Aroma ARC-733G 3-Cup Rice Cooker & Food Steamer
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Aroma ARC-733G 3-Cup Rice Cooker & Food Steamer
Customer Review: Good little rice cooker for the price
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this rice cooker about a year ago, and waited to write my review as many people said that they had issues with their rice cooker crapping out after a short time. We use this a couple of times a week and so far, no mechanical problems that I can tell. Overall, we're pretty pleased with it and it's a good deal for how inexpensive it is. It doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles, but hey, it cooks rice so that's what counts, right?
General comments about it:
1. Perfect rice, every time - provided you use the measuring cup that is included. If you measure out the cups of rice/water with a regular measuring cup, for some reason the water doesn't completely get absorbed and you have gummy wet rice.
2. Rice WILL stick to the bottom of the pot. I use a little spray oil to coat the bottom before I put the rice in, which helps with clean-up. However, I still usually have to soak it for a bit. It cleans up well after that.
3. No automatic off - you have to unplug the unit to turn it off. While I am in the habit of unplugging it as soon as it's done (also, to minimize rice build-up on the bottom), it's something to be aware of.
4. The click to indicate that it is done cooking is pretty loud, but if you wander more than about 30 feet away you won't hear it.
5. Small - fits through a ridiculously narrow cabinet door I have.
6. It cooks pretty quickly, not more than 10 minutes even with the max amount of rice/water.
Customer Review: It works, but you get what you pay for.
Summary: 2 Stars
I received this rice cooker as a gift last August, and since then it's become one of my most useful kitchen appliances -- I use it to make rice, chili, pasta, and all sorts of things that involve boiling water. It did the job and I was satisfied with it... until today. Today, while I was cooking some chili, the black plastic part with the switch just fell off. I hadn't even noticed that it was loose up until now, but when I tried putting it back on I noticed there was a crack in it, and the plastic part of the lever (that switches between "warm" and "cook") was also cracked and now there's no way I can re-attach it. Even without the plastic thing attached it's still technically functional, but the metal part of the lever is now exposed, and it gets hot while the rice cooker is on... so you'd have to either wear a glove or risk burning yourself.
Overall, this rice cooker was good while it lasted, and I may keep using it for a while yet, but as soon as I have the money I'm going to buy something that'll last longer than a year.
Customer Review: good after learning
Summary: 5 Stars
I only cook brown rice and live at high altitude (6,000 feet) so the directions that came with the cooker did not work for me. It was either crunchy or stuck really hard to the inner pot. I had to experiment several times until hitting the proper recipe: using 2 cups water to 1 cup brown rice (regular measuring cup, not the one provided with the cooker), soaking the rice for at least an hour first and rinsing several times to eliminate as much starch as possible. I also add a pat of butter or a bit of oil, which seems to minimize the sticking. The aluminum pot also will discolor a bit from certain spices (specifically, turmeric in my case) but it comes out eventually and is not a problem for me. Now I really like the cooker--it is simple and works well. It cooks it perfectly now and keeps it very warm after it is done. I have not used it for steaming veggies, so can't review that. Not the fanciest model Aroma makes, but small, simple and handy.Customer Review: CANT LIVE WITHOUT!
Summary: 5 Stars
college student here: nothing like running in from class throwing some rice, chicken, and vegies in the cooker and BING! 20 mins later im out the door with solid meal. great for on the go. one of those appliances you can find several uses for outside of rice cooking...LIKE FONDUE!! =D protip? wash your rice before cooking, trust me. been using for 1-4 people, and even that is cutting it close. NOT MEANT FOR BIG PARTIES!!!!
Pros:
(1) Used correctly it will make rice perfect every time--no more crunchy, burnt, or soggy rice!
(2) Cleanup is easy easy easy!
Cons:
(1) its so easy use, just don't forget you turned it on! doesnt readily burn rice, but it will dry out after ONLY JUST A FEW hours on the counter?! O.o (common sense?)
(2) soak it overnight if you dont clean out right after use, dried rice is tougher than concrete!
(3) definitely only a 3 cup
Customer Review: Worth the Money paid for
Summary: 3 Stars
We recently purchased this Aroma 3 cup rice cooker and I must admit it's worth exactly what we paid for it. It gets used 2-3 times a day in our home. The rice it makes is perfectly cooked. I've even made oatmeal, congee(juuk), and quinoa in it. It always turns out consistently fluffy, perfectly cooked rice. I however find that it burns the bottom of nearly every batch. It's extremely important to rinse your grains first, because if there is any rice flour left (or other residues) the water bubbles up through the steam vent and begins to splatter everything around it. It's not difficult to clean up the burnt(stuck) remnants, simply soak the interior vessel in water for a while and then it releases. We have taken to oiling the bottom (spraying it with pam or an oil) and sometimes that helps. it's worth the price, but definitely has it's flaws.