Customer Reviews

Zojirushi NS-MYC10 Micom Fuzzy Logic 5.5 Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I never gave much thouht to cooking rice until I moved to Japan--and acquired a Japanese spouse!

But we're fussy about our rice here, and nobody would dream of being without a rice cooker. Rice cookers are actually pressure cookers, so the rice is always plump and perfect.

I have the equivalent Japanese model (the same but with a different faceplate). I've had it for almost fou years and it's a real workhorse. Zoji is a value-brand here in Japan, specialising in small appiances, and known for being simple and sturdy. I would choose them over some of the big Japanese names, given the quality problems I've had with some of the other well-known electrical brands that make everything from TVs to elevators.

The rice? Can't fault it. Nor can the other half, who's ultra-critical. Makes great oatmeal, too, but I can't get the other half interested in such exotic foreign foods.

I've made rice regularly for many years, using a steamer or using the stove. I thought I knew what well-cooked rice was. But when I eventually bought this machine, I learned what I had been missing. We are talking about wonderful texture and flavor. Yum.

The machine is very simple to operate (basically you push one button), and it'll keep your rice warm for many hours with no change in the texture, which seems remarkable to me. You can just leave it on, almost indefinitely, rather than putting your rice away and reheating it later. This is surprisingly convenient if you eat rice more than once a day.

However, you have to rinse the rice quite well or it will come out sticky. In addition, the machine doesn't come with instructions for brown rice, so I'm still figuring out the right method for that.

Also, the controls are confusing and hard to use -- an amazing achievement for such a simple machine. I could not make it any more confusing if I tried!!

My Taiwanese friend tells me that in most of her friends' households there, a machine like this is in use all day, every day. It's that useful -- assuming you eat rice all the time.

However, if you eat rice only occasionally, this machine is overkill. For a small fraction of the price you can get a Black & Decker Handy Steamer, which makes good rice (though not as good as this) and is just as easy to use and more versatile. So do you really, honestly, want a single-purpose rice machine, considering the cost and the space to store it? If you really do, this one's a nice choice.

I purchased this machine from a local cooking supply shop, after doing some online research. The person who sold it to me told me that it was useful for little more than making really good rice. As I found out from research - that is simply not true. 'The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook' by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann (ISBN 1-55832-202-7) gives you excellent recipes that are wonderfullly suited to this device. It's the manual you wish you would have gotten with this device.

I've made rice on the stove top and in a crockpot style rice cooker, this thing blows both of them away. Directions are simple measure out the rice, fill to the mark, press cook. ~30 minutes later you have rice that rivals a top tier asian restaurant. This unit also keeps the rice warm for a couple days without drying it out. I wouldn't go past 3 though, it starts developing a crust.

Want oatmeal waiting for you in the morning? No problem, dump in your oats, water and a little salt, then set the timed delay.

My only beef is that it doesn't replace my stand alone steamer.

Also consider purchasing the rice maker cookbook. There are several tricks you can perform with the low tech models or the computer controlled model like this one.

Some reviewers have complained the measuring cup is smaller than a "real" cup.... this is because that's what Asian people who eat rice everyday use to cook rice!!! It's different from the measurements you use when you bake.

I bought this to replace an ancient (25 years!). At first it looks intimidating, with all the buttons and beeping noises. Turns out it's relatively easy to use, but cleaning it is a pain. Basically you push the MENU button until it highlights the type of rice you want to cook (I always use the "quick cook" option) and push COOK. I have not really used the "keep warm" and "reheat" functions because I find that the rice gets dry and hard - better to just put leftovers in a tupperware and nuke it in the microwave.

The instructions provided only give measurements for regular short-grain japanese rice. Zojirushi's website wasn't any help either. I have had to experiment with different water levels for brown, jasmine, wild and other exotic varieties.
Brown jasmine - 1/8th more water than the line for white rice indicates
Jasmine - just a bit less
Wild - follow directions on packages
Basmati - same as for jasmine

I also noticed that the measuring cup included is smaller than a "real" cup. Use your own measuring cup for recipes calling for cooked rice.

I'm cautious about using this cooker for anything other than rice; the ridiculous amount of time spent cleaning the lid and steam vents that would be required doesn't justify having to think about icky juices festering inside. There's no way to clean the inside part between the vent and the inner lid so I have to stuff the hole with a paper towel until all the liquid is absorbed. Even so, I bought another one for myself, which my brother promptly stole and took to college with him. Simply put, it makes darn good rice.

Very easy to use - especially the timer function. No messy saucepan boil over. Perfect rice for sushi. Just set and forget.
I use it every day to make perfect morning porridge. The night before fill bowl with 0.5 cup steel cut irish oats and 1.5 cups water. Set the timer and presto, at 7am the perfect porridge. Sprinkle with flax meal, drizzle with milk and maple syrup.
Clean up is a doddle - no sticky residue - no burnt bits.

Having live in Hawaii for several years -where excellent rice is the norm (even at McDonalds)- I feel confident that most finicky rice lovers will be pleased with this cooker. If your favorite rice is dry, instant, or like Uncle B's- don't get it- mainly because this cooker excels at creating moist somewhat sticky rice that can be scooped like ice-cream (in fact- in Hawaii- they will ask if you want "two scoops rice".

Pros: Excellent rice just right for two. No burnt rice on the bottom. Stay warm feature is great. Easy to use once you figure out the manual. Fun good looking high-tech gadget! Makes other visiting cooks really jealous. Well made (makes other rice cookers look like pathetic pieces of low end junk!). Makes porridge- which I have yet to try. Has a limited countdown timer. A cross-cultural and intellectual experience too.

Cons: Rather large and bulky. Hard to figure out how to work it, since the manual was probably translated poorly form Japanese and refers to 2 models. My DVD player is far easier to "figure-out" and I have an IQ of 166! Rather small to cook other veges with the rice since it is not only small, but they warn you not to cook anything but rice--I guess it freaks out the fuzzy logic. The manual is rather Obsessive-compulsive and claims that you should treat the inner bowl with tender loving care- don't even wash your rice in it, for it may scratch it! I prefer to live dangerously and not only clean my rice in it, but I sometimes sin and add non-rice objects (like carrots).

Conclusion: High Tech Excellent "Sushi-type" rice maker- but rather pricey and limited to rice. Definitely NOT for rice pilaf. Obtuse manual.

I wasn't that excited when I received this as a gift but as soon as I started using it I was thrilled! No more trying to start the rice at just the right time so it will be ready when the rest of the meal is done. I can start the rice whenever it's conventient and it will keep warm and be ready when I am ready to eat. No more pots boiling over on the stove with starchy rice water burned onto my stove top. If you love risotto but don't like being tied to the stove stirring, you'll love this. It's also excellent for many other dishes, not just rice.

I do agree with another reviewer that the owner's manual isn't very helpful. However, I received an excellent book with my rice cooker, "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook" by Hensperger. With the help of this cookbook, I have made many delicious dishes. Brown rice comes out excellent as well!

This is a great rice cooker at an affordable price. If you eat rice more than once a month, you'll love this small applicance. Oh, I almost forgot, it cleans up in a snap as well!

Without a doubt an excellent rice cooker.
I'm making MUCH more rice than ever before because it's just so good...every type rice I've made was vastly better than any I've made in the old type cookers.
Husband loves Scottish Oats and I can make often because it's so easy and so much better than cooking on the range-top.
I am a bit ambivalent about buying this model rather than the ZCC10 model which has the brown rice setting, but other than that I couldn't be happier.