Anyone who has ever used an electric rice cooker will vouch for them; they are simple to use, easy to clean, and the rice is consistently perfect. This handsome rice cooker, with its brushed stainless steel exterior and black handles, looks like it belongs in a professional kitchen. A domed glass lid shows what's going on during the cooking process. The measures in the accompanying booklet are for using the water-fill lines on the inside of the bowl and the little measuring cup that comes with the cooker, which is slightly different than an actual cup measure. (Jotting down standard measures in the margin will help in case the little cup ever gets lost.) The rice cooker stops cooking and switches to warm when it senses that the water has been cooked off.
Cleaning is almost as easy as wiping out the removable insert with a paper towel. At the very most, it'll take a few quick swipes with a warm, soapy sponge. (To protect the nonstick coating, don't use anything more abrasive than a gentle nylon scrubber.) The rice cooker measures 12-1/2 across by 10 inches high. Rival includes a one-year warranty against defects and comes with a detailed booklet of instructions, recipes, and tips. --Garland Withers
