Customer Reviews

Zojirushi NS-ZAC18 10-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker, White Gray

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I purchased this cooker as a present for myself this past Christmas, and boy was this ever a great gift! My husband is a rice junkie, and this makes good rice every time.

On the directions/manual:
It took me a little bit to read through the directions; they are a bit hard to follow. I found that the continuous interspersing of multiple languages (and some peculiar English - they liked the phrase "tasty rice" to describe well-cooked rice) to be a bit troublesome for continuity. I was really unsure of cooking the first time, but after two trial batches, I found cooking to be a breeze.

On cleaning:
One (low-star recommendation) reviewer said about the lid not coming off to clean properly; this is not the case. Granted the lid is not non-stick like the pan, but I can't say that I ever had more than the littlest bit of rice starch show up between the inner lid and the outer cover. The inner lid is fully removable, and just needs wiped when warm to fully clean. To clean the pan, I found that removing all excess rice at the end of the meal, and then leaving the pan sit open until the next morning makes all the rest of the rice starch dry up. It only then takes me about 3 minutes to clean the cooking bowl, as well as the remainder of the cooker.

On cooking length:
It takes 35-48 minutes to cook regular basmati rice. This seems like a rather long time, but since preparation is so quick, it isn't that much of a nuisance. Rather it's just an inconvenience if you want to eat soon (and you probably will, the rice really is GOOD)!

Extras:
I find that this cooker is a perfect traveler for family functions as well. I normally make chili for family gatherings (slow cooker), and making if I make rice in this sucker before I leave, I just have to unplug it, and if the cover stays closed, I have found the rice to still be pleasantly warm up to 3 or 4 hours after it was unplugged.

Hope this helps!

First of all, I am an Asian who eats rice every meal, everyday. I bought this product second-handed from a Japanese student who were moving back to Japan. This rice cooker has served me more than 10 years and it is just as good as a new one. The timer is a *MUST* for a working mother like me. I always measure the rice and water and put them in the rice cooker in the morning, set the timer, and left for work. When I come home with two hungry kids screaming for food, usually around 6:30, the rice is hot and steamy. While my preschooler set up the table,I would grill a pre-marinated meat/fish, stirfry vegetables that I prewashed last night. The dinner is ready in l0 minutes!! There is no doubt the rice cooker is my life-saver.

The rice cooker has won over my parents and friends who visited me from Asia, they claim it cooks better rice than what they have in Asia. Much to their suprise is the "warmer" function. Most of the rice cookers keep the rice warm but the rice become dry, hard and yellow after couple hours. This one keeps the flavor and texture of the cooked rice for hours. So if you are crazy about authentic Japanese and Chinese type of rice, inclduing rice for making shushi, invest this one and it will live up to your expectation for a really long time.

This is the machine that made my husband love rice. He was never that enthusiastic before so I figure it's a big accomplishment.
The instruction manual that comes with the machine leaves a lot to be desired, however if you have a good recipe book like "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook", the possibilies are endless.
In regard to the review about the machine being difficult to clean-I don't understand that comment. The inner lid pops out and you're supposed to clean it after each use- always comes clean for me and I use the cooker to make oatmeal which always makes a lovely gooey mess.
I've used the machine since July at least 6 times a week and I absolutely love it. My advice to anyone having trouble... file the instruction manual and buy "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook". Problem solved.

Now I know what you are thinking. Why would anyone pay over $100 for a rice cooker? Heck, you can find other's for less than $50. But let me explain... it is worth the money.

Once I got over the sticker shock and bought this bad boy, I made sushi rice. It turned out perfectly! It was the proper consistancy, texture, and even temperature. When I think of how many times I made rice using the stove and the so-so results... uugghhh... I should have bought this sooner.

Okay... so now I have a great rice cooker, now what? Well, for starters, it also makes great oatmeal. Yes.... oatmeal. Forget those little single serving packets, go out and buy the steel-cut variety (larger grocery stores now carry it in the bulk food section). I set it for the "porridge" selection and use the white cup (not the green pre-washed) to measure out the proper amount. Add the correct amount of water (marked inside the pan) and start the machine. About an hour later, you'll be treated to the best homemade oatmeal, smooth and creamy in texture with a flavor that puts the packets to shame.

If you are the impatient sort, I suggest making use of the two timers. I have set one in time for breakfast and the other for dinner. Then, the night before, I simply put the ingredients in, make the proper selections on the cooker, and let the timer do it's magic. In the morning, I wake up to the aroma of oatmeal and simply have to get out a bowl, some cream, and brown sugar. (Oh, I do put raisins in with the oatmeal overnight, and they plump up beautifully). A quick wash after breakfast, and I put rice and water in it for dinner.

Besides oatmeal and rice, I have also been experimenting with soups. And yes, they turn out quite nice. I make a selection (since there is not a "soup" item in the menu) based on the amount of time...refer to the manual for this. So I make the appropriate selection based on time and have wonderful soups that I don't have to worry about burning or sticking. And since the cooker has the 'stay warm' feature, I don't have to worry about overcooking and vegetables or noodles turning to mush. Now when I am preparing a large meal for friends/family, I bring this into service for more than just rice dishes.

Speaking of which, it's a pleasure to come home at night to freshly cooked rice. For sushi rice, I simply prepare a vinegar/sugar sauce and incorporate that into the rice with the paddle. The rice stays the perfect temperature and texture even if I arrive home an hour late or more!

Oh, please be sure to use the correct cup, white versus green. The first time I made rice, I used the white cup when I was actually using pre-washed rice. As a result, some water bubbled out of the top near the end of the cooking cycle. Once I used the correct cup, I have never experienced that again.

This is an appliance that I leave on my counter all the time. If I am ever in doubt what to fix for a meal, I simply look over at it and think "rice" for dinner. Sushi, stir fry, thai, is never that far away. And I can prepare the rest of the meal while the rice cooks.

If you like rice dishes and/or homemade oatmeal.. and even soups, don't pass up on this. The larger size makes it convenient for group dinners or parties.

This is an amazing machine. Not only does it cook a variety of rices to perfection, but it does an even better job on whole grains and beans. It also works well for cooking one pot meals. My favorite use for the cooker is for breakast, the porridge cycle produces fantastic rice porridge as well as splendid oatmeal. Using the timer function we can put our contents in before leaving for work and dinner is ready when we get home. We use it every day and it is a total breeze to operate and cleanup is very easy. The investment seems like a lot before you buy it, but after a couple of months it seems like a ....

I have owned a couple older Zojirushi rice cookers over the years. And they all have served me very well. I've never had trouble with one - I just keep upgrading whenever they come out with a newer model.
This machine is very easy to clean if you follow the directions. In addition, as with every rice cooker, you need to use the measuring cup that comes with it. All very clearly spelled out in the manual.
The machine cooks PERFECT rice. I just can't say enough good things about it. You rinse the rice first (this is critical). Put the rice and water in the bowl, press the buttons and walk away. You come back to perfect rice.
And this model has a lot of different rice settings - it is very flexible. White rice, harder white, softer white, brown rice, no-rinse rice, mixed rice ..... its incredible.
You really should get one of these.

Like others, the price scared me a little on this little guy, but let me say it was well worth it. Obviously, this thing makes great rice, but the real kicker is that it makes awesome oatmeal and hot breakfast cereals! (and hot and ready when you wake up) Before I got this rice cooker, all I knew of oatmeal was quaker quick oats...and even though it was "quick" it was still too much time for too little taste. This little guy will introduce you to such things as steel cut oats (THE best tasting oatmeal out there), farina, apple granola oatmeal and more (be sure to get the Ultimate Rice cooker book). Even my 1 year old daughter LOVES the oatmeal out of here (as does my wife). I now feel like the Cleaver family eating hot oatmeal 3 times a week with my family! No doubt it is worth the extra $$$.

I have had this rice cooker for several months now...my husband teased me when I ordered it that it would soon be gathering dust in a cupboard, but I still use it a few times a week. It really does make the most perfect rice, and I have tried loads of types...basmati, American long grain, all types of brown rice and brown/wild rice blends, sushi rice. I've also made steel cut oatmeal - everything comes out perfectly. I bought the Ultimate Rice Cooker cookbook, which has a gorgeous recipe for chicken chili - all made in the rice cooker, no pots and pans to wash up! And the nonstick pan is a breeze to clean, even when I cook the rice in coconut milk or other liquids. Most recently, I've started using the timer feature - I put the rice and liquid in in the morning and set it to be done at a specific time. The rice is perfectly cooked when I get home from work and it only takes a few minutes to toss together a quick stirfry or some other main course. I really can't recommend this cooker highly enough, and I hope this review is helpful.

I cook rice frequently as I am from New Orleans and cook a great deal of Louisiana-style food - red beans and rice, jambalaya, gumbo, dirty rice, rice stuffing for chicken or turkey, you get the idea. Long-grain white rice.

My wife is from TX and cooks Tex-Mex food, so more rice, of course - mostly brown rice.

Finally, we both cook basic Chinese and Thai food dishes as well, so more rice (jasmine rice).

This cooker turns out perfect rice time after time, no matter what cooking method you choose or what type of rice you cook. The rice keeps warm and moist for hours until you use it, enabling you to cook all the rice you need for a big meal well in advance of the mad rush to bring all of the food off of the stove at the same time. And it is so intuitive and easy to use.

Highly recommended!

BTW, it also makes great grits (and cheese grits) for those of you from the South.

Shop around. I bought mine online for $177 with free shipping. I love this rice cooker. I have made rice, oatmeal (not instant), grits (not instant), spagehtti, one pot meals all in this one machine. The only thing it doesn't have is a steamer tray. But you can lay vegtables or meat on top of the rice to steam. I recomend a search online to find some recipes and/or buy the ultimate ricecooker cookbook. There are a few recipes that come with the machine but to use it to it's full potential you need additional information. www.sallyskitchen.com/html/recipes.html has some good ideas but there are more out there if you search. This rice cooker is easy to clean but you must remember to take off the inner lid to clean and dry after each use. Condensation builds up in the inner lid and could rust or become moldy if not properly dried before storage. It is very easy to use. I love the timer but you have to remember that the time you set is the time that you want the food to done not the time you want it to start cooking. You can put in your oatmeal set the timer for when you wake up and in the morning you have a hot cereal waiting for you on the warm cycle. You can leave it on the warm cycle and shower, get dressed and never have to worry about it over cooking, burning, or getting cold.