Re: Rice Cookers
From: Douglas G. Larson (ddhleearthlink.net)
Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2010 08:08:11 -0700 (PDT)
< 
< So, please let me know if you have one, if you like it, what brand, model
number-- actually, if you have one you do not like, please let me know that 
< too.  Thanks,
< 

We have 2 rice cookers, these are actually our 3rd or 4th or so. One of them
is a Miracle brand and the other is a Black and Decker. I don't have the
model numbers handy but they are too small for your purpose anyway. Ours
cook about 10 cups of cooked rice. 

When the rice cookers you researched specify they cook 5 cups, is that
cooked rice or uncooked? If its regular residential models, I suspect its
uncooked rice. So 5 cups uncooked would yield about 10 cups cooked, but of
course that may well still be not enough for your community. The brands you
have looked at may sell larger models. 

I don't know brands other than the one we have but we have an Asian
supermarket here in the Seattle area called Uwajimaya which carries many
brands and sizes of rice cookers, even the larger commercial-sized ones. I
don't recall specifics but I believe the larger ones I have seen at
Uwajimaya make 20 to 30 cups of cooked rice, possibly more. Expect to pay
$300 to $500 for the larger rice cookers.

My experience of the ones we have had is 
  1)  They tend to wear out, which is why we are on our 4th one. Though
maybe the larger commercial models are more robust.
  2)  They come with an inner pot that is removable for cleaning. Its often
nonstick (Teflon, etc) and requires the use of plastic spoons (which often
come with the cooker). Even then ours gets scratched and pitted over time. 
  3)  They generally work well, until they go bad, then its time to buy new.

  4)  Some of the larger models I have seen at Uwajimaya have extra
features, but since we have never had one I can't speak to their value. 
  5)  Look for ones with simple controls. While all the models we have owned
had simply one switch, I recall some of the early ones it was puzzling to
figure out which setting was on and which was warm. I am aware that some of
the bigger commercial sized models come with digital readouts, though I
don't know what value that has or what information that readout gives you. 



Douglas G. Larson, Songaia Cohousing

There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and
the other is getting it. - Oscar Wilde







Results generated by Tiger Technologies Web hosting using MHonArc.