Krups FDH212 10-Cup Automatic Rice Cooker with Slow Cooker and Steamer

The healthy, efficient way to prepare rice is yours with Krups's rice cooker. Three different cooking modes allow to steam, cook or slow cook your rice. The easy touch electronic pad allows you to keep leftover portions warm. A programmable timer allows for up to nine hours of cooking. Model #FDH2-12.

Hats off to the designers of appliances that perform multiple functions! After all, what kitchen couldn't benefit from more efficient use of limited space? The Krups FDH212 10-cup automatic rice cooker is also a slow cooker and a food steamer; select among those three modes and then, if necessary, set the time using the touch buttons on the control panel. The time counter shows remaining cooking time on a two-digit display. After cooking in any mode, the Krups rice cooker will shift to a keep-warm mode; the switch-over is noted by an orange indicator light on the control panel. In its most basic function, this rice cooker yields up to 20 cups of cooked rice. But it's also useful for all the typical slow-cooker dishes; soups, stews, chili, etc. An enclosed booklet includes recipes that range from the home-style Yankee Pot Roast to the fancier Casablanca lamb and apricot stew, as well as including simple cooking instructions for rice.

This is a lovely appliance, too--modern curves in gleaming stainless steel with high-gloss black lid and accents. The lacquer-black lid has a large, curved, stay-cool handle and a click-close lock with a gray release button. On the underside of the lid, a removable steam shield helps keep the scalding steam away from the lid and directs moisture back into the food. The deep nonstick cooking bowl is removable for easy cleaning; a sturdy black plastic steaming rack rests inside the bowl to suspend food above the water. One small but very considerate feature is a condensation collector; a channel running under the edge of the closed lid conducts condensation droplets to a small catch pocket on the side. A small plastic measuring cup and black plastic rice paddle (with attachable spoon rest) come with the cooker.

To preserve the nonstick coating of the cooking bowl, use wooden, plastic, or rubber utensils. Vinegar--used in the cooking of short-grain sushi rice--may corrode the nonstick surface over time. To clean the body of the rice cooker, wipe with a damp cloth and then wipe dry; the appliance is not immersible. The removable steam shield, steam basket, and nonstick cooking bowl can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. To re-season the bowl after every few rounds in the dishwasher, wipe the inner surface of the bowl with a little cooking oil. Do not use abrasive scrubbers or cleansers on any part of the rice cooker. The Krups FDH2121 rice cooker measures 11 inches in diameter and 11-1/2 inches high. It comes with a detailed instruction and recipe booklet. Krups guarantees this product with a one-year limited warranty. --Garland Withers