Aroma ARC-1000 Professional Series 10-Cup Sensor Logic Rice Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)I picked this cooker up from Costco for under thirty bucks. If you don't want to spend a lot on a computerized rice cooker, this is the one for you. It's the cheapest fuzzy logic rice cooker on the market, but still makes great rice. It doesn't have a bunch of extra functions you'd never use, just white rice, brown rice, quick rice, and steam cook.
You have to play around a little with the amount of water when cooking the rice. If it's too dry, just add a little bit more water and leave it in keep warm mode for about 15 minutes. If you're planning on using keep warm mode, you also have to add a bit more water to keep the rice from burning to the bottom.
I've used mine for everything from steaming veggies to making steel cut oats. One thing I particularly like is that when you set the timer for steaming, it doesn't start counting down until the water is actually boiling.
The only thing I'd like better was if there were extra internal bowls available. I had originally bought this one thinking to use it until I got a more expensive rice cooker, but that purchase has been put on hold indefinitely simply because this one works so well.
To make steel cut oats, I use the brown rice function due to the long soaking time. Just add 4 cups water to every 1 cup of oats. Also add pat of butter or a bit of oil to the water to keep it from boiling over, and a pinch of salt. You can add raisins or other dried fruit if you like. I usually make a double batch, and it comes out perfect every time. Perfectly cooked with that unique chewy steel cut oat texture. No more soaking and making it on the stove for me.

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This digital rice cooker from Aroma makes perfect rice, soups, stews and even steams meat and vegetables simultaneously. Its unique Sensor Logic heating system flawlessly prepares up to 20 cups of any type of rice, with a water reservoir that channels away excess condensation. With a programmable control panel, multiple functions that include a 15-hour delay timer, brown rice, quick rice and smart steam, it's the perfect addition to any busy kitchen. And when the cooking is done, the nonstick inner pot removes for quick and easy cleanup. Includes recipe booklet, measuring cup, steam tray, soup ladle and serving spatula.

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Waring Pro DF100 Cool-Touch 3/4-Gallon Deep Fryer, Black with Stainless Accents Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this to replace an old, cheap deep fryer that was encrusted in old oil deposits. I chose the Waring because it has an immersed heating element (which reportedly should better maintain the high heat necessary to produce crisp fried foods), looked compact, and fit the modern black & stainless steel theme of my kitchen. I also liked the professional-looking buttons, the reported ease of cleaning, and the trusted Waring brand.
Overall, I am quite pleased with the fryer. But let's start with the negatives. The most annoying thing is that it does not have a charcoal filter. I knew this going in, but didn't think that would be important--I thought these are a gimmicky ploy to make extra money on people who want to replace them periodically. Well it turns out I was wrong. My last fryer had one, and even though I never replaced it, it still helped to substantially cut down on that fast-food-place-oily smell when cooking. While this fryer has a built-in wire mesh filter, it really does nothing to reduce the smell, probably because it is not fine enough. As a result, every time I use the fryer, most of my 2-bedroom duplex apartment smells like a fast-food restaurant. This smell tends to linger in the air and in fabrics like clothing and drapes. I started cracking open my kitchen windows, but this only helped a little bit, and it's too cold to do that all the time! The smell is not the end of the world though, as it does eventually dissipate, sometimes as late as a day later (I should mention I have a sensitive nose). The exhaust fan in my apartment kitchen doesn't ventilate to outside the building but I suspect if it did, this would help.
Another much more minor negative aspect is that the black plastic is not as glossy as it looks in the picture. It is a thick, matte finish that actually looks and feels a bit cheap next to the sleek stainless steel. This is simply an aesthetic complaint--apart from a scratch that I somehow caused by rubbing a wire cooling rack against it, I have had no problems with the integrity of the construction. On the plus side, it is thick and keeps the unit cool to the touch.
Now on to the positives. The unit is nicely compact and a tidy cube-like shape, with no protruding parts to clutter the look or make storage difficult. The stainless steel is good quality, and the window on top is thick glass, not Plexiglas. The buttons have a cool retro professional look to them. The best part is the inside. There is a removable stainless steel bowl that is very simple to remove and wash, even in the dishwasher. I love this feature! Other fryers I have used in the past have been a nightmare to clean because you have to tip the entire clumsy unit to dump the oil, and then wash it under a sink, which always made me nervous because I was afraid some water would get inside and damage it. This unit alleviates that problem--you simply remove the frying basket, slide out the heating element, and then you have access to the bowl.
The handle is well-designed. It has a locked up position when the basket is elevated (to fill with food), and then a down position that drops the food into the oil. Just make sure to close the lid before you drop the basket because otherwise you may get scalded with very hot steam like I did once! The magnetic power cord is a cool safety feature and works great. It does come out easily (that's the point) and I have read reports about people not liking these because of that fact. However this has never happened to me, probably because the outlet I plug it into is just a foot behind the fryer.
The cooking ability of the fryer is good. I was hoping to be amazed because of the immersed heating element but I wasn't--it's pretty similar to my last machine (a Rival I think) which didn't have an immersed element. The foods (primarily french fries) do not appear to come out consistently crispier. I'm confused by this though because with both this and my last fryer, the results have been variable. Sometimes the fries come out pretty crispy and sometimes not. The only thing I can think of is that length of cooking and potato quality may be factors. Regardless, the fries have always tasted good and the basket size is perfect for my household of 2. I should mention that I never use the timer because I prefer to eyeball it.
To summarize, I'd recommend this unit to small households who are interested in sleek looks and/or are tight on space, but can tolerate the fried oil smell OR who have a good ventilation system in their kitchen (e.g., place it under an exhaust fan) to manage it.

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The Waring Pro Cool Touch Deep Fryer has a black cool touch housing with stainless accents.3/4 Gallon capacity and a large frying basket.Immersion-style stainless steel heating element, breakaway cord, removable control panel.

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