PorridgePhotograph to add
RecipePorridge
10 min · Everyday porridge — oats, half water, half milk of your choice, and the pinch of salt that makes all…
Thing
Zojirushi rice cooker
The rice cooker we'd buy again tomorrow. Our kids can taste the difference.
We started with a much cheaper rice cooker. Rice stuck to the bottom, none of our recipes worked, and we were really disappointed. After a holiday in Japan we replaced it with a Zojirushi, and we have not looked back. We use it mostly for rice, and more and more for porridge at breakfast.
4/4 kids and 2/2 adults. If it ever broke down, we'd replace it with the same one.
What it is.
A 1-litre Japanese rice cooker, the Zojirushi NL-GAQ10, made in Japan. It has settings for white, Japanese, brown and mixed rice, plus porridge, congee, steam and slow cook.
Why it helps.
- Rice that is genuinely better. Thai, Japanese, every kind we've tried comes out delicious, every time. The kids noticed straight away and now only want rice from this cooker.
- Nothing sticks to the bottom. Our previous, cheaper cooker glued rice to the bowl, and none of our recipes worked in it.
- It frees up the hob. The rice cooks quietly on its own while every burner stays free for the rest of the meal.
- Flavoured rice made easy. Lemongrass or lemon rice cook as reliably as plain rice.
- Much more than rice. It makes a fantastic Japanese cheesecake, and a Thai mango sticky rice that takes us straight back to our holiday in Thailand.
- Porridge worth getting up for. It's far better than anything we make in a pan, and porridge, plain or flavoured, has become a breakfast habit.
The limitations.
- The price. At around €400, it costs many times more than a basic rice cooker.
- It takes its time. Rice needs about an hour, longer than in a pan, and porridge is slow too, so plan ahead.
- One more thing on the counter. It's another appliance that takes up space in the kitchen, but this one earns it.
- 1 litre capacity. That covers all our needs as a family of six, but bigger households may want the 1.8-litre NL-GAQ18.
Who it suits.
- Households that eat rice often. That's where the difference pays for the price.
- Anyone let down by a cheap rice cooker. This is the upgrade that fixes it.
- Porridge lovers. It's worth it for breakfast alone.
Indicative price: About €400
