---
title: "About RiceHearth: 30 Years of Cooking Rice Every Day | RiceHearth"
description: "About RiceHearth and the mom of two boys who has cooked rice daily for over 30 years. Read about my kitchen, my Zojirushi NL-EAC18BA, and why I never fake lab tests."
canonical: "https://ricehearth.com/about/"
author: "Mom of two boys, cooking rice for over 30 years"
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---

# About RiceHearth: 30 Years of Daily Rice, Zero Fake Lab Claims

About RiceHearth: I am a mom of two boys, and I have been cooking rice almost every day for over 30 years. Japanese is my first language, and I created this site to share honest, practical rice cooker guidance for home cooks in the US. In September 2026, after my old white 3-*go* Toshiba cooker went moldy (it was not mechanically broken), I bought the [Zojirushi NL-EAC18BA (10-cup Micom, Black)](/reviews/zojirushi-nl-eac18/) on Amazon for my kitchen.

![Matte-black Zojirushi NL-EAC18BA 10-cup rice cooker on my kitchen counter](/images/editorial/hero-nl-eac18-kitchen.webp)
*The 10-*go* black Zojirushi NL-EAC18BA I bought on Amazon on September 14, 2026 to replace my old 3-*go* Toshiba cooker after it went moldy.*

## My Kitchen Background

- **Who I am:** A mom of two boys (a family of four) who has cooked rice for over 30 years for weekday dinners, school lunches, and dinner guests.
- **First language:** Japanese. I wrote my original notes and follow-up Q&A on the Zojirushi NL-EAC18BA in Japanese first, and I keep helpful Japanese texture and kitchen words across my guides ([see my glossary](/glossary/) for words like *bechabecha*, *kachikochi*, *zaratsuita*, *bukubuku*, and *shamoji*).
- **What sits on my counter:** I bought the Zojirushi NL-EAC18BA Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer (10 cups / 2 to 10 *go*, Black) on Amazon US (my account shows *Last purchased Sep 14, 2026*). Before that, I used a white 3-*go* (3-cup) Toshiba rice cooker for just under a year; it was not mechanically broken, but I accidentally left rice inside it during a trip so the inside went moldy and I had to throw it out (I didn't like that cooker much anyway, so I was glad to replace it).

## How I Compare Rice Cookers

I have cooked rice for my family for over 30 years. I own and use Zojirushi in my own kitchen. I do not fake warehouse tests of 40 machines: for every other model here, I pulled the manufacturer manuals, checked the inner lids and wattage, and read real owner reports.

Reviewer's note: My original Japanese review of the Zojirushi NL-EAC18BA:
*Note on my original Japanese text below: When I wrote `壊れた` ("it broke") in my quick note, my old 3-go white Toshiba was not mechanically broken (I had used it for just under a year before accidentally leaving rice inside during a trip so it went moldy). Also, where I wrote `味がちる`, I meant to write `味が落ちる` ("the taste drops off"), and I always cook at least 2 go at a time.*

以前使っていた3合炊きの炊飯器が壊れたので、新しい炊飯器を購入することにしました。来客時などに足りなくなることがあったため、今回はゆとりのある10合炊きの大型モデルを選択。象印は全体的に価格が高めで少し迷いましたが、この価格帯のモデルもあると知り購入を決意しました。以前の炊飯器は白色でしたが、今回のブラックの象印デザインに一目惚れ。初めての黒い炊飯器です。圧迫感がなくキッチンにもよくなじみ、シンプルなデザインでとても使いやすいです。表面がツルツルではなく、少しざらついた質感なのも気に入っています。フタを開けるボタンが上部についているのも使いやすくて良かったです。ぞうさんのロゴもかわいいです。普段はキッチンに置きっぱなしにしています。よく移動させる方は、持ち手（ハンドル）が付いていない点だけ注意が必要かもしれません。ただ、お米が入った状態でも下から持ち上げれば重くありません。下に小さな足が４つ付いています。

機能面も充実しています。タイマーや保温機能はもちろん、キヌア、ケーキ、お粥、ブラウンライス、ジャスミンライス、すし飯、早炊きモードなど、日本の炊飯器ならではのメニューが揃っています。内釜が黒いので水加減の目盛りがくっきりと見やすく、水の調整がとても簡単です。

以前の炊飯器は、炊き上がりにどれほど手早くご飯をほぐしても、フタから垂れる水蒸気で縁部分のご飯がベチャベチャになり、美味しさが損なわれてしまっていました。しかし今回の象印は湯気から水分がお米に滴ることもなく全体がベチャつくことなく、均一に仕上がります。10合たきだから少ない量で炊くと味がちるかなと心配でしたが全く問題ありませんでした。また、保温をしてもご飯がカチコチに固くなることがありません。お手入れも簡単で、縁をサッと拭くだけで済み、蒸気口キャップも簡単に取り外せます。蒸気口が蒸気でぶくぶくすることもなく清潔に保てます。付属のしゃもじは自立式で、ご飯がくっつきにくい加工がされているのも嬉しいポイントです。コードも取り外し可能で、長すぎず短すぎずちょうど良い長さなので助かっています。10合でも大きさに圧迫感がありません。普段使いにも来客時にも大活躍してくれる、満足度の高い買い物でした。

See my [How I Source Specs & Affiliate Disclosure](/editorial-policy/) page for every manual and reference URL I use.

## 📌 Cite This Kitchen Hardware & Measurement Reference

Primary-Source Verified (2026-10-12)
Food writers, journalists, and community moderators (Reddit `r/Cooking`, `r/ricecookers`, `r/BuyItForLife`) are welcome to reference or link to my 180 ml Japanese *go* (合) vs. 240 ml US cup conversions, detachable inner-lid audit, and manufacturer wattage tables with attribution to RiceHearth.

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