TL;DR: Buy this, it’s amazing. There’s no need to buy a fancier model, this makes perfect rice, is simple, is inexpensive, and does not take up much room.
As someone with extensive experience in the kitchen, both professionally and at home, I cannot imagine anything simpler to cook than rice. There are only 2 ingredients, rice & water and it's not very complicated. With so many appliances in my kitchen, why bother with another thing to buy, use once, and take up storage space? I have enough gadgets that seemed great on paper (air fryers, bread makers, etc.) which did not do the job as well as I could do using traditional methods, and which were often difficult to clean and maintain. So, a rice cooker? A machine to replace the easiest food in the world to cook? Why?
My wife had suggested one, after all, all of the restaurants that served rice used them. But, I explained (probably incorrectly) they need to make a LOT of rice; we don't, and that's probably why they use them. Then I came across an article in one of my favorite food magazines, where they test products and came across their review of rice cookers. This rice cooker received the highest rating and was the least expensive of all their tests (and this is a serious chef's magazine, not supported by advertising; their reviews are spot-on and unbiased). And so, I bit the bullet and thought that if it was garbage, I'd just toss it, it was inexpensive enough.
As soon as I got this, I wanted to use it and prove to my wife why it was a waste of money and space, and how even a review from an almost always dependable magazine, could be wrong, Of course, I tried some basmati rice because I knew that there was no way that I was going to get fluffy rice with discrete, pieces of rice not stuck together. Once more I would show her who was right.
Wrong.
After about 33 minutes when the machine said that the rice was done, I opened the lid and, behold, it was perfect! Each grain of rice was perfectly cooked, separate from all the other grains, flowable, and it was the same from the top of the pot to the bottom. Amazing and impressive.
Then I decided that the time/temperature etc. of this gadget must have been designed for basmati rice, let's try some short-grain sticky rice for sushi. Damn, how does it know? Again, perfect.
I'm now a believer, I admit I was very wrong, and the answer to who needs a rice cooker is: I do and You do.
- This machine cleans up beautifully, it leaves no rice on the bottom of the pot.
- It is simple to use.
- It cooks rice perfectly
My only issue with it is, as per the attached photos, it is very difficult to see the water line markings on the inside of the pot. This machine is too good, however, to deduct any points for that.
Two things to point out:
1) The cup that it comes with equals 3/4 of a dry cup measure. It says that in the instructions but on the cup itself, there is a 3/4 full mark. That's a bit confusing but, the measuring cup is 3/4 cup when it is filled to the top. If you fill it to the 3/4 mark, you're weighing out 3/4 of a cup (or a little over 1/2 of a regular cup) so just fill it to the brim.
2) There is a steam vent on the lid. It's probably not best to place this under a cabinet; condensation will form on the underside of the cabinet and drip or, worse, penetrate the cabinet wood and get moldy. Keep it in a position so that the vent is clear of anything above it.
I highly recommend, despite my previous insistence that nobody needs a rice cooker, this machine. It's amazing.
Review of: Aroma Housewares 2-8-Cups (Cooked) Digital Cool-Touch Rice Grain Cooker and Food Steamer
AROMA Digital Rice Cooker, 4-Cup (Uncooked) / 8-Cup (Cooked), Steamer, Grain Cooker, Multicooker, 2 Qt, Stainless Steel Exter
4.5 | 61,287 ratings
Price: 29.98
Last update: 01-10-2025
About this item
Easy-to-use programmable digital controls complete with an automatic Keep Warm mode after each cycle
An array of preset functions for every kind of meal: White Rice, Brown Rice, Steam, Flash Rice
Steam meat, vegetables and more with the provided Steam Tray all while rice cooks below
Perfectly prepares 2 to 8 cups of any variety of cooked rice or grains
Sensor Logic Technology for delicious, fluffy rice and grains every time - automatically controls the internal temperature throughout the cooking cycle for optimal texture and flavor
Item holds up to 2 to 8 cups of cooked rice. 8 cups is the cooked rice capacity. Rice must be cooked in the cup that comes along with this product.
Steams meat and vegetables while rice cooks below
Easy-to-use, programmable digital controls with automatic Keep-Warm and White Rice and Brown Rice functions
Great for soups, jambalaya, chili, and more. Save time with the Flash Rice function which cuts cooking time by up to 50%
15-hour Delay Timer for flexible meal planning
Includes steam tray, rice measuring cup, serving spatula, and exclusive recipes and coupons for Mahatma and Carolina Rice
An array of preset functions for every kind of meal: White Rice, Brown Rice, Steam, Flash Rice
Steam meat, vegetables and more with the provided Steam Tray all while rice cooks below
Perfectly prepares 2 to 8 cups of any variety of cooked rice or grains
Sensor Logic Technology for delicious, fluffy rice and grains every time - automatically controls the internal temperature throughout the cooking cycle for optimal texture and flavor
Item holds up to 2 to 8 cups of cooked rice. 8 cups is the cooked rice capacity. Rice must be cooked in the cup that comes along with this product.
Steams meat and vegetables while rice cooks below
Easy-to-use, programmable digital controls with automatic Keep-Warm and White Rice and Brown Rice functions
Great for soups, jambalaya, chili, and more. Save time with the Flash Rice function which cuts cooking time by up to 50%
15-hour Delay Timer for flexible meal planning
Includes steam tray, rice measuring cup, serving spatula, and exclusive recipes and coupons for Mahatma and Carolina Rice
Product information
| Brand | Aroma Housewares |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 2 Quarts |
| Product Dimensions | 8.63"D x 9.25"W x 8.5"H |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Product Care Instructions | Hand Wash |
| Color | Silver |
| Special Feature | Automatic Keep Warm |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Lid Material | Stainless Steel |
| Item Weight | 4.9 Pounds |
| Wattage | 350 watts |
| Included Components | Inner Pot |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Model Name | Digital Cool-Touch Rice Grain Cooker and Food Steamer |
| Item Weight | 4.9 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Aroma Housewares |
| ASIN | B007WQ9YNO |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | ARC-914SBD |
| Customer Reviews |
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars
58,781 ratings
4.5 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #51 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining) #1 in Rice Cookers |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | April 13, 2012 |
Top reviews from the United States
Prince of Peas
Seriously, why would anyone ever need a rice cooker? Nothing is simpler than making rice!
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2020
Prince of Peas
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2020
As someone with extensive experience in the kitchen, both professionally and at home, I cannot imagine anything simpler to cook than rice. There are only 2 ingredients, rice & water and it's not very complicated. With so many appliances in my kitchen, why bother with another thing to buy, use once, and take up storage space? I have enough gadgets that seemed great on paper (air fryers, bread makers, etc.) which did not do the job as well as I could do using traditional methods, and which were often difficult to clean and maintain. So, a rice cooker? A machine to replace the easiest food in the world to cook? Why?
My wife had suggested one, after all, all of the restaurants that served rice used them. But, I explained (probably incorrectly) they need to make a LOT of rice; we don't, and that's probably why they use them. Then I came across an article in one of my favorite food magazines, where they test products and came across their review of rice cookers. This rice cooker received the highest rating and was the least expensive of all their tests (and this is a serious chef's magazine, not supported by advertising; their reviews are spot-on and unbiased). And so, I bit the bullet and thought that if it was garbage, I'd just toss it, it was inexpensive enough.
As soon as I got this, I wanted to use it and prove to my wife why it was a waste of money and space, and how even a review from an almost always dependable magazine, could be wrong, Of course, I tried some basmati rice because I knew that there was no way that I was going to get fluffy rice with discrete, pieces of rice not stuck together. Once more I would show her who was right.
Wrong.
After about 33 minutes when the machine said that the rice was done, I opened the lid and, behold, it was perfect! Each grain of rice was perfectly cooked, separate from all the other grains, flowable, and it was the same from the top of the pot to the bottom. Amazing and impressive.
Then I decided that the time/temperature etc. of this gadget must have been designed for basmati rice, let's try some short-grain sticky rice for sushi. Damn, how does it know? Again, perfect.
I'm now a believer, I admit I was very wrong, and the answer to who needs a rice cooker is: I do and You do.
- This machine cleans up beautifully, it leaves no rice on the bottom of the pot.
- It is simple to use.
- It cooks rice perfectly
My only issue with it is, as per the attached photos, it is very difficult to see the water line markings on the inside of the pot. This machine is too good, however, to deduct any points for that.
Two things to point out:
1) The cup that it comes with equals 3/4 of a dry cup measure. It says that in the instructions but on the cup itself, there is a 3/4 full mark. That's a bit confusing but, the measuring cup is 3/4 cup when it is filled to the top. If you fill it to the 3/4 mark, you're weighing out 3/4 of a cup (or a little over 1/2 of a regular cup) so just fill it to the brim.
2) There is a steam vent on the lid. It's probably not best to place this under a cabinet; condensation will form on the underside of the cabinet and drip or, worse, penetrate the cabinet wood and get moldy. Keep it in a position so that the vent is clear of anything above it.
I highly recommend, despite my previous insistence that nobody needs a rice cooker, this machine. It's amazing.
Review of: Aroma Housewares 2-8-Cups (Cooked) Digital Cool-Touch Rice Grain Cooker and Food Steamer
Images in this review
Sherri
Good rice steamer for brown rice
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2020