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Zojirushi 5.5-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer
We love this super-smart rice cooker. So will you.
You can make rice on the stovetop (or in the oven), but there are advantages to using a rice cooker: The process is mostly hands-off and yields consistent results from batch to batch. Plus, a rice cooker can keep cooked rice warm for hours without sacrificing quality. Our winning rice cooker solves that problem by using smart technology called neuro fuzzy logic to monitor both water and temperature while it cooks. Set the cooker and forget it while you focus on whipping up a nice beef stir-fry or sautéed tofu and vegetables. By dinnertime, you’ll have perfectly cooked rice.
Zojirushi 5.5-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer
WINNER - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This rice cooker consistently produced excellent rice in both small and large batches. The water measurement markings on the cooking bowl, which are clearly labeled in white writing, were easy to read. The machine played a song both when it started cooking and when it switched to the “keep warm” setting. A timer counted down the final minutes of cooking. Plus, the handles on its cooking bowl protected our hands from heat. This model’s menu was simple enough, though we had to refer to the manufacturer’s booklet when picking the setting for long-grain white rice (it cooks on the mixed-rice setting, not white rice setting, which wasn’t obvious at first). It kept rice at a food-safe temperature for 12 hours, a helpful perk for people who like to enjoy rice at multiple times throughout the day. We also tested the larger version of this model, Zojirushi 10-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer, which makes from 2 to 20 cups of cooked rice; it performed as well as our winner.
We maintain strict objectivity in all testing.*
PERFORMANCE ★★★
EASE OF USE ★★★
CLEANUP ★★★
KEY: GOOD ★★★ FAIR ★★ POOR ★
Details
Item Weight: 8.4 pounds
Shipping
How We Tested Rice Cookers
We bought eight rice cookers priced from less than $20 to nearly $250 and put them through their paces in our testing lab. Our testers monitored the temperature inside each rice cooker throughout their cooking cycles. Rice cookers are designed to take the guesswork out of making rice, but there was a learning curve with certain machines. With some small adjustments to the ratio of rice to water, we were able to cook rice to our preferences in most of the machines. What differentiated these machines more was their ease of use.
Winning Traits
- Longer, slower cooking times
- Clearly labeled measuring lines
- Intuitive and clearly labeled displays
- Digital countdown timers and audible alerts
- Removable inner lid
- Handles
* OBJECTIVITY FIRST, LAST, AND ALWAYS.
America’s Test Kitchen does not accept advertising and conducts equipment tests without the knowledge of product manufacturers. Exclusive equipment offers are sourced only after the test results have been published in our magazines and on our websites.