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Zojirushi rice cookers

stephen129

By stephen129
in Kitchen Consumer

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weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, rotuts said:

my question , to R.C. cognescenti :  other an appearance , what's the difference ?

 

the only thing I see is that the flat top comes w a steamer tray .

 

It looks as if on the flat-topped version the power cord is removable from the body of the unit.

 

 

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Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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haresfur

haresfur

Posted
Posted

Depends. If you are they type who would set the dirty rice paddle on the flat top of the machine, then curse yourself out when you have to clean it, I'd get the round top

 

 

'

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It's almost never bad to feed someone.

weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted

My guess is the flat-topped version is a bit easier to store on a shelf or in a pantry, as the power cord can be stored inside the unit.

 

On the top of the line Zo I inherited, the power cord is attached and does not retract into the machine, which makes it a little more annoying to put away. On the Zo I originally purchased, the power cord retracts into the unit.  Why all the differences - I have no idea!

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

lindag

lindag

Posted
Posted

I recently downsized my Zo from the 5 cup size to the 3 cup size.

Love  it!  Retractable cord and and the smaller size makes it easier to store..

Makes any type of rice perfectly every time as well as my congee.

rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

thanks for your insight.

 

on my 3 C domed induction , the cord is removable.  perhaps that changed ?

 

but the key is that neither of you can find significant  difference  in function , except 

 

their appearance.    the flat top model is significantly more expensive ,

 

$ 30  for the flat top.

 

day to day Amazon , not on sale price.

Edited by rotuts (log)
gfweb

gfweb

Posted
Posted

I have an old round top neuro-fuzzy Zoj.   Not exactly speedy, its true, but it makes good rice.

 

The big question for me is whether flat-top plays songs when it starts and stops.

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TdeV

TdeV

Posted
Posted (edited)
51 minutes ago, gfweb said:

The big question for me is whether flat-top plays songs when it starts and stops.

 

Mine does. When it completes, it plays a few bars of a little song. Not very long.

If I leave the rice in the cooker for longer than an hour, it will beep a note or two.

My rice cooker is a fairly recent flat top, model is NW-JEC10

 

Are you pro- or con- little songs?

 

 

Edited by TdeV
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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

@gfweb

 

you got me google-ing :

 

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=can+I+turn+off+the+song+on+my+rice+cooker&oq=can+I+turn+off+the+song+on+my+rice+cooker&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i160l2j33i299.10019j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:e7574cca,vid:fHJ3D8JnmzQ,st:0

 

no more twinkle - twinkle .

 

I would not mind other songs :  Id like  Wagner :  "  The Ride of the Valkyries  "   von Karajan .  DGG

Edited by rotuts (log)
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Dr. Teeth

Dr. Teeth

Posted
Posted

When next queried by Mrs Dr Teeth about my thought process related to the purchase of yet another chef’s knife, or pan or juicer, I will direct her to this thread.

 

I thank you all, in advance for your assistance 

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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

@Dr. Teeth

 

You are welcome.  

 

Ill confess :  I was looking into the difference for two reasons :

 

Im always a bit curious as the differences in similar ' high end ' items   and i was pleased it just seems

 

to be the flat top ,  and no other significant difference.  so why the , now $ 20 difference 

 

FlatTop droppeds a bit on amazon

 

but also , I really enjoy the induction 3 C

 

so why not a 5.5 C induction ?

 

as I have a very fine plain fuzzy 10 C ,   my keenness for the 5.5 C    fortunately  

 

pass for now .

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TdeV

TdeV

Posted
Posted

On the Zojirushi recipe site, my model is frequently NOT listed in the "compatible" recipes. When I communicate with Zojirushi, the person always replies "the recipe was not tested with that model." If I ask about doing something else (cooking with other ingredients), so far I'm always told it might damage the machine (leave a presistent smell, the coating of the inner pot, or other things).

 

So, in spite of having a horrendously expensive device, I mostly use it to cook brown rice (sometimes white).

 

I wish I could understand what technically makes my rice cooker so different from other rice cookers (so I would have a better idea of what to ignore).

weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, TdeV said:

@rotuts

I have Zojirushi Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer NW-JEC10 (5.5 cup/1.0 litre).

https://store.zojirushi.com/products/nwjec

 

 

Similar to the one I have, which is the NP-NWC10.  I've used it to cookveggies/fish in addition to the rice, with no ill effects.

 

It really does get a little nit picky with all of these variations on a theme.

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Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

@TdeV

 

yours cooks by pressure and induction.

 

pressure feature is a big reason for the cost increase ,  and then some extra padding for the look.

 

all these machines work very very well .

 

I like rice , and aside for innate taste differences  ( basmati vs short grain , etc )

 

I doubt i could taste the differences between properly used machines .

 

I do like the thicker ' pot ' in the induction versions .

 

which means Id like the thicker ' pot ' in the 5.5 size  !

Edited by rotuts (log)
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Dr. Teeth

Dr. Teeth

Posted
Posted
39 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Dr. Teeth

 

You are welcome.  

 

Ill confess :  I was looking into the difference for two reasons :

 

Im always a bit curious as the differences in similar ' high end ' items   and i was pleased it just seems

 

to be the flat top ,  and no other significant difference.  so why the , now $ 20 difference 

 

FlatTop droppeds a bit on amazon

 

but also , I really enjoy the induction 3 C

 

so why not a 5.5 C induction ?

 

as I have a very fine plain fuzzy 10 C ,   my keenness for the 5.5 C    fortunately  

 

pass for now .


First, allow me to say, I hope you enjoy whatever you spend your money on.

 

I find what I tend to do in this situation, over and over, per both self report and the council of my family, is:

1)have an item I am happy with,

2)purchase another one that is similar but us some quality I might like better

3) discover that there are some features of one I like and some features of the other

4) start to wonder if there is a third option with the features I like of both

 

See: the picture of new travel binos I posted in the birding thread

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JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, rotuts said:

@TdeV

 

yours cooks by pressure and induction.

 

pressure feature is a big reason for the cost increase ,  and then some extra padding for the look.

 

all these machines work very very well .

 

I like rice , and aside for innate taste differences  ( basmati vs short grain , etc )

 

I doubt i could taste the differences between properly used machines .

 

I do like the thicker ' pot ' in the induction versions .

 

which means Id like the thicker ' pot ' in the 5.5 size  !

 

A few years ago I downgraded my 10 cup to the five cup NW-JEC10BA.

(eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

Pressure is used only for a brief period near the end of the cooking cycle.  What I like most is the Umami setting.  I'm not certain, but I believe only the pressure models offer the Umami option.  Almost all the rice I cook is with umami.  I also use the "rice my way" feature for dialing in parameters for basmati.  Though I admit basmati is best cooked in a pot on the stove with excess water.

 

I use my Zojirushi only for making rice, so it is not important to me that it doesn't make popcorn nor roast whole pigs.  My Zojirushi delights me with a cheerful tune -- though for the price I might have expected a whole opera.  I did once hear Karajan conduct Walkure.

 

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Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

I D/L'd  the three manuals :  3 cup induction , the one I have ,  5 cup induction , and 5 cup pressure .

 

here are images of the control panel , w instructions :

 

3cup.thumb.jpg.4ae807906418dd52ace72874288797d2.jpg

 

3 Cup Induction

 

5Induction.thumb.jpg.9271efb51b0a7f3257736978e1547de1.jpg

 

5 cup induction 

 

5pressure.thumb.jpg.a063557763614170cf94d99b122e12be.jpg

 

5 cup pressure .

 

on the 5 C pressure , I dont see an Umami   Am I missing something  ?

 

clearly there is a different interface , but all the choices on the 5 C can be done on the 3 C :  Porridge is the selection for steel cut oatmeal

 

like to hear more about the umami , as someone has a birthday coming up .

 

and Amazon would have to drop the price > $ 10  as it had a lo0wer price just the other day .

 

Umami , here I come , maybe.

 

Wait !  it also have a self standing rice scoop ! 

 

ee.thumb.jpg.a50616f846d44dba44b060f887693af2.jpg

 

rr.thumb.jpg.bfacaea79d33ca207aaa1930611ac3f8.jpg

 

 

Edited by rotuts (log)
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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

@weinoo       which model ?

 

so , what exactly is different w the umami setting ?

 

' porridge '  is simply a slow cooking setting .   probably no different than steel cut oatmeal

 

after all , way way way back when , I got the 10 C fuzzy for cooking steel cut oats w milk 

 

button :  porridge.

Edited by rotuts (log)
rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

My Bad :

 

on further investigations , the Umami button is only on Zo pressure induction machines .

 

those cost more than my InDoorSmoker !

rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

still trying to decided on ' umami rice '  :   

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskCulinary/comments/24yvim/how_do_rice_cookers_with_umami_settings_work/

 

unfortunately I can't get to reddit .  but 

 

I suspect the link is info from manufacturers sites , thus , a bit suspect .

 

it seems some Zo RC's have this setting , inc the pressure $$$ ones.

 

the setting takes longer , and include a water-soak stage  .  that' I can do manually 

 

Zo also makes a Micron Zo :

 

https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NL-GAC10-Cooker-5-5-Cup-Metallic/dp/B08ZHRMGJ2?th=1

 

as I understand it , Micron Zo's are manufactured in China , vs Zo's made in Japan.

 

so , unless I hear differently from the eG Ricer's

 

its mostly hype , but not 100 %  :  80 - 85 % seem about right ?

 

Ill manually soak my next batch of rice and see if I can tell any difference.

 

DesertTinker

DesertTinker

Posted
Posted

@rotuts

Most of the Reddit thread you linked to is just folks speculating about how the umami cycle works, but there is this LINK to an article that seems like a pretty solid explanation.

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