Zojirushi NP-HBC18 10-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker and Warmer Reviews

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List Price: $431.00
Sale Price: $306.98
Today's Bonus: 29% Off

We thought we knew what rice was supposed to be like when we used our Costco Aroma Rice Cookers--we would just, as a matter of course, replace the old ones with the same brand... Until this time.

After reading up on consumer reviews and Japanese sites, we opted to try the Zojirushi Induction Heating Rice Cooker. The stainless steel is STUNNING--the pictures do NOT do it justice--it is gorgeous on my countertop--a piece of furniture, like the KitchenAid Mixer. It is easy to set up (clock time, etc) and easy to use. (The directions are very clear.) I tried some Jasmine Rice in it for our first try--and WOW! I was totally amazed! Each piece of rice is perfect in every way. I have never had such results before. Perfect temperature, perfect texture, perfect stickiness, perfect taste. The aroma in the kitchen fills the house and it's wonderful.

There is very little steam (unlike most rice cookers) and it is very easy to clean up. It keeps the rice at that perfect temperature for hours--even longer with the extended warm feature.

I know it's expensive--but in this case, I truly believe you get what you pay for. If you want to know what rice is supposed to be like--you must get one of these! Zojirushi makes a couple of different types of rice cookers--and I have heard that they are all terrific. This one cooks with induction heating, which uses magnets... the unit doesn't get hot...

If you can--get this one!

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I purchased this rice cooker about a month or so ago. I cannot say enough good things about this rice cooker. It is absolutely fantastic! Everything I've made (rice and non-rice) has come out wonderfully!

I have a cook/warm rice cooker that I'm going to sell at a yard sale. I will never be able to go back to using that type of machine again. The difference between the Zojirushi and the cook/warm is more than night and day. The difference between the quality in the rice bowls alone is unbelievable. The Zojirushi has a bowl that is very thick and heavy, not unlike my stove top cookware. My old cook/warm rice bowl feels like one of my cheap mixing bowls.

Prior to purchasing the Zojirushi, we never really cared for brown rice. It was too crunchy/chewy. Now my family and I love brown rice. The GABA Brown Rice setting is amazing. I have never made, nor eaten, brown rice that was so light and fluffy before in my life. Because of that, we mostly eat brown rice now which is much healthier for us anyway.

You will not be disappointed with this machine. It's looks beautiful sitting on the counter top. Clean up is a breeze the stainless has some sort of coating and does not show fingerprints or smears!

UPDATE 08/12/2012: Well, after years of using this fabulous rice cooker numerous times a week, I needed to replace it. I ordered another one because my husband and I love the way this makes brown rice, other grains, and steel cut oats. The rubber seal on our original model was worn out. If we weren't around to take the food out right away, it was drying out and wasn't hot enough. I looked at the new pressure cooker model, read the various reviews, and decided to re-order this model. However, I am going to look to see if I can do something to prolong the life of the seal on my new one.

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Update: We have owned this rice cooker for about 2 years now and it continues to cook good rice every time. Some Tips:

1. Add 10% more water than is indicated, this will make fluffier rice

2. In order to make Persian-style rice, throw in one tablespoon butter and salt to taste with the water: when used with Basmati rice, this would produce fragrant rice with every grain standing apart.

3. For long-grain rice, use the "Soft" option.

4. Please use it to cook brown rice on GABA setting. Exquisite.

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We have had this rice cooker for a week now and have already tried all its settings. It's unbelievable how this cooker makes fluffy, moist rice where each grain stands out without getting sticky. This happens whether you put in Basmati rice, Sushi rice or brown rice. It's astounding how the rice remain fresh, warm and hardly dry out. That was a big change for us, having used no-good Oster rice cookers until we went to a Japanese supermarket and saw how cool and functional this unit looked. We are now eating more (healthier) brown rice and not throwing away any rice the following day. The Japanese sure know how to cook rice.

The menu is simple but offers plenty of choice. The inside bowl is heavy and made of Stainless Steel and has deep and clear marking to help you add the right amount of water without having to use cups. The melodies are a bit of a nuisance, but you wouldn't hear them over your dishwasher, so that's quite all right. The cooker does take twice as long as other, cheap rice cookers, but the ensuing taste is worth the wait.

Without a doubt, the machine is beautiful. If you really want to eat great rice every time and can afford the price, this is your best choice.

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Yes, this rice cooker is crazy expensive, but worth it. I agree with all the other reviewers that the rice comes out perfect every time, even if you leave it warming for hours. We only eat brown rice, and were disappointed with previous rice cookers that left the rice crunchy, with that disgusting hard crust at the bottom of the pan. With this cooker, every grain is perfect. We also use the "porridge" setting to cook steel cut oats and hot cereal. We do reduce the amount of water the cooker recommends for porridge, to create a thicker end product. This is just a personal preference, however. This cooker is goof proof. The timer is simple to set, and I find the little melody that plays when the cooktime begins and ends to be adorable. Since buying this product, we've been using it several times a week and eating healthier as a result. It's expensive, but take a deep breath and make this investment. You won't be disappointed.

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Great machine for cooking rice of all kinds. Very easy to clean, too, even when cooking brown rice with azuki beans. Has a steam capturing devise which prevents too much steam from escaping into your kitchen.

Brew Belt Fermentation Heating Belt, 1-Count Belt Reviews

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One of the main problems home/kit winemakers have is driving off the CO2 from our wines. One thing it's easy to miss if you're not familiar with the process is that CO2 becomes much LESS soluble in wine above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, making degassing enormously easier. If your house is cool like mine, then a brew belt heater is exactly the solution.

I've used mine with both my 6 gallon Better Bottles and glass carboys with no trouble. So long as you put the belt below the liquid level on the carboy the heat spreads evenly through the vessel.

Elegant and reliable. Highly recommended.

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This is an excellent product for maintaining minimum heat during wine fermentation. I have used it on three batches of wine and have never been disappointed. Outstanding product and easy to use.

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The belt worked as I had hoped. Keeps the product at the temperature that it is supposed to be in house that I let get down to 62 degrees at night. Just measured the belt temp with the temperature gun and it is 100 degrees +/-. The liquid is around 82 to 85. Try it you'll like it.

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I initially had some reservations about the effectiveness of this belt but decided to give a try anyway. I am pleasantly surprised that it has worked really well maintaining a temp of 78 degrees in my mash while the room temp is at a steady 68 degrees. I have a stainless steel pot with the upper half insullated from the ambient temp. and there is no indication that liquid has been overheated at any point. I experimented with the placement of the belt on the pot and have found that it works best on my equipment at abt 6 inches from the bottom. It doesn't look as if it would be effective but I can't argue with the results.

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In my cool basement this heat belt heats my must up to 75 F and the little grey cells just cook the sugar to alcohol.

Reviews of Soleus Air HGW-308R Flat Panel Micathermic Radiator Heater

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List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $81.75
Today's Bonus: 18% Off

This heater seems to have been cranked out to take advantage of the popularity of the new Micathermic technology. This new heating technology heats up the panel very quickly, but takes as long as the oil heaters to heat the room. This is to be expected. With out a fan, the speed of heating is determined by the size of the heating surface. Which in this case is around 30" X 30". This technology is completely silent, compared to the bubbling noise of the oil radiators.

Ok, the mistakes Soleus made. The digital thermostat is somewhat for show. In my 10' X 10' room the heater is set for 77 but the room never reaches 70 degrees. The heater turns off making you think it has reached it's goal. Same room, I put in another Soleus heater. I initially left this heater at the default 68 degrees that is displayed when the unit first comes on. Now the room stays above 78 degrees. After much experimentation and repositioning of heaters, I've discovered a trend. Each heater has a fixed error in their temp sensor. For instance the previous mentioned heater is exactly ten degrees off. You set it for 68, it tries to keep the room at 78. This error is different for each heater. In addition these heaters have roughly a five degree response range. In other words it may keep heating for an addtional five degrees past the target setting and after turning off may not start again until it's more than five degrees below the target setting.

Soleus did a great job at making a silent technology noisy. The single Micathermic panel heats up very quickly, so it expands quickly. Initially you'll hear these little creaking pops as the housing mount points are trying to hang on to the panel as it expands. Then you'll hear a gong as the panel bows out under pressure. These sounds aren't loud, but in a quiet room in the middle of the night, it wakes me up. Smaller multiple panels might reduce this noise problem.

As far as the smell, hang in there. It takes awhile, but it eventually goes away.

I gave this heater three stars because the problems I pointed out are pretty much the norm for most portable heaters I've used. Micathermic technology is great, someone just needs to put it in a quality device.

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First unit dead after 6 months (lights come on no heat)

replacement huge dent in back panel on arrival (box perfect... they sent it that way!)

second replacement OK for a few months. Tried it as the weather got colder this month. Worked once, now won't heat up.

Customer service says the warranty starts (and ends) based on the original purchase date, so I'm out of luck.

AVOID THIS COMPANY

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We are currently living in a small house with no central heat or air while we save for a new house. Because of this, we have had an opportunity to try several types of portable heaters. This heater is by far my favorite. Last year it kept my bedroom very warm. The heat radiates out more slowly than many of the heaters we have tried and it really warms up the room instead of just racing to the ceiling. I never thought about that before, but we are very happy with the results. We are just starting our second year with this heater and have ordered three more just like it. I have read several reviews on heaters and it is weird how some people will love a heater while others hate the same heater. All I can say is that we are using it as a primary source of heat in about 150 square feet where temperatures frequently get in the teens and it seems to do the job well.

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This space heater worked fine for about 6 months, then suddenly stopped working. For this price, I expect a product to function correctly and reliably. Less expensive space heaters I have purchased have worked beautifully for much much longer.

Customer service was not helpful. Do not buy this product.

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I've just had this a short time and have been testing it out, so I can't speak to the reliability issues that some have raises. I do think that problem units tend to make it into these reviews more than the trouble free ones. After all, if you get a lemon you are highly motivated to tell the world.

This unit heats my room up much faster than the 1500w Deloughi oil unit that I tried. It is much quieter than the Sunbeam quartz unit that I tried. There is a slight hum when it is heating, but not at all objectionable. There is definitely some radiant effect that you can feel several feet away so it can be used as an instant-heat, personal heater. I find the thermostat to be fairly accurate. The room has been running 1 or 2 degrees hotter than the setting. Room is 180 sq. ft.

I am concerned about EMF radiation, so I tested it with a gauss meter. It gets into the "safe" range at about 32" (2 gauss). The reading is negligible at about 52" (.01 gauss). If you don't know what I am talking about, you should do some research if you want to avoid cancer. Most heaters are a little less, but I find this acceptable in the room I am using.

I like the remote because I do healing work in this room and I can adjust the temp without getting up from massage table. Back to reliability: I can't say for this unit, but I have used a Soleus dehumidifier for two summers and it is an outstanding machine. I give this unit a 4 because of others reliability experiences and the slightly higher EMF. As far as performance is concerned, I am thrilled. I needed a machine that was efficient and quiet and this fills the bill. Oil and quartz fell short of the mark. I had planned to get a mechanical thermostat model but they were out. I spent $10 more for the digital and like the way it works and the remote, I think the mechanical would have been more reliable in the long run however. When a digital unit dies it is usually the electronics that fail. (I am a former repairman)

Addendum: Still works fine in spring of 2013. I love this heater--heats room fast and quiet.

Best Bissell ProHeat Steam Cleaner Heater 0104503, B-010-4503 Deals

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List Price: $66.00
Sale Price: $55.00
Today's Bonus: 17% Off

I just bought this part .. brand new -from Seneca River Trading for $26.95. They're online. It's about time that the price gouging was put an end to.

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