654360 Wed Sep 23 06:59:23 -0700 2009 12 41 Cookware 0 5051623 I need to buy a new rice cooker as my National is starting to break down - the teflon is coming off the inner bowl. I LOVE the National (and I love the fact that I got it for $5 at Goodwill) but I am thinking of moving up to a Zoji. I want to be able to make steel cut oats in it, as well as barley and millet. Can someone give me some advice? Do I need an induction? A Micom? A fuzzy neuro, or just a fuzzy logic? Thanks Wed Sep 23 06:59:23 -0700 2009 42720 chemfemme 1 5051696 I purchased a small Rival unit a couple of years ago at the local supermarket for $10 on sale......works every bit as good as the larger more expensive one I've seen used in commercial kitchens. Unless you need timing features, I see no need for the extra bells and whistles. For the record, I have never made steel cut oats, barley or millet....so I cannot help you there.... Wed Sep 23 07:28:10 -0700 2009 5051623 123497 fourunder 2 5051739 I have the Rival too, and have had it for several years now. No problems with it and it has been reliable. No bells and whistles but I can't think what would b&w's I would need. Other than, maybe a nonstick surface. Wed Sep 23 07:44:13 -0700 2009 5051696 71241 lynnlato 1 5051879 I have a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy model and every time I've tried to make steel cut outs it spatters out the top vent and I have to take it apart to clean it. How do you do it? Wed Sep 23 08:22:03 -0700 2009 5051623 1109413 flyingpostman 1 5052139 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/437485#2906596 Wed Sep 23 09:28:24 -0700 2009 5051623 10606 Joe Blowe 1 5052161 I have a Sanyo model (ECJ-HC55S/H) that I use daily. The manual says micro-computerized which I think means "fuzzy logic". I wanted an induction but I couldn't justify the cost, however I am very happy with my Sanyo. My husband is from Japan and he loves it. He also wants to take it back to Japan with us when we move back next year. It has a slow cook setting, steaming setting and tofu setting. We use it mostly for rice but about once a week we steam eggs and make soup. I've tried the tofu function but I'm still experimenting with it. It also has different rice settings. It has a porridge setting that might work for grains. The cooker came with 2 upper inner lids, 1 slow cooking and 1 for rice, same for the bowls, 1 for slow cooking and 1 for rice, a rice spatula, a steaming tray that has indents for eggs and a square tofu making bowl. The steam vent on the lid is also really easy to remove for cleaning. It's going on Amazon for $120 now. Wed Sep 23 09:34:04 -0700 2009 5051623 1108602 tokyotogo 1 5053071 I have a Zojirushi and previously I had a National like you. I was debating between Tiger and Zojirushi and at the end, I got Zojirushi because the elephant icon is so cool. I don't know if the fuzzy logic makes a huge difference, but it certainly does not hurt. Keep in mind that these rice cookers are utlimately designed for cooking rice. Any other function is secondary and may not work well. You can certainly cook oats, millet in it, but youmay have to play around a bit to get a feel for the water to grain ratio. Wed Sep 23 13:50:29 -0700 2009 5051623 1110551 Chemicalkinetics 1 5053302 I believe my Zoji is a fuzzy, not a neuro. I bought it because I wanted a cooker to do brown rice. I used it quite a bit before taking it off the counter when we started to show our house. I do pull it out for brown rice; otherwise I've largely gone back to the micro for rice. I never mastered cooking cereal in it. It does do excellent rice, white or brown. Wed Sep 23 15:17:03 -0700 2009 5051623 134265 sueatmo 2 5060114 I ended up with the Zoji 5.5 cup fuzzy neuro - I have busted it out of the box, and we are planning on making our oat tomorrow morning with it, on a timer. I have had a look at the thread re: steel cut oats, but I do not want the splattering issue. I usually use a 4 - 1 water to oats ratio. Should I cut it to 3 - 1 Sat Sep 26 11:15:57 -0700 2009 5053302 42720 chemfemme 3 5060121 I should also add (with better grammar this time) that we like our oats more solid than liquid. I.e. I don't want to use the porridge setting on the cooker. Can I use the brown rice setting? Sat Sep 26 11:21:26 -0700 2009 5060114 42720 chemfemme 1 5060910 i have a miracle brand rice cooker. its good because stainless steel and glass are the only materials that contact the food. plastic only on the outside of device and no teflon. only bad thing is the small hole in the glass lid...why have that? Sat Sep 26 19:00:44 -0700 2009 5051623 1107815 msp007 2 5061009 msp007, Isn't the hole for releasing steam? Sat Sep 26 20:15:07 -0700 2009 5060910 1110551 Chemicalkinetics 3 5061433 well yeah, but all the old pressure cookers i've seen have lids without a hole. i don't think its necessary; i can only understand why they put a whole in the lid as a legal liability issue, but to me the effect of it is that it's counterproductive to cooking rice. Sun Sep 27 07:05:46 -0700 2009 5061009 1107815 msp007