Review on Aroma Housewares ARC 5200SB Uncooked Stainless by Douglas Berry

The Aroma ARC-994SB rice cooker is well designed. Appearance - stainless steel. Thick black plastic cover attached on a hinge. The stove is the size of a large coffee pot. There is a steam valve on top of the lid. There are 10 raised buttons on the front that control many of the hob's functions. This rice cooker is a multi-cooker. Various functions include settings for white rice, brown rice, risotto, oatmeal and steam. The package includes a spatula, a measuring cup and a small white plastic steamer that fits on top of the pot. The stand for the steamer is flat. On the side wall in the middle there is a digital display that shows the cooking function and the remaining cooking time. The standard two-pronged power cord is quite short. There is a very small transparent reservoir under the lid hinge to catch the water that drains out when the pressure cooker is opened. The real pot you cook in is small. This model is designed to cook 2 to 8 cups of cooked rice in a 2 liter pot. The cooking time for white rice is about 45 minutes. The steamer is very small. There will not be enough meat or vegetables to steam with a maximum capacity of 8 cups of rice. When cooking the maximum amount of rice, the pan is full and there is no room for a steamer rack. This rice cooker is suitable for a family of 2 adults and 2 children. My last rice cooker was the Aroma ARC-5200SB with a 20 cup cooked capacity. It seems to me that Aroma ARC-994SB is too compact. Outer rice that comes in contact with the pan will jell and overcook as all rice cookers do, but the small diameter of this pan seems to add to the undesirable texture of the end product. I wish I could buy the ARC-5200SB again. I usually support a family of 5 adults and this stove is barely enough. I recommend this stove for a small family. Overall I give it 3 stars because of the size.