Aroma ARC-733G 3-Cup Pot-Style Rice Cooker and Food Steamer

Comment: 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.

Comment: This is a fine rice cooker for two or three people. Yes, as others have noted, rice may stick in the bottom but soaking it for a couple of hours makes it easy to clean. You will need to search the net for instructions on how to cook some rices, like basmati. It's not great for steaming veggies. Getting them out when they're done can be a little difficult and messy.

Comment: One of the only things my 3 year old will eat is white rice, And this magic appliance simple makes it to perfection.. and at this amazingly low price it is a steal!

Comment: In accord with other reviewers' advice, I always dry the metal bowl completely before putting it back in the rice cooker, and have had no problems so far. It makes about four good servings of rice, and sometimes I mix in lentils or throw vegetables on top to steam (I don't use the steaming rack).

Pros:
- The keep-warm function -- not easy to find in small rice cookers.
- Good versatile size
- Price

Cons:
- Yes, you have to soak the bowl to get rid of rice that sticks to the bottom, but that's not really a big deal.
- When plugged in, its only states are "keep warm" or "cook", so you have to unplug it when it's not in use.

Comment: This is the first rice cooker I've ever purchased, so I really didn't know what to expect. I really like the idea that the pot is aluminum, with no coating over it. We've used it three times now, and I'm really happy with how the rice turns out. Yes, it does stick to the bottom a bit, but I like the crunchy stuff, and it cleans very easily after soaking for a short period of time. This thing is so handy and easy to use. The rice consumption in my household will be increasing significantly!