BLACK+DECKER Rice Cooker 6-Cup (Cooked) with Steaming Basket, Removable Non-Stick Bowl, White

INCONVENIENT TO THE MAX. Let’s stop lying about this product. It is the least convenient way to make rice I have ever seen. It is much easier to cook rice in a microwave.Like so many people, I watched my Asian friends cook rice in rice cookers. It’s so convenient: They scoop the rice in the rice cooker, add water, push the “COOK” button, and it works more-or-less like a toaster. It cooks the rice automatically, and shuts off. They can load it in a minute, start it, and forget it. But NOT this rice cooker. Let’s do this in chronological order: The first time I used it, it stunk up the entire house with the smell of burnt transformer windings. I was afraid to eat the rice. Even though I washed it before use, I feared the smell might have been some coating left on the cooking pan which is part of the device. But the real problem is one of “weights and measures:” This is rated as a “3-cup” rice cooker. That means it is supposed to produce 3 cups of rice. For context, a “cup” is defined as a volume of 8 fluid ounces. So, when loaded to the maximum, it should produce 24 ounces of rice. It does NOT. Here is where the story gets really complicated: How do you know how much rice and how much water to add to cook a serving of rice??? This should be simple, BUT NO!!! They caution you to use the supplied measuring cup. If you read the small user’s manual accompanying the cooker, you will find it contains the caution that their “CUP”, the supplied “MEASURING CUP” is NOT 8 ounces. They claim it is 6. And they claim that if you fill the cooker completely with 1.5 of THEIR 6 oz. cups of rice, it will produce 3 OF THEIR 6 OZ. CUPS of cooked rice. OK. Write this off to misunderstanding due to poor translaation of Chinglish, and move on. BUT that’s not the full story: To use this cooker at all, you must follow the instructions VERY CAREFULLY. The instructions say to do things in the following order:1. Measure the desired amount of uncooked rice into the supplied MINIATURE measuring cup. (This numerically represents half of the cooked volume of rice you wish to prepare;)2. Pour this rice into the cooker. N.B. this is BEFORE you add water to the cooker.3. Add water to the cooker (already containing the uncooked rice) up to the numeric measure line whose label matches the amount of uncooked rice you previously measured into their special supplied miniature measuring cup. The first problem everyone seems to encounter is that the nonstandard volume measurement markings on the 2 independent devices do not match any standard volume, nor do they match each other. It is very difficult to make sense of them or the instructions about them. E.g. who has ever heard of measuring water into a vessel AFTER a bunch of other solid pellets have already been loaded? And, trust me, if you add water up to the appropriate marking in the cooking pan BEFORE you add the rice to the cooking pan, it will result in the rice cooker boiling over, making a tremendous mess on the counter, AND there will be lots of dried rice material glued to the bottom of the cooking pan. So be careful to measure the rice and water only precisely as it says in the manual, and only using their “supplied” “measuring cup”, and only in the order dictated. Further inconvenience includes:1. The rice will stick to the bottom of the pan if you don’t take the lid off and stir the rice at least every ;5 minutes during the cooking cycle;2. You MUST use a non-metallic – either teflon, plastic, or wooden – utensil to stir the rice, or you will scratch the teflon off the supplied cooking pan, ruining the cooker;3. The plastic spatula supplied with the cooker is MUCH TOO LARGE to use with the cooker;4. The numbers embossed in the tupperware-like “measuring” cup supplied with my cooker are virtually impossible to see. They are so lightly scratched into the clear PVC that you have to hold the cup near a light, and at just the right angle, to see the markings at all;5. The markings indented into the side of the black teflon cooking pan are even more difficult to see. Since you must compare them to the level of water within the pan, you can only use them from the inner teflon-black side of the pan. It’s best to bring a flashlight, OR you can carry the pan – already loaded with rice – to a location near a lightbulb where you can add the water while viewing the measurement levels. I know a bunch of you are wondering: “Why can’t I just measure the proper amounts of constituents once, and use a real measuring cup henceforward?” Well, you can, but here’s the rub:It turns out the supplied cup is not actually 6 ounces. It’s closer to 5 fluid ounces. So if you want to make 10 ounces of cooked rice, use 5 real ounces of rice. But you still have to determine how much water. By carefully measuring the amount of water required to match the “number 1” marking on the cup and the side of the pan while it already contains one of their “measure” of rice, I determine that:A smidgen over 5 ounces of rice requiresAbout 8.5 ounces of water.You don’t want to make more than 1 of their uncooked cups of rice, because cooking only one of their (5 oz.) “cups” of rice will cause the cooker to boil over, and the mess it makes is even worse if you fill it further.I have tried the trick suggested by previous reviewers of draping a small towel over the top of the cooker, including the steam-vent hole in the lid. This suggestion certainly helps. But it, in no way, prevents a mess when the thing boils over. The best thing is to just watch it carefully, and when it boils up, remove the lid, and let the boiled-up bubbles recede. If you can catch it before it boils over, at least that is one less mess to clean up.The cooker will automatically switch from “COOK” to “WARM” after about 15 minutes. But, according to the company’s directions, you have to warm the rice for 15 minutes more to prepare it properly. (I’ve tried the shortcut of skipping the “WARM” cycle, and it doesn’t result in good rice.)Don’t forget that it doesn’t have an OFF switch, so you have to unplug it after every use. (Which means you have to wait around for it to finish cooking entirely before you can move on to whatever you had scheduled to do next.) This thing is terribly inconvenient to use. It saves no time; it wastes your time. Rather than start-and-forget, you have to mind it throughout the entire 30 minutes or so of cooking cycle, stirring the rice every ~5 minutes, AND UNPLUGGING THE COOKER WHEN YOU ARE DONE. This cooker NEVER shuts off automatically. It stays on “WARM,” which may well be hot enough to catch fire after it dries out your rice completely. AND the claims of how much it rice it will prepare, being derived from the assumption that a “cup” is 5 ounces, are fraudulent. I have been using Black & Decker tools for most of my life. They are usually reliable, dependable, and very high quality. But for Black & Decker to put their name on this product IS A SHAM. FOR SHAME!!! Whoever approved or tested this product at Black & Decker should immediately be fired. SHAME ON YOU, BLACK & DECKER!!! SHAME ON YOU FOR SOILING THE REPUTATION OF YOUR HONORABLE BRAND!!!

The Most Flexible & Adaptable Small Appliance You Never Heard Of. OVERVIEW & BACKGROUNDBoth model sizes are best for: 1-2 servings; Mainly for individuals, couples, a bit more can be squeezed out of them if servings are kept smaller.Covers most cooking, even baking style options except for much higher temperature sort of cooking/baking like frying, broiling, grilling, roasting. These types of cooking methods are best done in another higher temperature (usually over1000 watts if electric powered) appliance like a regular range stove top, grill, or the portable stove tops sometimes called a hot plate.***********UPDATE:**********Be aware that there are many mini/personal size electric griddles that cover this spectrum of “higher” yet are actually LOWER wattage temperature that I did not know about at the time I wrote this. The one I now use now is rated atjust 260 watts!I did not just buy ONE, but TWO Black And Decker Rice Cookers-though a month apart from each other. They are the smallest (RC503) and the second smallest (RC506) models which are currently offered on their present model line up. I will discuss them both here equally in the Overview & Background section. Then in their respective individual model sections, I will discuss each one separately in far more detail. Overall, I have found them both to be so very adaptable, flexible, and meeting my food preparation and nutrition needs very well, sometimes exceeding my own wildest dreams as these cookers are definitely not a One Trick Pony. I bought them both because:-1. The huge global inflation that is causing food prices to skyrocket without an end in sight and-2. The global supply chain breakdown which has impacted, plus severely limiting, packaged frozen food for individuals and smaller groups to my local grocery stores in a dependable, predictable, and timely manner.While I usually prepare a 1 Pot meal or snacks using just one Rice Cooker at a time when cooking just for me, both of them can be used to make not only more food, but a variety of food when needed-generally one to two servings. I can feed up to about 4 servings depending on the size of the portion served separately intended for each person. These cookers take very little space either when stored or in use. They are very inexpensive (together I paid under 40 dollars for both at the time of this writing) and with the right recipes and ingredients, can do a wide variety of main and side dishes with so little clean up afterwards. When you do clean up the Inner Pot, use only soft non-abrasive sponge, rag, wet paper towels etc. or soak in soapy water before you start to wipe clean. Plus NEVER use metal utensils in these cookers or you will ruin the non-stick cooking surface. It is very easy to scratch it! Completely dry the insert itself before placing it back into the electric base.I had an unexpected side benefit of lower salt intake as well as consuming more nutritious food of grains (other than the expected rice), vegetables and controlling meat amount inclusion which helped me to lose 10-15 pounds without even knowing it! They are ultra portable and can be moved from not only from room to room, but travel if I ever do that again.I am a single person on the SNAP (food stamps) program right now. I am on a very limited food budget of hovering just under 200 dollars per month. That means I have to be very careful even before this huge inflation wave happened. While I always hunted for bargains, used store discount cards, and coupon clipped in the past, that proved not to be enough anymore, especially now with the double whammy of inflation and supply breakdown. I decided I need to eliminate food waste as close to 100% as possible. So I purchased the tiny RC503 first with my Stimulus check. I noticed such a huge drop in waste (approaching the upper 90 percentile), I decided to buy the RC506 a bit later as it is the smallest model to offer an included Steam Basket. Plus I needed a bit more “room” for a little more food. This combo proved to be the best means to reach, even exceed, my goals.***Reasons To Buy Any/All Of These Rice Cooker:s***-*Rice Cookers can be used in less than ideal situations. If you don’t have a traditional kitchen available and need to set up some sort of makeshift portable/temporary/transitory/even an emergency sort of meal prep area, station, or center, all you need is a reliable power source (preferably an electrical outlet-otherwise a generator) to power up and operate the Cooker(s). RC503 is only 200 watts, and RC506 is 300 watts. So easy on electricity unlike the higher wattage appliances out there.-*Addressing Special Dietary Issues. If you or someone in your group has a special diet be prepared just for them, it is very easy to do in a rice cooker such as these. Even if you visit outside your home or residence at someone else’s place, it can be easily done right on the spot. Especially great for Diabetics, people with food allergies, personal/religious belief dietary restrictions (i.e. veganism, keeping Kosher etc.). You will still be able to dine with others without calling undue attention to the food in front of you just like everyone else.-*Faster than a “Slow” Cooker. Most meals average around 30 minutes or so.-*Not heating up the kitchen when the weather is very hot, especially hot and steamy, times of the year.-*Easy to use (only 1 Device Operating or Control Lever) and ability to prepare as simple or elaborate meals/snacks as you want.-*Cheap on the food budget without sacrificing nutrition . -*Proportion Control practiced without undercutting with a decent amount of food per person. Leftovers eliminated unless intentionally desired by the user.-*Numerous “Rice Cooker” recipes available both online, at your local public library, and in purchased cookbooks specializing in preparing raw ingredients in a rice cooker. I collected several books and searched online and I now have a huge selection of entrees to choose from. Just like eating out in a restaurant-without the cost!RC503The smallest (and cutest) model offered. It DOES NOT come with a Steamer Basket. Still it is great for very small proportions (like a side dish or a snack). I cooked white rice in it just for me and it came out perfect! Just remember to use the included rice measuring cup and the spatula/spoon/scoop included in your box for best results.The included rice measuring cup is great for rice measuring accuracy within this Rice Cooker unless otherwise specified by your chosen recipe. Then I use the regular cups used by most people.. The usual regular measuring cups might make your rice overflow as it is somewhat bigger than the included rice measuring cup.RC506This is the one size up model. I usually prepare my main 1 Pot course, a bit bulkier items (like ribs shown being prepared and served in the included photos), and could be pressed to squeeze out an extra proportion for an unexpected guest far easier than the micro mini RC503. The included Steamer Basket allows me to steam a little something extra within it without having to use my little RC503 all the time just for a very small extra amount of food. Just remember to use the spatula/spoon/scoop plus the rice measuring cup included in your box for best results.The included rice measuring cup is great for rice measuring accuracy within this Rice Cooker. . The usual regular measuring cups might make your rice overflow as it is somewhat bigger than the included rice measuring cup unless otherwise specified by your chosen recipe. Then I use the regular cups used by most people.******”UPDATE-June, 2024*******It has been some years since I last wrote the above review. Since then, I actually lost around 50% of my SNAP (Food Stamps) monthly allowance. Plus Inflation seems not to let up very much if at all. How am I coping with these major changes without going back to the local Food Banks or even begging? By relying on these same rice cookers 99% of the time now.I “translated” my favorite food dishes into cooking them in one or usually both of my rice cookers at the same time each day. I will let you see for yourselves-via above new pix-the tasty, healthy results right out of the rice cookers. I wish you could smell & taste them for yourselves!”Swedish Meatballs” & “Japanese Style Curry Bowl” are my absolute favorites shown above. The Swedish Meatballs & Japanese Curry sauces are cooked separately (each one entree was prepared on separate days) in one rice cooker. The Egg Noodles & Udon Noodles are cooked in the other cooker due to different cooking times as well. When it is time to serve them, The Meatballs was served in the all metal insert which it was cooked in. The Curry was served in a more traditional ceramic bowl.The money savings from this “less is more” approach is noticeable very quickly after nearly 100% implication. My food bill no matter how much the time period passed (weekly, monthly), added up very quickly, after I stopped eating out completely and relying on these rice cookers far more than before. I am able function (stay within a very meager, now far more limited) budget, even thrive health-wise, thanks to this nontradional approach in food preparation in everything I do. I hope and wish you success as well as you explore your own way!

The Most Flexible & Adaptable Small Appliance You Never Heard Of. OVERVIEW & BACKGROUNDBoth model sizes are best for: 1-2 servings; Mainly for individuals, couples, a bit more can be squeezed out of them if servings are kept smaller.Covers most cooking, even baking style options except for much higher temperature sort of cooking/baking like frying, broiling, grilling, roasting. These types of cooking methods are best done in another higher temperature (usually over1000 watts if electric powered) appliance like a regular range stove top, grill, or the portable stove tops sometimes called a hot plate.***********UPDATE:**********Be aware that there are many mini/personal size electric griddles that cover this spectrum of “higher” yet are actually LOWER wattage temperature that I did not know about at the time I wrote this. The one I now use now is rated atjust 260 watts!I did not just buy ONE, but TWO Black And Decker Rice Cookers-though a month apart from each other. They are the smallest (RC503) and the second smallest (RC506) models which are currently offered on their present model line up. I will discuss them both here equally in the Overview & Background section. Then in their respective individual model sections, I will discuss each one separately in far more detail. Overall, I have found them both to be so very adaptable, flexible, and meeting my food preparation and nutrition needs very well, sometimes exceeding my own wildest dreams as these cookers are definitely not a One Trick Pony. I bought them both because:-1. The huge global inflation that is causing food prices to skyrocket without an end in sight and-2. The global supply chain breakdown which has impacted, plus severely limiting, packaged frozen food for individuals and smaller groups to my local grocery stores in a dependable, predictable, and timely manner.While I usually prepare a 1 Pot meal or snacks using just one Rice Cooker at a time when cooking just for me, both of them can be used to make not only more food, but a variety of food when needed-generally one to two servings. I can feed up to about 4 servings depending on the size of the portion served separately intended for each person. These cookers take very little space either when stored or in use. They are very inexpensive (together I paid under 40 dollars for both at the time of this writing) and with the right recipes and ingredients, can do a wide variety of main and side dishes with so little clean up afterwards. When you do clean up the Inner Pot, use only soft non-abrasive sponge, rag, wet paper towels etc. or soak in soapy water before you start to wipe clean. Plus NEVER use metal utensils in these cookers or you will ruin the non-stick cooking surface. It is very easy to scratch it! Completely dry the insert itself before placing it back into the electric base.I had an unexpected side benefit of lower salt intake as well as consuming more nutritious food of grains (other than the expected rice), vegetables and controlling meat amount inclusion which helped me to lose 10-15 pounds without even knowing it! They are ultra portable and can be moved from not only from room to room, but travel if I ever do that again.I am a single person on the SNAP (food stamps) program right now. I am on a very limited food budget of hovering just under 200 dollars per month. That means I have to be very careful even before this huge inflation wave happened. While I always hunted for bargains, used store discount cards, and coupon clipped in the past, that proved not to be enough anymore, especially now with the double whammy of inflation and supply breakdown. I decided I need to eliminate food waste as close to 100% as possible. So I purchased the tiny RC503 first with my Stimulus check. I noticed such a huge drop in waste (approaching the upper 90 percentile), I decided to buy the RC506 a bit later as it is the smallest model to offer an included Steam Basket. Plus I needed a bit more “room” for a little more food. This combo proved to be the best means to reach, even exceed, my goals.***Reasons To Buy Any/All Of These Rice Cooker:s***-*Rice Cookers can be used in less than ideal situations. If you don’t have a traditional kitchen available and need to set up some sort of makeshift portable/temporary/transitory/even an emergency sort of meal prep area, station, or center, all you need is a reliable power source (preferably an electrical outlet-otherwise a generator) to power up and operate the Cooker(s). RC503 is only 200 watts, and RC506 is 300 watts. So easy on electricity unlike the higher wattage appliances out there.-*Addressing Special Dietary Issues. If you or someone in your group has a special diet be prepared just for them, it is very easy to do in a rice cooker such as these. Even if you visit outside your home or residence at someone else’s place, it can be easily done right on the spot. Especially great for Diabetics, people with food allergies, personal/religious belief dietary restrictions (i.e. veganism, keeping Kosher etc.). You will still be able to dine with others without calling undue attention to the food in front of you just like everyone else.-*Faster than a “Slow” Cooker. Most meals average around 30 minutes or so.-*Not heating up the kitchen when the weather is very hot, especially hot and steamy, times of the year.-*Easy to use (only 1 Device Operating or Control Lever) and ability to prepare as simple or elaborate meals/snacks as you want.-*Cheap on the food budget without sacrificing nutrition . -*Proportion Control practiced without undercutting with a decent amount of food per person. Leftovers eliminated unless intentionally desired by the user.-*Numerous “Rice Cooker” recipes available both online, at your local public library, and in purchased cookbooks specializing in preparing raw ingredients in a rice cooker. I collected several books and searched online and I now have a huge selection of entrees to choose from. Just like eating out in a restaurant-without the cost!RC503The smallest (and cutest) model offered. It DOES NOT come with a Steamer Basket. Still it is great for very small proportions (like a side dish or a snack). I cooked white rice in it just for me and it came out perfect! Just remember to use the included rice measuring cup and the spatula/spoon/scoop included in your box for best results.The included rice measuring cup is great for rice measuring accuracy within this Rice Cooker unless otherwise specified by your chosen recipe. Then I use the regular cups used by most people.. The usual regular measuring cups might make your rice overflow as it is somewhat bigger than the included rice measuring cup.RC506This is the one size up model. I usually prepare my main 1 Pot course, a bit bulkier items (like ribs shown being prepared and served in the included photos), and could be pressed to squeeze out an extra proportion for an unexpected guest far easier than the micro mini RC503. The included Steamer Basket allows me to steam a little something extra within it without having to use my little RC503 all the time just for a very small extra amount of food. Just remember to use the spatula/spoon/scoop plus the rice measuring cup included in your box for best results.The included rice measuring cup is great for rice measuring accuracy within this Rice Cooker. . The usual regular measuring cups might make your rice overflow as it is somewhat bigger than the included rice measuring cup unless otherwise specified by your chosen recipe. Then I use the regular cups used by most people.******”UPDATE-June, 2024*******It has been some years since I last wrote the above review. Since then, I actually lost around 50% of my SNAP (Food Stamps) monthly allowance. Plus Inflation seems not to let up very much if at all. How am I coping with these major changes without going back to the local Food Banks or even begging? By relying on these same rice cookers 99% of the time now.I “translated” my favorite food dishes into cooking them in one or usually both of my rice cookers at the same time each day. I will let you see for yourselves-via above new pix-the tasty, healthy results right out of the rice cookers. I wish you could smell & taste them for yourselves!”Swedish Meatballs” & “Japanese Style Curry Bowl” are my absolute favorites shown above. The Swedish Meatballs & Japanese Curry sauces are cooked separately (each one entree was prepared on separate days) in one rice cooker. The Egg Noodles & Udon Noodles are cooked in the other cooker due to different cooking times as well. When it is time to serve them, The Meatballs was served in the all metal insert which it was cooked in. The Curry was served in a more traditional ceramic bowl.The money savings from this “less is more” approach is noticeable very quickly after nearly 100% implication. My food bill no matter how much the time period passed (weekly, monthly), added up very quickly, after I stopped eating out completely and relying on these rice cookers far more than before. I am able function (stay within a very meager, now far more limited) budget, even thrive health-wise, thanks to this nontradional approach in food preparation in everything I do. I hope and wish you success as well as you explore your own way!

Makes a bit of a mess, but makes great rice. Been using it nearly daily for a couple months now with no issues… It does make a little bit of a mess as it boils out of the vent and drips a little, but dried rice juice is super easy to clean off of surfaces so no big deal really… I use it to cook rice at work and it does great… I also use it for hard boiling eggs at work and it does that great also, cold water and eggs in, switch to cook and ~25 minutes later the eggs are perfect…

Perfect Rice Every Time. The BLACK+DECKER 6-Cup Rice Cooker has been a game-changer in my kitchen! It’s incredibly easy to use with its one-touch operation, making it perfect for quick and hassle-free cooking. The 3-cup uncooked capacity is ideal for small families or meal prepping, and the results are consistently great.I love the non-stick removable bowl—cleanup is a breeze, and the rice never sticks or burns. The included steaming basket is a fantastic bonus, allowing me to steam vegetables or fish simultaneously with cooking rice, saving both time and effort.This rice cooker is compact, efficient, and dependable. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or a small group, it delivers perfect rice every time. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a reliable and versatile kitchen appliance!

A solid, decent rice cooker option. I purchased this to replace one I had used (of a different brand) for nearly 20 years. The finish on the bottom of the metal bowl the rice cooks in had begun to scratch and come off, so I felt for health reasons it was probably time to replace it. I loved the simplicity of my previous rice cooker, and looked for something similar. Overall, I have been happy with this purchase so far. I’ll detail a few of the pros and cons below, but I think I would purchase this again.Pros:*The rice is consistently cooked perfectly, and tastes great. This is the most important thing, and why I would purchase again.*The warming feature works well, and indeed keeps rice warm once it finishes cooking. So far, our rice has not dried out with this feature, but we also haven’t had to keep it warm for more than an hour or so.*It is fairly easy to use. The method of water measurement has been a little different from my previous cooker, which is taking a little adjustment (I have to consult the manual each time I use it to remind me of ratios), but once I get my ratios it only takes a few seconds to get rice cooking. I wish they would print ratios on a sticker and put it on the cooker, so I didn’t have to consult the book each time, but I’ll learn the ratios eventually.Cons:*This may just be the difference of buying something 20 years ago vs today, but the quality is noticeably less than my previous cooker. The plastic and metal on everything feels thinner — not as substantial. The serving paddle feels like a thinner plastic — only slightly thicker than what I would consider disposable plastic serve ware. It doesn’t impact the results with the rice, but I do wonder if it will impact durability and longevity. I do not expect that this cooker will last 20 years like my previous one.*This may be a silly gripe, but the serving paddle on my previous rice cooker was designed to rest in the handle on the side of the cooker, and I didn’t realize how much I liked that feature until I didn’t have it. It was great for serving to a crowd without having to set the paddle on the counter. While I technically can put the paddle in the handle of this one, it is clearly not designed to rest there, and one would have to touch the part of the paddle that comes in contact with food to remove it from the handle. Not ideal in a crowd. But, it still works.Like I said, overall I’m happy with the purchase, and if you’re looking for a solid rice cooker, this is a good option. I’m just putting the things in this review that I would have liked to note before ordering.

A must buy. Rice cooks quickly and tastes great. Highly recommend. Easy to use and clean up afterwards. Price is right.

Worth the price, no complaints. Works well! Made quinoa in it and somehow it knew when it was done cooking. Turned out well. I made a couple of recipes in here, the soup and stew. They were good for making in a rice cooker and would be good for people who don’t have full kitchens. Small, easy to use, no nonsense. I like it.

IM IN LOVE WITH THESE RICE COOKER. Works wonderful even if you are making more than white rice, I made rice with spam,sausage or beans and cooks really well! It’s a plus in my kitchen ! Not heavy and easy to use definitely good value for money… I’m Hispanic so I cook rice literally all the time and I haven’t have an issue so far and also comes with a steam basket works wonderful too!

Excellent but beware the 3-cup size might be too small. Great cooker, the rice has a beautiful, fluffy texture. Easy to use, nice simple design. One thing: the 3-cup version is really only enough for 2 people having a side serving of rice, or 1 person eating a rice meal. For me it was too small so I bought the 6-cup version.