CUCKOO CR-0351FR 3-Cup (Uncooked) / 6-Cup (Cooked) Electric Warmer Rice Cooker with Nonstick Inner Pot, 5 Menu Modes, LCD Display, Fuzzy Logic Tech (Red)

Before you buy: search on Cuckoo CR-0351F manual and download the PDF. It has very clear pictures of all the parts and features (don't be put off by the somewhat idiosyncratic text, it's clear enough once you get used to it).Update: two years and a bit down the road and I like the Cuckoo better than ever. I use it almost daily and even added my favorite thick rolled oats or rye for breakfast to the repertoire, though the cooker's too busy to do non-rice breakfasts often. The non-stick finish is still non-stick -- unless I've used butter or broth the pot has never needed more than a quick rinse (mind you, I've been careful when I HAVE needed to wash it: unscented dish detergent and a soft cloth). I only hope the quality hasn't deteriorated over two years and that the new ones will perform as outstandingly as my Cuckoo has.I've had this cooker for more than two years now: it's the 4th I've had (not counting a $300 Zoji that made such horrible studge of every type of rice that I concluded it must be defective and returned it), and in many ways the best. I've cooked brown and white long, short, and medium grain rices in it, from organic brown or white Basmati to Japanese-types Nishiki and Kokuho Rose, Turkish short-grain (pudding) rice, Mochi glutinous rice, Thai sticky rice, wild rice, you name it -- plus two sizes of bulghur (Near-Eastern parboiled cracked wheat) and congee ("porridge" in rice cooker language) with never a failure. For some reason I can't figure out, rice from this cooker often has a trace of sweetness, and occasionally even a slight golden lining on the bottom, not the crust of stone-cooked rice but tasty nevertheless. Our rice consumption has increased by about half since I've had my Cuckoo. I usually make one rice-cup worth (enough, cooked, for the two of us with possibly some left over), but the half-cup batches I've made have been just as good, which is unusual. Larger batches are always perfect too.Granted, the menu and cooker designations were a bit mysterious, as are some parts of the manual, but once I figured out that any kind of rice that wasn't brown was "glutinous" I was home free. (Two things to note: I very seldom rinse rice, considering it unnecessary with modern super-cleaned rice, just dump measured rice in the bowl and add water, and as a rice lover I've had some decades of practice figuring out when I need a tablespoon more or less of water.) The regular (glutinous) cycle takes about 35 minutes, the mixed/brown cycle 5 to 10 minutes more. The turbo cycle usually takes 15 to 20 minutes (less than it takes me to poach a pan of chicken breast tenders & toss a salad, is a better way to put it-- ). The preset is easy to set and change (and seems somehow to adjust to the soaking times whether an hour or 10 hours), and the keep-warm part of the cycle keeps the rice nice and hot for many hours without drying it, so one of my favorite breakfast dishes is ready when I am: hot leftover brown rice with milk and a touch of maple sirup.The bowl is heavyweight compared to many, and the measure marks and lettering are stamped into the metal, not onto the surface to disappear in a few washings. Some people are bothered by the idea that something might stick in the indentations but it doesn't seem to be a problem -- the soft brush I use for dishes leaves them clean to my eyes with little effort. The nonstick coating is remarkably nonstick -- I don't even always wash the bowl, just wipe it out once it's dried. (It will be sterilized by the next batch of rice, right?) When I do wash it or accidentally get the outside wet, I enjoy the semi-matte outer surface which towel-dries without leaving beads of water to crackle disturbingly when the cooker heats up.There is a condensation-water cup in the lid which is supposed to be dried out every time the cooker is used. Once my fingers figured out how to put it back together it takes so little time I actually do it. There is seldom more than a tiny bead or two of water, if that in the cup. (The Zoji, by the way, had a cup that was full of water every time I used it -- and if there was one word in the manual about its existence, much less about dumping it, I never found it--)It seems the lids on all the newer-style cookers are a bit touchy. The latch on this one is perfectly adequate (so far) but won't close if there is -- for instance -- a dried-up grain of rice from when I fluffed the rice (the usual culprit) in the sunken place the lid fits down into, and there are some tricky hiding places for that grain of rice, too.Trivia:The manual is actually quite good (unlike that of the returned Zoji which contradicted itself on every other page), though the phrasing can be enigmatic and the grammar and spelling idiosyncratic. There are recipes in the back -- in Korean only-- I found translations online and they're only for the pressure models, so not to worry.There are directions for setting the steam cycle but no indications as to how to use it (what to steam, what to steam it in or on... etc.) and so far I haven't found any recipes for steaming in a non-pressure-cooking rice cooker on the web.It can be hard to see what the settings window says if the light is indirect or weak.The manual says the battery "should be replaced" when it dies -- after 3 years according to them-- but no instructions for doing so. (Possibly not so trivial...)The chime is brief and innocuous.The liner inside the top cover is easy to take out, clean, and replace, and it is thick enough so a finger won't dent it when removing (unlike the Zoji). The manual is particularly enigmatic here and I concluded that the dire warning just means don't put it back upside down.My first cooker lasted more than 20 years, the next a few less, the next a few less, the next (a now discontinued made-in-Japan Zoji) about 5... I wish this one would last forever but the timeline seems to be against it...

Worth the money!!! Easy to clean and keepsThe rice warm!

Got it a few days ago. I tested it with just one cup of rice - this cooker cooked it in 10-15 minutes flat!I'm Korean-American, and I expected the Cuckoo to be faster than the Zoji cookers, but, wow, this was the fastest I've ever seen rice cooked! This was on the "Turbo" cooking function but there wasn't that THAT much of a difference between quality of the rice cooked on the turbo vs the normal glutinous functions that I noticed. Actually, I kinda preferred the rice cooked on the turbo function. With two cups it took 5-10 minutes more - still fast as lightning.The rice kernels were fully cooked into its center altho only a tiniest bit al dente. I read another Korean reviewer remark that she wished it was a pressure cooker. I understand this sentiment, however, because I know Koreans like their rice fully cooked and evenly from outside of the kernel all the way in. The pressure cooker models cost around $400 a pop, however, so, yeah.... Also, I think many Americans, however, would prefer this texture, and I myself didn't mind it at all either. The kernels were truly cooked all the way to center - don't mistake me... just the pressure cookers I think do tend to change the molecular structure of the starch to make them more texturally appealing to Koreans, and there is a difference. I, myself, am not that picky, however. I think this cooker still cooks rice to a quality that you would find from 90% of so called sushi restaurants in the US and that on the "turbo" function - in other words, not bad at all, unless you really are picky and sensitive to the texture and flavor of rice.Also, no residual moisture on the sides when I opened like you would get with bargain basement 20$ cookers. No splattering or boil overs either. And even on the regular glutinous rice setting, the rice cooked evenly and rather fast. The glutinous setting I think took maybe 10-15 minutes more, but that's still really fast to cook rice. For reference, the Zoji models I'm familiar with can take over an hour. The tiny quality difference in rice flavor of rice cooked for an hour vs this rice cooked in 15 minutes was not at all big enough for me to favor the one hour cooked rice. I'm too old and impatient for that.Also, many Zoji I think tend to rot the rice after a day, because their warm setting sometimes is not hot enough, but I think with the Cuckoo rice cookers, they got the temperature so that altho the rice may overcook a bit after a long time on the warm setting and turn a tad yellow from the heat, they got the temperature just hot enough to keep the microbes from forming too quickly. In other words, I think this cooker keeps the rice fresher a day or so longer than most Zoji models on the warm setting. This model still does say to take the rice out and store away in refrigerator, etc. if longer than 24 hours, etc. But, I'm confident the rice is still good enough for me a couple days later, etc.Zoji makes really good rice cookers, but imo, the top of the line Cuckoo cook better rice these days. It's like the Toyota vs. Hyundai wars among rice cookers, I guess. Zoji still has all the best reviews from being the top manufacturer of yester years. I wouldn't discount the Cuckoos tho.I'm getting on middle age and I live alone, so I bought this small model because I've been trying not to eat too much carbs. For last 2-3 years, I've almost never ate rice but once a month or so. My mother's family all had diabetic symptoms, and I didn't want to go that route. Still I had a craving on occasion for rice. This model can really cook tiny portions, which was what I wanted, and I'm very happy with it. Easy to use, easy to clean. Small portions, so, little waste.Lastly, the English in the user manual was atrocious - as if it was Google translated directly from Korean. I also read some reviewers who never bothered to set the time, perhaps because the instructions were confusing? In case it helps...To set the clock;1. Press the left bottom button for two seconds. This will activate the time setting feature and make the time blink.2. Press the same button to adjust the hour. Press the right bottom button to adjust the minutes.3. After getting the correct time inputted, press the right top button to set the time. You're done!The cooker does have a lithium battery in case of electrical brown outs. So, if you use the timer function to cook at a certain time, less to worry about too. Your rice will more than likely be ready and cooked unless a very long prolonged electrical black out or something.Love this cooker - perfect size, perfect function, great price - at least for me.Now, I gotta stop using it because, I got fatter.

The best small rice cooker ever!

This is perfect size for two people. I had a basic Tiger rice cooker which could only handle rice. This cuckoo can do much more like steam and make oatmeal. I love it has a reheat option too which I use for warming up some frozen rice balls that I buy from the grocery store.The only reasons I gave it 4 stars is the digital reading is dim. I have to use a flashlight to read it more clearly. I also wished it came with a steamer basket. It can steam but why isn't one included? But I did find one on Amazon that fit perfectly: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2KSWJZ3I bought this for $90+ and noticed it had gone down to $69+ within 30 days. I wish my previous rice cooker didn't break so soon or I would have bought it for a bargain price!