If you are like me and searching for a new appliance you may have a few things to consider. How much does the appliance cost and is it worth it? What does it do or can do? Does it look good? Appearance is big for me. I like for stuff to look good in my kitchen. So my question one weekend was: Which Rice Cooker should I get?

I like rice. Being athletic and very active with sports it is a carbohydrate I like more so than potatoes and yams. Using the Zojirushi NP-HBC10 5-1/2-Cup Rice Cooker I can make a ton of rice quickly. Doesn’t matter what kind of rice you cook. You cab throw down with brown rice, Gabaa brown rice, yellow rice, white rice, and sticky rice. Sticky rice is my favorite and I love to make it with a healthy dish of stir-fry chicken. I have never been able to make decent sticky rice. So this rice cooker answers the question as to how to cook rice.

Another nice feature is you can also cook sushi rice, sweet rice and porridge. I have never tried to cook these rices and I would have no idea how to. The recipes and how to comes in the box but I wouldn’t want to eat porridge; sounds nasty personally. The Zojirushi Rice Cooker cooks your rice evenly every time. This is due to the fact that this unit has a black, thick, spherical, inner cooking pan and heating system that is specially designed for that purpose. When the cooking cycle is done there is a beep that lets you know your rice is done. One the cycle is done you can choose to keep your rice warm for and extended amount of time.

It is an easy to clean appliance. The inner lid is washable and removable. You can wash by hand or dishwasher. The appliance itself is stainless steel so it wipes down easily. Stainless steel is cool in my opinion and matches just about anything. I like to use Windex on all my appliances and this gets the same treatment. It comes with a spatula and a detachable cord, spatula holder and a measuring cup.

I like to get some rice ready before I get in the shower after the gym. My other food is ready in advance since I am a busy professional. I have to cook my rice fresh. You can always save it but it just isn’t the same in my opinion. For a simple rice recipe I like to have some ground turkey already cooked. Then when the rice is ready I just warm up the turkey and throw a ton of it on top of the sticky rice or brown rice. This little meal is quick and nutritious and protein packed.

The only drawback about this product in my opinion is the price. Retail is around 285.00. For me it is worth it. I have used cheap appliances. They have never lasted for me. I have had a cheap rice cooker. It got the job done but not with the versatility of the Zojirushi NP-HBC10 5-1/2-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer. You basically get what you pay for.

So there you have it. Those are my reasons for using this particular rice cooker.