Update: In only a few weeks, Aroma Rice Cooker proves its superiority

NEAT TRICK: The Aroma Professional Rice Cooker has a neat solution for what to do with the spatula server when your rice is cooking or the appliance is just sitting on the counter.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

In a random poll, owners of the Aroma Professional Rice Cooker say it makes great rice.

Not too soft, not too hard is the way my wife describes the finished product.

When I walked into my son's college apartment last Friday, I saw an Aroma cooker sitting on the kitchen counter.

The Panasonic SR-G10G 5.5 Cup Automatic Rice Cooker ($17.91) we gave him was out of the way, on top of the cupboard.

He said he only uses the 20-cup Aroma 3000SB cooker, which belongs to one of his roommates, because it makes great rice.

I especially got a kick out of seeing the Aroma spatula server inserted into a holder on the side of the cooker, just below the cover -- a feature I didn't notice on the one we bought at Costco Wholesale for only $29.99.

We also purchased a second one to give to relatives.

Another great feature of the Aroma cooker is BPA-free cooking surfaces.

See:

$29.99 rice cooker beats more expensive ones

FORM OVER FUNCTION: In the more expensive Panasonic SR-DF 181 Rice Cooker, the spatula server doesn't fit inside the steamer basket, above, and causes problems if you try to store it in the inner pot, below.

With the spatula server stored in the inner pot ...

... the steamer basket doesn't seat properly ...

... and the hinged cover doesn't close.

ALL WET: In the 10-cup Panasonic cooker, condensation from preparing rice accumulates inside the channel, top, and has to be blotted up before storing the cooker.

$29.99 rice cooker is better than one that costs three times the price

CHEAPER AND BETTER: The Aroma Professional Rice Cooker, Slow Cooker and Steamer, left, was $29.99 last week at Costco Wholesale in Teterboro, compared to the Panasonic 10-cup Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker, which I bought in April 2013, when it listed for $89.99.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

In 2013, I ordered a new Panasonic rice cooker with lots of bells and whistles from Amazon.com, and my wife refused to use it.

She remained loyal to my first electric rice cooker, also from Panasonic, even though it was more than a dozen years old and the inner pot often burned the bottom of white rice.

On top of that, the inner pot was cracked, and Panasonic no longer stocked a new one.

She felt the new Panasonic cooker was slow, and didn't like all the condensation that accumulated in the U-shaped channel under the lid.

The new cooker also took nearly two hours to cook organic brown rice, which is all I prepare at home. 

I smell a bargain

Last week, I walked into Costco Wholesale in Teterboro and an Aroma Rice Cooker, Slow Cooker and Steamer immediately caught my eye, especially the low price, only $29.99.

The Panasonic cooker I got from Amazon.com cost $67.99, but listed for $89.99.

The Aroma 3000SB cooker is nearly 30 minutes faster than the newer Panasonic cooker when preparing brown rice, and it has a neat feature to catch and drain condensation.

My wife used it to make white rice on the regular setting; it also has a "quick rice" setting that does the job in 10 minutes.

FASTER BROWN RICE: The Aroma cooker is faster when it comes to brown rice. Here, I added grated Pecorino Romano Cheese before I reheated leftover organic brown rice, prepared with red kidney beans, organic diced tomatoes, and peeled garlic cloves, for breakfast with two cage-free organic eggs.

MORE CHOICES: The 20-cup Aroma 3000SB rice cooker, above, has more functions than the more expensive Panasonic cooker, below.

OOPS: The Panasonic rice cooker is the first I've ever seen with a spatula server that doesn't fit inside.

LONGER WARRANTY: The Aroma rice cooker has a 5-year warranty, compared to 1-year warranty for the Panasonic cooker.

FOR CONDENSATION: This plastic collector, which catches condensation from inside the Aroma rice cooker, can be removed to throw the water into the sink.