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I have a midrange Zojirushi rice cooker, a Vermicular Musui Kamado cast iron induction cooker, and a Kamado-san double-lid donabe rice cooker, all from Japan.

I have a midrange Zojirushi rice cooker, a Vermicular Musui Kamado cast iron induction cooker, and a Kamado-san double-lid donabe rice cooker, all from Japan. The Zojirushi makes respectable rice with minimal effort, as in we're about to walk the dog but we need to set up rice for dinner. The Musui Kamado is a dramatic upgrade over an Instant Pot for every use except pressure cooking, for which we prefer a stovetop Fissler pressure cooker. Carefully following directions, it makes better rice than the Zojirushi. We use it whenever we want a feedback loop for fixed temperature, not unattended flame, such as cooking beans or stews. For tacos, I have to remember to transfer the cooked nixtamal corn for fresh masa, in time for my wife to start beans. The Kamado-san double-lid donabe rice cooker takes the most care, and makes in my opinion the best rice, with a controllable bit of scorch as desired. At home, out of expediency we use the Zojirushi to make our rice. I find myself avoiding meals that involve rice, out of boredom. In my work apartment, I haven't touched the Zojirushi or Musui Kamado for rice since adopting the Kamado-san donabe, and I look forward to rice. If all sushi bar rice tastes the same to you, stick to the Zojirushi. If only food at the limits of your abilities captivates you, get a Kamado-san donabe. The Musui Kamado is the most versatile compromise. There's no novel physics here; its edge over both a Zojirushi and an Instant Pot can be explained by its precision-machined cast iron pot, of a better quality than Le Creuset or Staub (I have all three). https://www.vermicular.us/shop/musui-kamado https://www.vermicular.us/shop/musui-kamado https://toirokitchen.com/collections/unique-style-iga-yaki-donabe/products/kamado-san https://toirokitchen.com/collections/unique-style-iga-yaki-d...

porphyra 3y ago
I appreciate that there are higher end devices but as someone who can definitely tell the difference between different sushi bar rice, I'm still satisfied with my Zojirushi rice cooker.
- snapplebobapple 3y ago
  #metoo
- seanmcdirmid 3y ago
  We are a Chinese family (well except me) and a low/mid-range zojirushi gets the job done. Rice is important, but beyond getting the dryness and fluffiness right (don’t add too much water, use Thai longer grain rice), I’m not sure are eating habits would improve with much higher end rice cooking tech. I also appreciate sushi bar rice, but it is something to have out rather than eat in. I guess if I was cooking more Japanese rather than Thai rice it would be different.
kjkjadksj 3y ago
I have a rice cooker function on my instapot and never used it. I still don’t get why people buy these one off appliances like rice cookers. Making rice on the stove isn’t a huge inconvenience, pretty foolproof in fact. Once its set up you can walk away and do other things too.
- mcny 3y ago
  > one off appliances I have an instant pot as well. If I have to cook myself, I put everything I have got rice, lentils, chicken bullion powder, frozen chicken breast, frozen vegetables, cut pieces of carrot, red chili powder, ginger powder, garlic powder, black pepper, the works everything goes in the instant pot and I go to my MS Teams meetings. Food cooks and goes into "keep warm" setting. In fact, that's quite literally what I did almost every morning for a bit last year when I was by myself. However, "normal people" in my family refuse to eat this even though I assure them it is perfectly edible. It is perfectly rational to want to minimize the amount of time you spend cooking. Edit: the rice cooker inner pot that I have is non-stick and is scratched up beyond all recognition but still they prefer using that to cook rice over my instant pot (with a superior stainless steel inner lining).
  - mmastrac 3y ago
    Are they concerned about bacterial growth? As long as you hit the critical temperature and time during cooking, extended warmth should be fine, right? You might need an agar plate experiment to convince them, hah.
    - ethbr1 3y ago
      It's probably more about texture. I'd assume at least some of those ingredients are overcooked, unless OP carefully chose that particular combination (and used frozen chicken). The "OG tv dinner" / "what can be cooked in the same time" problem has always fascinated me. I expect somewhere on the Internet there's a list of combinations and cooking methods.
      - 3y ago
lukas099 3y ago
That's a lot of nice kitchen gadgets you got there.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
jcmeyrignac 3y ago
Thanks for the advice! I wanted to buy a Zojirushi, but teflon is a big no-no for me. What are the options for a rice cooker without teflon/aluminum?
- JohnBooty 3y ago
  "The Musui Kamado['s edge over its competition is] its precision-machined cast iron pot"

porphyra 3y ago

I appreciate that there are higher end devices but as someone who can definitely tell the difference between different sushi bar rice, I'm still satisfied with my Zojirushi rice cooker.

snapplebobapple 3y ago
#metoo
seanmcdirmid 3y ago
We are a Chinese family (well except me) and a low/mid-range zojirushi gets the job done. Rice is important, but beyond getting the dryness and fluffiness right (don’t add too much water, use Thai longer grain rice), I’m not sure are eating habits would improve with much higher end rice cooking tech. I also appreciate sushi bar rice, but it is something to have out rather than eat in. I guess if I was cooking more Japanese rather than Thai rice it would be different.

kjkjadksj 3y ago

I have a rice cooker function on my instapot and never used it. I still don’t get why people buy these one off appliances like rice cookers. Making rice on the stove isn’t a huge inconvenience, pretty foolproof in fact. Once its set up you can walk away and do other things too.

mcny 3y ago
> one off appliances I have an instant pot as well. If I have to cook myself, I put everything I have got rice, lentils, chicken bullion powder, frozen chicken breast, frozen vegetables, cut pieces of carrot, red chili powder, ginger powder, garlic powder, black pepper, the works everything goes in the instant pot and I go to my MS Teams meetings. Food cooks and goes into "keep warm" setting. In fact, that's quite literally what I did almost every morning for a bit last year when I was by myself. However, "normal people" in my family refuse to eat this even though I assure them it is perfectly edible. It is perfectly rational to want to minimize the amount of time you spend cooking. Edit: the rice cooker inner pot that I have is non-stick and is scratched up beyond all recognition but still they prefer using that to cook rice over my instant pot (with a superior stainless steel inner lining).
- mmastrac 3y ago
  Are they concerned about bacterial growth? As long as you hit the critical temperature and time during cooking, extended warmth should be fine, right? You might need an agar plate experiment to convince them, hah.
  - ethbr1 3y ago
    It's probably more about texture. I'd assume at least some of those ingredients are overcooked, unless OP carefully chose that particular combination (and used frozen chicken). The "OG tv dinner" / "what can be cooked in the same time" problem has always fascinated me. I expect somewhere on the Internet there's a list of combinations and cooking methods.
    - 3y ago

lukas099 3y ago

That's a lot of nice kitchen gadgets you got there.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

jcmeyrignac 3y ago

Thanks for the advice! I wanted to buy a Zojirushi, but teflon is a big no-no for me. What are the options for a rice cooker without teflon/aluminum?

JohnBooty 3y ago
"The Musui Kamado['s edge over its competition is] its precision-machined cast iron pot"