This was posted 6 years 9 months 21 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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Tiger Rice Cooker JBA-T18A (Made in Japan) $270 at Costco (Membership Required)

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This seemed to be a very popular rice cooker last year. It is back at a lower price this year. Usual price $299.99. Now $269.99

The JKTS18A is also on special at $30 off

"Get your fluffy, toothy, delicious rice on, OzBargainers."

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  • +6

    I'm learning so much about rice cookers just from the comments in this post alone lol

    • Wait till you married one/family whom eats RICE everyday for dinner.

      • wait till you meet someone who is particular about what breed the rice is and knows the difference of cooking each type.

        lol. it's like the usual "WHY $4000 for a coffee machine? my insta coffee is fine!"

  • +1

    When GearBest, Banggood and others see the comments here, they will probably start selling Xiaomi rice cooker to Australia.

    • Are they actually any good compared to the Top tier Japanese brands though? And also how long can they last?

      • I don't have one so cannot comment, but I've seen reviews praising good value (compared to Japanese brands) and performance. Xiaomi rice cookers are IH models and retail in China at less than ~$200 AUD. They are small though(3L or 4L) so may not feed a big family.

      • I had a Xiaomi one. It is good! it is also moderately pressurized. I dont have a tiger to compare, but it is way better than the cheap ones I have had over the years.

        The only downside is that it takes like 40min to 1hr to cook. Base on the comments above, it seems the Tiger one takes just as long. I guess one has to wait for the perfect result.

        • My Zojirushi takes about 45min but it does have a quick option — haven't timed it, but it's considerably quicker

  • +1

    Got one when I got married in 2010. Used daily and super useful with kids. These things are hardy and designed like how electronics used to be. I wouldn't be surprised if I were able to pass it onto my kids when they're bigger.

    This is an investment. ;)

    • +2

      This is an investment

      With high yield?

      • +4

        nope, high glycemic index

        • Stay away from the fizzy stuff and cheap chocolate mate.

      • +2

        Nah, it's Japanese. Only European models are high yield investments. ;)

  • +3

    For those who are wondering if you need or why you need a expensive Rice Cooker. I actually saw this video on youtube last night

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8FkbFoRCzc

    I personally think it's worth it.

    • My zojirushi that cost about $150 is probably fine for 99% of the people. That $350 is overkill

  • -3

    Is this post for real? We've got a $25 one from GGs, use every orher day for 2 years and delivers beautiful rice every time. Confused.

  • +1

    This does not use IH. Nor is it pressurised. These are important functions of a high end rice cooker.
    Here you are purely paying a significant premium for the tiger brand.

    • The other model mentioned in the post is the IH model - JKTS18A. $30 off that isn't as big a saving percentage wise though… I think that one's original Costco price is around the $500-$550 mark

    • Yeah I expected this to be pressurised. Nothing scarier than a pressurised cooker suddenly popping off it's steam in your kitchen when you're cooking nearby though.

  • +7

    This is no different to when people complain that their $50 phone does just as well as a $1000 iPhone - for this model Tiger, it's a good price for anyone looking to buy. Move along if the post isn't of interest to you

  • Hi guys, I think this rice cooker is great. Typing this from inside my top of the line A200 Merc AMG M sport.

    • +2

      An A200 AMG Sport isn't top of the line.

      • You can't get AMG with an A200
        AFAIK cheapest AMG is A45

        • +1

          Aliexpress lets you slap anything on.

  • -1

    Does it come with socket to plug in to my 300c merc

    • I'm not sure if you have been outside lately, but there are plenty of Aussies who eat rice.

      • +2

        Sushi has rice?! Whaaaaaaaaaat?!

    • +2

      This is Japanese.

  • I have this but older model which bought in 9 years ago. I knew it is a good brand. But as I am a Chinese, I can't tell the difference compare this cooker with $50 one. Of course I never do AB compare. I can't even tell the difference between quick cooking function (30 mins) and plain rice function (45 mins).

    But if you use rice cooker everyday. Tiger is worth to buy it. $200 is nothing if it is for long time usage. Your iphone only last 2,3 years. As I heard Tiger has better reputation than Panasonic.

  • Damn that would look nice to all those overpriced thermo-mixs out there!

    My $15 kmart jobbie is still going strong after at least 4 years.
    I'm sure this does magical things to warrant the price tag though.

  • I gave up white rice everyday and I feel much healthier without.

    Does anyone have any experience using one of these with quinoa?

    • +1

      Enters brown rice

      Enters black rice

    • Cauliflower is a good low carb alternative to rice. You can even get rice-like results just grating the cauliflower and then cooking or steaming it in a microwave or just boiling it in a saucepan.

      Never tried quinoa myself because I've noted it costs quite abit more.

      • I do do cauliflower faux 'rice' and love it.
        Quinoa has a great nutrition profile, I recommend.

  • +2

    using a $20 steelpot to cook rice is like using a $20 paper filter coffee maker to brew ground coffee. Anyone that can't taste the difference between that and barista made coffee shouldn't buy a tiger or similar.

  • Caucasians in general won't understand the need for Asian to have top class rice cooker compared to the cheapo ones, just saying.. Once you have an Asian wife you'll know.

    • -1

      Please do not generalise, not all Asians eat rice every day. :) tiger brands are overpriced imo, $20 kmart rice cookers are reliable too.

      • +4

        It's not about reliability.. It's the quality of the rice cooked.

        • -1

          It's like buying a $2000 gaming PC when all you need is to add numbers. If you just need it to cook rice, why not DIY or buy a cheaper cooker? I highly doubt the rice will taste 10 times better. One cannot simply improve on basics.

        • +1

          @auslei: You just have to try one to believe it. The problem is cheaper cookers don't get the basic right, it's pretty much just a heated pan with a lid

        • +1

          @auslei:

          A normal rice cooker: click on, click off

          vs

          A smart rice cooker: cooking temperature ramp up gradually, hold temp and pressure while cooking, gradual reducing temp to avoid caking hence the microprocessor in the cooker.

          I guess you don't know what you don't know ;)

          If you know your rice, the fluffiness of the rice is a function of moisture, temp, pressure and time. You can cook your rice in a microwave in a few minutes but it won't give you the fluffiness. You want your rice to be fluffy, loose not caked together, moist but not soggy.

          Give it a try and you might like it, if not you are just guessing.

  • Sorry guys, if you can't taste the difference between cooked rice and perfectly cooked rice then this rice cooker is definitely not for you, save money and be happy with your normal rice cooker.

    • I just use a cooking pot… One cup of rice will be enough for 2-3 days for me, as it is not a staple food for me.

  • I just use my slow cooker. Coles out great.

  • You've immortalised my words, trev!

    "Get your fluffy, toothy, delicious rice on, OzBargainers."

    I guess this is my legacy.

    • +1

      Your words will soon make it to peer reviewed journals

  • +1

    The current Rolls Royce model of rice cooker is costing HKD$8800 (~AUD$1200)

    http://www.panasonic.hk/english/products/kitchen/rice-cooker…

  • +4

    Aussies be like, “why you spend $200 on a rice cooker”? Japanese be like, “why your rice doesn’t taste like rice”?
    This would be on the cheaper end in Japan. Most of their rice cookers are advertised between $200-$1000. If you eat if often, it makes sense to get a good one, as with anything you use.

    • “why your rice doesn’t taste like rice”?

      Lol.

    • -3

      If you dropped the 'c' in rice when the Japanese spoke I just might believe that.

      • +1

        I think they’d say Raisu if their English wasn’t great but I think I’ll go and ask a Japanese worker at the local sooshi shop to be sure, or maybe I’ll just wait until I get to Tokeyo.

  • does this work for ramen noodles ?

  • Costco Ringwood has 0 of the JBA-T18A and only 3 of the JKTS18A. Aisle 111 for anyone interested.

    Edit: except for the pallet of JBA-T18A's hiding at the end of the aisle…! Oops.

    • What's the difference between the two?

      Advanced functions?

      • Yea good question, one of them has a bigger LCD screen and looks to have more features (the goldish colour one)

  • While we're on the topic, anyone here find that rice is one of the few raw foods that can be cooked to perfection in a microwave?

  • http://salaoneshop.com/products.php?product=Zojirushi-%252d-…
    Price looks attractive, anyone has experience on this seller?

  • Korean rice cookers are expensive but reliable and cook other kind of foods. I prefer electric pressure rice cooker and am using it for years changing the rubber gasket every two years.

    • MIJ is still the best.

    • All American pressure cookers doesn't use gaskets, they also hold their value better.

  • +4

    Pls don’t even compare any rice cooker unless it is a zojirushi,panasonic or any jap brand, buffalo brand and cuckoo.For those who Can’t justify why u need to splurge,pls just stop eating rice right now.It is exactly like comparing eating pasta cooked in water for 1 min vs pasta cooked al dente.One is hard and disgusting and the other is soft and fluffy.

  • +1

    Me thinks the rice brand could have something to with the flavour ie sunrise vs an Asian import. Just sayin.

  • Brought JBA-T18A for $269.99 ($299.99 less $30). Only Beige colour available.
    Note Costco advertise $30 off for both Tiger Rice Cookers namely JBA-T18 & JKTS18A.
    JKTS18A under $600 less $30.
    JBA-T18A $299.99 less $30.

    Hope this clarify quite misleading advertisement.

    As at 3/2/2018
    Lidcombe has heaps of stock for JBA-T18A (all Beige colour), and none for JKTS18A.
    Mardsen Park has 79 of JKTS18A (under $600 less $30)

  • Is JKT-S18A actually pressurised?

    • +1

      YES - on the top a steam cap & vent. The cheap rice cooker from Aldi, Target Woolworth etc are not pressurised. Pressurised rice cooker gives the perfect rice results.

      TIGER Rice cookers are the best you can buy. I have one which is 35 years old and still going. Brought a new one because its only 5 cups.

  • As a rice super eater (we have rice pretty much 3 meals a day, 7 days a week) I can attest that a good rice cooker is worth splurging on.

    We used to have a mediocre rice cooker for $100, its quick cook setting was 40 minutes. 40 freaking minutes. It never showed a countdown for how long until the rice would be ready.

    We bought a Panasonic for a little over $200, quick cooks the most amazing rice in 15 minutes. Fuzzy microcomputer rice cookers can be worth the money.

    However, this Tiger rice cooker has bad reviews. I'm not sold that this is a good rice cooker, perhaps it’s just an expensive one.

  • canz it cook potato?

  • -5

    My $10 Kmart Rice Cooker works just as good as this. Only a fool would buy this overpriced gadget just because it has a brand name stuck on it.

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