Zojirushi NW QAC10 Rice Cooker

This very expensive rice cooker does an excellent job of cooking rice. This is also a very reputable brand of rice cookers, so I am not surprised about the total cost of this rice cooker. I like this design compared to their older models because it is much easier to clean, and the condensation that drips when you first open the cooked rice drops onto the side trays allowing for quicker cleanup. I also noticed that the removable rice pot is built of a much higher quality and does not scratch as easily. One of the other things I see where it may be an issue for some people is that you can hear a fan noise when the unit cooks rice. I was caught off guard by the noise because I used to have older Zojirushi models similar in design, and it never had a fan noise; however, it is not loud or obnoxious by any means. I removed one star only because of sticker shock……but you do get what you pay for in this instance.

This brand has been around forever. Their rice cookers come in four different categories; (1) basic electric rice cookers; (2) computerized “micom” rice cookers; (3) induction heating IH rice cookers; and (4) pressure IH rice cookers. The more expensive models (3 and 4) are also computerized, so each level adds additional features to the prior level. This product falls under level 3 (mid to high tier), and it is lacking only the “pressure” cooking feature.

A second pointer is that model units ending with the number “10” are 1L capacity (5.5 cups). Model units ending with “18” are 1.8L capacity (10 cups). For example, this product is called QAC18, so it is the 10-cup version. Like most of their other rice cookers, this product is available as a 5.5 or 10-cup version.

For the past 11 years I’ve been using a prior version of this product (i.e., the 5.5 cup version of their level 3 – IH rice cooker) with great results and no issues. I was excited to get this product – the latest model – with a 10-cup capacity.

Here are my observations about the improvements that this product offers over prior Zojirushi IH rice cookers:

1. This rice cooker is pretty loud, much louder than my prior IH model. The sound is like an electric fan which is constantly buzzing until the end of the cooking cycle, when it shuts down.

2. Now this IH model can be used as a steamer without clogging the exhaust vents. Before, that was an added feature on the level 4 pressure IH models.

3. The countdown timer now starts from the moment you push start. You no longer have to wait until the final 15 minutes to get the timer to show up.

4. I miss that this product doesn’t include “harder” and “softer” settings for cooking rice. It was replaced by these new settings: “steamer,” “jasmine,” “steel cut oatmeal” and “Quinoa.”

5. This now includes a self-cleaning feature.

6. The rice pot seems to scuff easier than the prior model. I only use the plastic scooper and the soft side of the sponge to clean these and this rice pot is already almost as scuffed as the one I used for the last 11 years.

7. The inside lid still pops off for easy cleaning, but the top venting lid no longer pops off.

8. It no longer has an extended keep warm button. I found that if you need to use this, the rice would be dried out anyway, so this isn’t really a loss.

9. This product now has a removable power cord. It doesn’t pull in and out, but you can pop it off and the cord is pretty standard, e.g., what you would use with a printer or desktop computer, so you could even replace it if needed.

10. The design is less visually appealing. They used to have a stainless-steel design, but now this product is all plastic and there’s only 1 color option (black).

11. This no longer has a carry handle. I think that is a bonus because it served little utility and mostly got in the way.

12. The start and end music is louder.

13. This no longer includes the spoon holder that attaches to the side of the cooker.

In summary, I really like this computerized, induction heating (non-pressure) rice cooker. It adds some nice features over the prior models. The basic operation is pretty much unchanged over the years. I did notice with this product, since it has a larger 10-cup model, the edges of the rice seem to dry out faster, especially if it’s almost empty. I miss the stainless steel. I wish they offered different color options since they’re opting for a plastic design now.