOSSAL MESS . Hubby said it's like a baby puked all over it , inside and out . The thing spewed oatmeal which stuck and dried everywhere ( I got to it two hours after it went on keep-warm ) . Even though the inner part of the lid pops out , it still took nearly an hour to clean up the nooks and crannies of the thing . I definitely suggest watching it if you cook oatmeal with milk and maybe even opening it up several times to release the steam . Better yet , do it on the stovetop . Too bad because the oatmeal still left in the pot that it didn't spew out tasted fantastic . To be fair to the recipe , I should say I used quick cook oats ( 1 minute type ) instead of the steel cut slow cook type oatmeal . Maybe that made a difference . BUt if so , too bad because I still have a lot of the other kind of oatmeal to use up .

      • Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This product rates five stars because it does what it is supposed to : turn out perfectly cooked rice as and when you want it , every time you use it . The non-stick bowl is easy to clean , and the inner lid , while not non-stick , at least pops out easily and gets clean with a little elbow grease , although I would highly recommend spraying it with non-stick spray before cooking anything sticky ( like oatmeal ) . I will say , however , that after reading the reviews here I was expecting the rice this cooker produced to be a revelation . And , in fact , the rice this cooker makes tastes . . . like rice . Exactly the same as properly cooked rice on the stove top . It's that properly cooked part that is the beauty of using a rice maker . No more forgetting the rice is on the stove and boiling the water out or getting the timing wrong . With a rice cooker you add the desired quantity of rice , the appropriate amount of water for the type of rice and the texture you want , press a button and you get perfect rice without ever having to worry about it overcooking . When the water is gone the machine switches automatically to keep warm mode and will keep the rice perfectly warm and fluffy for hours . Or you can reheat it if you need it just-finished hot . You can get the same safety zone by baking your rice in the oven , but what a waste of energy . A rice machine takes up less space than a food processor , doesn't heat up the kitchen and uses far less engergy than the oven . So it's a worthwhile investment if you like rice . The real question is whether you need to spend the extra C-note to get a neuro fuzzy cooker . On the plus side , the neuro fuzzy cooker has two great features a plain-old on / off button cooker doesn't : 1 ) a timer , so you can put in your non-perishable oatmeal ingredients before you go to bed and wake up to a hot breakfast , or put your rice in the cooker before you start dinner and it will have the rice ready when you tell it to ; and 2 ) settings for different varieties and textures of rice - - brown rice , mixed rice , white rice , porridge , etc . A large number of people have raved about all you can do with a neuro fuzzy cooker if you get The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook and , it's true , there are uses you can make out of a neuro fuzzy cooker that you can't get from an on / off style cooker . Turns out , though , that the uses I wanted from my rice cooker ( being able to make simple , yet complete , healthy dinners in it ) can only be made ( per the author ) in an on / off style cooker , which has a steaming basket over the rice bowl . So you put rice in the bottom , fish and vegetables or whatever in the top , and a full meal is made in the time it takes to cook rice . On / off cookers don't have a timer , so you can't set a time for the food to be done , but it's not like you can leave fish or milk or other perishable foods alone in the cooker overnight or all day , anyway . And the on / off cookers have a keep warm button so you can put your rice in to cook before you go to the gym and still have rice waiting when you get home . It won't be just-cooked fresh , but can you really tell the difference between just-cooked and kept-warm rice ? The neuro fuzzy cooker is perfect if you eat a lot of brown rice or make a lot of porridge , but if you just want perfectly cooked rice every time , or just simple meals of rice , veggies and a maybe a little chicken or fish , save yourself some money and get an on / off cooker . Either way , though , a rice cooker will save you ever having to wait for the rice or having to eat overly mushy or undercooked rice . And this cooker , which is perfect for anywhere from a single serving ( use your own measuring cups , the minimum this cooker can measure with its pre-marked lines and cup serves two heartily ) , to enough rice for side servings for up to a dozen people , does the job supremely well .
        • 001 4  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 . .
        • 004 4  This ZCC - 10 just came out in March 2005 and replaces the ZAC - 10 . NOTE : All reviews prior to this one are actually for the older model . While I was researching rice cookers recently , I called Zojirushi to ask about the altitude issue that had been mentioned as a problem to fuzzy logic type cookers . At that time , they told me this new ZCC model was about to be released which fixed that and would work accurately at higher altitudes . I waited to order it , and it works GREAT . I live at 4,000 ft . elevation and both Basmati rice and brown rice turn out better than any I've ever made before - - absolutely perfect . I had dinner guests gushing about the wonderful rice without having any idea I had this cooker ! It literally takes about 2 minutes to figure out how to use the ZCC - 10 . You can choose white rice with sub-settings of sushi , soft or hard . There is also a quick cook cycle , one for mixed grains , plus sweet , semi-brown and brown rice , plus a cycle for pre-washed rice ( probably only available in Japan ) . After cooking is done , the machine plays its little tune and shifts into a warm cycle ( up to 12 hrs ) and if you want to go beyond that , there is an extended warm cycle , plus a reheat setting . While in warm , you can open it up at any time , get some rice , and close the lid again and the warm cycle continues until you unplug it . Cleaning is quick and simple . . . in fact , although I removed the inner lid to clean ( it easily snaps in and out ) there was actually not much more than a few drops of condensation on it . The rice bowl cleans up with no effort , nothing sticks . The rice produced by the ZCC - 10 is a gazillion times better than my previous little Hitachi cooker ( switch type ) . The little melody is amusing . . . Twinkle Twinkle Little Star plays when you start the cook cycle , and Amaryllis plays at the end . You even have a choice of switching between high melody , low melody or beep . The buttons on the front are large and very easy to read . The unit looks like a cute little space ship with a handle - - so very Japanese ! I previously heard some complaints about not all Zoji cookers coming from Japan , but this one was definitely made in Japan , for what that's worth . SIZE : This is called a 5.5 - cup model . The most I have made was 3 Zoji cups ( be sure to measure using their little cups , not your usual measuring cup ! ) , which didn't entirely fill the bowl and which was plenty for 7 people to have quite a lot . I probably could have done 4 cups , maybe more . They call it a 5.5 cup cooker , which must mean 5.5 of THEIR measuring cups . That would be a fair amount of rice . As a complement to this cooker , I also recommend the Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook , sold right here on Amazon . Great stuff in it to use in this cooker and lots of rice / rice prep / rice cooker information ! Many or maybe even most recipes require fuzzy logic type cookers , by the way . I discovered you can use a rice cooker to make all sorts of surprising things , such as oatmeal and other grain cereals , rice pudding ( and other puddings ) , a really amazing variety of different things ! I was hesitant to spend this much on a rice cooker and thought about it for months , but I can enthusiastically say it's worth it , especially if you plan to use it for more than just cooking plain old rice . Everyone I spoke to in kitchen type stores unanimously said Zojirushi was the absolute best , and now I know why !
        • 005 4  I agonized over the decision to buy this rice cooker and did a lot of research . I had a cheap rice cooker that was OK but it was a simple on / off type . I found I wasn't using it that much because the brown rice took so long to cook I did not want to wait . Finally decided to do it and I've been very pleased . I use the porridge cycle a lot for a oatmeal / leftover rice breakfast . Key features : Timer : Set it to have the rice ready at 6pm and it is ready at 6pm . This is especially important for brown rice because it takes about 80 minutes to cook . Rice settings : Cooking brown rice , just select the brown rice setting . Same for porridge , sweet , semi brown , and 3 white rice settings . Porridge Setting : I use the porridge cycle 3 - 4 times a week for a oatmeal / leftover rice breakfast . I'm hooked on this stuff . ( Recipe is in the Ultimate Ricecooker Cookbook ) . Very Easy to clean : Basically , you clean to non-stick pot and the pop out top each time you use it . It really can't get any easier . ( One person who reviewed this machine complained about it being difficult to maintain but I can't imagine how they came to this conclusion ) . Rice paddle holder on side : This may sound like a minor item but I had a cheap rice cooker that had no where to put the paddle during serving and it was a pain . I prefer not to just set things on the counter . The only thing that needs a little work is the instruction manual . It is very limited and you will want to purchase The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook . Buy it online in paperback . If you eat rice 3 or more times a week , go ahead and get this machine . It is worth the price . ( If you look hard online you can find it for about $160 ) . If you don't eat rice 3 times a week this machine might change that .
        • 007 4  My wife said I was crazy to spend so much just to cook rice . That was until she tried the rice ! When she tried the oatmeal , she started telling all of our friends and family about how incredible it is . We've had this machine for 4 months and use it several times per week for both rice and oatmeal . Rice : It makes the ultimate rice every time . The best feature is that it keeps the rice warm and perfect for up to 8 hours . It does this by having an excellent seal between the lid and the bowl , plus very accurate temperature control . We picked up a 25 lb . bag of Kokuho Rose pre-washed rice at Costco for something like $0.50 per lb . My family loves it ! Rice Pudding : Italian rice or Arborio rice - We made this over the Christmas holidays . Just follow the recipe on the bag using the white rice cycle . Serve with a little butter , sugar , and cinnamon , it's heaven . Oatmeal : This is my personal favorite . I always wanted to try Irish oats but was put off by the time consuming process of cooking and stirring . This cooker makes oats effortlessly . ( By the way , from www.foodsubs.com / GrainOats.html , steel-cut oats = Irish oats = Scotch oats = pinhead oats = coarse-cut oats = steel-cut oatmeal = Irish oatmeal = Scotch oatmeal = pinhead oatmeal = coarse-cut oatmeal = porridge oats = porridge oatmeal . These are whole oat grains chopped into small pieces . They're a little bit chewier than rolled oats , grain aficionados often prefer them for hot oatmeal cereals and muesli . ) To make oatmeal , put the cooker on the porridge cycle . You should only cook 1 to 1.25 cups of Irish oats per batch , more than this ( or less ) have caused my batches to boil , which puts oats in the steam vent . To prevent this , I use the porridge cycle combined with the pre-washed rice setting , this gives the oats a few extra minutes to soak . That seems to minimize the tendency of the oats to boil over . Another option is to let the oats soak overnight , then there's a lot less free water to boil over . My last choice for preventing boilover is to stir the mixture halfway through the cycle . Guaranteed to work but I usually forget . When it does boil over , it's not impossible to clean the oats out of the steam vent . But it is a pain . 1 cup of dry oats makes 2 to 3 servings ; add 2 cups + 3 oz of water = 19 ozs 1.25 cups of dry oats makes 3 to 4 servings ; add 3 cups of water = 24 ozs . If you don't get to the porridge as soon as the cycle is complete , it is still great to eat for an hour or so , you'll just have to mix some milk into the result . Add pure maple syrup for a taste that is pure luxury . We get steel-cut oats in a 70 oz . can from store.honeyvillegrain.com . Six cans cost $34.50 delivered . The cans are hermetically sealed and advertised to last for years , but we're already into the third can . Build quality on this machine is number 1 . The bowl is the best too , rice almost never sticks to it . If it does , just soak it in warm water for a while and it will dissolve . Oatmeal literally falls out of the bowl after it cools off .
        • 008 4  After 50 years , I finally discovered rice . Not the junk we Caucasians have been eating in the US for decades , but short grain rice that has been grown in Asia for thousands of years . The Zojirushi helps me to realize and to enjoy that discovery . Being a highly addicted ( and critical ) cook , I find the Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker to be unbelievably good . It was easy to set up , the directions ( for a 34 yr computer geek ) were simple and to the point . Put in measured rice , water to designated level , push the button , come back and enjoy perfect rice . Simple for a computer , not so simple for the stovetop . The NS-ZAC10 seems to be well designed and put together . The measuring cups are simple but effective and the strange but essential rice paddle holder is great , the paddle itself is a dream come true . The inner lid is well designed and cleans up easily . The top above this lid will retain about 1 / 2 teaspoon of water and that is the only oddity about cleaning it out . The inner cooking pot is unbelievable , I wipe it with a clean damp sponge and the rice starch just slips off without a hitch . I can only hope this continues after long-term use . The cord is not as long as I was expecting , only about 4 feet , but adequate for most kitchens . The buttons are easy to use and seem very clear to their purpose once the function of the machine is understood . This device was designed by someone who actually used one before . Hats off to the designers . I have cooked long grain American and short grain Asian white rices , short grain brown rices and they all come out perfect . Better than I have had anywhere , except in an Asian household . I am now cooking rice 4 times a week , and I use it for lunches and dinners . I am very happy with this cooker and would recommend it for any individual or couple who wish to eat perfect rice . Anyone regularly serving more than 2 people , don't think about it , just get the larger 10 - cup cooker . I would certainly buy another of these if the need arose . If only I had discovered this 10 years ago . . . . * smile *
        • 009 4  Just received my Jo Rice Cooker & it is as advertised - - i.e . , works very well . However , I was disappointed to read that the lithium battery will have to be replaced in 4 to 5 years by a service center . There are none here in CT ; so that means I will not only have to pay for the service work plus the battery , but also the shipping & insurance as well ; which will bring the total out of pocket expense close to $40 or $50 . Why couldn't Zojirushi just simply have a little tab where you open it up & install a new battery such as my computer does or any other clock or appliance ? Bob in CT
        • 010 4  For the price , I expected this unit to last longer than my parents ' bigger and less expensive cooker ( can't remember the brand of their rice cooker - - either Panasonic or National ) which they've used EVERYDAY for more than five years now , and it's still going . My family didn't use this Zojirushi everyday - - but we were pretty close ! After about a year and a half , the rice doesn't keep as well as it used to . It dries out faster and doesn't cook as evenly as it did while it was under warranty . I noticed most ( if not all ) the positive reviews were posted after recent purchases . The handful of reviews from folks who have owned and used this item beyond warranty isn't as glowing . Please keep that in mind if you envision using this rice cooker for years to come .
        • 011 4  I don't usually write reviews . . . but this machine is so amazing , that I want to share this purchase decision with others . Yes it sure seems an expensive way to make rice . . . but it sure is worth it ! Once you have purchased this unit , you will wonder why you put it off for so long . Like everyone else writing here , you will be amazed at how much more rice you will eat , because it just tastes that much better . And why buy this uber expensive machine in particular ? Well , unlike some friends who have bought lesser machines , I have no buyer's remorse . What is the difference ? Other machines may put a way less than perfect ' crust ' on the bottom of your rice ( true for cheap on / off Hitatchi and an expensive Sanyo ) . Other machines may be too small - - this is the smallest I would recommend , if you are EVER going to cook rice for more than two ( true for the 3 cup Zojirushi ) . No other machine seems to cook Sushi rice to such perfection . And a word on the interface . I am not sure what people mean by this is complicated to use , the interface is far easier to use than a DVD player remote control ! It couldn't be easier to make perfect rice , of any kind . Three of the most unexpected pleasures : the timer function ( just set it to approximately when you want the rice to be ready to eat , and forget about it ! ) The keep warm function . Who knew that rice could stay tasting so good and be so hot for so long ? . And the jook or porridge setting . Who knew that my 2 - year old daughter would love this so much ! Two other notes . Price . Although I researched this product here , I didn't buy this at Amazon , you can find this for about $40 less elsewhere from very reputable web merchants . I'm not sure why Amazon's price is so high . Rice . After buying this rice cooker , you will definitely want to experiment with rice in a way that you never have before , because they really come out tasting very different ( part of the beauty of cooking rice to perfection every time ) . I have become the greatest fan of short grain ( sushi ) rice , which turns out like a glutinous mass on the stove top , but absolutely perfect here . Koda Farms sweet rice for porridge . Lundberg's organic brown jasmine ( use a tad less water than on the machine's line , for firmer grain ) . They say that the Buddha lived on a single grain of rice . . . he didn't have this cooker !
        • 012 4  My friends have one of these that I've used and it is very nice , but I could not handle the price ( a year or more ago ) . After some searching , I found the Hitachi RZST10Y fuzzy rice cooker and ordered it at $89 . They have only 1 US reseller so far as I can tell . It has been great . The same fire-and-forget function . Now that Zojirushi prices aren't quite so inflated , I would consider them next time . But hmmm . , I did not know until I stopped here that the Z models will need to have their internal battery surgically replaced in future . I need to see if the Hitachi has a user-replaceable battery . That was something I was not aware of with these and not sending it back to NYC in 3 years would be a plus : ) UPDATE : Just out of curiousity , I emailed the place that sold me the Hitachi RZST10Y and asked about batteries . He was quick to reply and definite in his answer . The Hitachi does not employ a battery but uses a capacitor instead . It need only be plugged in once a year to retain its settings - - and no trip in future to get a battery replaced .
        • 013 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This product rates five stars because it does what it is supposed to : turn out perfectly cooked rice as and when you want it , every time you use it . The non-stick bowl is easy to clean , and the inner lid , while not non-stick , at least pops out easily and gets clean with a little elbow grease , although I would highly recommend spraying it with non-stick spray before cooking anything sticky ( like oatmeal ) . I will say , however , that after reading the reviews here I was expecting the rice this cooker produced to be a revelation . And , in fact , the rice this cooker makes tastes . . . like rice . Exactly the same as properly cooked rice on the stove top . It's that properly cooked part that is the beauty of using a rice maker . No more forgetting the rice is on the stove and boiling the water out or getting the timing wrong . With a rice cooker you add the desired quantity of rice , the appropriate amount of water for the type of rice and the texture you want , press a button and you get perfect rice without ever having to worry about it overcooking . When the water is gone the machine switches automatically to keep warm mode and will keep the rice perfectly warm and fluffy for hours . Or you can reheat it if you need it just-finished hot . You can get the same safety zone by baking your rice in the oven , but what a waste of energy . A rice machine takes up less space than a food processor , doesn't heat up the kitchen and uses far less engergy than the oven . So it's a worthwhile investment if you like rice . The real question is whether you need to spend the extra C-note to get a neuro fuzzy cooker . On the plus side , the neuro fuzzy cooker has two great features a plain-old on / off button cooker doesn't : 1 ) a timer , so you can put in your non-perishable oatmeal ingredients before you go to bed and wake up to a hot breakfast , or put your rice in the cooker before you start dinner and it will have the rice ready when you tell it to ; and 2 ) settings for different varieties and textures of rice - - brown rice , mixed rice , white rice , porridge , etc . A large number of people have raved about all you can do with a neuro fuzzy cooker if you get The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook and , it's true , there are uses you can make out of a neuro fuzzy cooker that you can't get from an on / off style cooker . Turns out , though , that the uses I wanted from my rice cooker ( being able to make simple , yet complete , healthy dinners in it ) can only be made ( per the author ) in an on / off style cooker , which has a steaming basket over the rice bowl . So you put rice in the bottom , fish and vegetables or whatever in the top , and a full meal is made in the time it takes to cook rice . On / off cookers don't have a timer , so you can't set a time for the food to be done , but it's not like you can leave fish or milk or other perishable foods alone in the cooker overnight or all day , anyway . And the on / off cookers have a keep warm button so you can put your rice in to cook before you go to the gym and still have rice waiting when you get home . It won't be just-cooked fresh , but can you really tell the difference between just-cooked and kept-warm rice ? The neuro fuzzy cooker is perfect if you eat a lot of brown rice or make a lot of porridge , but if you just want perfectly cooked rice every time , or just simple meals of rice , veggies and a maybe a little chicken or fish , save yourself some money and get an on / off cooker . Either way , though , a rice cooker will save you ever having to wait for the rice or having to eat overly mushy or undercooked rice . And this cooker , which is perfect for anywhere from a single serving ( use your own measuring cups , the minimum this cooker can measure with its pre-marked lines and cup serves two heartily ) , to enough rice for side servings for up to a dozen people , does the job supremely well .
        • 014 4  This product rates five stars because it does what it is supposed to : turn out perfectly cooked rice as and when you want it , every time you use it . The non-stick bowl is easy to clean , and the inner lid , while not non-stick , at least pops out easily and gets clean with a little elbow grease , although I would highly recommend spraying it with non-stick spray before cooking anything sticky ( like oatmeal ) . I will say , however , that after reading the reviews here I was expecting the rice this cooker produced to be a revelation . And , in fact , the rice this cooker makes tastes . . . like rice . Exactly the same as properly cooked rice on the stove top . It's that properly cooked part that is the beauty of using a rice maker . No more forgetting the rice is on the stove and boiling the water out or getting the timing wrong . With a rice cooker you add the desired quantity of rice , the appropriate amount of water for the type of rice and the texture you want , press a button and you get perfect rice without ever having to worry about it overcooking . When the water is gone the machine switches automatically to keep warm mode and will keep the rice perfectly warm and fluffy for hours . Or you can reheat it if you need it just-finished hot . You can get the same safety zone by baking your rice in the oven , but what a waste of energy . A rice machine takes up less space than a food processor , doesn't heat up the kitchen and uses far less engergy than the oven . So it's a worthwhile investment if you like rice . The real question is whether you need to spend the extra C-note to get a neuro fuzzy cooker . On the plus side , the neuro fuzzy cooker has two great features a plain-old on / off button cooker doesn't : 1 ) a timer , so you can put in your non-perishable oatmeal ingredients before you go to bed and wake up to a hot breakfast , or put your rice in the cooker before you start dinner and it will have the rice ready when you tell it to ; and 2 ) settings for different varieties and textures of rice - - brown rice , mixed rice , white rice , porridge , etc . A large number of people have raved about all you can do with a neuro fuzzy cooker if you get The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook and , it's true , there are uses you can make out of a neuro fuzzy cooker that you can't get from an on / off style cooker . Turns out , though , that the uses I wanted from my rice cooker ( being able to make simple , yet complete , healthy dinners in it ) can only be made ( per the author ) in an on / off style cooker , which has a steaming basket over the rice bowl . So you put rice in the bottom , fish and vegetables or whatever in the top , and a full meal is made in the time it takes to cook rice . On / off cookers don't have a timer , so you can't set a time for the food to be done , but it's not like you can leave fish or milk or other perishable foods alone in the cooker overnight or all day , anyway . And the on / off cookers have a keep warm button so you can put your rice in to cook before you go to the gym and still have rice waiting when you get home . It won't be just-cooked fresh , but can you really tell the difference between just-cooked and kept-warm rice ? The neuro fuzzy cooker is perfect if you eat a lot of brown rice or make a lot of porridge , but if you just want perfectly cooked rice every time , or just simple meals of rice , veggies and a maybe a little chicken or fish , save yourself some money and get an on / off cooker . Either way , though , a rice cooker will save you ever having to wait for the rice or having to eat overly mushy or undercooked rice . And this cooker , which is perfect for anywhere from a single serving ( use your own measuring cups , the minimum this cooker can measure with its pre-marked lines and cup serves two heartily ) , to enough rice for side servings for up to a dozen people , does the job supremely well .
        • 015 4  We have had our Zojirushi Fuzzy Logic 5 cup cooker ( made in Japan version ) about a year now and we use it at least 3 times a week . Another user recommended the most of the following and , though I agree on the whole , I've added an Asian perspective i.e washed rice ( washed = multiple rinsings & wet rice sits in rice cooker w / water at least 1 hour before cooking ) . BTW , though the cups below are 8 oz , one basically uses a proportional amount : LONG RICE ( Chinese , Jasmine , Southern USA , & Middle Eastern ) = 1 3 / 4 H20 to 1 cup dry rice * OR * 1 cup H20 to 1 cup * washed * rice . SHORT RICE ( Japanese style but often from California [ see sacks w / flower on front ] ) = 1 1 / 2 cup H20 to 1 cup dry short rice * OR * 1 cup H20 to 1 cup * washed * rice . We like rice , sausage & chili as a meal ( bowls of rice topped w / chili & chopped sausages ) and I've had friends from both Hawaii & the South - never mind Mexico ! - claim that dish is a * native * food invented solely in their area ! At any rate , we cook both the rice and the Louisiana sausages ( from Cost Co ) simultaneously in the rice cooker : lay 3 Louisiana sausages upon 1 cup H2O & 1 cup short rice ( less H2O than normal because of water / oil from sausages ) & set it at quick cook while microwaving chili ( which must have beans for taste ! ) . The Zojirushi instruction book does not answer enough cooking questions but I can say : - Don't use quick cook ( high temp cooking ) when cooking veges upon the rice as sad , sorry , limp & grey veges are the result . - Near East ( Pilaf , Bulgar , Couscous , Lentils , etc ) products or the akin are not referred to at all & I'm still trying to determine the best temp / time ( not quick cook ! ) . - Sweet rice ? Que es ? The delayed cooking mode is simply terrific but - if your rice is going to soak many hours - you * MUST * rinse it beforehand as otherwise , it'll be a glutinous scorched mass . BTW , the 5 cup is perfect for two or three people but if your family is 4 or more , I'd buy the 10 cup ( 3 cup is primo for college dorm student / single / dater ) . 11 / 3 / 07 - We have been using our Zojirushi at least 3 times a week for two years . LOVE IT ! Note : most rice in sacks ( Japanese short rice ) no longer needs rinsing ( change in process ) so we just use the quick cook ( takes 40 minutes ) . If I had to choose just 3 kitchen appliances , it'd be fridge , microwave and my rice cooker ( easy to clean too ) . . . .
        • 016 4  I actually own the 10 cup rice cooker , but other than size , it is identical to the 5 cup model . I have owned a simple Japanese rice cooker for many years , but after borrowing and reading the Rice Cooker Cookbook ( Hensperger ) from the library , I became intrigued with the possibilites of the more advanced neuro-fuzzy model . After reading many reviews I finally took the plunge and made the investment . I'm so glad that I did . What a world of difference ! This rice cooker is so superior to my old cooker that I now think I'll throw out the old one rather than save it for my college-age daughter . I always make brown rice ( short , long , or basmati ) and this rice cooker makes it absolutely perfectly ! I wash the rice first and then measure carefully using the clear cup that came with the cooker . I use the markings inside the pot and I am amazed at how much better this rice is than what I was used to . It does take longer , but I just plan ahead and you can always set the timer in the morning and it will be done at the time that you want it . I also love to make steel cut oats ( I set it at night for the next morning ) . Nothing could be easier ! My husband's favorite feature is that you can make wonderful tapioca in an hour , using the porridge setting . And there's no stirring involved . I've also made rice pudding , and I'm looking forward to making risotto . I've also purchased wheat berries which I plan to make soon . Cleaning the rice cooker is quick and easy . My advice to anyone thinking about buying one . . . you'll never regret your decision to buy it and you'll probably be recommending it to your friends and family before long .
        • 017 4  Well it makes awesome rice - - but it costs a whole lot so I guess it had better . Actually , at first i couldn't believe I was spending this much ( my girlfriend had a rice cooker - - a gift from her mom , but I broke it haha . Her mom is visiting in a couple of weeks so I figured I had to get her a new , better one as a good gesture ) . I'm right out of college so a hundred-plus dollars is a big investment , but after a few weeks I already consider it a good one . Its versatile - - makes a wide range of rices . The sushi and porridge options are as far as I've gotten so far , but they are amazing . Throw in some carrots , mushrooms , and seasoning with the rice and water right before making the porridge , and you have an legit dinner 30 - 40 minutes later . Plus it looks streamlined like a UFO or something , so it looks cool sitting in my kitchen . And if you cook it and forget about it for awhile , it just keeps it warm for you until you are ready for it . You can eat lunch at two , leave half of the rice in there until dinner at 6 , and it still tastes amazing . The best part about this thing is how much time it saves you . It takes two minutes to prepare everything ( super simple to use ) , and you end up with good , legit food . I can't cook anything , so food like this is hard to come by .
        • 018 4  * * Be forewarned the 5 cups refer to 5 Japanese cups , each of which is equal to 3 / 4 cups . This does not hold 5.5 American cups * * I did not even eat rice regularly before I bought my rice cooker . I do now ! Reasons I love it : 1 . The rice comes out perfect every time 2 . Even brown rice is fantastic 3 . It cooks oatmeal on the porridge cycle and it is really good 4 . It is quick and easy to use . 5 . You can cook rice earlier in the day . 6 . I make extra rice with it and keep rice salad on hand for lunches . 7 . So , it has simplified dinner time and lunch time . I could go on and on . Do not hesitate to buy this . One small drawback - - the instruction manual is next to worthless . It makes sense to buy a cookbook like The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger to go with it .
        • 019 4  This is one of those devices ( like the Musso 4080 Lussino Dessert Maker ( i.e . , an ice cream maker ) here on Amazon ) that you just can't believe anyone would spend that kind of money for , UNTIL you actually try it . This Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer simply transforms rice and elevates it to a higher plane of existence . There's no way to compare rice cooked in a pot to what comes out of this rice maker . We like rice . We've been making it and eating it fairly regularly for years . The same rice we used in a pot is entirely different ( and delicious ) when we cook it in this . After seeing how good our normal rice was in this thing , we tried a batch of brown rice ( I've hated brown rice since the dawn of time ) . Even brown rice cooked in this rice maker comes out excellent . Amazing . The downside , of course , is the price . You just stare at it and go back and forth over whether or not plain-ol-rice is worth that amount of money . Well , it is . I rate this Zojirushi rice cooker at a Excellent 5 stars out of 5 .
        • 020 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) We hestitated for a while because of the price . But once we took the plunge and tried it out , we couldn't be happier . In the past , we've had both the cheap , one-button type and the microchip type , and if you have rice 2 - 3 times a week , you definitely want to go with the better model . ( We pitched the cheap model immediately ; the rice turned out part crusty , part mushy , part burnt . ) The Zojirushi is an improvement on our previous microchip model because 1 . it's easier to clean , with the lid-liner not accumulating scum and the inner pot having a rounded bottom , which is easier wipe clean 2 . it has no moisture catcher to clean out 3 . the inside pot has cool handles to lift out 4 . there is a place to put the rice paddle ( important ! ) 5 . the rice paddle has nubs on it , with prevents rice from sticking to it . And , of course , it cooks brown rice very well ! We're waiting to try the porridge setting - yum . We're completely happy with our purchase and wondered why we hesitated . ( NB , All Zojirushi products we've tried have been superb , despite their generally higher prices . )
        • 021 4  We hestitated for a while because of the price . But once we took the plunge and tried it out , we couldn't be happier . In the past , we've had both the cheap , one-button type and the microchip type , and if you have rice 2 - 3 times a week , you definitely want to go with the better model . ( We pitched the cheap model immediately ; the rice turned out part crusty , part mushy , part burnt . ) The Zojirushi is an improvement on our previous microchip model because 1 . it's easier to clean , with the lid-liner not accumulating scum and the inner pot having a rounded bottom , which is easier wipe clean 2 . it has no moisture catcher to clean out 3 . the inside pot has cool handles to lift out 4 . there is a place to put the rice paddle ( important ! ) 5 . the rice paddle has nubs on it , with prevents rice from sticking to it . And , of course , it cooks brown rice very well ! We're waiting to try the porridge setting - yum . We're completely happy with our purchase and wondered why we hesitated . ( NB , All Zojirushi products we've tried have been superb , despite their generally higher prices . )
        • 023 4  I agree completely that the Zojirushi cooker makes great white and brown rice , but that's only a partial use of this device . Nearly every night , I make a pot of steel cut oatmeal that is ready the next morning ( after adding in chopped fruit , walnuts , etc . ) for a great breakfast . For an evening meal , I have experimented with all manner of grains ( barley , quinona , brown rice ) and legumes ( adzuki beans , chickpeas , lentils ) and sauces ( tomato , curry , etc . ) for some great dinners . The reason for their success is that the beans soak all day before the programmed cooking starts in the evening . I keep experimenting with spices , but those from Indian grocery stores ( curry , turmeric , cumin ) have worked the best . Dinners are a cinch when you can arrive at home , add a few stir-fried items ( vegetables , meat , fish ) to your rice cooker , and be ready to eat in a few minutes . You'll lose weight , eat healthier , and save a ton of money on groceries and restaurants . My wife and I often prefer the meals we make to those available in neighborhood restaurants . Overall , a great device that I find indispensable .
        • 024 4  I've been a regular user of my $30 rice cooker for a few years and always wondered if these crazy rice cookers are really all that they are cracked up to be . I read pretty much all the reviews on amazon and figured I'd also give it a try . I have to admit , the reviews up-sold me from the 3 cup cooker to this 5.5 cup cooker . I also should say I was worried because all those good reviews gave me a pretty high expectation . Well , I just got it today and I gave it a try . The rice was pretty darn good ! All those people who said they ate every grain of rice - well , it's true ! I had really good rice at a Thai food place the other day and this rice was really close to that . None of that brown layer of burnt rice I was used to . Just good tasty rice ! I figure , this good rice came out of my first batch , even if it doesn't get any better with practice , I'd still be happy . A couple things to note : - I just threw my rice in there , didnt bother washing it which it says you should do - it's a little slower than the cheapo cookers ( around 40 minutes or so ) but worth the wait - the manual says it will tell you how many minutes till completion on the display . Just in case you are wondering , it doesn't tell you that right away . When about 12 minutes are remaining it will start reading that information . YUMMY !
        • 025 4  Read my lips : If you have ever once thought about getting this rice cooker , BUY IT NOW . Every detail of this little thing is well thought out : retractable power cord , it is EXTREMELY easy to clean all surfaces ( inside and out ) , the cooking pan is super nonstick ( Dupont ) . . . and on and on . There is not one thing in my opinion that they have not perfected and not one thing left out in this rice cooker . And here is the kicker , not only does it cook perfect rice quickly , it cooks grits wonderfully on porridge mode ( and I'm picky about my grits ) and it has a mixed mode that will cook rice ( or grits ) with other stuff inside , like meat and vegetable etc . You can just throw in one of those bags / boxes of rice mixes like jumbalaya or dirty rice and some sausage and in 40minutes you have a meal way better than if you tried to make it on the stove . I am never cooking anything manually again .
        • 026 4  Just received this Fuzzy Logic rice cooker and my choice relied heavily on the previous 83 customers who took the time to offer their solid comments and advice . I agree that the Zojirushi is a little pricey , but if you are a rice fan and want an outstanding result each time , then this is the way to go . Simple to operate , especially if you have had experience with the old on & off switch types . I find the instruction manual to be a little less than fully user friendly ( often the case with translations to English ) but it can be mastered and if your measurements are close , then it is the fuzzy logic that does the real work . Don't hesitate to experiment a bit , and using chicken broth instead of water really adds flavor or just use a 50 / 50 combo of broth and water . makes a huge difference .
        • 027 4  What an amazing , brilliant machine . Extraordinary Risotto that you don't have to stand over and stir for 30 minutes ! You must buy The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook , by Hensperger / Kaufman to get the most out it . 2 notes : - When cooking Brown Basmati rice , use the seim-brown rice water level and cooking timer - not the Brown rice setting . - When making risottos or any other recipe that requires you to saute onions , etc . , in the bowl before adding the rice , you have to take the bowl out of the rice cooker for maybe a minute to let the cooker cool before you can close the lid and let it cook . Make sure to use the Quick Cook setting for sauteing onions , spices , etc . - it heats up and cooks faster . I love this machine and cookbook . We're vegetarian and making 1 - dish , delicious , easily-put-together meals is a God-send . Setting up before I go to bed and having porridge or breakfast rice ready whenever I ask it to be is remarkable .
        • 029 4  I've had this for about a week now , and used it a couple times a day ( to explore the features ) . It makes pretty good rice , but you have to realize that at this price point , you are paying for more than that . Here are things with which you can justify spending $135 on a rice cooker : 1 ) Cooks brown rice well . 2 ) Steams food 3 ) Useful for things other than rice . This includes breakfast , oatmeal , and goes as far as stir-frying in the pot . I realized how big #2 was when I got the Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook everyone was talking about . A low-tech rice cooker can be used to steam vegetables and meat by eye , watching through a glass plate , or at least controlling with a timer . This one cannot ( although I haven't tried doing this on keep warm - - perhaps it would work . ) I did a lot of research , and when I found a bargain price for the ZCC , I jumped at it over the Sanyo ECJ model , which I was holding about equal . Now I wish I had gotten that one - - it has a manual mode which this lacks and a steaming tray for convenience . Really , most rice cookers > $100 will make the same rice ( brown rice excluded ? I don't know enough yet ) . But it is the extra things you can do with it that should justify your purchase . Update2 : This cooker will never make a bad batch of rice , or require you to scrape burnt grains off the bottom . It also cooks brown rice quite well . The timer is very handy ( be careful , porridge starts to smell heavenly about an hour before the finish time you program ) , and the pan is a dream to clean . Some complaints still , though . As a college student , bringing out the frying pan for some veggies or an egg is sometimes a little more effort than I can muster some nights . A steamer basket , like that for the Sanyo model , would be nice ( I have seen baskets in the store , but am afraid the metal would scratch or the pan wouldn't fit . ) You can steam vegetables just by putting them on top of the rice at about the 10m marker , but I would be hesitant to steam meat ( and I'm not so sure other models can either ) . Also still wish it had a manual button . And having the machine only display the ETA about 15 minutes from finish is annoying , especially since it seems to be able to calculate it just fine when setting the done by timer . If I were to do it again , I'd try out the cheaper Sanyo and just return it if I had any complaints . I don't think the Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook is that great , especially for a fuzzy logic cooker like this . If you're interested , borrow it from the library first . My favorite add-ins are snow peas @ 10 minutes , sliced fresh tomato at 5 minutes ( white rice - - haven't perfected on brown ) .
        • 030 4  This is 2nd one I had in 3 years , same model same problem started to show right after one year . Zojirushi customer service found all kind the excuses not willing to take care of it , they wanted me call service center , which they charging service fee $138 - up-front ( about the same price for buy a new one ) . . . . I will never buy Zojirushi again .
        • 031 4  Having been delighted with my Zojirushi bread machine and having just returned from a visit to Japan , I decided to retire my simple rice cooker and invest in this high-tech wonder . Cooks all forms of rice like a dream . However , I was inspired by Beth Hensperger's Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook to attempt to broaden its use to things like tapioca and oatmeal - - with disasterous results . I set it in motion and returned a few minutes later to find Vesuvius being simulated and my countertop and the machine itself buried in sticky goo . That is when I also realized that this machine is devilishly difficult to clean . Yes , the bowl itself is a dream to wash - - but anything that leaves the bowl gets caught in a labyrinth of narrow channels with little countersunk screws , hinges , vents , etc . Bottom line - - while I think this thing makes terrific rice and MAY be worth the cost in that regard , try to keep it in the bowl and consider other devices if you want to explore the range of creative recipes in Beth's book .
        • 032 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) OK , OK , my husband was right ! We've been married for over 27 years , and it isn't that I mind being wrong - I just hate admitting he's right . I was a cook and have been making rice on the stove-top forever . During a dinner party , one of our guests asked why we didn't have a rice cooker . Well . . . that got my husband researching rice cookers . He read EVERY Amazon.com review as well as the Zojirushi website . You have no idea how bitterly I complained about wasting money on a rice cooker . Boy was I wrong . This rice cooker is awesome and makes really fabulous rice . Yes , the rice actually is more delectable . Some observations - Similar to coffee makers , the capacity refers to 6 oz cups . However , for best results , Zojirushi recommends using no more than 4 - 6 oz cups of dry rice SO this machine machine comfortably feeds 4 adults . If you plan on feeding more people or want leftovers , consider getting the larger capacity rice cooker . Hands down makes the best brown rice ! It comes out perfectly and is delicious ! We always knew brown rice was healthier , but just never liked it . Now , it is a regular part of our repertoire . If you've never had rice porridge , you are in for a real treat ! You can set the rice cooker up in the evening to have the porridge ready in the morning . We often add thinly sliced black mushrooms and ginger . What a fabulous , healthy warm breakfast . I haven't even touched upon sticky rice or mixed grain recipes . Thus far , everything has come out perfectly . I wish I could say the same of some for my other cooking experiments ! So , fair is fair . I'm eating crow and writing this review . I imagine my husband will bookmark this one . Purchasing the Zojirushi Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker was money well spent . I highly recommend the machine and give it 8 out of 5 stars .
        • 033 4  OK , OK , my husband was right ! We've been married for over 27 years , and it isn't that I mind being wrong - I just hate admitting he's right . I was a cook and have been making rice on the stove-top forever . During a dinner party , one of our guests asked why we didn't have a rice cooker . Well . . . that got my husband researching rice cookers . He read EVERY Amazon.com review as well as the Zojirushi website . You have no idea how bitterly I complained about wasting money on a rice cooker . Boy was I wrong . This rice cooker is awesome and makes really fabulous rice . Yes , the rice actually is more delectable . Some observations - Similar to coffee makers , the capacity refers to 6 oz cups . However , for best results , Zojirushi recommends using no more than 4 - 6 oz cups of dry rice SO this machine machine comfortably feeds 4 adults . If you plan on feeding more people or want leftovers , consider getting the larger capacity rice cooker . Hands down makes the best brown rice ! It comes out perfectly and is delicious ! We always knew brown rice was healthier , but just never liked it . Now , it is a regular part of our repertoire . If you've never had rice porridge , you are in for a real treat ! You can set the rice cooker up in the evening to have the porridge ready in the morning . We often add thinly sliced black mushrooms and ginger . What a fabulous , healthy warm breakfast . I haven't even touched upon sticky rice or mixed grain recipes . Thus far , everything has come out perfectly . I wish I could say the same of some for my other cooking experiments ! So , fair is fair . I'm eating crow and writing this review . I imagine my husband will bookmark this one . Purchasing the Zojirushi Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker was money well spent . I highly recommend the machine and give it 8 out of 5 stars .
        • 034 4  My eight year old Hitachi rice cooker died three weeks ago . The replacement of the old rice cooker was long overdue . The old rice cooker made horrible rice , soft on the top , and burnt on the bottom . As the result , I need to soak the pot a few hours before cleaning it , and obviously wasted a lot of rice . A friend of mine has a 10 year old rice cooker brought from Japan , I tried it , wow , what a difference , it made perfect rice , cleans easily ( no burnt or stuck rice ) , and look new after 10 years use . So I order a sanyo D55S 5 cup rice cooker . I got really excited when it arrived , but it turned out to be disappointment . The stainless accent was too flashy to my taste , the rice made was average ( better than my old cooker , but not as good as my friend's ) , the inner lid looked cheap and I was worried if it could last more than a few years . The heating unit get ugly water stains after just a few use , and the outside of the cooker pot showed scrtches after a few use . So what to do ? Returned it . I went up one step for this rice cooker , it made perfect rice , cleaned easily , and it looks like it's manufactured solidly and going to last a long time . I am very happy with the purchase .
        • 037 4  I received model NS-ZCC10 in place of the NS-ZAC10 because it was out of stock at the time of purchase . The instruction manual is very easy to follow with guidelines for several languages . My consumption of rice has increased because I can pour the rice and water into a machine , turn it on , bypass the stirring and boiling over issues , then direct my attention to some other activites while the rice is cooking . I have tried several brand names of rice as well as many different varieties of rice in this cooker . All varieties of rice including the brown rices have cooked superb . I favor my rice dishes over some that had previously been purchased at restaurants . I contribute that to the rice cooker . I decided upon this unit because of the time it saves me in preparation , ease of cleanup , overall looks of the rice cooker , and size of pot . I cook for one person but make larger portions and use the extra volume of rice for stir fry the next day . I have been using the rice cooker on the average of 2.3 times per week . The selection process of choosing the variety of rice on the front display is very simple . One can make a very tasty rice dish and accomplish other tasks at the same time with little effort . I highly recommend this unit to those considering the purchase of a quality rice cooker . I have been very pleased with this unit's performance each and every batch of rice cooked .
        • 038 4  As everyone has said , it's expensive , but it makes perfect rice every time . What I like most is that , compared to the steamer I used to use , I no longer have to time the other parts of the meal to the cooking of the rice since this cooker will keep it warm and ready to serve whenever it's needed . It has very good moisture control , a fact I learned when I accidentally left a half-cup worth of rice in the cooker overnight . After 11 hours on warm it was still moist and good to eat . I don't think the ( non-user replaceable ) clock battery is an issue if you leave the unit plugged in most of the time like I do . It's only used when the AC power fails or it is unplugged . If you leave the cooker on the shelf for months at a time , it might be an issue .
        • 040 4  I've own several rice cooker , but I would have to say this is the best rice cooker I've ever had . This is the first time I've own a Zojirushi rice cooker , but I pretty much sold on this brand ! My wife is Japanese and I'm Chinese . We cook rice practically every night . We have own it for over a year now and the rice still come out perfect every single time . We use it to cook every type of rice , ( white , brown , wild rice ) and they all come out perfect ! The only way you can screw up cooking the rice is if you add the wrong amount of water , but even then the rice still comes out great . Be careful when you buy because this one is only about 5 cups , which isn't much when you have guest over . You should upgrade to the Zojirushi NS-ZCC18 for the 10 cup version if you need more .
        • 042 4  My wife is Japanese . Rice is her life . We just moved back from Japan after a long stint and she wanted to buy and bring a rice cooker over from Japan because of her fear that America would not have a decent cooker . Even after I found this one she was skeptical . . . until the first batch of rice . . . then she was sold . If you want a rice cooker that cooks rice the way it should be cooked , get this rice cooker .
        • 043 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I am so happy that I purchased this rice cooker . My previous rice cooker a small 3 cup model made by National . The rice that comes out of my Zojirushi is perfect ! I like especially how the entire bowl of rice is made perfectly , from top to bottom , no hard spots or soggy spots . It was definitely worth the investment to upgrade . I love my Zojirushi !
        • 045 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I have used this rice cooker for two months now , the rice come out so good that it would be all gone when dinner is over . We normally have left over with our old rice cooker which this one replaces . This is because many come back to the cooker for second and third time . I just watch and smile . For my family of 4 ( 2 adults and 2 older kids ) , we normally use 2 to 2.5 cups ( supplied with the cooker ) of dry-rice for dinner ( depend on how hungry everyone are ) . We have cooked from 1 to 5 cups of white dry-rice in this cooker and it all come out very good . Depending to your family taste , paying attention to the amount of water added . Every new bag of rice has different contend of moisture ; just pay attention to the amount of water for the first few pots of rice and keep the same dry-rice to water ratio for the rest of the bag . The ratio does not vary too much from the recommended as mark from the inside of the pot , but some people can be sensitive . If you want the rice come out dry , just reduce a little water . . . Brown rice - We have cooked up to 3.5 cups ( supplied with the cooker ) of brown dry-rice in this cooker when we have guests , and there is marking for water level on the inside for 3.5 cups . My family started to eat more brown rice since this cooker arrived . Since then we have cooked short and long grain brown rice in this cooker and they all come out perfect . The very first pot of cooked brown rice from this cooker empty very quick ! The kids kept coming back for second . Very important , keep the area between the removable pot and the cooker where you can see the heating plate clean and dry so it would not damage . I would dry the outer shell of the removable pot very careful before cooking any rice . If this NS-ZCC10 sold for a little less $ , I think it would be a hit ! For my case the $ well spend . I wish that Zojirushi would not put Neuro Fuzzy in big letter on front , I was ridiculed for it until people getting tire of paying attention to it . The good rice does help though . I think the buyer will find these letters however small it is . Update : Today is May 5th , 2010 - just a quick update ; this rice cooker is still functioning strong and it is the only rice cooker that we are using since it was bought more than three years ago . Its paint is not as flashy and there are scratches ; but as far as cooking rice , there is no different . We normally unplug the cooker from electrical outlet , and the battery inside is still good .
        • 046 4  I have used this rice cooker for two months now , the rice come out so good that it would be all gone when dinner is over . We normally have left over with our old rice cooker which this one replaces . This is because many come back to the cooker for second and third time . I just watch and smile . For my family of 4 ( 2 adults and 2 older kids ) , we normally use 2 to 2.5 cups ( supplied with the cooker ) of dry-rice for dinner ( depend on how hungry everyone are ) . We have cooked from 1 to 5 cups of white dry-rice in this cooker and it all come out very good . Depending to your family taste , paying attention to the amount of water added . Every new bag of rice has different contend of moisture ; just pay attention to the amount of water for the first few pots of rice and keep the same dry-rice to water ratio for the rest of the bag . The ratio does not vary too much from the recommended as mark from the inside of the pot , but some people can be sensitive . If you want the rice come out dry , just reduce a little water . . . Brown rice - We have cooked up to 3.5 cups ( supplied with the cooker ) of brown dry-rice in this cooker when we have guests , and there is marking for water level on the inside for 3.5 cups . My family started to eat more brown rice since this cooker arrived . Since then we have cooked short and long grain brown rice in this cooker and they all come out perfect . The very first pot of cooked brown rice from this cooker empty very quick ! The kids kept coming back for second . Very important , keep the area between the removable pot and the cooker where you can see the heating plate clean and dry so it would not damage . I would dry the outer shell of the removable pot very careful before cooking any rice . If this NS-ZCC10 sold for a little less $ , I think it would be a hit ! For my case the $ well spend . I wish that Zojirushi would not put Neuro Fuzzy in big letter on front , I was ridiculed for it until people getting tire of paying attention to it . The good rice does help though . I think the buyer will find these letters however small it is . Update : Today is May 5th , 2010 - just a quick update ; this rice cooker is still functioning strong and it is the only rice cooker that we are using since it was bought more than three years ago . Its paint is not as flashy and there are scratches ; but as far as cooking rice , there is no different . We normally unplug the cooker from electrical outlet , and the battery inside is still good .
        • 049 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I love rice . . . especially brown rice . I don't like brown rice cooked on the stove top so much . . it tends to cook unevenly ( even on a very low simmer burner ) this rice cooker works as promised : perfectly cooked rice without the fuss . It is very easy to use and clean .
        • 050 4  I love rice . . . especially brown rice . I don't like brown rice cooked on the stove top so much . . it tends to cook unevenly ( even on a very low simmer burner ) this rice cooker works as promised : perfectly cooked rice without the fuss . It is very easy to use and clean .
        • 051 4  First off , I should qualify myself as someone who is not keen on kitchen gadgets . I do eat a lot of rice , and liked the idea of being able to cook it without having to watch the pot constantly . This cooker fits the bill to a T . Fantastic , perfect rice , every time . Also have cooked steel-cut oatmeal on a timed basis - ready to eat when I get up . Everything I asked for and more - this is a great addition to the kitchen . The best kitchen purchase I may have ever made .
        • 055 4  This is an excellent , high-quality rice cooker - - not at all like the $30 ones at your local department store that smell funky and turn the bottom of the rice all crusty ! The Neuro Fuzzy cooks perfect rice every time , and it is VERY simple to use . One or two buttons is all you need to push , and the start and completion melody is a cute touch . I never ate brown rice until I got this rice cooker , which cooks it to perfection every time and keeps it warm all day . If you eat rice often , or would like too , I would definitely recommend buying this rice cooker . It's worth every penny !
        • 056 4  It's really my pleasure to cook with this rice cooker . I always set the cook time as 6 : 30AM , the tasty smell just sweetened my dream , I love it . I rank it as the best rice cooker ever in the world , I marketed this product to all my friends , it worth of the money if they knew how beautiful the rice is cooked . I am very critical on food , but this rice cooker just broke me down , I don't have any negative words on it . O . . . hold on . . . . there IS ONE - the price . I can use it forever , and will buy a bigger one when I got married . Jessica Liu
        • 057 4  I received an Amazon.com gift certificate for my birthday from my wonderful brother , and decided to put it towards a good rice cooker . I had been using a Panasonic basic rice cooker for many years but since my husband was diagnosed with diabetes and should only eat brown rice , the rice always came out too hard and was overcooked on bottom even when fluffing it after it was finished . This beautiful rice cooker cooks delicious brown rice without soaking it first , perfectly . All I can say is I am absolutely thrilled with it . It is made very well , and totally first class all the way . I do not have it that long so I have not tried various settings , but whatever I have made so far has come out fantastic . All I can say is treat yourself to this wonderful rice cooker and Enjoy ! ! Bon Appetit ! ! Irene Grinnell Dallas , Texas
        • 059 4  Pros : - Cooks the most delicious rice , every time ( if you figure out the right setting ) . - Very easy to clean . - Makes a surprisingly large amount of rice for its compact size . - Very convenient warming setting to keep rice warm and moist during long dinner parties . - Cute jingle to let you know its done . Cons : - Not completely intuitive as to how to use it . - If we have to make something other than pre-washed white rice , we have to read the manual very carefully , take our best guess and hope it comes out ok . - Takes at least 45 minutes to make rice , but that's probably why the rice comes out so well every time . - Only displays cooking time remaining once it gets down to 8 minutes so if there's 30 minutes left , you don't really know how much longer because it doesn't say .
        • 061 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) Cooking rice just right has sometimes been my downfall , especially when cooking several things at one time . I graduated from boiling a pot of water on a stove to a rice maker . Sadly , the first rice maker I had burned one quarter of the rice every time if I didn ' t take the rice out as soon as it was done cooking and sometimes even when I did . Keeping rice warm in the ricemaker was not an option although it was supposed to be and the ' ding ' that alerted me that the rice was done could hardly be heard-it clicked and then the red color left ' cooking ' and went on at ' warming ' , but the visuals were a quite tough to decipher while I was in the midst of preparing other food . Anyway , I bought this and use it often . It never burns my rice . It sings a little song when my rice has a few minutes to go and then it sings a little song when it's done . When it gets to within 10 minutes of being done , the digital clock displayed on the front of the machine changes into a timer so you can see how much time is left . You can even put the rice and water in it and schedule it to turn itself on at a different time so it is there waiting with fresh rice when you come home from work . I'm glad I spent the extra money on a machine that does its job so satisfyingly well .
        • 062 4  Cooking rice just right has sometimes been my downfall , especially when cooking several things at one time . I graduated from boiling a pot of water on a stove to a rice maker . Sadly , the first rice maker I had burned one quarter of the rice every time if I didn ' t take the rice out as soon as it was done cooking and sometimes even when I did . Keeping rice warm in the ricemaker was not an option although it was supposed to be and the ' ding ' that alerted me that the rice was done could hardly be heard-it clicked and then the red color left ' cooking ' and went on at ' warming ' , but the visuals were a quite tough to decipher while I was in the midst of preparing other food . Anyway , I bought this and use it often . It never burns my rice . It sings a little song when my rice has a few minutes to go and then it sings a little song when it's done . When it gets to within 10 minutes of being done , the digital clock displayed on the front of the machine changes into a timer so you can see how much time is left . You can even put the rice and water in it and schedule it to turn itself on at a different time so it is there waiting with fresh rice when you come home from work . I'm glad I spent the extra money on a machine that does its job so satisfyingly well .
        • 063 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) Perfect rice everytime . And you don't even have to be there . And it'll keep rice perfect and hot for up to 24 hours . And there are settings for white rice , brown rice , sushi rice and more . We cook family dinner more often because of the Neuro Fuzzy . I make bento lunches for my son and my family more often with the Neuro Fuzzy . Any sushi dish must start with perfect rice . We use Tamaki Gold rice in our neuro fuzzy . It's a small investment for happiness , family meals , picnics , and perfection .
        • 064 4  Perfect rice everytime . And you don't even have to be there . And it'll keep rice perfect and hot for up to 24 hours . And there are settings for white rice , brown rice , sushi rice and more . We cook family dinner more often because of the Neuro Fuzzy . I make bento lunches for my son and my family more often with the Neuro Fuzzy . Any sushi dish must start with perfect rice . We use Tamaki Gold rice in our neuro fuzzy . It's a small investment for happiness , family meals , picnics , and perfection .
        • 066 4  I had planned to buy a rice cooker to bring back with me to college in the Fall , but I also wanted to make sure it was a rice cooker that would last and make excellent rice . After hearing about the excellent qualities of Zojirushi rice cookers , I reviewed all of the models and made my selection based on the features of the cooker versus the price . I decided on this one due to the excellent array of features it had in addition to the reasonable ( relative to the other Zojirushi cookers ) price as well as the look of the cooker itself . It just jumped out as the best overall value for me . And boy , was I ever right ! This cooker definitely makes perfect rice every time ! The aspect of this cooker that stands out as the best reason to buy it is the ability to set the cooker to have the rice cooked and ready by a certain time . As a college student , this is an excellent feature since I can set the cooker , go to class , and come back to a delicious bowl of perfect sticky rice . No fuss , no muss ! Plus , I can keep the cooker in my dorm room and not have to worry about keeping an eye on a stove for a bag of meagerly cooked rice . Just set it and forget it ! Those two are the best reasons I can give for purchasing the cooker , if not just for the sheer quality of the end-product and the no-hassle , no-stress cooking . I've only cooked white rice with the rice cooker , but the ability to cook a wide variety of rice is a great asset of the cooker . The retractable cord is very nice as well , allowing you to stow away the cooker if you don't want it in the way . There are only two real downsides I could say about this cooker : One is that I wish they made the metallic inner cover was stainless steel and not aluminum . Moisture and rice gunk tends to collect up there , and , while it's not too much of a bear to clean , I wish they made it non-stick as well . Make sure to clean it with a rag or wash cloth since paper towels can leave a residue on the metal . The other downside is the price . This rice cooker isn't even the top-of-the-line in the Zojirushi catalogue of rice cookers , yet can still cost from upwards of $160 . The induction-heating rice cookers are even more expensive , ranging from $250 to as much as $450 or more ! ! Even this rice cooker might be a little extravagant for most , given the price . ( On the bright side , buying rice in bulk ends up being a lot cheaper than buying boxes of bagged , boiled or microwaved rice , let alone going out to buy fast food . It's better for you and , in a way , becomes cheaper for you in the long run ! Plus , the rice this baby makes is much , much better than boiled or microwaved rice ! ) Still , even those two downsides aren't enough to bring my rating down . I stand by my five-star rating . The sheer convenience and excellent quality of the rice this cooker consistently puts out is enough to make me excited to eat the rice by itself - a rare delight ! ( Well , maybe just a little bit of soy sauce . . . ) If you want perfect rice at excellent convenience from the best price-effective rice cooker ( and the money to spare ) , splurge on this one . It's worth it ! ~ ~ ~ ~ IMPORTANT NOTE ! ! ! : It can be a little confusing at first , but remember to use the cups included with the rice cooker for measurement and be sure to use the measurement labeled on the inside ! ! I was stupid the first time I used the rice cooker and used equal amounts of rice and water and ended up with the water boiling over and making the rice a soggy mess . The measuring cups are not equivalent to standard American measuring cups . Furthermore , the white cup is used for rice you wash yourself while the green cup is for Musenmai , or No-Rinse Rice . When you want two cups of non-prewashed rice , for example , measure out two cups of rice using the clear white cup , wash the bowl of rice 3 - 5 times to remove excess starch , then fill the inner bowl up to the 2 line with water . Put the bowl in the rice cooker and cook as normal . Brown rice uses a different amount of water , but this is definitely something you should watch for . It's not exactly covered that well in the manual and I had to look it up on the Zojirushi website to check and see what I was messing up . A little frustrating at first , but extremely easy once you understand the rice to water measurements . ~ ~ ~ Pros : - Perfect rice every time - Timer function to have cooked rice ready when you come back - Set it and forget it rice cooking - Rice cooker can cook a wide variety of rice - Retractable cord to reduce clutter - Non-stick rice bowl and spatula ( Easy to clean / remove rice ) - Sleek exterior design Cons : - Price - Inner lid is not non-stick / stainless metal , rice gunk and moisture accumulates in there - Rice to water measurements can be slightly confusing at first Neutral : - Rice takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to cook on the regular cooking mode . ( An apparent issue for other reviewers , but not for me ) - May not be enough rice for a large gathering or a party . ( More than enough for one person , I typically eat 2 cups worth of rice when I'm really hungry )
        • 067 4  I have a small kitchen , usually cook just for myself , and wanted to be able to cook brown rice . Wanting brown rice was the deciding factor in choosing the Zojirushi 5 - 1 / 2 cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker . Was it worth the big bucks ? YES ! . . I use it three times a week or more , the rice always turns out great , and I can make just one cup at a time if I wish . If I could keep only one small kitchen appliance , this would be it ! Ok , the helpful hint ? . . . I found it difficult to fill the measuring cup without spilling , so I bought ( from Amazon ) the Norpro Stainless Steel Wide-Mouth Funnel . This funnel fits perfectly into the cup , and , if filled to the top of it's neck , exactly fills the cup .
        • 068 4  Rice cooker is all that everyone says about it.GREAT ! ! ! With the one exception . The military 24 hour clock that can't be changed.I don't want my rice at 1700 hours.And oh yes the battery that runs the clock can only be changed by Zojirushi .
        • 071 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) Bought it for my mom who is Japanese . She says it's the best rice cooker she's ever had . She gave it 5 stars . I don't cook , but if she says it's good . It's good ! !
        • 073 4  In addition to rice I use this for cooking Irish oatmeal which is a bother to cook on the stovetop because it wants to foam up / boil over and stick to the bottom of the pot requiring you to stand over it for 30 - 40 minutes . The Zojirushi , however , can be set the night before and in the morning you have perfectly cooked oatmeal and little mess . Less hassle in the morning than instant ! I can hardly believe it . Used it for about 6 years now . My favorite kitchen gadget . Edit May 1 2009 - About 10 yrs old and still going strong . The internal battery ( that keeps the digital clock going ) still works !
        • 074 4  I love my Zojirushi rice cooker . I first used one of their rice cookers in Japan , and ordered a new one as soon as I moved back to the U.S . It cooks rice perfectly for me every time . Really , I have no complaints whatsoever . One earlier reviewer complained about not being able to find a Zojirushi home page to inquire about high-altitude cooking . Zojirushi Amierca has a web page at www.zojirushi.com and the Japanese parent company is at www.zojirushi.co.jp ( Japanese only ) .
        • 076 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I am from Japan , and I am inevitably very picky for the quality of cooked rice . I swear , this rice cooker is among the best purchases I've made on Amazon . Short grain Japanese rice comes out , oh , so , beautifully ! Even my mother , a hard-core Japanese woman , thinks it's awesome . I also cooked Indian basmati rice , Spanish long grain rice , wild rice , brown rice . . . you name it , any type of rice I tried came out absolutely perfectly . I'm not trying to sound nationalistic , but I'd recommend anyone who plans to buy a new rice cooker to make sure that your new purchase is MADE IN JAPAN . The entire nation of Japan has been obsessed with cooking perfect rice . This product is one of the results of the national obsession . It's a bit more pricey , but it's worth it . Zojirushi has been long known in Japan for superior quality . This rice cooker sings . When you press the start button , you'd hear a cute melody that lets you know the cooking is started . 40 minutes later , you'd hear another cute melody that lets you know the rice is done ! Believe it or not , those melodies are by Mozart and by French King Louis XIII . Who would expect digital Mozart in the kitchen while preparing 3 cups of rice ? What a choice - this weird cuteness is also un-mistakeably Japanese . . . I never thought that rice cooking would become such a fun .
        • 077 4  I am from Japan , and I am inevitably very picky for the quality of cooked rice . I swear , this rice cooker is among the best purchases I've made on Amazon . Short grain Japanese rice comes out , oh , so , beautifully ! Even my mother , a hard-core Japanese woman , thinks it's awesome . I also cooked Indian basmati rice , Spanish long grain rice , wild rice , brown rice . . . you name it , any type of rice I tried came out absolutely perfectly . I'm not trying to sound nationalistic , but I'd recommend anyone who plans to buy a new rice cooker to make sure that your new purchase is MADE IN JAPAN . The entire nation of Japan has been obsessed with cooking perfect rice . This product is one of the results of the national obsession . It's a bit more pricey , but it's worth it . Zojirushi has been long known in Japan for superior quality . This rice cooker sings . When you press the start button , you'd hear a cute melody that lets you know the cooking is started . 40 minutes later , you'd hear another cute melody that lets you know the rice is done ! Believe it or not , those melodies are by Mozart and by French King Louis XIII . Who would expect digital Mozart in the kitchen while preparing 3 cups of rice ? What a choice - this weird cuteness is also un-mistakeably Japanese . . . I never thought that rice cooking would become such a fun .
        • 079 4  I love this rice cooker . I've mostly used it for white rice which comes out excellent - as good as a restaurant ! I recommend getting the Ultimate Rice Cooker cookbook which helped me realize all the other great things you can make with this a rice cooker ! So far , I've made oatmeal ( several variatons ) , rice pudding , and several types of prepackaged rice meals which couldn't be easier . The only negatives are the price and that it takes up a bit of counter space .
        • 080 4  Growing up in a Chinese household , I was forced to eat rice every day and never enjoyed it . It was always a little sticky or a little dry , the taste was very bland . Even in Chinese restaurants , I notice the rice to be pretty stale ( and probably a few days old too ) . This machine makes THE perfect rice ! The perfect texture , consistency , taste , and it's foolproof . For a busy working mom like me , it's nice because I can set the timer for when I want the rice to be ready . So instead of traditional rice cookers that will cook the rice right away and keep it warm for the rest of the day ( which results in somewhat crusty , uneven rice ) , I have fresh rice ready to eat when I get home . The mixed rice option is awesome . I have used 1 / 2 brown and 1 / 2 white rice and it makes it perfectly . The rice is fluffy and delicious . There is a separate option to make brown rice without having to soak it first . I haven't tried the sushi rice option yet , but I can't imagine it being less than perfect . The ready signal for the rice is a little obnoxious , but at least you won't confuse it for your cell phone . This is THE rice cooker to get . Look no further !
        • 082 4  It's been going strong for 6 years now , cranking out rice by the pound - - perfect every time . These days , I cook mostly brown rice , and it's absolutely fantastic . People who complain about how long it takes to cook brown rice don't seem to understand that brown rice just takes a lot longer to cook . Many Americans cook it the same length of time ( and with the same amount of water ) as white rice - - which is just not right . That gives you crunchy , undercooked rice . I love this thing , and I'd be lost without it . Have tried the cheaper Panasonic and was not impressed . The Zojirushi is pricey , but worth it .
        • 083 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) The Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 makes perfect rice with no effort . I never could make good rice with the standard boiling water method . The rice cooker has a nice solid design and easy to use menus . The rice cooker shoots out alot of steam so make sure you have a clear spot for it . I also like the portability . The Zojirushi comes with a carry handle and a retractable power cord . The price tag is a little high but you will quickly make money with all the rice !
        • 084 4  The Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 makes perfect rice with no effort . I never could make good rice with the standard boiling water method . The rice cooker has a nice solid design and easy to use menus . The rice cooker shoots out alot of steam so make sure you have a clear spot for it . I also like the portability . The Zojirushi comes with a carry handle and a retractable power cord . The price tag is a little high but you will quickly make money with all the rice !
        • 085 4  This is the second Z machine that I've bought . The first one was a 10 cup rice cooker that is still running strong today . That machine is about 8 years old . I bought this second one because I'm only cooking for 2 now instead of 4 or 5 . I've only had this for about 8 - 9 weeks . If it is like my other one , I'm pretty sure it will do all that it's suppose to and more . I've cooked some Jasmine & Basmati rice so far and they have come out perfect . It keeps the rice warm longer than you would think . I'm going to make some brown rice next week and some porridge / congee also . Let's see how that turns out . Cleaning is a snap with the non-stick surface . Just use the spaddle ( spade / paddle ) that they provide . Do not use metal on the surface . When cleaning do not use harsh abrasives . This will keep the coating lasting twice or trice as long . I have cooked all kinds of rice and vegetables and even some home made dumplings in my other machine and it comes out perfect every time . The secret is taking care of it . Clean it and store it properly . Do not abuse it and I gurantee that it will last forever ( so to speak ) . So far this little machine has not dissapoint me yet . Great deal from Amazon . ( . . . )
        • 088 4  I have reviewed the latest Zojirushi induction rice cooker ( NH-VBC18 ) under that item . Previously , this new model was not available from Amazon.com but now is . If you are in the market for a superb rice cooker , please read my review . The new model is more expensive ( approximately $225 ) but uses magnetic induction technology to produce even heating throughout the cook cycle . I have gotten excellent brown rice with this new machine .
        • 089 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I have purchased three NS-ZAC10 cookers within the last year . Two are being used by daughters living near sea level . They work perfectly . I use mine mostly at an altitude of 3,000ft and , at times , at an altitude of 7,500ft . The cooker works only adequately at 3,000 ft and poorly at the higher altitude . I suspect something is wrong with the Fuzzi Logic programming , which should be able to sense the altitude by measuring the boiling point of water and extend cooking times accordingly . Fuzzi Logic is an incremental type of mathematical set theory in which the next step depends upon the success of the previous step . Not being able to cope with higher altitudes suggest a fault with the coding . And it spoils the general usefulness of the cooker . Personally , I would welcome information from Zojirushi regarding how to adapt the NS-ZAC10 to high altitude cooking - - - if indeed that is possible . I have no idea how to contact them . They don't appear to maintain a website . Unless you live at sea level , don't waste your money . Buy a simple , inexpensive On / Off rice cooker where you can compensate for altitude by adding more liquid and extending the cooking time . On the other hand , if you live near sea level , this cooker works well .
        • 090 4  I have purchased three NS-ZAC10 cookers within the last year . Two are being used by daughters living near sea level . They work perfectly . I use mine mostly at an altitude of 3,000ft and , at times , at an altitude of 7,500ft . The cooker works only adequately at 3,000 ft and poorly at the higher altitude . I suspect something is wrong with the Fuzzi Logic programming , which should be able to sense the altitude by measuring the boiling point of water and extend cooking times accordingly . Fuzzi Logic is an incremental type of mathematical set theory in which the next step depends upon the success of the previous step . Not being able to cope with higher altitudes suggest a fault with the coding . And it spoils the general usefulness of the cooker . Personally , I would welcome information from Zojirushi regarding how to adapt the NS-ZAC10 to high altitude cooking - - - if indeed that is possible . I have no idea how to contact them . They don't appear to maintain a website . Unless you live at sea level , don't waste your money . Buy a simple , inexpensive On / Off rice cooker where you can compensate for altitude by adding more liquid and extending the cooking time . On the other hand , if you live near sea level , this cooker works well .
        • 092 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I recently bought this rice cooker from Amazon.com . Though the price is steep , I think it's worth every penny ! So far , I've used the rice cooker 1 ) to cook white jasmine rice and brown basmati rice , 2 ) tested the timer function 3 ) tested the keep warm and extended keep warm functions 4 ) quick-cooked and hard-cooked my white rice Each time , the rice has come out perfect - light , fluffy and so tasty ! Just remember to follow the instructions on the rice packaging for how much water to use , instead of using the water level in the rice cooking bowl . Also , I'm glad I bought the 5.5 cup model instead of the 10 cup model . When I first received the rice cooker , I was worried that it would be too small . But it makes more than enough rice for a single person / couple .
        • 093 4  I recently bought this rice cooker from Amazon.com . Though the price is steep , I think it's worth every penny ! So far , I've used the rice cooker 1 ) to cook white jasmine rice and brown basmati rice , 2 ) tested the timer function 3 ) tested the keep warm and extended keep warm functions 4 ) quick-cooked and hard-cooked my white rice Each time , the rice has come out perfect - light , fluffy and so tasty ! Just remember to follow the instructions on the rice packaging for how much water to use , instead of using the water level in the rice cooking bowl . Also , I'm glad I bought the 5.5 cup model instead of the 10 cup model . When I first received the rice cooker , I was worried that it would be too small . But it makes more than enough rice for a single person / couple .
        • 095 4  I don't know how / why I was not smart enough to buy this sooner - - it's fabulous . It arrived via FedEx this afternoon and I thought I'd fire it up with some plain basmati rice . When the rice was done and I got my first taste , I couldn't stop eating - - it was the best rice I've had in years ! Twenty minutes later I finished my fourth serving and was stuffed ( and remember , this was just plain white rice ! ) . Needless to say , this unit is well worth the $156 from amazon ( keep an eye out for those amazon discounts ) .
        • 096 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This product is excellent . If you want great tasting rice , use the regular setting ( around 45 - 60 minutes to cook ) . If you're in a hurry , use the Quick setting for a 15 - 20 minute cook time . Apparently the Quick setting doesn't soak the rice but it seems to taste just as good . Overall , the device is compact , high quality , and has a convenient retractable cord . Although a little pricy , I feel that the quality and features are worth it .
        • 100 4  i've owned this product for about 3 months . all the good reviews here are true . perfect rice every time , as long as you follow the suggested water to rice ratio . a tip on the price : before ordering it from amazon , look for it in Asian supermarkets , they might have it for less .
        • 101 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I've cooked many different types of rice in this cooker , from jasmine to weird wild rice mixtures , and every pot has come out perfect . I especially like making basmati with chicken broth ; that's our staple . The machine will keep the rice fresh and hot for as long as 24 hours , adjust to different quantities automatically , and do everything but water your plants . It's also very easy to clean , though you have to careully wipe the vent hole in the lid if you used liquids other than plain water , like broth or something with oil . We've used it every day since we got it . Worth every penny . 2010 UPDATE : We've now had this cooker for 4 years . It's just as good today as the day we bought it . The main thing is to keep it clean , a very easy task except for cleaning out the small vent hole in the lid . If you cook dishes with many ingredients besides rice ( spices or finely chopped vegetables , for example ) , some residue can get lodged in there . You can easily clean it with a moistened q-tip , though . All in all , we're still very happy with this purchase .
        • 102 4  I've cooked many different types of rice in this cooker , from jasmine to weird wild rice mixtures , and every pot has come out perfect . I especially like making basmati with chicken broth ; that's our staple . The machine will keep the rice fresh and hot for as long as 24 hours , adjust to different quantities automatically , and do everything but water your plants . It's also very easy to clean , though you have to careully wipe the vent hole in the lid if you used liquids other than plain water , like broth or something with oil . We've used it every day since we got it . Worth every penny . 2010 UPDATE : We've now had this cooker for 4 years . It's just as good today as the day we bought it . The main thing is to keep it clean , a very easy task except for cleaning out the small vent hole in the lid . If you cook dishes with many ingredients besides rice ( spices or finely chopped vegetables , for example ) , some residue can get lodged in there . You can easily clean it with a moistened q-tip , though . All in all , we're still very happy with this purchase .
        • 103 4  I have had this for nearing a year now , and I have been eating perfect rice for nearing a year now . The song this plays when it starts and finishes is like something out of one's childhood , but it makes no difference . For people who want something done right , you already know Zojirushi is the way to go . I am glad I got the smaller model . This makes perfect servings for up to four - six persons . It also has tons of options and comes with a recipe book . ( You can make paella , but it's not the best paella ) It also makes tasty rice pudding . Possibly my best purchase of 2007 .
        • 106 4  I purchased this rice cooker during a promoting Amazon had , which saved me $50 , and it was the brand that I wanted . It's very easy to use ; either use the green cup ( for pre-sifted rice ) or the clear cup ( for regular rice ) , add water , and press the start button . This rice cooker live up to all its claims , and delivers the goods . If you have no special need in timers , cooking porridge or brown rice , then this rice cooker is overkill ( big time ) and you can purchase a less expensive model ( such as the Zojirushi NS-MYC10 ( 5 cup model ) , or the NS-MYC18 model ( 10 cup ) ) . The only annoyance ( very minor ) , was each time you started to cook , this rice cooker has to make a sound ( either a beep , or twinkle-twinkle little star ) . I haven't found a way to make it silent when it starts or ends cooking ( without beeping or playing a melody ) . A minor annoyance , but other than that this is a very good rice cooker .
        • 107 4  I am amazed by the rice prepared by my Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 . It indeed prepares the best rice I have ever had in this country . i personally think the rice cooker prepares sushi rice the best . It is a little expensive , I acknowledge , and most of my friends do not understand why I would invest such a sum in a rice cooker . But I am still happy for the decision I made .
        • 109 4  I actually bought this product several months ago and I still love it and use it often . I cook mostly Japanese white rice and it's perfect everytime . The Keep Warm feature sure comes in handy . I add the amount of cups ( with cup provided ) of rice I want , rinse the rice , add water to the appropriate marker ( example : add 5 cups of rice , fill to line marked 5 ) , push start and that's it . Never sticky , mushy or dry . Perfect everytime . I highly recommend this product . I've also cooked pre-packaged , pre-seasoned brown rice . This took a bit of tweeking as the package requires X amount of water . I use a little less water in the cooker .
        • 110 4  I'm south indian and I grew up eating rice every day . . . every meal . You would think that I would hate rice by now , but I still love it . For the last year or so , I've been using this rice cooker because my fiance bought it . . . she had heard it was the best . I'll make no bones about it . . . this rice cooker makes perfect rice every time . I don't like my rice too soggy or too dry , and I've had neither of these problems with this rice cooker . So why 3 stars ? Because sometimes when you want rice . . . you want it now ! Even on the Fast setting , this cooker takes 40 minutes to make rice . Put it on the regular setting and brown rice ( I've been trying to eat more brown rice of late ) takes way more than an hour ! Who wants to wait that long ?
        • 112 4  We've had our rice cooker about a year now . We've only used the default setting . Every time I use it I have the same two thoughts : 1 . I can't believe I spent this much for this . 2 . This rice is great ! It's the right tool for rice . There's a reason it has so many five-star reviews ! If you need / want a rice cooker , you'll be glad you bought this one !
        • 113 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I struggled for a while over whether to invest in a rice cooker . Everyone I know swears by their Zojirushi , but , after all , doesn't simmering on a stovetop get the job done ? And , who needs another counter-cluttering gadget right ? Wrong . I can now say I never truly enjoyed rice before I let my neuro fuzzy logic cooker take over . I am humbled to say , it is smarter than me . And most forgiving . Brown rice never tasted so good ! This high quality , well-built machine looks great and works fantastic . Instructions are easy to follow and the warming feature comes in handy . You can prepare rice at any time , and it will be ready - in perfect condition - when you are ready to serve it . I suggest you get a good rice cookbook as you will want to use this machine as often as possible .
        • 115 4  I buy a lot from Amazon , but I don't write a lot of reviews . This rice cooker , however , is amazing . I got it overnight , just unpacked it , and made delicious , chewy , creamy , nutty steel cut oats in about an hour . Use 1 rice cooker cup of McCann's oats , 3 rice cooker cups of water , select the porridge setting , and come back in about an hour . Stir in the juice that rises to the top and enjoy . Brown rice pudding is next . I have to get up really early some days , and I can't wait to pre-program in a hot breakfast . Think of it as a slow cooker for people with a sense of urgency ! The ZCC10 is extremely well made and easy to clean . I also recommend the Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Hensperger and Kaufmann , which has lots of good ideas for rice and more . So far , the only thing I can see to look out for is to make sure that you measure consistently . Use the 180 ml rice cooker cups for the grain and the water , or use larger kitchen cups for the grain and the water to get the right ratio . Also , the unit comes with a nubby plastic spatula / scraper thingy that won't mar the nonstick finish of the bowl . Cleaning is a breeze with cold water and a microfiber cloth . It's a little pricey , but well worth it because it has just about every setting you'll need to make more than just plan rice . Here's the cookbook link : The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs , Risottos , Polenta , Chilis , Soups , Porridges , Puddings and More , from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker
        • 117 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) if you truely appreciate Japanese sticky rice then this cooker is a must buy . sure you can find cheaper cookers and for the even more impatient there is this stuff called minute rice you can invest in . . . but if you want the most perfect sticky rice than a human being can make then buy this machine .
        • 119 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This is a great rice cooker . . . it's a little spendy , but if you eat a lot of rice it is well worth it . I bought mine just after Christmas and I love it . The directions are easy enough to follow , the control buttons are easy to use , and my rice comes out perfect every single time . There are multiple cooking settings for different types of rice , too . It's a little bit bigger in size than I thought ( 13 X 9 X 7 1 / 2 ) . It keeps the rice warm for hours after it's finished cooking with no burning . Easy to clean , too . Plays cute tunes when you start it ( Twinkle , Twinkle Little Star ) and another tune when it's finished cooking .
        • 122 4  Truly an excellent rice cooker . It makes perfect rice every time . So far I made jasmine , short grain Japanese rice , brown rice & steel cut oatmeal . They all came out perfect . I was especially surprised at how good the brown rice tasted . I usually don't like it , it takes forever to cook and I seemed to never get it right.Well , not with this rice cooker . I don't have a lot of experience with rice cookers but I did buy another one ( a lot cheaper ) from costco and returned it the next day . I decided to splurge in the Zojirushi after reading all the great reviews and also having their bread machine for almost 2 years now with excellent results . My favorite things about this rice cooker other than making perfect rice is its compact size , easy to use , and very pretty to look at . I don't like bulky old fashion appliances . Simply put , I never thought I would like a rice cooker that much .
        • 126 4  I've had this rice cooker for about a week now and I must say that I'm fairly pleased with my purchase . As with most , I was hesitant based on the price tag , but when it comes to making rice , this bad boy is top notch . I've made a couple of batches with some cheap long grain rice and both times the rice came out perfect . The first batch was with the normal setting and the cooked batch was nice and fluffy . The rice was not mushy or hard , all the kernels / grains were very distinct and separate . The second batch was with the softer setting and sure enough , it came out a little moister and softer than the first batch . I went out and purchased some nicer Japanese short grain rice yesterday and again , the rice was done perfectly . I actually prefer this type of rice ( a little sticky ) for general purposes , and I was really surprised how well it came out . I meant to turn off the rice cooker last night , but when I left the house this morning , I realized that I had left it on over night . The indicator stated that the rice had been warming for 14 hours . When I turned it off , I peaked inside to see what the rice looked like and it still looked pretty good , just slightly dry . My old rice cooker would have turned that into a big brown mess already . I have yet to try brown rice , but I will be soon . For now , I'm glad I bought this cooker . I was considering the Sanyo ECJ-D55S one instead , which is closer to $100 dollars . The reviews say that those two are pretty much the same in terms of quality , the consensus being that they are both 1 / 2 interchangeably , but I opted for the Zojirushi one instead since I already have a Zojirushi airpot . Plus , if I'm going to spend that much on a rice cooker , I would hate to buy the Sanyo for a little less and wonder if I cheaped out and didn't get the better one . That said , today's price for the cooker is $200 ! I paid over $30 less for mine last week ! If you are planning on buying this cooker , check out your local asian supermarket instead . The 99 Ranch in the Bay Area sells this for $140 , but of course , you have to factor in tax .
        • 129 4  Actually , I'm still learning how to use the rice cooker , since I haven't had it that long . I took some hints from previous reviews , which turned out to be helpful . However , the first time I used the cooker I forgot the hint of putting a spoonful of butter in with the rice . You guessed it : I ended up with a counter full of overflow . Good lesson : haven't omitted the butter since that time and have no overflow problems . When I read all the reviews about how wonderful the cooked rice was after being cooked in the Zojirushi , it wasn't until I ate the rice for myself that I could understand what everyone was talking about . I only use brown rice ( so far ) , and I never imagined it could turn out so tender and luscious . It really is a totally different experience with rice . The book that came with the rice cooker was rather vague in some of its instructions and recipes and offered very little help . The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook was backordered and just arrived a few days ago , so I expect this book to be of big help . Maybe someone should write a book called Rice Cookers for Dummies . Anyway , I already love the Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker , and look forward to the adventure of this style of cooking .
        • 135 4  As vegans , my boyfriend and I cook rice nearly every day . This rice cooker makes cooking rice really easy and honestly makes the best tasting rice we've ever made . Cleaning is easy because all of the pieces are removable and snap back into place . The only downside to the cooker is that it comes with two measuring cups : one for unwashed rice , and one for washed rice . I have gotten the cups confused several times , as you are supposed to wash any rice you use in this cooker , but the rice turned out OK despite my error . Overall , we love the cooker . It is worth the money , and the company shipped the product really quickly . We highly recommend this rice cooker !
        • 136 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This rice cooker is great and gives great flavor to your rice . . I have had mine for over 2 years and use it all the time . . The only complaint I have is it takes a long time for the rice to cook . . It can take over an hour depending on how many cups of rice you have . . I also like how easy it is to clean it . . Since the rice pot comes out of the machine you can clean it with out worry of hurting the machine it self . . I have put fresh veggies and all diffrent kinds of liquids in it and it always comes out great . .
        • 138 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) Although the price tag is hefty , I'm so glad I splurged ! I love this little wonder . I've had it for about a month and have made white rice , brown rice , jasmine rice and sweet sticky rice . . . perfect every time . Tomorrow I'm going to try steel cut oats .
        • 140 4  I got this machine after years with a cheap slow-cooker rice cooker . After a while , I got very fed up with the way it would always burn some of the rice , and did research . This machine cooks rice perfectly every time . First , by adjusting the time and temperature , and second through the cups and the lines inside the pan which ensure one always adds the right amount of rice and water . The lines tell you how much water to add for different types of rice . There's even a setting for pre-washed rice . It also comes with directions for cooking rice , which has been invaluable . For the first time at home , I made sweet rice . Sweet rice is a special kind of rice with a round chalk-white grain . It's very sticky and smells like honey when it is cooking . It's very delicious , but extremely hard to cook over the stove , as it normally must be steamed rather than boiled . It's also used to in making mochi . The directions in the Zojirushi manual say to use a traditional bamboo basket to drain this rice after washing , but a towel laid over a strainer works just as well . I've also made oatmeal with my Zojirushi . One can put the ingredients in and set the timer to start an hour before one rises . It can also handle rice mixed with vegetables and fish . The Zojirushi is very easy to clean . The residual left by the rice simply slides off the non-stick pan . The inner top lid can also be removed and cleaned . The only disadvantage would be that it takes a lot longer to cook rice in this machine . However , with the automatic timer , how well it keeps the rice warm and moist after it's done , and how much better it tastes , this does not bother me . This model is also one which is made in Japan rather than China .
        • 142 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) We've had this rice cooker for almost 2 years and we are very happy with it . My husband and I are from Asian families and my husband is native Japanese , so his standards for good rice are especially high . This cooker has not disappointed us . It's extremely easy to use and the rice has always turned out great . If anything , we're kind of disappointed when we go out to restaurants because many times the rice outside doesn't measure up to what we're eating at home . I like that , unlike the cooker we used when we lived in Japan , you don't have to have hair-like precision when it comes to water measurement ; with our previous cooker if I was even a drop of water off , the rice would turn out either too dry or too wet . This cooker seems more forgiving . Finally , it's ( so ) easy to clean and it still looks brand new almost 2 years later ( and we use it almost daily ) . My 70 year-old Chinese mother was also so impressed with it that she finally replaced her 20 year-old rice cooker with this one , and asked me to get one for my brother as well . If you're sitting on the fence because of the cost ( as I was initially ) , I'd recommend you go for it especially if you like rice and it is a major part of your diet .
        • 144 4  Yeah , it costs a bunch . Yeah , you see $30 cookers in Costco and wonder what the difference is . Forget all of that . Just believe the reviews , and get this cooker . You won't be disappointed . Perfect rice , every time , on time , and all of a sudden life is that much better . I bought mine here on Amazon , and love it . If you like making meals with rice , you'll find yourself going out of your way to make more because this is such a joy to use . Well done , Zojirushi . Well done .
        • 145 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This rice cooker has been very reliable for us . In fact it is the brand that everyone in our family uses . The consistency of the rice is always the same and the keep warm feature is a great plus for always having hot rice available when needed . When cooking white rice you just follow the general directions of using the included measuring cup for the rice and the measuring lines in the cooking bowl for water . It also does a nice job with brown rice , though the measuring is different : 1 1 / 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice . There are some brown rices that cook the same as the white rice , look in Asian markets for these . One added plus for this rice cooker is the plastic handles on the sides of the bowl that make removal and handling of a hot bowl easier .
        • 150 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I have had this for a few weeks now and all I can say is good things . I got it mostly for brown rice . I could never get it right on the stove top . This cooker gets it right every time . I cannot say enough good things . If your a rice eater , spend the money and buy today .
        • 152 4  This was one of the best wedding gifts we got : small , incredibly useful and sturdy ! In short , it cooks rice . Any kind of rice . And will keep it warm for as long as you can imagine ( the longest we've left it was 8 hours , and the rice was still perfect when it came out . . ) . It cleans very easily , you can program it to have rice ready for any time ( For instance , we often set it for 7am , put the rice and water in before we go to bed , and when its time to go to work , the rice is ready to go ! ) and it will play a melody as an alarm . I highly recommend this rice cooker . If ours broke today , we'd replace it tomorrow .
        • 153 4  I spent months shopping for this rice cooker , going back and forth between cheaper and more expensive rice cookers . Having once lived in Japan over 4 years , it isn't just a rice cooker as my wife purports , so I decided on a Zoji in the end . My only initial hesistation was the inbility to replace the battery in the LCD display . However , the ability to cook brown rice just as well as other rice and its record for reliability outweighed the battery issue . I've had the NS-ZCC10 for two months , using it 2 - 3 times a week , and have been very pleased with the results . And the concern that it would not make enough for a family of five has been no issue as I seldom have the need to make more than 3 cups for a single meal . ( In Japan its typical to have a batch of rice cooked up to eat throughout the day , however , I only use it for single meals ) Cleanup is super simple compared to the aluminum single button Hitachi I had for 20 years ( it was broken by the movers - maybe it should have broken sooner ) .
        • 154 4  I bought the predecessor to this ( the NS-ZAC10 ) 5 yrs ago , but have had no issues whatsoever . . Of late I've started making my own version of chicken bog ( South Carolina food ) and it does great . I put in 2 scoops of rice , breast meat from a rotisserie chicken and some sliced turkey italian sausage links , top it off with water to the 5 cup white rice mark and let it go . Great results every time .
        • 155 4  If so , this is a wonderful choice . I've owned this unit for over three years and it has delivered truly remarkable results 100% of the time ( no exaggeration ) . I've cooked everything from long grain basmati , to Japanese pearl rice to brown and wild rice to porridge in this unit . It has never missed a beat - - delivering perfectly cooked rice , repeatedly . It comes with an excellent instruction manual , but you won't really need it if you get the excellent companion cookbook : The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs , Risottos , Polenta , Chilis , Soups , Porridges , Puddings and More , from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker . I reviewed that book very positively as well for one simple reason - - the recipes taste great and they're easy to make . If you buy this Zojirushi , you'll not only be happy with the its performance , your friends and family will think you're a fabulous cook ! !
        • 156 4  I bought this to make Japanese rice , which I do 2 - 3 times a week . I also bought this to replace my older rice cooker which had no fancy auto features or a clock / timer . My older one was a 10 - cup cooker , but I've never used it beyond 4 cups , so this 5 - cupper is great for a small family . I use it for 2 or 3 cups of rice-making . Quality of the rice is a lot better on this model if you follow the directions . I also like the pre-washed rice feature since the rice I buy comes like that . It also takes longer to make rice on this one than on my cruder rice ( I say it now takes 45 mins vs 30 mins on the old model ) , but like I said I like the quality of the cooked rice better on this . The weaknesses on this model are : 1 ) the steam lid / liner uses a rubber o-ring / gasket attached to a metal disc to create a tight seal during cooking . The ring is screwed into the disc , which is then attached or detached to the cooker lid . So far , it's been easy to wash , but if you plan on putting the cooker away for long-term storage , ensure you let the steam lid air out completely , otherwise there will be moisture trapped between the rubber gasket and the disc . Also , lots of gooey rice steam gets collected between the steam exhaust port and the liner / lid , and I find I have to wipe it out of the exhaust port after every use . If I don't , the goo will ooze out of the port and onto the lip of the cooker and onto the heating elements if you close the lid without the liner / lid . It might scorch if the element is still hot . Just something to be careful of .
        • 157 4  After finally getting sick of accidentally screwing up rice made on the countertop , I decided to purchase this rice cooker a couple weeks ago - so far i've made a few batches of white rice with it , and they were worlds better than what i've managed on my own . . . . I eat a lot of Chinese and Thai food , and the rice this thing produces easily matches up to restaurant product , although maybe not better . Operation was simple : just dump in the rice , fill the water to the right line , close and start it up . Aside from steam coming out the vent and the little start / end tune , you wouldn't even know it was on . So far the rice ( regular white rice ) has always come out perfect - not crunchy or soggy but nicely steamed . As many others have commented on , this cooker is not fast - my latest batch of 4 cups of rice took approx . 50 minutes . However , considering that during all of this time I could work on making the rest of dinner and relaxing instead of keeping an eye on a simmering pot , it's well worth it . And of course there's the timer function where I can fill it in the morning , leave for the workday , and have it cooked and ready for dinner when I get home . Cleanup was also very easy , as the non-stick pot displayed non-stickiness as advertised , I think it took 2 or 3 minutes of extremely light wiping and it was again spotless . The inner lid does seem to accumulate gunk during the cooking process , and unfortunately is not non-stick , but is still easily cleaned in a few minutes . All in all , while it took me a long time to finally decide to spend the money on this cooker , it has been well worth it so far . Looking forward to trying the other functions for brown rice , porridge / oatmeal and such .
        • 160 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This rice cooker is so easy to use . I did discover that brown basmatti rice , which we use almost exclusively , needs to be cooked with the semi-brown rice setting and on that setting it comes out perfectly every time . You can set the timer for the rice to be ready at a particular time and the cooker starts at the right time to get it done on time . It does take longer than my old rice cooker , but the timer compensates for that . It takes 1 hour to cook brown basmatti rice , and my old cooker took 45 minutes . I have no idea how long white rice takes , because we rarely eat it . I would definitely purchase this rice cooker again if I had it to do over .
        • 162 4  The Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer has been a great addition to our cooking tools . So far , we are very happy . The product is expensive , but the rice tastes fabulous .
        • 163 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) Definitely as advertised . It has made my wife very happy . I highly recommend purchase of this model , as it cooks excellent rice every single time .
        • 165 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) So I've been raised on ' instant ' rice , and I just got this rice cooker - and it makes me sad that I was missing out on this delicious rice all those years . I've cooked around 5 different kinds of rice in this thing ( sushi , brown , sweet , basmati , wild rice ) , and each and every batch has come out absolutely perfect . I'm dying to try out the porridge feature , I'll have to pick some up soon . One of the coolest features on this cooker is the timer . You set the time you want the rice to be done , and voila , the rice is done for you at exactly that time . So if you don't want to wait around for dinner after you get home , dinner will be waiting for you . This thing even plays music in place of timer beeps . How cool is that ? This rice cooker is definitely worth paying a little extra more for . It does everything you could possibly want out of a rice cooker and more .
        • 166 4  So I've been raised on ' instant ' rice , and I just got this rice cooker - and it makes me sad that I was missing out on this delicious rice all those years . I've cooked around 5 different kinds of rice in this thing ( sushi , brown , sweet , basmati , wild rice ) , and each and every batch has come out absolutely perfect . I'm dying to try out the porridge feature , I'll have to pick some up soon . One of the coolest features on this cooker is the timer . You set the time you want the rice to be done , and voila , the rice is done for you at exactly that time . So if you don't want to wait around for dinner after you get home , dinner will be waiting for you . This thing even plays music in place of timer beeps . How cool is that ? This rice cooker is definitely worth paying a little extra more for . It does everything you could possibly want out of a rice cooker and more .
        • 170 4  The best rice cooker I've ever owned . I prefer haiga rice , and this does an excellent job . Of course you rarely go wrong with Zojirushi products .
        • 171 4  I hate to cook but I love using this machine ! I haven't had this gorgeous appliance for too long but I've not had a bad batch of rice yet . I'm yet to branch out to try some more exotic recipes ( I also purchased one of the Zojirushi cookbooks to help me ) , but I'm looking forward to trying something new . The unit itself is very attractive and has a fairly small footprint which is great because we don't have a lot of counter space in the kitchen . I'm happy to leave this unit out to show it off because it looks so great ! The unit is really easy to use , my only gripe is that some instructions in the manual are a little confusing ( i.e . determining the water level ) but I think it's because it's too simple . As a PC user , I'm used to having to right-click and go into the Properties menu to do what I need to do . . . I need to think more like a Mac user ( click and it's fixed ) * lol * I am so pleased with this machine and the quality of Zojirushi appliances in general that I have purchased the Mr . Bento lunch jar kit ( also excellent ) and am currently waiting for the UPS man to show up with the 1 pound bread machine . I highly recommend this product , the capacity is perfect for myself and my husband and the rice is perfect every time !
        • 172 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) After reading many reviews of this and other rice cookers on Amazon , I opted for the Zojirushi . So far , two months later , it has worked quite well in terms of how it cooks rice and other grains , and I especially like the time-delay that allows me to wake up to hot cereal in the morning . The drawbacks are that food crud gets stuck in the steam outlet and it's hard to remove because the lid doesn't lift off for cleaning . You have to go in with a small toothbrush or bottle brush to get rid of the goop . If you don't , it will cake up and block the vent . There is a removable metal plate in the lid that also gets dirty , but it's hand washable . However , it's rimmed by a pliable gasket that catches water , and takes a long time to air-dry . If you put it back into the rice cooker when it's wet , you can create a breeding ground for bacteria , particularly if you leave the machine unused for several days . One earlier reviewer mentioned that his Zojirushi died after four years due to an internal circuitry failure , and it was costly to replace the computer . I thought long and hard about this caveat when I ponied up the $175 for the rice cooker . If this happens to mine , I'll have to determine if it was worth it to spend that much on a doomed machine . In the meanwhile , I am moderately satisfied with the machine itself , and am pleased with the way it cooks . I also love the idea of having something that's both neuro and fuzzy on my countertop . Seems an apt metaphor for the way I live .
        • 173 4  After reading many reviews of this and other rice cookers on Amazon , I opted for the Zojirushi . So far , two months later , it has worked quite well in terms of how it cooks rice and other grains , and I especially like the time-delay that allows me to wake up to hot cereal in the morning . The drawbacks are that food crud gets stuck in the steam outlet and it's hard to remove because the lid doesn't lift off for cleaning . You have to go in with a small toothbrush or bottle brush to get rid of the goop . If you don't , it will cake up and block the vent . There is a removable metal plate in the lid that also gets dirty , but it's hand washable . However , it's rimmed by a pliable gasket that catches water , and takes a long time to air-dry . If you put it back into the rice cooker when it's wet , you can create a breeding ground for bacteria , particularly if you leave the machine unused for several days . One earlier reviewer mentioned that his Zojirushi died after four years due to an internal circuitry failure , and it was costly to replace the computer . I thought long and hard about this caveat when I ponied up the $175 for the rice cooker . If this happens to mine , I'll have to determine if it was worth it to spend that much on a doomed machine . In the meanwhile , I am moderately satisfied with the machine itself , and am pleased with the way it cooks . I also love the idea of having something that's both neuro and fuzzy on my countertop . Seems an apt metaphor for the way I live .
        • 175 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I love this machine . I get perfect rice everytime with no fuss , no muss . No more waiting for my wife to cook it . No more too soft or too hard rice . I'm even experimenting with rice varieties and mixtures I could never have imagined doing before . Like I said , I love the machine .
        • 179 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) Amazing how this could make life simpler and is such a pleasure to use . I used to cook rice in a pressure cooker but I had to watch it the whole time . With this , I can set it in the morning and , with the timer function , have rice ready for lunch or dinner . Be aware - when they say ' cup ' they mean the Japanese cup size which is 6 oz . not the 8 oz . U.S . cup size . I've been to Japan . I saw this brand in use everywhere . Well made , easy to use .
        • 180 4  Amazing how this could make life simpler and is such a pleasure to use . I used to cook rice in a pressure cooker but I had to watch it the whole time . With this , I can set it in the morning and , with the timer function , have rice ready for lunch or dinner . Be aware - when they say ' cup ' they mean the Japanese cup size which is 6 oz . not the 8 oz . U.S . cup size . I've been to Japan . I saw this brand in use everywhere . Well made , easy to use .
        • 181 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) I always research extensively before buying . I almost always end up buying the first product that I find on Amazon . This machine does what it claims , but I still don't see why it costs so much . I'm a grits man , but , in my household , the rice eaters outnumber me . The rice eaters insist on designer white rice , but I say any long grain new rice will do . I never rinse . If the package does not require rinsing in its instructions , I assume that it can be cooked on the no rinse cycle . I don't buy rice that instructs rinsing . The porridge instructions are for a rice dish , not oatmeal or grits as one might imagine . I did not realize that until the machine arrived . Porridge , as round-eyes know it , must be whipped constantly at a medium temperature until soft .
        • 183 4  This review is from : Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5 - 1 / 2 - Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer , Premium White ( Kitchen ) This is a great product . I use it regularly , at least twice a week .

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