Rice Cooker - NOT non-stick?

[ddelicious]

i'm looking for a rice cooker without a non stick coating. Does anyone know of a brand that's available in toronto?

[anna]

I love my Zojirushi. I don't know where it would be available in Toronto. Here's a link to what it looks like.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/produ...

It said it's non-stick in the description, but it really isn't.

[Sparkle Fontaine]

>It said it's non-stick in the description, but it really isn't.

Maybe you mean your rice sticks? But Zojirushi customer service told me they use a nonstick coating called sumiflon on their rice pans. Sumiflon is a PTFE/Teflon type coating, so if you don't want to cook with that you have to find another brand. It's too bad, people love their Zojirushis.

[Maverick8901]

It does have a non-stick surface. I have it. I wish I could find one that didn't have a non-stick surface...sigh...

[sweetie]

Are you ever near Markham. Pacific Mall has several houseware stores some of which carry Zojirushi. If that doesn't work then try Market village right next door (one houseware store). If none of those are suitable maybe you could try the Peach Tree plaza at HWY 7 and Kennedy, there are two houseware stores there. And I think there is a place near Kensington market called Fortunes that sells all kinds of things asian houseware included.

[mochimunchie]

Here is one with a stainless steel insert you can get by mail order.

http://www.juicersforless.com/product...

[Pupster]

Before Zojirushi began their assault on the rice cooker market with their non-stick plastic insert rice cooker, National used to be the go-to rice cooker brand of choice. It has a metal (aluminum) insert that gives you a nice crispy bottom, which as a noonungjin (crispy browned rice) lover I prefer. I still have one from almost 20 years ago, still going strong. I believe the Nationals are now re-branded to Panasonic, but they are hard to find these days. Good luck.

[JRCann]

I too have a National with an alumium anodized pan... I love it.. over 20 years old and I have not seen one simular for a long time.

[BLM]

Is NOT non-stick better than a non-stick pan? Or it depends on the brand? We looking into getting a new basic model. Regularly make chinese rice, & we have had problems with rice sticking at the bottom of several basic rice cookers we have had over the years. The one we had years ago, the rice didn't stick at the beginning, but after about two years of regular use, started sticking. For basic rice cookers, are Zojirushi, Tiger, Pansonic/National & Sanyo brands the best on the market?

[happy_c]

Don't know about the brands, but I have the same problem with my old (10 years) Panasonic. The nonstick coating has mostly peeled off. Fortunately, there's a work-around I use until I can afford a nice new programmable rice cooker (that will have hot fluffy rice waiting for me at dinnertime): After the rice is done, turn off the "keep warm" function (I have to unplug it) and wait about 10 minutes before opening the lid. This seems to significantly reduce sticking.

If you WANT sticking and a crispy brown bottom, you can always use your non-stick for a couple of years until the coating peels off :). Or leave it on "keep warm" for 12 hours, like I did once. I damn near had to scrape the rice out with a chisel that time.

[JRCann]

Happy, if you left in on for 12hrs and had to chisel the rice out, I think that could explain why the non-stick peel off. As an aside, National is Panasonic.

[happy_c]

Yeah, I think that might have had something to do with it.

I didn't want to soak to get it off because I would've missed being able to eat all that lovely crunchy browned rice.

[KaimukiMan]

just fill it with water and let it soak for another 12 hours. most of it will come out. and yes, a little rice does stick at the bottom. Good grief, its not like its hard to get it out, all it needs is about 15 minutes of soapy water soaking it.

[Pasadena]

I recently bought one called VitaClay. The inside pot is made of clay. It is fully programmable and looks terrific - black and stainless steel - also can be used as a slow cooker. After looking all over for a pot without nonstick coating, I finally found this one on Amazon.com two weeks ago. I just received it, and I made my first pot of perfect rice last night. I am thrilled with it. (Amazon is selling it for $99.99 w/free shipping.)

[Clarkafella]

That sounded interesting, so I went looking online to see what they looked like. The very first web site that I looked at mentioned twice that there was "no added lead" in the clay. It doesn't seem like they would be able to sell them in the US if they had lead, but still- this seemed a little spooky to me- why not say "lead free"?...

Did yours say anything about the lead content of the clay?

[paulj]

Since clay is 'dirt', weathered rock, it contains lead, even if it is measured in ppm. The lead level may well be low enough to be safe, but it isn't lead-free in an absolute sense.

Usually the concern is that lead, or a lead containing compound, is sometimes added to pottery glazes to enhance certain qualities. In these case the levels can be high enough to leach into food, especially acidic liquids that are stored in clay jugs.

[lmr2020]

The only one I know of is the lower end of the Hitachi brand. I now have to replace mine, which lasted 25 years.

[warneral]

I've just switched to a stainless steel saucepan! Works great. It's nearly as easy - once it starts to boil, turn heat to low and turn the timer on for 20min.

I'm interested in this clay one... off to check it out!

[brittle peanut]

I bought a cheap one when I was a student at some low-brow store (I don't quite remember but something along the lines of a pharmacy). It was non-stick and cheap, the sort that is basically a metal pan that fits on top of a coil, with a lid and a "cook" button, no particularly fancy features. They are out there.

[goodeatsgal]

Last week, the New York Times had a little blurb on a new stainless steel rice cooker and insert. It can be ordered online. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/din...

[Maverick8901]

YOU ARE AWESOME!
I have been looking for a stainless steel rice cooker.
And they had some great looking organic rices offered as well. I wish I could give you a commission check for finding this for me! Thanks for taking the time to post goodeatsgal! You are very appreciated! YAAYAYAYAY!

[goodeatsgal]

You're welcome. :). I hope it's still available 2 years later! Enjoy!