Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD Rice Cooker: Full Review

The Aroma ARC-954SBD is a digital rice cooker and food steamer capable of cooking up to 4 cups of uncooked rice and steaming meat and vegetables simultaneously. This versatile appliance features a simple one-touch operation and an LED control panel that is easy to use. With its sleek stainless steel exterior, the Aroma rice cooker can blend into any modern kitchen décor. This review will cover the design, features, performance, accessories, warranty, price, pros, cons, and overall user experience of the Aroma ARC-954SBD rice cooker. Read on to learn more about how this appliance can be a convenient tool for any home cook that regularly makes rice.

Design and Appearance

The Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker has a sleek and modern design perfect for any kitchen. It has a black stainless steel exterior with a silver trim that gives it a sophisticated look.

The rice cooker has a compact, rounded rectangular shape that doesn't take up too much counter space. It measures about 14 x 12 x 8 inches. The lid, handle, and control panel are made of black plastic that match nicely with the steel body.

There is a simple control panel on the front which contains a power switch, cook indicator lights, and a keep warm button. The buttons have a smooth finish and click nicely when pressed.

Inside, the inner cooking pot is surgical stainless steel. It has measurement markings etched on the inside to help with water levels. The spoon and steam tray included are also made of durable stainless steel.

Overall, the rice cooker has an elegant design with quality materials built to last. The compact shape and color options fit well in most kitchen decors.

Features

The Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker has a number of useful features that make cooking rice simple and convenient.

• Large capacity: The cooker has a 20-cup cooked capacity, meaning it can make up to 20 cups of cooked rice. This is enough to feed a large family or group.

• Keep warm function: After the rice is finished cooking, the unit automatically switches to keep warm mode. This keeps the rice at an optimal serving temperature for up to 12 hours without burning or drying out.

• Delay timer: You can delay the cooking time up to 15 hours, so you can have freshly cooked rice ready whenever you want. Just add the rice and water in the evening, set the timer, and wake up to perfect rice.

• Steam function: The cooker can also be used as a steamer for meats and vegetables. A steam tray is included.

• One-touch cooking: Cooking rice is super simple with just one push of a button. No need to watch the pot or make adjustments.

• Automatic shutoff: For safety, the unit will automatically switch to keep warm mode after cooking and then shut off completely after 12 hours.

With these useful features, the Aroma rice cooker simplifies home cooking and allows you to prepare restaurant-quality rice with no effort.

Ease of Use

The Aroma Housewares rice cooker is very easy to set up, program, and clean.

Setting up the rice cooker is simple - just remove it from the box, unwrap the cord, wash the inner pot, and you're ready to go. The inner cooking pot has convenient handles that make it easy to lift in and out of the main body.

Programming the rice cooker is straightforward thanks to the easy-to-read digital control panel. There are settings for white rice, brown rice, steam, slow cook, and more. Just press the corresponding button for the type of rice or cooking function you want. The LCD display counts down the cooking time remaining. An automatic keep warm function kicks in when cooking is done.

Cleaning the Aroma rice cooker is hassle-free since the inner cooking pot and steaming tray are dishwasher safe. The lid and the body of the rice cooker can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. There are no confusing nooks or crannies to scrub. Overall, the rice cooker is designed to be user-friendly for even novice cooks.

Cooking Performance

The Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker delivers excellent cooking performance for all types of rice. Its advanced heating technology allows it to cook rice quickly and evenly.

The rice cooker can handle regular white rice as well as brown, wild, basmati and jasmine rice. It cooks all varieties of rice to perfection with individual grains remaining intact and fluffy. The rice does not get mushy or stick together.

This Aroma model features specialized heating elements that distribute heat evenly throughout the inner cooking pot. This ensures the rice is cooked uniformly without any undercooked or burnt spots.

The cooker adjusts heat intensity and cooking time automatically based on the type and quantity of rice. It can cook as little as 2 cups uncooked rice up to 14 cups, ideal for both small and large families. The rice is ready in just 20-30 minutes.

The cooker includes settings for regular rice, brown rice and quick rice. The quick rice function reduces cooking time by almost half without compromising taste or texture. Overall, this Aroma rice cooker delivers fast, even cooking for restaurant-quality rice at home.

Accessories

The Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker comes with a steam tray, rice measuring cup, and serving spatula.

The steam tray inserts into the cooker to allow you to steam foods while cooking rice at the same time. This allows you to make a complete meal with steamed vegetables, fish, etc right in your rice cooker. The tray is made of stainless steel and features a flat bottom with holes to allow steam to pass through.

The included rice measuring cup makes it easy to get the perfect rice-to-water ratio. It has volume markings on the side ranging from 2 cups to 6 cups.

The serving spatula is made from heat-resistant plastic. It has an extra long handle to easily scoop and serve rice without burning your hands. The paddle end helps break up any rice that may be stuck together after cooking.

Having these handy accessories means you don't have to buy anything extra to be able to cook restaurant-quality rice and full meals in this machine. The accessories store neatly in the cooker's lid when not in use.

Durability and Warranty

The Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker features a durable stainless steel exterior that looks great and helps protect against dents and scratches. The inner cooking pot is nonstick coated aluminum which allows for easy cooking and cleaning.

Overall, most customer reviews indicate the rice cooker is solidly built and holds up well under frequent use. A few reviews mentioned issues with the plastic parts feeling flimsy or breaking after a year or so, but the majority found the materials to be high quality.

This rice cooker comes with a 1 year limited warranty which protects against defects in materials and workmanship. The warranty does not cover issues from normal wear and tear or accidental damage. Customers have reported Aroma Housewares provides good customer service if you do encounter issues within the warranty period.

Based on customer feedback and the 1 year warranty, the Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker appears to offer reasonable durability for an appliance in this price range. As with any small kitchen appliance, taking care during use and cleaning will help extend the product lifetime. But normal wear and tear should be covered under the included warranty.

Price

The Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker currently sells on Amazon for around $60. At this price point, the rice cooker provides excellent value considering its features, performance, and durability.

While not the cheapest basic rice cooker on the market, the ARC-954SBD offers significantly more than just a basic cooker. The additional settings, ability to cook multiple dishes at once, delay timer, and other convenience features justify the slightly higher price tag.

For shoppers looking for a rice cooker with extra versatility to handle a wide variety of one-pot meals beyond just rice, the Aroma Housewares model delivers outstanding functionality and quality for the price. The cooker performs very well for making tender, fluffy rice, with the flexibility of other pre-set menus and settings like stew, soup, steaming, and slow cook.

Compared to other rice cookers with similar multi-cooking capacities and settings, the ARC-954SBD hits a sweet spot of high performance and reasonable price that makes it an excellent value purchase for most households. It provides more than basic cookers for not much more money.

Overall, given the device's durability, versatile functionality, and quality rice cooking, the Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker offers excellent value for the price making it a worthwhile investment for most home cooks.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Large 10-cup cooked capacity
• Digital controls with preset cooking functions
• Delay timer allows scheduling cooking up to 15 hours in advance
• Keep warm function holds rice at optimal serving temperature
• Steams vegetables, fish, chicken and more while rice cooks below
• Durable stainless steel exterior
• Nonstick cooking pot for easy cleaning
• Accessory steam tray, rice spatula, and measuring cup included

Cons

• Exterior gets very hot during cooking
• Lid does not have viewing window
• Rice paddle feels flimsy
• Short 1 year limited warranty
• Price is higher than some comparable models

Overall, the Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker has excellent cooking performance and useful digital features like delay start timer and keep warm mode. The accessories, large capacity, and stainless steel exterior make it a versatile appliance. However, the short warranty and lack of a viewing window on the lid are disadvantages. This is a good mid-range option, but may not justify the higher price tag compared to other models.

Conclusion

The Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD rice cooker is an excellent option for most home cooks looking for an affordable and reliable appliance. Its simple, intuitive controls and sleek stainless steel exterior make it easy to use while lending a modern aesthetic to any kitchen.

The rice cooker delivers consistently fluffy, tender grains of rice thanks to its smart cooking algorithms and steam venting system. It can cook all varieties of rice, including white, brown, jasmine and basmati with excellent results every time. The steam tray allows for simultaneous cooking of vegetables, fish, or meat along with the rice.

While it lacks some of the advanced features of pricier models, the Aroma rice cooker provides very satisfactory performance for basic rice cooking needs. The delay timer and keep warm functions add convenience, allowing you to have freshly cooked rice ready when needed.

With its sturdy construction and 3-year limited warranty, the Aroma rice cooker is built to last. For home cooks seeking an affordable rice cooker that simplifies meal preparation, produces perfect rice, and looks great on the countertop, the Aroma Housewares ARC-954SBD is highly recommended. It delivers excellent value for the price point.