Rice cooker for us 220-230v people

[e30Birdy]

So i have been searching high and low and really want a rice cooker. I would really kill for the super expensive zojirushi but Japan uses 100v and we are on 220v. We have German brands that sell them here but i would have really enjoyed something japanese as they are the pros in rice cooking and it is a staple in asian culture to own one so.

Any 220v folks have a solution? I thought about running a transformer but i really hate them and they are huge.

Hope i didn't miss something in the forums where this has already been talked about.

 

[blokey]

Zojirushi and Tiger all makes 220v models for Chinese market, they should exist for other markets too.

 

[Michi]

Zojirushi and Tiger all makes 220v models for Chinese market, they should exist for other markets too.

I bought mine on eBay from a vendor in Singapore, 220 V, because there is no distributor for Zojirushi here.

I would advise against a step-down transformer. The cooker draws a lot of current, and the transformer would have to be big, heavy, and expensive.

 

[e30Birdy]

Zojirushi and Tiger all makes 220v models for Chinese market, they should exist for other markets too.

I heard one wants to avoid the Chinese models and only buy the japanese ones in all the research i have done.

I bought mine on eBay from a vendor in Singapore, 220 V, because there is no distributor for Zojirushi here.

I would advise against a step-down transformer. The cooker draws a lot of current, and the transformer would have to be big, heavy, and expensive.

I might have to ask a German friend of mine in Hong Kong. Yeah i am totally not a fan of those step down at all. Had them as a kid, grew up with an American step dad and in Germany as he was a soldier so yeah. I can get them for a decent price used since i work on the military base but it's nothing i want to own. The only one i do own is 75w and small to run my old playstation 2 when i get nostalgic.

 

[blokey]

I heard one wants to avoid the Chinese models and only buy the japanese ones in all the research i have done.

I might have to ask a German friend of mine in Hong Kong. Yeah i am totally not a fan of those step down at all. Had them as a kid, grew up with an American step dad and in Germany as he was a soldier so yeah. I can get them for a decent price used since i work on the military base but it's nothing i want to own. The only one i do own is 75w and small to run my old playstation 2 when i get nostalgic.

They are all made in Japan for what is worth, only thing is all the buttons are in Chinese, like Michi said you could also look for Singaporean model.

 

[MarcelNL]

amazon? (as much as I hate them)
https://www.benl.ebay.be/sch/i.html?_ssc=1&_nkw=zojirushi&_oac=1&_sacat=122932

 

[dhruan]

How about Yum-Asia? They carry Zojirushi and a bunch of other brands. > Multi Award Winning Rice Cookers

 

[e30Birdy]

Bringing this back and wondering about Cuckoo rice cookers. Been looking at their top model as the price is pretty good and has the ability to cook under pressure as well. I just read that zoji does white better and cuckoo mixed rice and brown rice better. Just lost and still trying to talk the GF into one.

 

[nhb22]

Bringing this back and wondering about Cuckoo rice cookers. Been looking at their top model as the price is pretty good and has the ability to cook under pressure as well. I just read that zoji does white better and cuckoo mixed rice and brown rice better. Just lost and still trying to talk the GF into one.

Cuckoo is fine. I have used rice cooker my entire adult life including a few years in Japan. This might be controversial, but I think rice makers make very little difference. I have used rice cookers costing $50 to over $500. The biggest difference by far is the rice itself. If you have access to high quality Japan rice, it makes way bigger difference. Zoji induction is what I have now. The minor differences among premium brands are not worth the time and money imo....the modern Chinese brands are also just fine if not better. A country with over 1 billion people eating rice everyday has good rice cookers. Trust me on this...

 

[e30Birdy]

Cuckoo is fine. I have used rice cooker my entire adult life including a few years in Japan. This might be controversial, but I think rice makers make very little difference. I have used rice cookers costing $50 to over $500. The biggest difference by far is the rice itself. If you have access to high quality Japan rice, it makes way bigger difference. Zoji induction is what I have now. The minor differences among premium brands are not worth the time and money imo....the modern Chinese brands are also just fine if not better. A country with over 1 billion people eating rice everyday has good rice cookers. Trust me on this...

Well the cuckoo has Euro distro, is induction with a stainless clad pot which I thought is better than Teflon covered. It's normally like 500-600 euro and I could get it for like 380.

My GF argued that her stovetop rice is just as good as something from a rice cooker but it's like never the same consistency and I thought the rice cooker might help with that and free up some stove space as well.

My family are noodle people. I am 100% more a fan of rice and could eat it daily if they didn't always make noodles.

 

[nhb22]

Well the cuckoo has Euro distro, is induction with a stainless clad pot which I thought is better than Teflon covered. It's normally like 500-600 euro and I could get it for like 380.

My GF argued that her stovetop rice is just as good as something from a rice cooker but it's like never the same consistency and I thought the rice cooker might help with that and free up some stove space as well.

My family are noodle people. I am 100% more a fan of rice and could eat it daily if they didn't always make noodles.

then just get it...not much more to think about really...i have never used SS versions. not sure if rice will stick. if it doesn't or you don't mind sticking, don't think you can go wrong other than the price.

 

[e30Birdy]

then just get it...not much more to think about really...i have never used SS versions. not sure if rice will stick. if it doesn't or you don't mind sticking, don't think you can go wrong other than the price.

It still has a coating for non-stick I think.

I will think about it. Just don't want her leaving me because she has said no to a rice cooker. I wonder if she will notice if it just appears and I say it was an accident, like I tripped and fell and accidentally ordered it.

 

[nhb22]

It still has a coating for non-stick I think.

I will think about it. Just don't want her leaving me because she has said no to a rice cooker. I wonder if she will notice if it just appears and I say it was an accident, like I tripped and fell and accidentally ordered it.

The stovetop rice is definitely not the same and don’t use a colander.

 

[Chopper88]

For 230v there are few options.
1. Specific export versions of Zojirushi which are meant to be sold in tax free shops etc. These are for sale on eBay for example, but none are the latest and greatest everyone is raving about.
2. Yum Asia which sells ancient lower end Zojirushi models for too much money.
3. Cuckoo.

I've researched this myself, and got a Cuckoo from the German importer, cuckoomall.de, the dhsr0609f.

The cooker is top notch, but the instruction manual was translated so poorly that it was VERY frustrating to understand how everything works.
However, since I've already run into this, you don't have to anymore
Check this thread to read about my antics: https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/...-with-my-rice-cooker-thats-less-sticky.66194/

TLDR; buy a Cuckoo and understand that 'glutinous rice' means sticky rice, done in under half an hour, or 20 min on turbo mode. Soft glutinous rice' is normal rice like a Zojirushi produces, also takes 55min or so to cook, similar to Zojirushi.

Having a rice cooker and playing with the modes and water ratios is nowhere near stove top rice. You can prepare it in about 3 dozens of different ways, all better than stove top and always predictable.
You can also throw rice and water in it and either program it to cook at a set time, or cook it earlier and keep warm for hours (so the amount of time it takes to cook is not an argument to not buy one, should it come up ).

 

[e30Birdy]

Thanks @Chopper88 the model I am looking at is their highest end model with pressure and induction. But from what I read and saw on YouTube and such I can also turn the knob on the top and have pressure on or off.

How much better is rice out of a rice cooker? Like is it better flavor. I know some days my GF will hit it perfect and other days it's mushy or hard using the same technique she always uses. Most the rice we eat is long grain basmati and jasmine but I also want to get into some short/medium grains for the Asian delicacies we make as I think they would better match that.

 

[nhb22]

Thanks @Chopper88 the model I am looking at is their highest end model with pressure and induction. But from what I read and saw on YouTube and such I can also turn the knob on the top and have pressure on or off.

How much better is rice out of a rice cooker? Like is it better flavor. I know some days my GF will hit it perfect and other days it's mushy or hard using the same technique she always uses. Most the rice we eat is long grain basmati and jasmine but I also want to get into some short/medium grains for the Asian delicacies we make as I think they would better match that.

A $30 rice cooker from the commissary is better than a pot on the stove…

 

[hendrix]

We’re (my wife actually - she’s more picky than me) likes the Cuckoo a lot. Texture of the rice was a step up from her former rice cooker (of which the name escapes me) and cooks relatively quickly as it a pressure cooker. Speaks multiple languages too . Purchased it from this thread.

 

[enrico]

Really love using my Tiger. Super simple and easy to pull apart and clean. Shes been through quite a bit but is still going strong

 

[stringer]

Thanks @Chopper88 the model I am looking at is their highest end model with pressure and induction. But from what I read and saw on YouTube and such I can also turn the knob on the top and have pressure on or off.

How much better is rice out of a rice cooker? Like is it better flavor. I know some days my GF will hit it perfect and other days it's mushy or hard using the same technique she always uses. Most the rice we eat is long grain basmati and jasmine but I also want to get into some short/medium grains for the Asian delicacies we make as I think they would better match that.

I only cook stovetop for basmati. The short/medium Asian ones are definitely a better match for the rice cooker, IMO YMMV, etc.

 

[mengwong]

I wonder if she will notice if it just appears and I say it was an accident, like I tripped and fell and accidentally ordered it.

KKF should have given you plenty of practice in the knife department, just transfer that skill to electrical appliances!

I agree with the votes for Cuckoo and Yum-Asia. Midea is fine too. At that price point an experimental purchase shouldn’t trigger a spousal pre-approval…

 

[mengwong]

Yum Asia which sells ancient lower end Zojirushi models for too much money.

Is this still true? Their own makes seem to have caught up with Zojirushi in terms of product mix and pricing.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/stores/Y...SIA/page/D3821E7E-E046-4843-B405-DCEFF7692A26

 

[Chopper88]

Is this still true? Their own makes seem to have caught up with Zojirushi in terms of product mix and pricing.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/stores/Y...SIA/page/D3821E7E-E046-4843-B405-DCEFF7692A26

View attachment 316455

Sorry, I should've been more specific and should've provided a little more context.

I have only focused on their Zojirushi offerings as direct competition to Cuckoo. They sell Zojirushi models without induction and pressure cooking for €300/€400.

 

[Chopper88]

Thanks @Chopper88 the model I am looking at is their highest end model with pressure and induction. But from what I read and saw on YouTube and such I can also turn the knob on the top and have pressure on or off.

How much better is rice out of a rice cooker? Like is it better flavor. I know some days my GF will hit it perfect and other days it's mushy or hard using the same technique she always uses. Most the rice we eat is long grain basmati and jasmine but I also want to get into some short/medium grains for the Asian delicacies we make as I think they would better match that.

My model has pressure and induction as well, I opted for this one instead of the one you're looking at because of the 'multi cook' function it has, as I figured it would be nice to set the temp and use it as a slow cooker as well. However, turns out that is not possible... So in the end it probably wouldn't have made a difference hehe.
Mine doesn't use pressure either if you cook using the soft glutinous rice setting for example. It lets steam out very gently throughout the cooking, where if you select glutinous rice it will automatically open something in the lid at the end and let all the pressurized steam out all at once.

I do think that is also another difference in the two top models they offer, mine lets you select soak time and heating power when cooking glutinous rice through the 'my cook' menu, the twin pressure one only lets you choose soak time iirc, but don't pin me on that, it's been over a year since I dove into this.

Whether the rice has better flavor, to be honest I find this hard to answer, as I know you're asking this to justify a purchase.
Yes it is definitely better than stove top rice, but with the cookers we're talking about, it's also a thing of diminishing returns. These are just arbitrary numbers, but if stove top rice is a 4/10, then a cheap rice cooker is a 6/10, a lower end fussy logic cooker is already a 7.5/10 and a high end cooker takes it to a 9/10 at 3x the price. You do get a bunch of different options and modes with the Cuckoo though so you can really dial it in and get exactly what you want.

 

[sumis]

not against anything, just honestly curious and ignorant: what’s the benefit from pressure and induction if 90 % of the rice i’m cooking is short grain japonica varieties?

– is pressure just a question of time/convenience? i can only imagine it impacting quality negatively (again, only talking good quality japonica rice).

– are there any reasons for induction other than using the machine for other things than cooking rice?

– why do rice cookers look worse and more stupid the more higher end they are? who likes objects in your kitchen that looks like a rejected car dashboard design from 1992? it's seriously off putting.

.

 

[mengwong]

Re pressure and induction in rice cookers…