Zojirushi NP-NVC10 Induction Heating Pressure Cooker and Warmer, 5.5 Cup, Stainless Brown, Made in Japan

I was really impressed by this rice maker, it is the 3rd one i have owned and the one of many others i have tried. I purchased it to replace my very old neuro fuzzy model from the 90's which is being retired after near constant use for 20 years.In brief - this machine produces outstanding taste and texture of rice. It is very well built and good to use, and easy to clean. And lastly it provides astonishing energy savings over previous models.The long version -This review is geared to people to have owned rice machines before, it explores the improvements.Every rice maker i have either tried or owned i have run energy/timing tests and taste tests to see what to buy next. We live off-grid and energy consumption is a very important part of purchasing decisions.For the zojirushi induction models we have tried out the old original white model, the newer HBC brown stainless model, and now this pressure one we bought. The original white induction version made so so to OK rice, frankly not as good as our older neuro fuzzy machine, and the keep warm function was a disaster, the rice went yellow quickly and was not good to eat. Our old neuro fuzzy model would keep rice fresh for up to 3 days, the white one was a couple of hours. The HBC model was pretty good, and a major improvement over the original white one. So we decided to invest in this pressure model. It certainly makes sense as the traditional Japanese way to cook rice is in a large nabe with a lid held down by stones or blocks to create an elevated pressure environment.I can report that the energy consumption is very impressive, to cook 3 cups of brown rice in the neuro fuzzy took 0.28KWh, and 4 hours of keep warm added a further 0.14KWh. Total 0.42KWh.The HBC18 model uses 0.29KWh to cook and 0.12KWh to keep warm for 4 hours. Total 0.41KWhThis pressure model, which we were concerned would actually use more power, comes in at 0.26KWh to cook and 0.07KWH to keep warm for 4 hours. Total 0.33KWh that is a minimum of 20% energy saving for a machine that produces higher temperatures, i am very impressed.Taste of the rice is wonderful, it reminds me, at last, of eating back in Japan at the better restaurants. The brown rice comes out so fragrant and tasty. Even my wife who was born in Asia and really does not like brown rice, now loves to eat it. For white rice such as haiga the Umami setting is the way to go, really incredible taste and fragrance. For long grains such as basmati use extra water or the softer setting, but not both.All in all it is hard to imagine how the rice could be so drastically improved over the neuro fuzzy machines, but this machine really does deliver incredible taste and succulent rice. The keep warm feature works as well as the old neuro fuzzy machines as well, the rice stays in a near perfect state, no yellowing or drying out (assuming you follow the manufacturers instructions).It should also be noted that this new machine is whisper quiet, i makes a soft fan sound quieter than a laptop playing games. In fact the sound of the steam is greater than the machine itself. The previous machine (HBC series) was a bit noisier and the older white induction model sounded like an engine.The sound produced is comparable to my old neuro fuzzy machine, and perhaps less.Our old neuro fuzzy machine is still working fine after 20 years, and this one is well built and solid. I see no reason why it should not last equally as well. I always treat the inner bowl with care, never wash the rice in it, never use harsh cleaners on it, and one should never ever put it in the dishwasher. It is so easy to clean, why would anyone want to destroy it in a dishwasher.My only complaint about the older neuro fuzzy machine was that the backup battery was soldered to the control board, and was an expensive pain to replace when it went dead. However there was actually no reason to ever replace it, as the machine continues to work fine without it. Mine has for 20 years. Hopefully they have made a design improvement there by now in these new machines.I highly recommend this machine to anyone who wants authentic asian rice, or who loves to eat brown rice. It is worth the price, but even better if you can find a deal :-)If someone is used to eating uncle bens or rice-a-roni etc this machine is probably a waste of money for them, unless they want a major change in how rice tastes.If someone is looking at their first real rice cooker then perhaps an older reliable and cheaper neuro fuzzy model is a good way to start. But if you have the interest go straight for a top class machine such as this.

First, I must say that I have owned a small, inexpensive Zojirushi rice cooker for a long time (20+ years) and it has held up amazingly well. Some of the plastic parts are finally getting worn, which is completely understandable. What appliance do you own that has lasted that long?So, when I thought about replacing my little, inexpensive rice cooker the first place I looked was at the Zojirushi products. Wow, I was really impressed by the new, high-tech Zojirushi rice cookers. But was I willing to spend over $250 for a rice cooker?I am Celiac (gluten intolerant) and I cook a lot of quinoa in my rice cooker. BTW, quinoa cooks very similar to rice, although I find that soaking and a thorough rinsing definitely helps. Since I use my rice cooker a lot perhaps it was worth spending the money for a good quaility product. In addition, the new Zojirushi rice cookers have an array of features that might my life easier and possibly even healthier.I have been doing great with a low-carb diet (basically paleo) and I don't eat any grains. My low-carb has been very good for me, but after more than 3 years of strict low-carb I have recently decided to add rice to my diet. In particular, I have been interested in the health benefits of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) that can be obtained from brown rice.Zojirushi claims that GABA rice can be made using a controlled method of cooking brown rice to activate and increase natural occurring gamma-aminobutyric acid.The Zojirushi NP-NVC10 automatic rice cooker has a GABA setting. According to Zojirushi by holding the rice at a low temperature for an extended period of time before cooking it the level of GABA increases.GABA brown rice can also be obtained through sprouting, but who has time to sprout rice? The GABA setting on the NP-NVC10 holds brown rice at 104 degrees for two hours before cooking it, making healthier rice easy to cook. Set the programmable timer on the machine and it will be ready just in time for dinner.Here is some information I have gathered about GABA. Please do your own research and verify all claims about GABA. Most of the following I have excerpted from Wikipedia and other online sources.Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. It plays the principal role in reducing neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system. GABA is also directly responsible for the regulation of muscle tone.Beyond the nervous system “GABAergic” mechanisms have been demonstrated in various tissues and organs including, but not restricted to, the intestine, stomach, pancreas, Fallopian tube, uterus, ovary, testis, kidney, urinary bladder, lung, and liver. GABAergic systems have also been found in the testis and in the eye lens.In 2007, an excitatory GABAergic system was discovered in the airway epithelium. This system activates following exposure to allergens and may participate in the mechanisms of asthma.Substantial intake of GABA has been shown to have a number of health benefits including: lower blood pressure, fat burning and building muscle. GABA supplements claim benefits such as fall asleep faster, reduce aging, improved brain functions, healthier kidneys, stress relief and many more.Finally, after all that I have said about GABA brown rice, this is only one of many settings and features of the Zojirushi NP-NVC10. I have used a number of these settings and the results have been flawless rice. For example, the MIXED setting is great for cooking an entire meal including vegetables and protein at the same time. The Platinum coated cooking vessel that uses induction heating is also amazing ... I can go on and on.The Zojirushi quality, excellent engineering and overall user experience is fantastic. The NP-NVC10 isn't cheap, but I believe that it is worth the investment if rice is a frequent and key ingredient to your diet. I expect this rice cooker will last many years and provide benefits that will far outweigh the initial cost.

I will come and add more later but -- the product came quickly and its as cool and awesome as it seems. I will let you know more when I carefully and unbox and use the computer functions. But I bought this after may asian friends I know said if you an afford it, its a great tool for effortlessly cooking all types off rice like a pro. And I might add it has a great computer and sensor set up to allow you to pick out a type of rice and the desired texture you want and then just walk away and come back later for perfectly managed rice. --- I will let you know if that is my experience with it. But given the brand and the reputation I am betting my feed back will be great. I can say this -- if careful even, even overly detailed research is to be believed, these things for anyone who want to include all kinds of rice into their diet in a effortless but gourmet way then this is the tool -- you need not get this one as the most expensive, there is one almost as nice made by Zojirushi and there are also different sizes of cookers, but Zojirushi are the choice of pick natives asian home cooks that I know. last but not least I will add that as so many japanese appliances are. this product is designed to be easy to use, clean and maintain. in short its quality through and through and not just this model but the brand as a whole. when I have cooked with the machine for a longer time and I have tested all these things, I will verify it along with any possible criticisms.