This cooker is supposed to be able to: cook white rice (normal mode), white rice (quick mode), brown rice, sticky rice, rice porridge, steam, cake, slow cook. I tested the functions I would most often use: cooking white rice, steaming, cake, and slow cooking.
[1] Cook rice (white jasmine) in normal mode
This cooker is meant to make as little as 2 cups rice (4 cup yield cooked) to 10 cups (20 cup yield cooked). Cooking takes about 40 minutes. When cooking the minimum (2 cups) with the recommended amount of water according to the markings in the inner bowl, the finished rice seemed a bit dry and undercooked. Whenever I find the rice slightly undercooked for my taste when the machine says the rice is finished cooking, I let the rice steam for a few additional minutes in "warm" mode, and it'll usually eventually get cooked more thoroughly, though still a bit dry. I've had the same problem with my old rice cooker. With smaller amounts of rice, the markings are usually off so I need to add more water than what is recommended. I tried cooking 2 cups again, but this time, added water 1-2 millimeters above the recommended water line, and the rice came out perfect when the machine sounded the "ready" beep. When I made a larger amount in this cooker (4 cups), I added water only up to the recommended line, but this time had no problems with the finished rice. Again, this is the same way my old rice cooker (different brand) performed, so don't necessarily think badly of Panasonic's line, there are problems all around - just keep tweaking water as you get to understand how the rice will turn out the more you use the machine.
[2] Cook rice in quick mode
I tried with 2 cups again. Cooking finished in about 15 minutes, but was far more undercooked than the rice in Task 1. I let the rice steam in "warm" mode for about an hour, and the rice was better - took away the whole point of trying to cook rice quickly, though. Doubt I will bother using this over normal cooking.
[3] Steam
You can set the cooking time for steaming anywhere between 1-60 minutes, adjusting in 1 minute increments. The plastic steaming tray fits into the inner bowl of the rice cooker. The tray is approximately 8.25 inches in diameter and 2.25 inches deep. There are two nubs in the plastic tray protruding inwards that you use to help lift the tray out of the inner bowl when steaming is done. Steamed 4 quartered russet potatoes great, and tray was very easy to clean.
[4] Cake
Instead of cake, I made a batter for pumpkin bread that is normally baked at 350º for about 55 minutes in a loaf pan. Put it in the cooker on "cake" mode and it finished cooking in 55 minutes as well. Cooked nicely though the texture of the crust is slightly different and better suited for actual cakes. There will not be the golden crust on the top of the baked good you are used to with oven baking. The top of the cake/bread will look and feel more like steamed buns. You can set the cooking time in "cake" mode anywhere from 20-65 minutes, adjusting in 5 minute intervals.
[5] Slow cook
A completely frozen block of corned beef was cooked in "slow cook" mode for 3.5 hours. It was nice that I didn't have to worry about falling asleep with the machine on since there are no flames to deal with on the stove and didn't have to watch for spillovers. There is no temperature control, but the machine keeps the temperature so the water stays at a low simmer. Cooking times for slow cooking can be adjusted in 30 minute increments anywhere from 1-12 hours.
Happy with overall performance except for quick cooking rice.
Other notes:
The machine will remember the cooking time settings you last used for the steam, cake, and slow cook options - great so you don't have to reset it all the time when you cook the same thing often. A detail I really appreciated was that the inner cover to the lid had a rubber gasket around the edges with a layer of rubber folded back in such a way that when you open the lid, with all the condensation on the inner cover from the steaming of rice, the water is caught in the groove in between the layers of rubber and does not drip all over the bottom half of the machine. The machine displays the time when not in use, but it just operates on a 24-hour clock i.e. when it is 4 in the afternoon, you will see 16:00 on your time display. There is unfortunately no other option for those of us who like to simply see 4:00 pm. The display lays more horizontal than vertically. I wish the display were more vertical so you could easily see the time on it sitting down in a chair across the room, not only if you're standing over it. Disappointed there is no slot/holder for the rice scoop. It would have been nice since once the scoop starts getting used, there's rice sticking all over it and it would be good to have somewhere to put the scoop in between servings without having to dirty another dish or the countertop.
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Panasonic SR-MS182 Fuzzy-Logic 10-Cup Rice Cooker, WhiteProduct Description: Take the guesswork out of making restaurant-quality rice with this easy-to-use rice cooker. The handy appliance offers a 10-cup uncooked-rice capacity, producing up to 20 cups of cooked rice--great when cooking for a group of friends or the whole family. Simply add dry rice, measure in the water, make a selection, and push the "start" button. Equipped with micro-computerized Fuzzy Logic technology, the unit automatically makes fine adjustments to the temperature and heating time to ensure perfectly cooked rice. Choose from a variety of menu options including steam; quick cook; porridge; slow cook; cake; and white, brown, and sticky rice. Once the rice has cooked, the appliance automatically switches over to "keep warm" mode, which maintains an ideal serving temperature for up to 12 hours. The unit's delay timer offers a 24-hour clock with one memory setting for starting the cooking cycle at a later time, and its automatic shut-off function offers peace of mind. Other highlights include a binchotan-type black pan with white anodizing for better tasting rice, a dimple pan that expands heat by 20 percent for enhanced performance, a detachable steam vent, a large orange LCD read-out, a detachable power cord, and a carry handle for convenient transport. A steam basket, measuring cup, rice scoop, and a user manual in English, French, and Chinese come included. The 835-watt rice cooker measures 14-1/5 by 11 by 9-4/5 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.
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Great compact size for dorm room, but unless stirred near the end, the rice consistently gets brown on the bottom.I'm deciding about returning it - I find that I actually like the browned, sweet bottom.It seems that the rice boils harder and puts out more steam than other rice cookers I've had.
