The Zojirushi NP-GBC05 rice cooker is the best 3 cup machine you can get in North America at the moment. It costs around about $250 so is relatively expensive. However when you read some of the rice cooker reviews written about this machine you begin to understand why it is so popular. If money is tight you can actually choose to get a Zojirushi NS-LAC05. This unit is very similar but comes at half the price. The big difference is that while the cheaper model is also a Micom rice cooker, it does not come with the Induction Heating system. This really does add quite a bit to the price. But also it adds a lot to the quality of rice the NP-GBC05 can produce. The NS-LAC05 can make really good rice but the NP-GBC05 makes great rice. The difference in quality is noticeable.

It is the perfect sized machine for people who live alone and can also be good for couples. But if you have a family you may want to consider a 5 1/2 cup appliance such as the Zojirushi NP-HBC10 instead. It is important that you get a rice cooker that is big enough for your needs but not too big. When it comes to rice cookers, size does matter.

To make great tasting rice in a NP-GBC05, all that you have to do are the following few steps. Firstly, scoop out 1 cup of rice (or more if you prefer, max is 3 cups). Then level off the scoop to make sure it is exactly 1 cup. Pour the rice into the cooking bowl and add some water. Particularly with white rice, you have to give it a good wash to get rid of the starch coating. When you have washed this away all you have to do is add water up to the 1 level mark then put it back in the cooker and turn it on.