[john russell @ Jul 21st 2007 9:52AM]

My microwave works just fine, thank you.

[yoshi @ Jul 21st 2007 9:58AM]

You cook rice in your microwave? Hmmmm. Personally, I just use a pot on the stove. Works just as good as any rice cooker ever did.

[mentalsticks @ Jul 21st 2007 10:00AM]

Yes, that's what an American would say.

(***keeping fingers crossed that OP is American (but then again, English would be just as fine)***)

[Carlton @ Jul 21st 2007 10:31AM]

Yeah, there is a *significant* difference from microwaved or "instant" rice cooked on the stove vs. good rice in a rice cooker (course, if you know what your doing, have decent stove and pots and monitor the rice well and all, bet you can get some really good rice on the stove, but rice cookers are just so damn convenient and the rice tastes great!) An IH rice cookers have been around for years. Something like this is more likely suited for use in a restaurant or something, which I bet it is marketed for.

[Chris @ Jul 21st 2007 10:46AM]

"Something like this is more likely suited for use in a restaurant or something, which I bet it is marketed for."

No, it's way too small for a restaurant. Also, a restaurant would not need the benefits this cooker provides which is much faster cooking times. They would buy a couple of larger cookers and start them in the morning and then they have rice for the rest of the day.

This product is clearly aimed at the wealthy asian rice lover who wants good rice fast.

[Castle @ Jul 21st 2007 4:26PM]

A good rice cooker can make rice better then on the stove more consistently and much more easily.

Also there are great IH(induction Heated) rice cookers that cost around $150. For the Japanese, good quality domestic rice can easily be in the $100 for 10kg bag. A good rice cooker is a good investment for something you use everyday.

[Twitchy @ Jul 21st 2007 5:26PM]

It does more than cook rice - it pretty much replaces a cooking pot in total as you can also make many other dishes such as curry or risotto. The reason for such a high priced article is that it contains a lot of electronics which are responsible for even heating, avoiding overcooking or burning etc etc.
To scoff at it for it's price is like going off at a Ferrari - it is after all 'just' a car. but if it were not for tech like this that pushes the boundaries of current technology then there would be no further developments, and that's a good thing in my eyes. Unless you're happy still sitting on the long-drop whilst waiting for the town cryer to swing by with the latest.