An update: We used this to prepare some wild rice. There is no setting for wild rice, but experience has shown that the brown rice setting works well on rice cookers. We soaked the rice for half an hour, drained it, then cooked it on the brown rice setting with a proportion of 2 cups water per cup of dry wild rice.
The results were astounding. I have never had wild rice so delicious. It was sweet and floral rather than bitter and earthy, which I thought was how wild rice normally is.
It must be the induction heating that makes such an enormous difference.
I usually cut wild rice with an equal amount of white rice to temper the flavour, but that seems unnecessary now. Of course it still saves money to do so.
I look forward to using the other functions of this amazing machine.
Original Review:
I found the instructions to be a bit inadequate. I understand that because this is a very complicated machine, a comprehensive instruction booklet would be a bit intimidating. Perhaps one could be provided online?
Having said that, the machine is extraordinarily good. I have had several rice cookers in the past, including a really good Panasonic "fuzzy logic" machine that I had been using for about 10 years. It produced excellent rice, even brown and wild varieties.
I think most rice cookers work by sensing when the water has been completely absorbed, at which point, the temperature of the contents starts to rise above 212°F (100°C). Then the machine shuts off. How could that possibly be improved upon?
This one seems to work in a more complex fashion. There’s obviously more going on than just sensing temperature changes.
Ordinary rice cookers heat from below the cooking vessel , which increases the risk of scorching, especially on the "keep warm" setting. This one has an induction system that seems to heat from all sides as well.
As a result, the cooker emits almost no steam during cooking, and stays remarkably clean inside and out.
I actually haven’t tried cooking rice in it because what really attracted me was its "Steel-cut Oats" setting.
I love oatmeal, but it’s actually something of a challenge to cook well. I have used rice cookers, pressure cookers, slow cookers, microwaves and just plain boiling on the stovetop. I have never been able to get the results just as I want them, at least not easily.
Until now! All instructions for cooking steel-cut oats are wrong, including those on the oatmeal packaging. Following them produces terrible oatmeal. Through much trial and error, I have found that one cup of dry oats requires 4 cups of water, and a cooking time several times longer than the instructions indicate.
Even this wonderful machine has instructions that don’t work for steel-cut oatmeal. However, by adding the amount of water I have learned to use, and running the oatmeal through two complete "Steel-cut Oatmeal" cycles, stirring in between, the results are the best I’ve ever enjoyed.
I think it’s the way the heat is applied that makes all the difference.
Another quirk that takes getting used to is that the timer function is not a countdown. It’s more like an alarm clock. It’s very counterintuitive, but once understood, serves well.
In summary: a fabulous kitchen appliance (also very attractive looking) that is idiosyncratic but well worth the effort to understand its quirks.
| Brand | Zojirushi |
|---|---|
| Model Number | NW-QAC10 |
| Colour | Black |
| Product Dimensions | 36.07 x 31.75 x 24.64 cm; 4.88 kg |
| Capacity | 5.5 Cups |
| Power/Wattage | 1080 watts |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Material | Stainless Steel, Polycarbonate (PC), Ceramic |
| Special Features | Automatic Keep Warm, Automatic Shut Off, Cool-Touch Exterior, Non-Stick, Programmable |
| Item Weight | 4.88 kg |
