Zojirushi 612252-NL-BAC05SB Rice Cooker: Full Review

The Zojirushi NL-BAC05SB is a mid-range rice cooker that offers excellent rice cooking performance paired with useful multi-cooking functions. This 5.5 cup capacity rice cooker features advanced fuzzy logic technology and a spherical cooking pan to produce restaurant-quality rice every time.

With a sleek stainless steel exterior and easy-to-use digital controls, the Zojirushi NL-BAC05SB combines innovative cooking technology with thoughtful design. This rice cooker delivers on Zojirushi's reputation for making some of the best rice cookers available today.

The NL-BAC05SB model provides versatility beyond cooking a variety of rice with settings for porridge, stew, cake, and more. Convenient delay timer and keep warm functions allow flexibility in meal planning. Overall, the Zojirushi NL-BAC05SB rice cooker offers exceptional performance and quality that home cooks have come to expect from the Zojirushi brand.

Appearance and Design

The Zojirushi 612252-NL-BAC05SB stainless steel rice cooker has a sleek, modern look. It measures 11-1/4 x 11-3/4 x 9 inches and weighs around 12.1 pounds so it has a substantial, sturdy feel. The exterior has a brushed stainless steel finish with a detachable black insert pan. The LCD display has a blue backlight making it easy to read. The colored display shows different cooking functions and modes.

The stainless steel lid detaches for easy cleaning. There is a convenient retractable power cord that can pull out from the back of the unit. The square stainless steel handles on each side give you a solid grip for moving the appliance. Overall the rice cooker has an elegant look and premium feel.

Features

The Zojirushi NL-BAC05SB Rice Cooker and Warmer comes packed with features to help you cook delicious rice and more with ease.

Cooking Functions: This rice cooker has multiple cooking functions beyond basic white rice. It can cook brown rice, mixed rice, porridge, sweet rice, sushi rice, and more. The fuzzy logic technology and "tacook" synchronized cooking function help ensure these rice and grain varieties turn out perfectly cooked.

Keep Warm Setting: Once the rice is finished cooking, the rice cooker automatically switches to a keep warm setting. This keeps the rice at an optimal serving temperature for up to 24 hours without burning or overcooking it. You can serve fresh, hot rice for meals throughout the day.

Timer Functions: The rice cooker has several timer functions to provide flexibility and convenience. You can set a delayed start timer to program the cooker to begin cooking at a specified later time. There is also an extended keep warm timer that keeps the rice warm for up to 48 hours.

Ease of Use

The Zojirushi NL-BAC05SB rice cooker has an easy to use control panel with buttons for basic rice cooking, porridge, quick cooking, cake, and keep warm/extended keep warm functions. The LCD control panel is straightforward with a clock, timer, and clear indicators for the cooking function selected.

Programming the cooker is simple - just select the desired function and the machine takes care of the rest. To cook regular rice, all you need to do is press the regular rice button. The cooker will automatically set the temperature and cooking time based on the type of rice being cooked. For porridge, cake, quick cooking, and other functions, select the corresponding button on the panel.

The buttons have symbols that clearly indicate which program you are selecting. The machine will beep to indicate when a cooking cycle starts and finishes. Overall, the intuitive control panel and preset programs make the Zojirushi very easy to use for basic to more advanced cooking functions. Even novice users will find the rice cooker simple to operate right out of the box.

Rice Cooking Performance

The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker delivers excellent rice cooking performance that produces fluffy, tender rice with the ideal texture. The advanced Neuro Fuzzy logic technology is able to precisely adjust cooking time and temperature to ensure perfect rice every time.

The rice comes out with just the right level of stickiness and individual grains remain intact and separate after cooking. Rice cooked in this Zojirushi model has a superior flavor that brings out the natural sweetness of the rice. The consistency is always spot on with fluffy, pillowy rice without any mushiness or hardness.

Many users mention that this Zojirushi rice cooker makes the best tasting rice they've ever had, even when using standard grocery store rice varieties. The consistent results allow anyone to cook restaurant quality rice at home. The Zojirushi is especially impressive for cooking softer rice varieties like short grain white rice or sushi rice.

Other Cooking Functions

The Zojirushi NL-BAC05SB rice cooker offers excellent performance for cooking a variety of grains beyond just white rice. Its spherical cooking pan and thick inner lid are designed to circulate heat evenly, ensuring even and consistent cooking.

The cooker has settings for cooking brown rice, porridge, sweet rice, mixed rice, and other specialty rice types. It cooks brown rice beautifully with each grain remaining separate and retaining the perfect amount of chewiness. The porridge cycle yields smooth and creamy porridge.

You can also use the cooker to make steel cut oats, farro, barley, and other whole grains. Simply adjust the water ratio as needed. The machine cooks them perfectly every time.

In addition to grains, the cooker can also steam vegetables, fish, and meat using the steamer tray included. The steam function automatically adjusts temperature and time to gently cook food. Vegetables retain vibrant color and firm yet tender bite. Fish and meat come out moist and tender.

Finally, the slow cook function lets you braise and stew ingredients for up to 12 hours unattended. Great for preparing chili, stew, oatmeal, and similar dishes. The cooker monitors temperature and switches to keep warm automatically once cooking time is complete.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The Zojirushi NL-BAC05SB rice cooker is very easy to clean thanks to its detachable inner lid, steam vent cap, and detachable inner cooking pan.

The inner lid and vent cap can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher, allowing you to easily remove any rice particles or water deposits that may accumulate during the steaming process. The inner cooking pan is nonstick and comes out effortlessly, making washing away stuck on grains a breeze.

The exterior of the rice cooker is also easy to wipe down after use thanks to the smooth stainless steel finish. A damp cloth is all you need to keep the outside looking shiny and clean.

Overall, the ease of cleaning sets the Zojirushi rice cooker apart from other models. With dishwasher safe parts and nonstick removable components, keeping this machine in tip-top shape is quick and simple.

Noise Level

The Zojirushi Rice Cooker operates quietly while cooking rice and keeping it warm. Users report that the cooking cycle is very quiet, with just faint sounds of steaming and boiling that are only audible if you're very close to the machine. The noises produced are gentle and unobtrusive.

Once the rice is cooked, the cooker switches to its warming function. This operates silently - you cannot hear any sounds coming from the cooker in warming mode. The excellent insulation helps contain any noise. This makes the Zojirushi rice cooker ideal for open kitchen and living spaces, as it won't disturb conversations or TV watching even while working just a few feet away.

Some user reviews mention the Zojirushi being extremely quiet and easier to have a conversation over than other rice cooker brands they've owned. The quiet operation is appreciated by customers.

Warranty and Support

Zojirushi offers a 1-year limited warranty on the NL-BAC05SB rice cooker to cover defects in materials and workmanship. The warranty also covers issues like the cooking function not working properly under normal household use.

The warranty does not cover cosmetic damage, misuse, tampering, commercial use, unreasonable use, damage from neglect, modification, or damage from an act of God.

The NL-BAC05SB has been known for its durability and long-lasting performance. Most consumers report the cooker lasting far beyond the 1-year warranty.

Zojirushi provides excellent customer service via phone, email or live chat on their website. Their customer support team is friendly, responsive and helpful in troubleshooting any issues with the product. Most users rave about the top-notch customer service they received when reaching out to Zojirushi, especially regarding warranty claims or replacement parts.

Overall, the 1-year limited warranty provides adequate coverage for defects, and Zojirushi's superb customer service ensures a smooth process if you need to make a claim or have issues with your rice cooker down the road. With proper care and maintenance, most customers enjoy this rice cooker for many years without needing to utilize the warranty.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Easy to use, intuitive control panel with menu settings
• Cooks rice perfectly every time with micom technology
• Keeps rice warm and fresh for hours after cooking
• Versatile for cooking many styles of rice, from white rice to brown rice, sushi rice, porridge, etc.
• Useful slow cook function, steam basket and cake menu
• Nonstick inner cooking pan is easy to clean
• Automated keep warm, extended keep warm and reheating cycles
• Stylish, compact design with retractable power cord
• Backed by 1 year warranty

Cons:

• Expensive compared to basic rice cookers
• Produces a clicking sound when cooking
• Lacks some convenience features like delay timer
• Rice paddle feels a bit lightweight and flimsy
• Exterior gets very hot to the touch while cooking
• No locking lid, lid can pop open from steam pressure

Overall, the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker delivers excellent rice cooking performance and versatility for the price. The intuitive controls, compact footprint and smart cooking functions make it easy to use. It's a great choice for those looking for reliably delicious rice meals every time. The few downsides are relatively minor.