Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB Rice Cooker: Full Review

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB is a popular mid-range rice cooker that offers excellent performance for most households. This stainless steel rice cooker has a 5.5 cup uncooked capacity, which yields about 11 cups of cooked rice. It utilizes advanced fuzzy logic technology to cook restaurant-quality rice every time. The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB is versatile enough for cooking all varieties of rice, including white, brown, sushi, porridge, and more. It also includes other useful cooking functions like slow cooking and cake baking. With its sleek design and stainless steel exterior, this Zojirushi rice cooker looks great on any countertop while also delivering delicious results. For households that eat a lot of rice, the Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB is an excellent option that consistently cooks fluffy, flavorful rice and includes several other convenient cooking modes.

Design

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB micom rice cooker has a sleek and modern design that will look great on any kitchen countertop. It has a stainless steel exterior with a black accented lid. The oval shaped body measures 10-1/8 x 8-1/2 x 9 inches, making it compact enough to easily fit on your counter without taking up too much space.

Despite its compact footprint, the inner cooking pan still has a 5.5 cup uncooked rice capacity, which can cook up to 11 cups of cooked rice. This is enough to feed a medium sized family.

The stainless steel exterior gives it a durable yet stylish look. The pan, lid, and steaming basket that come with the rice cooker are also made of high quality stainless steel. Overall, the materials used give this appliance a very modern and elegant aesthetic.

Additionally, the Aroma Housewares ASP-610 rice cooker features a versatile design that allows for preparing a variety of dishes, including rice, soups, and even porridge. Its programmable settings make it user-friendly, while the large capacity can accommodate larger meals, making it suitable for family gatherings. The non-stick inner pot ensures easy cleaning, enhancing convenience for daily use. To explore more about this excellent rice cooker, visit the following link: Aroma Housewares ASP-610.

Features

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer features some impressive technology and functionality for a high-quality cooking experience.

One key feature is the fuzzy logic technology which allows the rice cooker to make fine adjustments to temperature and heating time to cook rice perfectly every time. Unlike basic rice cookers with timers, fuzzy logic rice cookers like this Zojirushi model actually monitor cooking conditions to adjust for variables such as the type of rice, room temperature, and quantity. This gives you flawlessly cooked rice whether you're preparing a single serving or a full batch.

Another notable feature is the keep warm function which can keep rice at an optimal serving temperature for up to 24 hours after cooking. This allows you to cook ahead of time and still enjoy piping hot rice all day long. The extended keep warm function uses precise direct heat and precise temperature sensors to keep rice fresh and ready to eat.

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB also includes a handy delay timer which allows you to set cooking to begin up to 15 hours in advance. You can prepare your rice cooker at night and wake up to delicious, freshly cooked rice in the morning. The pre-programmed settings make it easy to delay cooking white rice, mixed rice, brown rice, steel cut oats, and cake.

For those looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Aroma Housewares ARC-7606GR offers versatility and user-friendly features. This rice cooker allows you to cook up to 8 cups of rice, making it a great choice for families. Its one-touch operation and programmable settings provide simplicity in cooking. With a steam tray included, you can also prepare vegetables or seafood while your rice cooks, adding convenience to your meal preparation.

Performance

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB rice cooker delivers excellent performance when it comes to cooking rice. With its advanced fuzzy logic technology, it can cook all varieties of rice, including white, brown, sushi, porridge, sweet, mixed, and more, perfectly every time.

The cooker excels at cooking white rice with superb consistency. The grains come out soft and fluffy with no mushiness or dryness. It cooks rice quickly too, with white rice taking around 20-30 minutes. The speed is impressive given the flawless texture the cooker produces.

Cooking brown rice can be tricky due to its nutty, chewy texture, but the Zojirushi prepares it expertly. The brown rice setting adjusts temperature and cooking time to ensure the grains reach the ideal tenderness while maintaining just the right amount of chewiness.

No matter what type of rice you choose, the Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB delivers consistency batch after batch. The advanced computerized technology precisely controls time and temperature to adapt to the needs of each rice variety. So you can be sure your rice will turn out with the perfect texture every time.

Ease of Use

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB is designed for intuitive operation. The control panel has a simple layout with large buttons for the main cooking functions like regular/quick cooking, keep warm, and reheating. There are also buttons to adjust cooking temperature, timer settings, and to switch between different menu settings for white rice, brown rice, mixed rice, porridge, and more.

The LCD control panel clearly displays your selections and the cooker's status. It's easy to make adjustments during the cooking process. For example, you can press buttons to switch to extended keep warm if your mealtime gets delayed. There are also melody and beep signals that indicate when cooking starts, finishes, or switches to keep warm.

Overall, the Zojirushi rice cooker has straightforward controls and settings that make it very simple to use even for beginners. The buttons provide tactile feedback and the LCD screen gives clear information for confidence during cooking. It's easy to make perfect rice every time.

Accessories

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB comes with some handy accessories that help make cooking rice easy and convenient.

It includes a rice measuring cup that allows you to accurately measure out the correct portions of rice. The cup has markings for both white and brown rice.

There is also a rice spatula that is specifically designed to scoop cooked rice out of the cooker without damaging the nonstick surface. The angled spatula head reaches into the corners of the cooker to get every last grain.

For steaming, a steaming basket and steamer inserts are provided. You can stack and layer the steamer inserts to cook different foods simultaneously. This allows you to steam vegetables, fish, or other side dishes right on top of the rice as it cooks.

To serve rice conveniently, the Zojirushi comes with 2 sturdy rice serving cups. These help prevent spills and burns when dishing out freshly cooked rice. The cups have lids so you can store leftover rice right in the serving cups.

Cleanup

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB rice cooker has a few parts that are removable for easy cleanup. The inner cooking pan and the steaming tray are both nonstick and dishwasher safe. The lid detaches completely and has an inner lid that comes off as well for thorough cleaning.

The exterior of the rice cooker wipes down nicely with a damp cloth. There aren't many nooks or crannies for rice to get stuck in. Overall, cleanup is quick and simple with removable dishwasher safe parts and a smooth easy to wipe exterior.

Durability

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB rice cooker is known for its durability and long-lasting performance. The outer housing is made of thick, brushed stainless steel that resists dents, scratches, and fingerprints. The inner cooking pan uses a nonstick coating that is PFOA-free and lasts for many years of regular use without flaking or peeling.

Zojirushi has an excellent reputation for making long-lasting appliances that stand the test of time. Many customers report using their Zojirushi rice cookers for 5-10 years or longer without any decrease in performance. The company offers a 1-year limited warranty to cover defects, but most customers find they never need to use the warranty because the products continue working flawlessly year after year.

Some key reasons for the impressive durability include:

• Thick stainless steel housing that maintains its luster and resists damage
• Triple-layer nonstick inner pan coated with durable PFOA-free material
• High-quality internal components including the heating element and control circuitry
• Rigorous product testing ensures longevity and performance

With proper care and maintenance, the Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB rice cooker should provide many years of reliable service for cooking fluffy, perfect rice and other grains or meals. Its solid construction and durable materials give it excellent longevity compared to cheaper rice cookers.

Price

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB rice cooker is a mid-range model that retails for around $150. This puts it on the higher end of prices for rice cookers, but lower than some of the most expensive models from luxury brands.

When comparing to other cookers with similar capacity and features, the Zojirushi lands somewhere in the middle in terms of price. Basic entry-level rice cookers can be found for under $50, while high-end models with many cooking functions and settings can cost over $300.

Within Zojirushi's own product line, the NS-LGC05XB hits a nice sweet spot for features and quality relative to its price point. It includes useful functions like extended warm and quick cooking, while avoiding some of the overly complex or specialized features found on pricier models aimed at enthusiasts.

For most home cooks looking for a solid mid-sized rice cooker that will deliver perfect rice every time, the NS-LGC05XB represents a reasonable value given its performance, durability, and brand reputation. It may cost more than a basic cooker, but makes up for it with reliability and results.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Microcomputerised "Fuzzy Logic" technology allows the rice cooker to intelligently determine cooking time and temperature based on the ingredients and amount of rice, resulting in perfect rice every time
• Advanced induction heating system cooks rice quickly and evenly
• "Umami" setting enhances flavor and sweetness of rice
• Wide variety of cooking functions including regular white rice, brown rice, mixed rice, porridge, and cake modes
• Helpful timer and keep warm functions
• Elegant stainless steel exterior and nonstick inner cooking pan for easy cleanup
• Comes with steam basket and rice measuring cup

Cons

• Expensive compared to basic rice cookers
• Large footprint takes up significant counter space
• Complex model with learning curve to utilize all settings and functions
• Not ideal for small households or households that rarely eat rice