Cuckoo automatic rice cooker review

Cons:

• Single cooking time
• No timer
• No variations on time or suggested water input for different types of rice
• No delayed start time

Available from Amazon (£113.63)

Read our round-up of the best rice cookers

This single purpose model was the most straightforward to use of the rice cookers we tested.

After rinsing, tip the rice in and cover with water to the corresponding line on the bowl. So for three cups of rice, fill the cooker up to the line marked '3' – there’s a plastic cup provided to measure the rice.

Once plugged in, simply close the lid and click the button down to ‘cook’ mode. When the rice is done, the machine automatically switches to ‘keep warm’.

Though there is only one programme for cooking rice, we had good results with white, brown and short-grain.

Whereas some rice cookers heat only from the base, the Cuckoo has a 3D system heating from the base, sides and lid for even cooking.

The lid is sealed around the edges and steam is directed out of a vent to limit unwanted sputtering. There is also an effective condensation collector to stop water dripping back into the rice.

Giving the rice a good stir after cooking with the provided spatula releases excess steam and avoids stickiness and clumping.

We tested the three-cup cooker but the Cuckoo is also available in a larger six-cup model. Both versions are compact and have small footprints. The removable inner lid and non-stick bowl need to be hand-washed and the body wiped down with a damp cloth.

Available from Amazon (£113.63)

Specifications
Capacity: 3 cups uncooked rice
Dimensions: L22cm x W22cm x H22.5cm
Weight: 2.4kg
Length of cord: 1.4m
Bowl material: non-stick PTFE removable bowl; casing: BPA-free
Multi-cooker functions: none
Additional extras: rice spatula, rice measuring cup
Dishwasher-safe? No
Timer? No
Preset cooking delay? No
Warmer setting? Yes, for up to 12 hrs

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This review was last updated in July 2020. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.

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