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Rice cookers  

post #1 of 28
7/18/08 at 1:37am
Thread Starter 
I'm looking for a good 3.5 cup rice cooker--not fuzzy logic or one of those--that has an audible alert when cooking is done. Otherwise, you have to watch for the lights to change color. Even the $80+ Zojirushi doesn't have this very inexpensive feature. Suggestions, please?

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post #2 of 28
7/18/08 at 7:02am
What kind of audible alert? Mine makes a pretty good clicking sound when the cook button clicks to warm. I can here it from the living room. I paid $20 bucks for it.
post #3 of 28
7/18/08 at 8:20am
Oster makes a decent one. We have it and it's pretty much a multi use steamer with the multiple compartment stacking as well as the dish for rice.
post #4 of 28
7/18/08 at 9:12am
Thread Starter 
Old school: That's not quite it. I just want it to cook rice, as those seem to do the best job.
Yorva: A beep is the standard sound nowadays; a LOUD click might do it, but on the ones I've been able to try, including that over-priced one I noted, while they apparently do click, it's not audible 15 feet away. (I've never heard the click.) I'm developing an interest in rice, and I fear cheap units won't do for hard use. I owned the Cuisninart 4-cup $50 model (which has no sound alert) and it didn't have versatility and reliability of results, which is why I'm moving up. Fuzzy logics are very slow, 80 minutes for brown rice, an hour for white.
Thanks to both of you. It's a tough thing to find ANY 3.5 cup good cooker, I know.
I'm still open to suggestions.
post #5 of 28
7/18/08 at 10:00am
Here's the one I have and love. Black & Decker® Appliances - 16-Cup Rice Cooker, RC426 :: Black & Decker®

I paid $19.99 for it at Walmart. I never cook more than two or three cups in it. The bowl and lid detach for easy cleaning. It's very simple. I don't like the fancy ones. Too much crap to break. And I don't like parts I can't easily remove to clean. The spring throws that switch to warm. It's a pretty good click. Can I ask you why you need an alert sound? Do you need it to wake you up off the couch? :D That's why I bought a rice cooker because it switches to warm when it's finished so I don't need to babysit. That's the beauty of it.
post #6 of 28
7/18/08 at 10:59am
With my Meniere's, I've lost a lot of my hearing now. Once you learn the time sequence for your cooker, I wouldn't rely on lights or sounds. Just check the time. I mean, you're cooking rice for the meal so you've got other things you're timing during that time as well.

I understand the request, but is a sound really the killer feature?

Yours in Hard-of-Hearing,

Phil
more than taste fine
me eat it all the time
post #7 of 28
7/18/08 at 1:47pm
Thread Starter 

Rice cookers

Phil-Time varies with type of rice, number of cups,. I cooked rice on the stove, and had to watch for when the steam stopped, generally be there, which is why I prefer cookers. I don't usually have much other cooking when I'm making rice.
Yorvo, too--The main need for an alarm is that the good cookers automatically switch to Warming when the cooking stops. Rice must be kept there for 10, 15 minutes or so to allow for water absorption. If there is no alert, and I haven't been keeping my eye on the time (I'm prbably in another room, on the computer or otherwise doing something), I don't know how long it's been warming. Too little, I can do more; too long and I can try to save the sice be adding some water and going through the cycle all over again.
I want a Snap, and leave the cooking to us! unit. There are many out there. I've looked at some today, including a nice Oster. They're physically too big, even a 5-cup crowds things a bit. The problem is finding a 3.5 cup with an alert.
You use a 16-cup to make 2 or 3 cups? Isn't that like having a school bus in your garage to make a few trips to the market, alone? I'm space-challenged, but still...That's a good-looking unit, B&D probably makes 5 cups (the measures are in dry rice--a 16-cup unit can make enough prepared rice to feed a squadron), surely a 10. I'm not saying you should go smaller, just an observation.
I'm going to try some sites I fouind since my post. Should have done that before I put you to to a bother. Len
post #8 of 28
7/18/08 at 2:05pm
It's all good. I wish there was more traffic in rice cookers. I haven't figured out what features of Zojirushi justify the prices they ask. Tiger and Sanyo are right up there in price at the Asian grocery. They don't carry any inexpensive units there. So in all the other kitchen stores it's inexpensive unit after inexpensive unit. Kinda confuses me.

Anyhoo, I have family and friends with Aroma brand and they've been happy with them.

Phil.
more than taste fine
me eat it all the time
post #9 of 28
7/18/08 at 2:47pm
I bought a Zojirushi fuzzy logic after talking to a friend from Japan. She makes rice daily and has killed may of the B&D Sanyo etc. cheap cookers. The Zo is extremely easy to clean, has a timer so you can load it and head to work and come home to rice thats hot and ready. It is a 3 cup model thats just right for one to two people. My only complaint is the manual is written in poorly translated Japanese :lol:
post #10 of 28
7/18/08 at 2:49pm
Thread Starter 

Rice cookers

I don't see the value in Zojirushi non-fuzzy logic units, either; perhaps it's a "name" thing, like a $500 Hermes tie. The units are now made in China, at least most of those destined for the US market--Japanese demand Japanese-made quality. Preliminary skims of sites leads me to believe Panasonic, Sanyo et al give more for the money than Zori at equivalent price levels. Epinions.com indicates the cheap units are cheaply made, don't hold up.
I think I'll go to the Amazon rice cooker page, close my eyes, and point.
Len
post #11 of 28
7/18/08 at 2:59pm
Here's the rice cooker recipe section at Recipezaar. Myabe find something new to try beyond just rice.

Rice Cooker Recipes Cookbook | Recipezaar
more than taste fine
me eat it all the time
post #12 of 28
7/18/08 at 3:05pm
Thread Starter 

rice cookers

Thanks, good site. I have the book recommended, would like to get around to using it someday. That looks like a Sanyo fuzzy logic 5-cup (Panasonic?). In the $130 range on Amazon.
post #13 of 28
7/18/08 at 5:46pm
If you have an oriental food store near you, they will have reliable rice cookers that make rice well. From what I've seen they have some lower-priced ones with old-fashioned "dingers".

I have used 5-6 rice cookers, cheap ones, and they all have made really good rice (and I'm picky--I grew up in India). I say go basic.
post #14 of 28
7/18/08 at 5:49pm
Thread Starter 

rice cookers

Good idea. Several in the area. They know rice.
post #15 of 28
7/18/08 at 6:02pm
Thread Starter 

rice cookers

MaryB--I had the use of that Zoji, and it's all you say, BUT over an hour, sometimes well over an hour, is the deal killer. My schedule is that I don't have one, and can't take advantage of the timer as you do. Don't go by the manual, is my experience and others'. The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Hensperger is universally recommended (about $12 on Amazon.) I've not had the opportunity to use it for cooking yet, but it is very good in explaining different rices, preparation before cooking, and the like.
post #16 of 28
7/18/08 at 6:07pm
Voltage differences ca really make a difference in cooking times for any appliance. As a former electronic technician I have LOTS of experience in that area. Using the timer is big for me because I can set it and leave for classes and have rice ready when I get home.
post #17 of 28
7/18/08 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 

rice cookers

It's not a matter of voltage. ALL fuzzy logic rice cookers take about the same time; it's inherent in the algorhythms. I understood why you like the timer feature, and explained why I can't use it as you do.
post #18 of 28
7/18/08 at 6:43pm
Low voltage=fewer watts at 120 volts (watts=volts x amps) so yes it can increase cooking times.My Zo is 450 watts= 120 volts x 3.75 amps. Drop that to 110 volts and you get 412 watts. Pretty big difference.
post #19 of 28
7/18/08 at 7:36pm
Thread Starter 

rice cookers

Repeat: All fuzzy logic cookers take about the same (long) time. Read the reviews. PDF the manuals. If they were all used on 110BV they'd take about the same time, 120V all about the same time.
I was an electronics officer the the military for 28 years, am aware of how voltage affects power. Let's end this subject, OK?
post #20 of 28
7/18/08 at 9:20pm
*shrug* I have 27 years fixing consumer junk :lol: oh yeah and commercial and computers and slot machines...... :lol:
post #21 of 28
7/18/08 at 10:12pm
Though I respect your experience, we are talking about cooking rice here, not heating a house in sub-zero temps. I use Ohm's law every day and I can't see any need for an appliance that uses more watts than needed. What do we gain here by talking V=AR? Nothing.
post #22 of 28
7/18/08 at 10:18pm
The point was loss of efficiency as voltage drops. I sure wouldn't design the fuzzy logic with expensive power controls when its way cheaper to monitor temp and adjust cooking times.
post #23 of 28
7/18/08 at 10:26pm
Rice cookers don't use much power.

Fuaji riron (fuzzy logic) may or may not be better. I think the basic rice cookers, in general, are as good as the complicated ones.
post #24 of 28
7/19/08 at 12:03am
That's what I'm saying. Sure seems to be a lot of thought for a rice cooker. I got one so I don't have to think. Push the button, walk away, come back later for delicious rice.
post #25 of 28
7/19/08 at 11:17am
Thread Starter 

rice cookers

Yorvo, You said it all. MarB seems more interested in being told she's right than the subject. The thread wandered far from its origin. Thank all of you who contributed to my knowledge of rice cookers. I'll use it as I look at units. No need to keep this thread open.
post #26 of 28
7/19/08 at 5:19pm
Touchy people here sheesh. Whats wrong with a good debate? And a blanket statement that *all* fuzzy logic cookers are slower than the manual states is not truth.
post #27 of 28
7/19/08 at 7:06pm
Thread Starter 

rice cookers

If by "slower than the manual states is not truth" you mean owner manuals, what is clearly said is that if you pdf the owners manuals for fuzzy logic cookers,you'll see they all show long cooking times, ergo "All fuzzy logic cookers take about the same (long) time." The Zori users manual states 1 hour 20 minutesfor brown rice. My experience was that it was a few minutes less than that. If you still doubt they all take long times, check The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cooikbook, user comments on Epinions, Amazon and elsewhere. There is no debate. As was explained re the pointless diversion into watts, if there were a measurable difference in performance if cookers are used on 110 or 120V, all fuzzy logic cookers would stil take a long time. 120V is not going to make them short time cookers.
If you meant that not all fuzzy logic cookers take longer than non-fuzzy logic units, please pose the name and model of one. That would be responsive to my original post. I look forward to it. If you don't have that information, see again "No need to keep this thread open." If you must have the last word, go to it. I've moved on.
post #28 of 28
7/19/08 at 7:10pm
Let it go people, I'm locking the thread.

Zammer, welcome to Cheftalk. Hope you stick around and have a good time here.

Maryb, keep contributing.
more than taste fine
me eat it all the time
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