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Zojirushi NH-VBC18 10-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer with Induction Heating System
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Average customer review:
Product Description
Zojirushi's Induction Heating System Rice Cooker and Warmer is innovation is action. The heating method known as induction heating occurs when a magnetic material is placed in a magnetic field. In our case, coils within the bottom of the rice cooker create the magnetic field. When the inner rice cooker and the unit is activated, a magnetic field is generated to create instant heat. Through this technology, the inner cooking pan itself becomes the heat source utilizing both high heat and fine heat adjustments to control the cooking process. The result -- quicker, more evenly distributed heat for perfectly cooked delicious rice everytime. This unit has an extra large colored LCD display with clock and timer function. Convenient detachable inner lid for easy cleaning, stay cool side handles make removal of inner cooking pan quick and easy. Black thick spherical inner cooking pan and induction heating system provide even heating for perfectly cooked rice every time. GABA BROWN menu or brown rice activation available to activate brown rice for increased nutritional values.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #80450 in Kitchen & Housewares
- Color: Premium White
- Brand: Zojirushi
- Model: NH-VBC18
- Dimensions: 10.75" h x 12.88" w x 16.00" l, 13.00 pounds
Features
- 10-cup rice cooker provides nonstick inner cooking pan and induction heating technology
- Menu includes white, sushi, brown, semi-brown, mixed, GABA brown, and quick cooking
- Extra-large colored LCD display with clock and timer function; melody signal
- Keep warm and reheating cycles; detachable inner lid; stay-cool side handles
- Measures approximately 15 by 11 by 9 inches; 1-year limited warranty
Customer Reviews
Pricey, but worth every penny!
I purchased my Zojirushi Magnetic Induction Rice Cooker because I wanted a first rate cooker. I knew that I would be getting a high-quality product simply because it is 100% engineered and manufactured in Japan. I was also curious how the "Magnetic Induction" worked and what benefits it provided over traditional heating coil-based cookers.
As it turns out, the magnetic induction thing is very, very nice. There is no heating coil at the bottom of this cooker. Instead, magnets are cycled on and off around the pan causing it to heat up perfectly evenly. The thing that amazed me about this cooker is that the traditional "skin" of browned, crusty rice always found at the bottom of other cookers is totally absent. Every single grain of rice you put in is wonderfully cooked coming out.
While this cooker has a large capacity, it handles small quantities wonderfully. As a single bachelor/student, I can't say enough how nice it is to be able to cook only a single cup of rice when I need it. In traditional coil-based cookers, if you want a single cup of rice, you have to cook one and a half or two, because quite a bit becomes crusty/burned at the bottom of the pan. Not with this cooker!
I also have yet to come across a variety of rice that this cooker could not handle. I've used it to cook aromatic Indian basimati rice, wild rice, rice for sushi, Asian white rice, and wild rice medleys. Every single one has come out perfect.
Clean-up is a breeze. The pan simply lifts up and out with two nice plastic handles; they're cool to the touch... no oven mitts required! The non-stick is the highest quality I've ever encountered. It feels as though the inner pot is armor plated. One swipe, a rinse, and it's ready to go again.
To be sure, this cooker is at the high end of the price scale. Having said that, in light of the build quality, cooking excellence, and ease of cleaning... it was worth every penny!
Superb !!!
I have been an avid white rice eater since my birth. Over the years scientific evidence has slowly accumulated that white rice is probably not as healthy as once thought.
I remember coming to the US in 1980 as a graduate student from India and then being diagnosed with essential hypertension. My first blood pressure measuring device had a manual that claimed that exclusively eating rice and fruit juice would mitigate (and even cure!) hypertension. Today neither fruit juice nor rice (at least the white polished variety) are considered all that healthy. The former because of the sugars contained and the latter because the body converts the starches to glucose.
I have attempted unsuccessfully to wean myself of white rice and switch to Indian wheat tortillas (chappatis) over the years. I have also tried switching over to eating brown rice. Unfortunately, my eighties era rice cooker (also a Zojirushii that still runs after 17 years of daily use) was never able to make the brown rice without it becoming hard and almost inedible.
Finally, I decided to look into acquiring a new rice cooker that could handle brown rice. After much research on the web, I came across the new Zojirushii induction heating based cooker. This model (NH-VBC18) has the latest induction heating technology and the earlier fuzzy logic technology.
I obtained this cooker over the web from Comfort House (note other reviewers have claimed that they could not get one from Amazon) in California for $225. The unit arrived promptly in 3 days after I paid for it with my credit card. The same day that the cooker arrived, I went over to my local Indian grocer in Sugar land and bought brown Basmati rice. A 4 pound bag of brown basmati (brand name Kohinoor) costs $5.99 - approximately 50% more than equivalent quality white basmati. For those who have not heard of basmati, it is the fragrant long-grained rice from the foothills of the Punjab in India and Pakistan.
The adventure began that evening when I made my first batch of the brown basmati. I used the brown setting on the cooker and carefully measured the prescribed amount of water. The rice came out 90 minutes later well cooked but a bit dry. The next day, I tried the semi-brown setting and the results (60 minutes later) were perfect! I am delighted with the exquisite brown basmati produced by this machine - I do not miss my white basmati anymore and have convinced my wife (she was skeptical of my new toy) to switch over to eating brown rice also.
The unit is beautiful to behold and is very functional too. It plays a musical chime when it is programmed and also when it starts the cook cycle and when it ends the cycle and switches over to the keep warm cycle. If you do not like the musical chime, you can reprogram the unit to beep. The unit also has a GABBA brown cycle that takes 3 hours to cook brown rice and supposedly increases the GABBA (nutrient) level in the rice - I have yet to try this option. The manual can be a bit confusing as it has been translated from Japanese but it is eminently readable. Oh, by the way, this cooker is made in Japan.
The machine is very easy to clean. The inner pot lifts easily, has built-in lifting lugs and a non-stick interior. The plastic steam vent case comes off easily and needs only to be rinsed and re-inserted. I have never had any overflow of water or steam from the unit.
I fill the inner container with brown basmati and water in the morning before I leave for work and program it to be ready in the evening. Note that it is very important that the correct amount of water be added and that the rice be measured with the cup that comes with the unit. I have had the warm cycle run for 4 hours after cooking without any noticeable hardening of the rice. I have not tried out any fancy recipes and am not likely too. Mostly, Indians like to cook plain rice and add curries and other condiments later on while eating. Furthermore, I have read elsewhere that adding meat, vegetables and spices directly in the cooker may leave odors that may persist for a while.
I have been delighted with this machine - it is worth every cent. I feel fuller after eating brown rice and the added fiber content is helpful the next morning too !
Highly recommended to all those wanting to switch to brown rice.
Better value than your $20 rice cooker, here's why:
I am now a believer. I thought this was a pricey item, but so many reviews averaging five stars was compelling and I ordered the cooker. Maybe this is a reiteration of what others have already said - but here's a comparison with my old $20-$30 rice cooker:
- ONE cup of rice can be cooked here if you need it. I bought some expensive wild rice and I didn't want to make it in bulk, just enough to savor. There is no burned, gelated bottom layer, even with one cup. The cheapo cooker would have had a burned layer and much soaking and washing afterwards. The absence of a localized heat point makes it possible to cook one to ten cups perfectly.
- No false readings. The cheap cooker would switch from cook to warm if: 1) It was tapped accidentally, 2) If rice happened to cook faster near the center and bottom, 3) if a bird chirped. If tripped too early, the rice would never cook well again and often had to be thrown out because of a hard center.
- Excellent warming function: Cheap cooker, eventually causes a sticky layer at the bottom. This one, even if you turned off the cooker, will reheat the rice the next day and completely "refresh" it - you can't tell it wasn't cooked the same day. No spoilage either. I was skeptical when one review said the rice could hold for days. But now I believe it can.
- Only the bowl needs to be cleaned. Cheap cooker required a washing of the lid as well, sometimes the area around it. The heavy nonstick bowl in the Zoji is a pleasure to clean. No brush required. Water, soap, wipe, dry.
- The time remaining function is very useful, even if it only comes on during the last ten minutes or so. I can pace my cooking to be done so that the rice is ready at the same time. Cheap cooker, just keep guessing. When the cheap cooker rice looks cooked it's actually steaming to get the center hardness out.
- All kinds of rice cooks well. The bowl has markings for all kinds of rice so you never have to guess on the measures. Sushi rice cooked perfectly, short grain, long grain and basmati rice came out picture perfect. Cheap cooker, you get it right once but often get it wrong when the rice changes.
- Cool-touch handles on the bowl are nice, no mitts or towels needed to serve. And the rice empties easily. Unlike the cheap cooker, which needed mitts and lots of effort. Trust me, with guests coming over, this wasn't pleasant to see.
- I read about the bulkiness of the whole cooker. It is bigger than my cheap cooker, but because I don't have to accommodate spill space around it, or keep heat-sensitive items at a distance from the sides, the overall footprint is about the same.
- I can't comment on the longevity, but the construction and design seems very well thought out to me. I've been through three cheap cookers (Maybe about $70-80 worth) and this might be a long-term keeper.
- Every time a cheap cooker failed or burned out, I'd keep the aluminum bowl inserts to use alternatingly when the other was in the wash. With this cooker, I felt a bit insecure having one bowl, but since it's so easy to clean and put back in, I don't need to leave one bowl soaking in the sink or going through the tough-scrub dishwasher cycle. You'll be done washing this one with less effort than it takes to load it into a dishwasher.
- Are there any cons whatsoever? Maybe. Not enough to cost any stars, but here: A cuisinart-styled finish would be nice. A shape better than this large tooth-like shape would also be nice. My kitchen doesn't normally do white plastic, so a choice of finish would be welcome. The buttons and text are big, and there's a bit of Japanese tech culture built in, with the melody, lots of controls, and stuff. Fortunately they are easy to use. A menu button where you pick the kind of rice, a warm button, an oddly named "Reset" button, and some controls to set the clock and delay etc. The manual is also reminiscent of the old Panasonic VCR's but once you glean the basics from it, you can put it away.
Once you start using it, these cons fade into the background just because it's SO out of your way at all times. Go ahead, make rice for two meals. Or four.
Update: I had to see how rice would hold up for a few days. I had one batch going four days, and left the cooker on Warm. I'm guessing the cooker retains the rice at a temperature too high for the bacteria/fungii that cause spoilage, because the rice was indistinguishable from a fresh batch even FOUR days later. Why no fifth day? Because we finished it all. Wow.
