Customer Reviews

Black & Decker RC400 16-Cup Rice Cooker

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I grew up in Japan, so I am pretty picky when it comes to how I like my rice. This was given me as a gift, and although I wouldn't have chosen an American brand of rice cooker, I was surprised at how well the rice turned out. I was using Japanese rice. The cooker gets the rice pretty perfect in less than 35 minutes for 6 cups, which is fairly fast. Unfortunately, the first time I used it, I left it on the "warm" setting for over an hour. This was never a problem with my older Japanese rice cookers, which do not have a glass lid, but whose tops are normally hinged, preventing you from seeing the contents until they have finished cooking.
After everyone had come and gone and finished eating, I could see the bottom of the pot, and noticed the yellow color of the rice that was hardened there. I soaked the pot, (which is not dishwasher-safe, by the way, as neither the lid nor utensils that accompany this set are) and decided to unplug the rice cooker immediately the next time.
I did unplug it the following night after it had finished cooking and the light automatically switched over to the "warm" setting. However, upon stirring up the rice to loosen it so that the texture would be uniform, I noticed again the same problem on the bottom of the pot. I am disappointed in this particular feature of the rice cooker, but I noticed the price was at least $100 lower than a traditional Asian rice steamer/pressure cooker, and since I didn't purchase this myself, I can't complain - but I do give it only 4 stars because of this problem, as well as the low quality of the rice scooper and paddle.

The rice cooker seems to overheat everytime and sends froth boiling over. This can be avoided by opening the top from time to time. The rice tends to stick to the metal after you are done. With a close eye the rice will turn out fine. However, this product fails the test for convenience. I'd rather use the stovetop with some good cookware and a timer than use this. I suggest looking for a product with better non-stick material and one that doesn't overheat.

I got this rice cooker because I was tired of ruined rice on the stove, and I was very pleased with the results. Perfectly cooked rice that is not mushy, and it is very easy to use.

The rice cooker is good for cooking rice for 4-6 people but rice becomes hard & sticks to bottom when cooked for just 1 person. Makes some hissing noise during cooking which wasnt the case of my previous cooker and also needs constant cleaning of the lid, each time you cook. Care needs to be taken to prevent the non stick coating from being removed, like when steel ladles are used to remove rice. Overall it works well at the moment but need to know the state of the non stick coating after some time.

I've only made enough rice for myself with this cooker and it turns out fine. A major inconvenience, though, is the amount of rice particles that cake onto the inside and outside of the glass lid. Furthermore, a good deal of the paste splatters all over my countertop through the steam hole in the lid. Creating even more of a hassle for a device that is supposed to be a convenience.