Pros and Cons of Cuisinart Rice Cookers

There are currently two Cuisinart rice cookers: the 4-cup Cuisinart CRC-400 and the 8-cup Cuisinart Rice Cooker CRC-800. These two rice cookers almost look identical, the size being the only major difference. Both the 4-cup CRC-400 and the 8-cup CRC-800 look good with the stainless steel exterior. Both have a stainless steel basket and nonstick bowl, perfect for steaming veggies, seafood, or poultry.

Both models use an easy-to-use boiling method. You'll also get a removable glass top lid, a measuring cup, and a plastic rice spoon. Each rice cooker also comes with a manual that gives recipes that are easy to follow. But they don't feature the Fuzzy Logic technology. They also don't have advanced settings for various types of rice. Both also don't have a programmable timer. Despite all these, they can manage to cook the best rice. However, many rice cooker experts say that Cuisinart rice cookers do not give that much value.

Cuisinart CRC-400

The Good: The 4-cup version has a very trendy design. It fits well on your countertop because of its compact size. It goes perfectly well with the overall kitchen design. This rice cooker is easy to clean and has parts that are dishwasher safe. It also allows you to cook your rice in no time.

The Bad: There are some consumer complaints about spill over. There's a solution to this: Just rinse your rice very well.And for every cup of rice, add one teaspoon of vegetable oil. This can solve the problem most of the time.

It comes with a rather small steaming tray for preparing veggies, seafood, and poultry. It's only good for a single person or a couple. Many users also complain about the water and rice ratio learning curve. But once you deal with this issue, this unit does a good job at cooking fluffy rice. This rice cooker is in fact at par with other rapid boil-style cookers.

8-cup CRC-800

The Cuisinart 8-cup CRC-800 looks stylish and smooth feel. The outside of this rice cooker sports a brushed and sleek stainless steel. The 8-cup CRC-800 is one of the most attractive rice cookers out there. It also features a touch friendly chrome plated handles. The handles don't get hot, allowing you to move the device without getting burned.

The 8-cup version comes with the usual lever control with cook and warm settings and a retractable cord storage. It also comes with a plastic measuring cup and fine rice paddle. It comes with a 3-year warranty.

On the other hand, while the cooking pot features a nonstick coating, the rice sticks. According to the manual, you have to spray its bottom so that the rice won't stick. Still, a nonstick bowl should be nonstick, whether you spray it or not. Although many people claim they have no problem about it.

Many consumers complain that the 8-cup CRC-800 has some minor splattering issues like the 4-cup CRC-400. Yes, it features a steam vent that prevents splattering. That is, if you make up to 6 cups of rice. Splattering is an issue when you cook too much rice, about 8 cups.