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Add to SafariWhen comparing Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD vs Cuisinart CRC-400, the Slant community recommends Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD for most people. In the question“What are the best rice cookers for under $50?” Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD is ranked 1st while Cuisinart CRC-400 is ranked 4th. The most important reason people chose Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD is:
This is a great rice cooker with a decent set of features - all with a price of less than $50. The pre-cook timer, the “keep-warm” mode, and the inclusion of steaming are great additional features that bump up the value of the cooker.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Good feature and functionality ratio
This is a great rice cooker with a decent set of features - all with a price of less than $50. The pre-cook timer, the “keep-warm” mode, and the inclusion of steaming are great additional features that bump up the value of the cooker.
Pro Can make food in advance
The pre-cooking timer can be set for up to 15 hours. It means you can put all the ingredients into the cooker, set the timer, go to work, and have a warm, delicious dinner waiting for you when you return home.
Pro Cooks rice for the perfect amount of time
The rice is always cooked for the right amount of time. It is not neither undercooked nor burnt and tastes simply delicious.
Pro Small to moderate sized
The cooker’s capacity can hold up to 4 cups of uncooked rice, which, in turn, turns into approximately 8 cups of rice. This is a medium amount and can be sufficient for up to 3 people.
Pro Easy to clean
The inner pot and inner lid are both removable and dishwasher safe. The inner pot also has a teflon coating which is a non-stick surface that eases cleaning even more.
Pro Keeps your food warm after cooking
Once the cooking is done, it automatically transitions into “keep-warm” mode to maintain your food’s temperature until you want to actually eat it.
Pro Convenient controls
The buttons are big and their functions are clear. With three available presets, the operating is easy and straightforward.
Pro Neat design
The square design is a unique one. The build is made from stainless steel which adds to the look and the square design, its small size, and a retractable power cord makes it easier to store.
Pro Keeps the meal warm after it is done cooking
After it detects that the food is done, it automatically switches to the “keep warm” mode. The cooker will keep the food warm until you actually want to eat it. But look out not to leave rice for too long in this mode, as it will dry out.
Pro Can also steam food while cooking
The optional steaming pot allows cooking such foods like fish, meat, or vegetables during the time when the rice is cooking. It saves energy and time.
Pro Small to medium sized
Given the compact design, it only has room for 4 cups of uncooked rice. This, generally, is enough only for one to three people.
Pro Easy to clean
All parts are removable and dishwasher safe. It also has a non-stick cooking bowl. Combined, these features make cleaning very easy.
Cons
Con Annoying beeping sound
Once the cooking ends, the cooker announces it with a loud, high pitched beeping which can be really annoying. The sound cannot be disabled or made quieter.
Con Foods cannot be slow cooked
Slow cooking is when a dish is best made over a longer period of time with a lower temperature setting. Sadly, the predefined options do not include this feature.
Con Small steam basket
The steam basket, where you place all the food that you want to steam-cook, is rather small and shallow. The size is enough for only 1 portion or maybe 2 smaller portions.
Con Water tends to overflow with the glass lid
The water can overflow during cooking if the glass lid is on, making cleaning more cumbersome than necessary. To prevent this, use the steaming pot instead of the glass lid to seal the cooker.
Con Doesn’t always cook perfectly
You can follow the instructions on what ratios to use and still have unsatisfactory cooked rice. It is best to experiment yourself with the water and rice ratios to achieve the best results.
Con Cannot be turned off
You have to plug the power cord in order to switch it on or off. After it is done cooking, it will stay on the “keep warm” mode indefinitely, potentially ruining the food and expending energy if left on for far too long.
Con Doesn’t have many features
Despite its price, it doesn’t have many additional features, like a timer or multiple cooking settings to choose from.
