The media could not be loaded. First, I will start off by saying that I was sent the wrong rice cooker by Amazon. I originally ordered the Zojirushi NW-JEC18BA 10-cup Rice Cooker but received the smaller Zojirushi NW-JEC10BA 5.5-cup Rice Cooker instead. Because they look so similar, I didn't notice this until after my first use. But upon discovering this, I decided that the 5.5-cup model will suit 95% of my needs for a family of 3 that might host larger gatherings a few times a year. I did reach out to Amazon to discuss and correct the mistake. This does not impact the review of the product itself, but I wanted to bring it up for awareness. I originally was going for the larger model because: 1) the 5.5-cup was out of stock, 2) the price between the two lead me to believe the 10-cup would be a better value, 3) it would be useful to have a larger capacity for the few times I host large gatherings. When people say that the smaller model should be more than enough for most situations, they are not kidding. Anyways, enough about that, you want to know about the rice cooker and how the rice turned out. The product arrived well packaged. The rice cooker looks and feels very high quality. The new design gives a very modern look that is appealing. For those that leave their rice cooker out all the time, they might appreciate this new aesthetic. Instructions are straight forward and the buttons and display are easy to read and use. The included rice paddle is very well made, rice did not stick to it. My only complaint in the "looks and feel" department is the power cord is thick, making it very stiff to bend/flex, and it is not removable (adding some challenges for storage). Another positive experience is the rice cooker is very easy to clean after using it. It also has a self cleaning mode to help keep the lid/vents clean, minimizing/preventing odors from developing over time. Prior to this rice cooker, I have been using a 6qt InstantPot (Duo60) to cook rice in the past couple of years. Prior to that, I was using a cheap Aroma rice cooker with a glass lid. The InstantPot replaced the Aroma when it started to die and I thought it would make for a good multi-purpose appliance. While it did a great job on a lot of things, I always struggled with it to get good rice. Even after a lot of research, tweaks, and swapping out to a non-stick pot (which greatly helps), my results were still inconsistent and mediocre at best. I typically cook basmati, jasmine, and calrose. I've cooked with it twice so far, cooking calrose rice using the umami setting (a 4 cup batch and a 3 cup batch). It certainly takes a lot longer to cook rice than my InstantPot, but I guess you can't rush perfection. 75 some odd minutes later, rice is done and it plays its happy tune (see attached video). It is very helpful that will tell you how much time is left until the rice is done, allowing you to better plan the other parts of your meal that you may be cooking to go with it. The rice had a beautiful glisten to it, fluffed nicely, and wasn't sticky/gummy. In the words of my almost 11 year old daughter when she ate the rice, "This rice is life changing!" I would have to agree. The whole batch turned out great! No burnt patches, not dried out, not gummy, fluffy, great flavor, nice texture, slight sweetness, and the leftover rice reheated very well (even made for good fried rice nearly a week later). The rice was no longer just a side item to serve with the main part of the meal. It was good enough to stand on its own. I am looking forward to seeing how my basmati and jasmine rice turn out. All in all, I am extremely happy with my purchase. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it one more appliance to take up room in my kitchen that I need to make room for? Yes. Do I need to now work better at planning ahead and start my rice sooner? Yes. But does it deliver the goods and is worth the price of admission? Definitely, above and beyond my expectations!
