****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
This is the first review I've written, after shopping with Amazon for years! I love this product and wanted to share my experience. It did take me a few months to get the best use out of this rice cooker, and to figure out the timing, type of rice to use, etc. Now I use it almost every day.This is the first rice cooker that I've owned and really used (the first one sat in a closet until I got rid of it. I was not a big fan of rice, but found that eliminating wheat from my diet had some major health benefits for me. I am determined now to eat healthier foods, and willing to make the effort to cook them and learn how to make them appealing.In my search for a rice cooker to make brown rice, I first bought a very reasonably priced appliance from Costco, and was appalled when I opened the package to find a mammoth appliance that would have had to be stored in the basement (I have a small kitchen), and would make way too much rice for one or two people (returned that one). So I began a search on the internet, learning that most cookers, including a brand I admire, Zojirushi, use non stick coating. Finally, I discovered the Sunpentown Mr.Rice, and decided to try it.It took me a while to figure out the best way to cook the rice, and I want to share the process, since I finally got it down to a point where I can make perfect brown rice without thinking, effort or hassle. I'll cut the the chase: I buy a huge bag of Lundberg short grain organic brown rice at Costco, store it in the fridge, and make the rice thus:One cup(a normal 8 oz. measuring cup) of rice with two cups of cold water, and a bit of olive oil into the inner pot. Two cups of cold water in the cooker. Put the inner pot into the cooker, cover, turn on the switch and the heating button, and leave it. It cooks in about 45 minutes (I don't time it, because I leave it a while after that...maybe another 20-30 minutes on warm) and when I open the pot the rice is PERFECT. If I don't do the warm cycle, there is a bit of water left in the rice...during the warming time it is absorbed. No rinsing is needed for this brand of rice (it is clean and has no debris). The texture and taste are great.The pros, and this is major for me, is the size of the cooker...I can leave it on my counter, so it is always handy. Also, now that I have the method down, the ease of the process is a great plus.The cons: The cooker does spurt out some water when it starts so I put down a terry dish towel folded in half under the machine. Yes, it does get some light rust spots on the inside of the cooker (mentioned in a negative review), but I don't care about that. The stainless steel inner pot is all that touches the food.One cooker I don't recall seeing when I was shopping was the Miracle brand, which seems to have great reviews too. Not sure how that one compares with this, but right now, I just love my little rice cooker.
