Which rice cooker to buy
Electronic stores in Japan are known to have a huge variety of home appliances, computers, phones and so on. And if you are looking for a rice cooker, there are just as many options!
The 3 best types according to one of the Electronic stores in Japan
- マイコン (Microcomputer controlled rice cooker)
This one heats the rice from below, and is cheap and simple.
- IH (Induction heating rice cooker)
IH ones heat the rice from all sides, and each grain of rice is individual and does not look mushy.
- 圧力IH (High pressure Induction heating rice cooker)
The High pressure IH one heats the rice from all sides under high pressure, and this makes the rice nice to chew. Basically, the pressure heats the inside of the grain too so it become softer than the other 2 types.
How to read the display information
- 炊飯容量 (Capacity/Size)
- 炊飯方式 (Type)
- 消費電力 (Power usage)
- 内釜種類 (Inner pot type)
- 外せる内ぶた (Whether the inner lid can be removed)
- 内釜厚さ (Inner pot thickness)
- 電圧 (Volts)
So now, let’s look at some things to consider, which will give you an idea of what questions to ask.
Size and capacity
If you generally cook about 1-2 cups of rice at a time, a smaller 3-cup rice cooker would suffice. But if you need to cook more than that, or if you are the type that likes to cook enough for both lunch and dinner, and just keep it warm until you are ready to eat, a bigger 5-cup or 10-cup cooker would definitely be better.
Types of uses
This is where things start to really differ. Traditional rice cookers basically had 2 settings – cook and keep warm. Nowadays, you can even choose the kind of rice you want to cook. And in addition to that, some of them also have settings that let you cook porridge and make bread, amongst other things.
Check out the number of options in the cooker displays below.
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Quality and durability
Not to say that the cheaper ones are terrible, but like my grandmother used to say “You pay peanuts, you get monkeys”. And this can be very true for electronics. The quality and durability can vary a lot, so unless you are trying to get one in a hurry and don’t want to spend a lot on something you probably won’t keep for long, consider getting one that is of quality.
Accessories and design
The standard ones that have just have the cook and warm functions tend to have simpler designs.
And the ones that have more functions are usually a bit more fancy, as they come with all the bells and whistles.
One thing though! Mochi is enjoyed by a huge part of the population, so there are also mochi makers that can be mistaken for rice cookers! If you see the word もちつき (mochitsuki), it makes mochi!
Easy maintenance
I think how easy or difficult it is to maintain your rice cooker, really depends on how easily its parts can be removed and cleaned.
Cost
Honestly the range is really wide. If you get a standard one with no special functions, and only need to cook 1-2 cups of rice, you might be looking at a price of about ¥3,000. And if you are looking at one that has many functions, and has a clay inner pot, you will need to fork out over ¥100,000. But on average, they will cost about ¥20,000 if you want one with a decent capacity and decent settings.
Where to buy a rice cooker
The obvious option is an Electronics store, and since there are so many in Japan, it is really easy to just walk into one.
But if you are on a budget, and don’t mind second-hand items, you can try your local recycle shop!
You can also get them via online stores and Facebook Sayonara groups, so a quick internet search should do the trick.
Where to repair a rice cooker
Usually the first port of call is the Manufacturer, or the Store where you bought the item, especially if it is still under warranty. But if it is not under warranty, you would probably need to get in touch with the Manufacturer on the best course of action. But really, I haven’t ever heard of rice cookers requiring repair, so it’s probably not something you should worry about.
How to get rid of a rice cooker
Like with other electronic items, you can either sell them to a Recycle Shop, throw them out, or give them away. You can find information on how to do that here.
If you have any other tips about choosing rice cookers, do share them in the Comments section!
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