Panasonic SR-NA10 5-1/2-Cup Rice Cooker/Warmer with Advanced Fuzzy Logic Technology
by Panasonic
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Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Panasonic SR-NA10 5-1/2-Cup Rice Cooker/Warmer with Advanced Fuzzy Logic Technology
Customer Review: Well worth the price!
Summary: 5 Stars
We purchased this rice cooker through Amazon as a Lightening Deal in late February 2009 for $99. We had been researching rice cookers for a couple months and had decided that this was the one that we wanted, but didn't feel comfortable paying the $150 price tag. However, for $99, we jumped on the deal.
In the three weeks that we have had this rice cooker, we have used it nearly every day. I love being able to throw in some white or brown rice when I get home from work, head out for my run, and have the rice ready for me when I get back. Just need to whip up a stir fry, and dinner is ready! The quality of the rice is also much better than the quality of rice cooked on the stove. I had some cheap medium grain rice that we found to be quite dry and tasteless when cooked on the stove, however, this rice cooker seems to be made of magic, because it came out of it soft and fluffy, with just the perfect amount of "sticky".
We also use the timer feature several times a week to have hot steel cut oats ready when we wake up. Sleeping in on the weekend? That's great! Just set the timer for the earliest you possibly think that you'll wake up and the cooker will go to a "keep warm" cycle and keep your oatmeal hot and perfect until you're ready for it. If you are using the cooker for steel cut oats, I recommend using two of the rice cooker's supplied cups (not actually a cup measurement) of oats, and filling the rice cooker's pan to the 5 cup mark for white rice, and then setting the cooker to the "porridge" setting. Your oats will turn out perfect every time, with only a minute's preparation the night before!
The best part about this rice cooker is clean up, however. The rice pan is non-stick and we find that, if we're in a hurry (such as switching the cooker over from rice for dinner to oats for the next morning), we can even just wait for the rice residue to dry, and then it all flakes off and can easily be removed with a dry paper towel. I've never seen non-stick work this well!
We had never owned a rice cooker before and were a bit leary of paying the high price tag, but it's been entirely worth it. In fact, the rice cooker now has a permanent place on our kitchen counter, we use it so often!
Customer Review: Perfect rice and a great steamer!
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this using a gift certificate for Amazon that my brother gave me... my plan was to get a rice cooker after Christmas to help keep me on track with eating better. It is amazing! The rice literally always perfect, I've steamed all sorts of vegetables in it, and again, always perfect... just steamed some cabbage in it last night, and I thought with all the layers it would actually be raw in the middle layers, but no, it was just fantastic!
I have not used any spices in it, as I don't see the point since you can add them after cooking the rice, plus I wouldn't want that spice lingering for a few cycles. I've used nishiki, basmati, jasmine, brown rice... all of them come out perfect. The direction booklet is a little long, but to sum it up: 1) measure out rice (use full cup increments). 2) rinse the rice 3) place the rice in the pot. 4) Add water up to the mark for brown or white rice... for 1 cup of rice, bring it up to the 1 mark, etc. 5) press the menu select to get to 'regular' for regular white rice, 'brown rice' for brown rice. 6) press start.
It comes with a measuring cup, a steaming basket, a spoon, and a bracket to make the spoon holder on the side of the machine. Very compact! The cord even retracts into the machine when not in use. Very convenient. I use it probably 4 times a week. Well worth the price.
Customer Review: Excellent small rice cooker
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the Panasonic SR-NA-10 unit as a replacement for a National SR-EA-10N that was destroyed by an extreme electrical power surge at my home. The National unit was made in Japan and a very solid performer making excellent rice if a somewhat basic fuzzy logic design. I selected the Panasonic unit as a replacement because it appeared to be the model most similar to my old cooker and I wasn't disappointed.
It has more features, is a bit smaller outside and cooks more types of rice using its own logic. I have been quite satisfied with both white and brown rice results to date although it takes quite a bit longer to cook than the old unit did. The quick cook selection is fast and produces results close to the National unit. The only complaint I have with the unit is that it is difficult to see the exact water level inside the dark pan and it is important to get it right for good rice. The price of the Panasonic unit is much less than I paid for the old model several years ago, so all considered it is an excellent product for the money and produces very good rice, both white and brown.
It is now plugged into a surge protector as everything connected through surge protectors survived the high energy surge that destroyed the transformer on the power pole.
Customer Review: So worth the money...
Summary: 5 Stars
We use ours several times a week to make steel-cut oats, which is to regular oatmeal what king salmon is to fish sticks. Steel cut oats takes 45 minutes of careful attention to cook, so instead we load the rice cooker the night before, use the porridge setting and set the time to 6:30. We wake up to the wonderful aroma of perfectly cooked oats. That's worth the hundred bucks right there.
This cooker is built to last for years of daily use. The bowl is heavy gauge steel with a very good nonstick surface. Computerized control means excellent results no matter what rice or other grain you're using (we also use it for tabouli, quinoa, lentils -- it will even bake cakes and souffles.) There's a fast setting for perfectly good 20 minute rice; standard settings cook a bit more slowly but really bring the flavor and texture to the peak. If you haven't tasted rice from a computerized rice cooker, you're in for a treat. Panasonic is a very good brand, less expensive with better build quality and more features than the low-end Zojurushis in my opinion.
Just a terrific little machine, and a great help if you're trying to eat healthy.
Customer Review: Good buy
Summary: 5 Stars
I needed to get a new rice cooker and I was surprised that all of the new ones (>5 cups) were more than $100. This one was $89. I've heard about Zojirushi and how it was one of the best brands to buy. I've never had a Zojirushi cooker, so I can't compare but I was happy with the Panasonic cooker and I eat rice 4-5 days/week. One of my friends has this rice cooker (previously under the brand National), so I tried it out before committing to this Panasonic rice cooker.
I found the Panasonic operates exactly like the National rice cooker with the exception of the sound the timer makes when your rice is done. It takes a long time to cook rice in this rice cooker (50 minutes vs. 25 minutes with my old rice cooker), but the rice always comes out evenly cooked and moist. My favorite feature on the rice cooker is its ability to keep the rice warm for up to 24 hours after cooking. The rice stayed hot and moist even the next day. I have only used the white rice cook setting and the steamer although there's an option for sushi rice, porridge, sticky rice, and brown rice. This steamer is supposed to cook cakes but I've never tried it.