Zojirushi has been in business for more than 90 years after the launch of their first glass-lined vacuum bottle. That product set a standard in the industry for vacuum insulation technology. Since then the company has been improving the quality of life for their customers by developing innovative products like electric water boilers, beverage dispensers and rice cookers. Their cooking and food preservation products are top sellers and high in design and quality. One of their popular products is the Zojirushi NP-HBC10 rice cooker.
Induction Heating and MICOM (microcomputer technology)
The Zojirushi NP-HBC10 is a stainless steel rice cooker and warmer that uses induction heating and microcomputer technology to enables you to get hot fluffy rice cooked to perfection every time. Induction heating takes place when a magnetic material goes into a magnetic field. You are probably accustomed to heating elements located at the bottom of a pot. With the induction heating process, an electric current passes through coils at the bottom of the rice cooker and turns the whole inner pot into a heat conductor. This happens when the 2-ply inner cooking pot is placed inside the cooker. This enables more balanced cooking temperatures over the entire cooker which means the cooking process is uniformed. Perhaps you experienced when portions of your food don’t cook as well as other parts. Induction heating helps eliminate this dilemma.
Not only does the Zohirushi NP-HBC10 use induction heating to achieve perfect rice, but it also uses microcomputer technology which enables the cooker to adjust cooking time and temperature without you having to consistently monitor it. The chip is programmed so that the pot can detect what is needed according to what you are cooking.
Features
Zohirushi NP-HBC10 accommodates 5 ½ cups of uncooked rice. There are multi-menu functions for sushi rice, mixed rice, porridge, brown rice and white rice. The microchip is even programmed to time the pre-soak of raw grains and the final wait before steaming. The brown rice setting activates the rice which gives it more nutritional value. When your rice is finished cooking, an interchangeable beep and melody alerts you. There is a keep warm and extended warmer feature so that your rice will stay warm after it is cooked, even if you don’t eat it right away.
The LCD panel on this rice cooker has a clock and timer feature and is easy to read. There is also a delay timer that has two settings, and a detachable power cord.
This rice cooker is made in Japan and has been tested to comply with FCC standards. The detachable lid and stainless steel exterior make this cooker easy to clean. Accessories included with the cooker are a spatula holder, spatula, rice-measuring cup, and instruction manual in English, Chinese, Korean, French and Japanese. The instruction manual also includes some delicious recipes to add to your menu.
Customer Reviews
Amazon customers rate the Zohirushi NP-HBC10 Rice Cooker, 4.6 out of 5 stars. D. Hunneyman says the rice results are almost foolproof and mentions that the lithium battery enables the cooker to remember its last settings even if you unplug it. D. Hunneyman did mention that the cooker is a little pricey and that you should be sure to know that it goes by military time. Maxwell Johnson says it does the job perfectly. Lee Partin says it is an excellent grain cooker. Nikadim says it’s the best rice cooker on the market! M. Neal of Charlotte, N.C. says it is exceptional quality with perfect rice each time. Overall, consumers are very happy with this product.
Zohirushi NP-HBC10 is definitely one of the best cookers available on nowadays and we rated as #2 on the market.