Rice cooker advice please
#151
FlyerTalk Evangelist



Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,773
#152
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,968
Well done!
I think the cookers needed to cook basmati are wholly different animals to those that cook Chinese to Thai type rices and most of the cheaper ones will handle those adequatly but the zojis are cleverer and cope with Indian stuff. I think I spent something like 250 to 300 each on my two.
Good luck and rice with your new baby ..... I don't know the model it looks a little basic.but I see it has fuzzy logic which I think is the main thing ... the ones we get in the UK are too expensive .....
We have these ones ...
Zoji NS-YSQ10
How did the one you want differ to the one you have?
I think the cookers needed to cook basmati are wholly different animals to those that cook Chinese to Thai type rices and most of the cheaper ones will handle those adequatly but the zojis are cleverer and cope with Indian stuff. I think I spent something like 250 to 300 each on my two.
Good luck and rice with your new baby ..... I don't know the model it looks a little basic.but I see it has fuzzy logic which I think is the main thing ... the ones we get in the UK are too expensive .....

We have these ones ...
Zoji NS-YSQ10
How did the one you want differ to the one you have?
Last edited by uk1; Jul 13, 2015 at 2:01 am
#153
FlyerTalk Evangelist



Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,773
Well done!
I think the cookers needed to cook basmati are wholly different animals to those that cook Chinese to Thai type rices and most of the cheaper ones will handle those adequatly but the zojis are cleverer and cope with Indian stuff. I think I spent something like 250 to 300 each on my two.
Good luck and rice with your new baby ..... I don't know the model it looks a little basic.but I see it has fuzzy logic which I think is the main thing ... the ones we get in the UK are too expensive .....
We have these ones ...
Zoji NS-YSQ10
How did the one you want differ to the one you have?
I think the cookers needed to cook basmati are wholly different animals to those that cook Chinese to Thai type rices and most of the cheaper ones will handle those adequatly but the zojis are cleverer and cope with Indian stuff. I think I spent something like 250 to 300 each on my two.
Good luck and rice with your new baby ..... I don't know the model it looks a little basic.but I see it has fuzzy logic which I think is the main thing ... the ones we get in the UK are too expensive .....

We have these ones ...
Zoji NS-YSQ10
How did the one you want differ to the one you have?
The digital display would be nice, but a friend tells me that it only counts down the last ten minutes, so seems of limited value. The rice cooker does make a nice electronic chime when it's done, but sadly it doesn't play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star like the more expensive ones do. It does have settings for white, brown, or sushi rice, or porridge. And it has a timer, which I don't think I'll ever use.
It took about an hour and 45 minutes to make 3 cups of brown rice! I'd read in the reviews that Zojis take longer to make rice (especially brown rice) than other brands. But it came out great.
#154
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,968
I had been looking for the NS-TSC10 since it has a retractable power cord and a steamer basket. It also has a cake baking setting, for some reason. But when I went to Bed Bath & Beyond with my 20% off coupon, the one I got was the only Zoji they had in stock. Since it had fuzzy logic, I figured that was the most important thing. I don't really need a steamer basket or retractable cord (and don't think it's worth the extra $80 for them or the ability to bake cakes in a rice maker). And spending $80 ($100 list minus 20%) on a rice cooker feels more sober since I don't know that I'll really use it all that much anyway.
The digital display would be nice, but a friend tells me that it only counts down the last ten minutes, so seems of limited value. The rice cooker does make a nice electronic chime when it's done, but sadly it doesn't play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star like the more expensive ones do. It does have settings for white, brown, or sushi rice, or porridge. And it has a timer, which I don't think I'll ever use.
It took about an hour and 45 minutes to make 3 cups of brown rice! I'd read in the reviews that Zojis take longer to make rice (especially brown rice) than other brands. But it came out great.
The digital display would be nice, but a friend tells me that it only counts down the last ten minutes, so seems of limited value. The rice cooker does make a nice electronic chime when it's done, but sadly it doesn't play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star like the more expensive ones do. It does have settings for white, brown, or sushi rice, or porridge. And it has a timer, which I don't think I'll ever use.
It took about an hour and 45 minutes to make 3 cups of brown rice! I'd read in the reviews that Zojis take longer to make rice (especially brown rice) than other brands. But it came out great.
Hi,
I actually cook all my rice simply on the hard rice setting whether it's chinese, Thai or basmati because that setting suits me. I tend to measure just a dab less water than the marker in the boiler because I like the old crooner Al Dente. O the only time I use the display is when it tells me how many hours it has held for. Basically I put it in and hit cook so not having any display I cannot think harms you at all.
My plain Tilda basmati takes around 45 minutes and I have let it hold for hours.
A couple of things I learned which you might find interesting although I have no idea whether it will work with the rice you do. Most of my rice is the above time and setting plus I also cook basmati to then use in pilaf or pilau.
If you put a dollop of butter in the bottom and turn it on the zoji will melt the butter whilst you wash and re rinse the basmati. You can also use a really good quality coconut butter particularly with a thai fragrant rice. The put the rice on top and top up with your water. I have sometimes used a light veg bouillon instead of water. The fuzzy logic takes care of timing recalculations if the bouillon is hot.
When I want a coloured pillau just like in the Indian restaurants I add the butter, and a couple of drops of yellow food colouring. When the rice has almost finished and nearly dry I then add a couple of yellow drops and a couple of red and a couple of pink die drops and let it finish and rest. When I want it I mix it all up and it is exactly like you get. If you leave the butter in the bottom and hold for long enough without disturbing it you may even get a few of those highly prized slightly charred darker grains. The you might add some long cooked and caramelised onion.
Hope it 's of interest. Let us know how you get on.
#155
FlyerTalk Evangelist



Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,773
Interesting - thanks. Will try them!
I tried making oatmeal today. Zoji wants way too much water. I put in 1.5 cups of rolled oats and filled to the "1.5 - Porridge" line. When it said it was done, it was essentially oatmeal soup. It's now boiling down on the stove a bit...
edit: after much boiling I finally tried it. Not good. Threw it out and had toast.
Perhaps the Porridge setting is for Irish (steel cut) oats instead?
I tried making oatmeal today. Zoji wants way too much water. I put in 1.5 cups of rolled oats and filled to the "1.5 - Porridge" line. When it said it was done, it was essentially oatmeal soup. It's now boiling down on the stove a bit...
edit: after much boiling I finally tried it. Not good. Threw it out and had toast.
Perhaps the Porridge setting is for Irish (steel cut) oats instead?
Last edited by gfunkdave; Jul 14, 2015 at 7:59 am
#156
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: PHL
Posts: 10,060
IME, tiger rice cooker is better than zoji. We have this one http://smile.amazon.com/Tiger-Corpor...A5N1JK7ZH0BH94
#157
FlyerTalk Evangelist



Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,773
IME, tiger rice cooker is better than zoji. We have this one http://smile.amazon.com/Tiger-Corpor...A5N1JK7ZH0BH94
#159
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, ALL Accor Diamond, IHG Platinum Elite, Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Avis PC, Hertz PC
Posts: 10,696
I have a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy that my mom gave me as a departure gift on my way to college 11 years ago (wow, has time flown...). I still have it all this time later. The LCD display is basically dead, but it still cooks rice / quinoa / whatever I throw in there as well as it always has. I don't think it cost that much, and it's by far the kitchen item I have gotten the most mileage out of. Definitely recommend it and worth the money (I don't think it's overly expensive) ^
#160
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 16,213
When you say it's "under the cooker," do you mean it's on the countertop or underneath the bowl that's set within the cooker? I find that if I don't rinse white rice I'll get some white sludge under the removable inner lid, but a good rinse eliminates that problem.
#161

Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Texas
Programs: American Airlines British Airways
Posts: 1,752
A small pool directly under the rice cooker on the countertop. It takes two or three small paper towels to absorb it all.
#162
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 16,213
#163

Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Texas
Programs: American Airlines British Airways
Posts: 1,752
I don't know. There is a removable part in the top that we clean. The top itself appears to be sound. The unit has done this almost since new, years now. The rice comes out fine each time. There is also some bubbling out of a vent that is part of the top, but this is not the source of this pool of whitish water under the unit. It does not affect the operation of the device, but I sure would like to know what is causing it just because I like to know how things work.
#164
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 2,833
I know uk1 likes his Fancy-Dan kitchen appliances but I think he just has too much time on his hands.
#165
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,968
) .... I also happen to know with the very same degree of certainty that what some people think of as perfect rice ... for others who understand more about rice .. isn't. This is the same of all food. 15 rice cookers I am sure provide you with rice that delights you, but I promise, that once you taste real rice even you might think again. Mushing up rice in a 15 boiler isn't real rice. Just sayin'

ps Fancy Dan whoever she is must have been an item of the blow up variety you encountered and bought for "recreational purposes" on your last trip up to Soho. Fancy Dan isn't a part of our pedestrian and g@d fearing rural lives.

