Testing the As Seen on TV “Rice Robot”: A $40 Kitchen Gadget

Today I’m testing out the As Seen on TV “Rice Robot,” which promises to make perfect rice with just the touch of a button – and keep it warm for several hours. I purchased this gadget for $40 on Amazon, where it’s currently an Amazon’s Choice product. Let’s see how it works in today’s video.

Rice Robot Review

Where to Purchase

I picked up my Rice Robot on Amazon for about $40. There is an official website, buyricerobot.com, where it also sells for $40 and free shipping.

Unboxing the Rice Robot

Upon unboxing the Rice Robot, I found the unit itself to a bit smaller than expected. It came with an interesting textured spoon, some instructions, and a sizable recipe guide. The Rice Robot claims to cook rice perfectly without over or undercooking, automatically switches to a “warm” mode when done, includes two measuring cups, and has a nonstick surface that’s safe for metal utensils and dishwasher safe.

First Impressions and Setup

Inside the box, I found two measuring cups and a power cord. The measuring cups have indicators on the side, but they are confusingly referred to in the instructions as a “Rice Robot Rice Cup” and “Rice Robot Water Cup.” Thus, one “cup” of rice in their recipe is actually only about a half-cup when measured out. It’s a minor issue, but something I feel could be confusing to some consumers.

For my first recipe, I used their basic white rice recipe: three Rice Robot cups of white rice, three Robot Rice Water cups of water, a bit of salt, and olive oil. After rinsing the rice, I added the ingredients, stirred them up, and pressed the on button.

Cooking Time and Performance

The cooking process took almost 29 minutes. Once the rice was done, the cooker automatically switched to the warm setting. The instructions suggested unplugging the appliance after cooking to let it cool down slightly. After waiting a few minutes, I opened the lid to check the results.

The rice turned out perfect in texture and taste. My first impression was positive, although there were a few quirks, like the ambiguous definition of “slightly” in the cooling instructions and the fact that the inner pot had to cool completely before removal.

Testing Brown Rice

Next, I tested the Rice Robot with brown rice. Following the instructions, I used three of their cups of rice, four of water, salt, and oil. This time, the cooking process took 1 hour and 3 minutes. Despite the longer cook time, the brown rice turned out perfectly.

Trying Jasmine Rice

On the second day, I tested the Rice Robot with Jasmine rice, following their recipe. The cooking process was faster this time, taking just under 24 minutes. The Jasmine rice came out perfect, maintaining the Rice Robot’s streak of successful rice cooking.

Comparing with an Older Model

For a fun comparison, I pitted the Rice Robot against a beat-up 33-year-old Black & Decker rice cooker. The Rice Robot finished cooking faster and produced slightly better results, although the old Black & Decker still performed admirably.

Cooking Non-Rice Items: Mac and Cheese

Lastly, I tested the Rice Robot with a non-rice recipe: mac and cheese. The first attempt resulted in a watery dish, but after tweaking the water amount and cook time, the second attempt was successful. This suggests that non-rice recipes might require some trial and error.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Rice Robot is a solid rice cooker that delivers on its promises, with a few minor issues. The dripping water near the plug is concerning and the confusing measuring cup sizes are potentially confusing, but they didn’t cause any major problems during my tests. The rice consistently turned out well, and with some adjustments, it can handle other recipes too.

While the Rice Robot isn’t actually a robot, it’s a convenient kitchen gadget for making rice and potentially other dishes. If you’ve used a Rice Robot or a similar product, tell me what you think in the comments below!