Product Description
Take the guesswork out of making restaurant-quality rice with this easy-to-use rice cooker. The handy appliance offers a 10-cup uncooked-rice capacity, producing up to 20 cups of cooked rice–great when cooking for a group of friends or the whole family. Simply add dry rice, measure in the water, make a selection, and push the “start” button. Equipped with micro-computerized Fuzzy Logic technology, the unit automatically makes fine adjustments to the temperature and heating time to ensure perfectly cooked rice. Choose from a variety of menu options including steam; quick cook; porridge; slow cook; cake; and white, brown, and sticky rice. Once the rice has cooked, the appliance automatically switches over to “keep warm” mode, which maintains an ideal serving temperature for up to 12 hours. The unit’s delay timer offers a 24-hour clock with one memory setting for starting the cooking cycle at a later time, and its automatic shut-off function offers peace of mind. Other highlights include a binchotan-type black pan with white anodizing for better tasting rice, a dimple pan that expands heat by 20 percent for enhanced performance, a detachable steam vent, a large orange LCD read-out, a detachable power cord, and a carry handle for convenient transport. A steam basket, measuring cup, rice scoop, and a user manual in English, French, and Chinese come included. The 835-watt rice cooker measures 14-1/5 by 11 by 9-4/5 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.
Product Features
- 10-cup rice cooker with micro-computerized Fuzzy Logic technology
- Various menu options; 12-hour keep-warm mode; 24-hour clock/timer; auto shut-off
- Binchotan-type black pan for better tasting rice; large orange LCD read-out
- Steam basket, measuring cup, rice scoop, and user manual included
- Measures 14-1/5 by 11 by 9-4/5 inches; 1-year limited warranty
Buy Confidently
This fuzzy logic rice cooker is a great in some ways, and aggravating in some others.
OK, the good stuff first: It makes fantastic rice. Put the rice in the pan, add the suggested amount of water, press a couple of buttons, and come back in an hour to the best rice you’ve ever had at home. I make a lot of basmati rice. To be honest, before I got this cooker, I kind of sneered at the idea of a rice cooker. I mean, it’s just not that hard to make rice. But when I used the cooker, I realized that on my best day, the rice I make by hand isn’t quite as perfectly done as with this cooker. OK, I’m not too big a man to admit I was wrong.
The so-so: Cleanup requires cleaning the pan, the gasket and the steam releaser valve. Not hard, but a little more work than just cleaning a single pot.
There are a limited number of setting on the cooker, so you need to shoehorn your favorite rice into the choices presented if you are getting funky.
The not so hot: The instruction booklet is really poor, particularly for Panasonic (who are usually good about such things). The clock battery is not user replaceable. Huh? That’s stupid. It’s not clear if the battery is required to have the unit work properly in timer mode or if its only purpose is to hold setting and clock time when not on power.
And then there is the if-they-had-just-gone-the-extra-step-this-would-out-of-this-world-but-they-didn’t-and-it’s-enough-to-make-you-scream: This unit can be used as a slow cooker (“Crock Pot”). Unfortunately, the only setting you have control over is start. That’s right, you can’t control the heat. The unit uses fuzzy logic to do the cooking, and that’s incredibly good–way better than your normal slow cooker. But YOU CAN’T CONTROL THE HEAT. That means you can’t really use recipes that call for setting the heat on low, or on medium or on whatever. You only get the heat that the rice cooker thinks you should use, and that may well not be the heat you need. Ugh! So close Panasonic. One more control and you could have made one device to rule them all. Instead…
Not to end on a bad note, I will reiterate that as a rice cooker, it’s a star. And if you think the temperature it picks is good, then maybe it’ll be a star for you in terms of slow cooking as well. But beware that it isn’t going to be slow cooking recipe friendly. And that’s a darn shame.