I have a Zo NS-MYC10 5.5 cup fuzzy logic. It is a cooker and warmer. There are only two of us here, but we love this little dude. It can hold the rice it makes for up to 12 hours without any impact on the texture of the rice. This is great when dinner is delayed for some reason.

I'd recommend a fuzzy logic machine because it is so convenient.

beachlily, that'd be great in my adopted brothers and sister's homes (they're Asian and I am not, is my point). Then, they could make rice once a day instead of three times a day. Awesome! They go through rice steamers faster than you can blink your eyes.

Well, we're not Asian, but I probably use this thing twice a week. Others on this site think cooking rice is simple, but it allows me to focus on the chopping and stir frying as necessary. Simply, it's a convenience machine that really works.

I have a basic Zo 10 cup model with a nonstick pot. Works fine, although I find that I generally use it only when cooking a large quantity of rice. Most of the time I'm cooking for only two or three, and I just cook it on the stovetop.

If you want to get in to cooking more brown rice, you might consider one of the fancier models that allow you to cook GABA rice. As I understand it, that's brown rice that has been allowed to begin to germinate. In so doing, enzyme activity causes the production of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). Lots of health claims for GABA (relaxation, calming, etc.) but I'd have to be at least a little skeptical since GABA doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier very well.

I have a 5 cup Zojirushi that I've used frequently for probably 15 years. Mine is the fuzzy logic, warmer, etc. I also have some other brand that I bought at Costco for my weekend lake place. It's 10 cup capacity. There are generally just two of us or maybe a few people over for dinner. The 10 cup one is often too big. Unless you're often cooking rice for a crowd I would not recommend a 10 cup capacity. I think 5 cups is perfect.

(I just want to pipe in and say your username gave me a chuckle. Marcel Duchamp's artwork makes my DH absolutely NUTS - specifically, 'Fountain'. I almost howled when I saw it in the Philly Museum of Art and sent him a photo)

I did my thesis in college on Marcel Duchamp! ;)

So it's not "du champ!" said in a Philly accent?
;)

You might also find a copy of "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook" by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann a good investient to go along with your new rice cooker to expand the use of your new "friend" in the kitchen.

The GABA cycle for germaninated or sprouted brown rice is a great idea, as arley mentioned. I sprout my own brown rice and dehydrate it, so it can be a do-it-yourself project.

I recently read a brief on research for cooking rice using 22 different methods and measured the energy input required for each method and posted this information on Money Saving Tips. Ironically, the winner was the electric rice cooker.

Another tip from the research paper for cooking rice faster is to soak it in cool water for 30-minutes first. This will reduce the cooking time by 7- to 18-percent - which ever method for cooking you choose. Sprouting brown rice first (which also increases the nutrition and is tastier to people who don't like brown rice) will keep the cooking time using a stove-top method to around 10-minutes.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook