Zojirushi: Nice Rice, Great Design
Zojirushi makes some of the best Japanese kitchen appliances- their water heater/dispensers are invaluable and are how we make our tea here at TrulyObscure. But their rice cookers had always seemed a bit pricey, compared with the cheaper models available at big box stores. Of course, it turns out that there is a reason for the price- and some time spent with the Zutto Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker convinced us that those who cook a fair amount of rice should definitely consider the Zutto.
First, the bad- it’s $200 or so. That’s quite a bit of money compared to the competition and if you only cook rice occasionally, you might want to put away your wallet. But if you care about rice- and especially like rice beyond the plain white variety- then the fuzzy logic processing and the made in Japan quality definitely make it worth the price difference. First, the Zutto is easier to clean than some other rice cookers, and is well-designed, even sexy. Granted, it goes better with other Zutto appliances (Zojirushi makes a toaster, water heater, and coffee maker with similar styling). But even by itself, the small footprint and clever lid design make the unit attractive and easy to find space for.
We liked the timer functions, and the Zutto did keep our rice warm without worry for quite a while. Rice from the “slow” mode is definitely better, but even the fast mode makes for good grains- brown, black, sticky, wild rice, etc. The manual could have been more helpful, and perhaps a better LCD screen would be great. But the Zutto Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker makes perfect rice with little effort, and is the best rice cooker we’ve used.
