Many of you know that my husband is half Japanese. Suffice to say, he likes rice. When we first got married we invested in a very nice (and very expensive) rice cooker that made perfect rice, both white and brown, and then kept it warm for hours. It was a lovely thing to have. However, once I researched more about the aluminum pan with the nonstick coating on it inside the rice cooker, I sadly put it away, only to be dusted off when using for large crowds.
I considered getting a stainless steel rice cooker, however my mother-in- law had one that kept burning out because it took so much more energy to heat the stainless steel bowl. Hopefully they’ve improved that function, but I was still unsure of whether or not I wanted to invest in one.
So, I was quite happy to hear that the company Vitaclay has developed a rice cooker and slow cooker dual that uses a natural clay pot inside. The clay pot is made from unglazed Chinese Zisha Clay. It’s so wild! The outside it so high tech looking, and then you open it up, and there is a traditional clay pot inside. Itβs the old meeting the new.
Not only is the clay a better choice toxicity-wise, it actually helps keep food moist and flavorful. When Good Housekeeping conducted a side-by-side comparison of beef stews made in slow cookers, the stew made in the Vitaclay cooker won.
βThis one-of-a-kind product is called a slow cooker but actually cooks under moderate pressure so that it heats and cooks very quickly. It automatically shifts to a keep warm setting where it maintains food at an ideal temperature for up to 20 hours. Of all the beef stews we tasted, the VitaClay’s was tops.β
Advantages of the Vitaclay rice cooker/slow cooker:
- Natural, nontoxic clay pot
- No aluminum or nonstick
- Clay is naturally nonstick
- The Vitaclay Chef, 8 cup rice cooker and slow cooker that I tried out has different settings for slowing cooking, rice (brown, white, sweet, reheating rice), so that you get exactly what you need each time.
- Heats up significantly faster than a slow cooker
- Cooks twice as fast as a slow cooker and then keeps everything on “warm” until you eat.
- Uses less energy as a slow cooker
- Makes wonderful rice
The only disadvantages I’ve found so far in my testing is that clay is a little more sensitive than metal pans. You do have to make sure that you don’t temperature shock it. I was relieved to find out that you can buy a replacement pot for a good price if something were to happen to it. My only other complaint is that I’d love for it to be larger. It works great for feeding my family of 4, but I’d love to be able to put large pots of stew in a clay cooker.
All-in-all, I’ve found the Vitaclay cooker a very deluxe rice cooker and slow cooker. This is what I’ve tested so far in it.
Beef stew (twice): Both times the meat came out tender and flavorful. I was surprised at how much better the meat texture and flavor was when compared to my beef stew made on the stovetop. That’s why I did it again. It was just so good. I was lazy and didn’t even brown the meat before dumping it all in and it still came out great.
White Rice (twice): I did one batch of sticky white rice (or sweet) and another of Jasmine white rice. I rinsed according to their directions and it came out amazing! Just perfect, with the right amount of tenderness and firmness. It wasn’t too dry or too wet. One batch of the rice got a little stuck on the bottom of the pot, and a little bit browned. I was able to scrap it off easily when cleaning. The next had just slight sticking problems. I could be doing something wrong, or perhaps I should just expect a little bit of sticking. Regardless the rice was yummy.
I plan on trying a batch of soaked brown rice and quinoa as well. We will see how it goes!
But here’s the good news! Vitaclay is giving away another VitaClay Chef Gourmet Rice N’ Slow Cooker Pro – 8 Cup (makes 16 cups of rice, and has a 4.2 quart size capacity). This sweepstake is live until Friday, 11/25/11. Winner will be announced on Saturday, 11/26. Here’s how to enter.
To enter you must live in the US.
*To enter simply leave a note below sharing why you would like to win.
*To get an extra entry, sign up for my RSS feed or my email updates, and then leave a separate comment telling me you’ve done so. (If you already do so, leave a comment letting me know).
I will use random.org to pick a winner! The winner will have 48 hours to contact me after it is announced. If they do not, I will pick a new winner. If for whatever reason the winner is disqualified, than I will also pick a new winner.
Thanks Vitaclay for a great giveaway!
Disclaimer: I received a review item for this giveaway.
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Tina
I am subscribed to your RSS feeds
Toni Dunlap
I’ve never heard of such a thing, but would love to own one and try all the things you mentioned, plus some!
Toni Dunlpa
I already subscribe to Nourishing Gormet!
Marcy
Oooo! I would love to have a rice cooker! I have yet to make rice consistently good.
Amber
Like your husband, I’m also hapa and rice is a must in our diet, especially with my gf husband! For now, it’s the aluminum rice cooker, but I’d love to have this one instead!
Teresa M.
I would love that rice cooker! Me and rice do not have a history of getting along. Sometimes it turns out perfectly, and sometimes it just won’t cook through. Would love to have it done well every time!
Shannon
We use our slow cooker so often and eat rice almost daily.
Nancy Van Lydegraf
The Nourishing Gourmet is my new favorite website. I’ve made many of your delicious recipes. My family and I are very impressed. I also subscribe to your RSS feeds.
I’ve never had a slow cooker or rice cooker, but I’ve always wanted one. I have two babies under the age of two at home and anything that can make cooking any easier is greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Nancy
Emmi Rose
This looks amazing! My slow cooker is used all the time and I would love to use clay.
Thanks for all the amazing recipes an information.
Emmi Rose
I signed up for email updates. I would love to win this!
Davy
Wow, I would love to have this clay rice cooker, we eat a lot of rice and this would make it quicker.
kristy
I would LOVE this…how cool!
Davy
I just signed up for your email updates.
sydney schwarz
I am interested in switching over my cookwear to more clay and nontoxic materials, so this would be a great way to start!
Meredith
We would LOVE to win the Vitaclay rice/slow cooker!!! My Hubby loves rice and I am a stickler about chemicals and toxins. This would be perfect for us. I will not buy any other rice cooker because of the non-stick features and icky metals. I HOPE WE WIN!!!
Marie
I would love to win as we strive to eat healthy on a firm/tight budget. This covers both aspects: inexpensive to run and healthy to cook with! Win/Win! =)
Jenny Z
Love this website! I’d love to win the rice cooker because my daughter has Celiac Disease and we make a lot of rice (which doesn’t always turn our perfectly).
Crystal
Would love to win this! We have an old plastic rice cooker…
Joellen
I would love to win this–my rice cooker is non-stick, which is sad.
Joellen
I subscribe via RSS.
Kyrsyan
I’m signed up for your RSS feed. I love most of what I see!
Meredith
I signed up for the email updates as well. THANK YOU!!!
Sarah
I would love to have a rice cooker! Maybe then I could actually make decent rice!
Sarah
I signed up for your email updates.
Petra
This non toxic clay rice cooker sounds wonderful and it would be nice to own one.
I am signed up for the email updates, love your site. Thank you so much : )
LoraLynn
I’d love to see how it did with overnight oatmeal. I always burn it in my crockpot.
LoraLynn
I subscribe to your RSS feed!
Katie
I would love to replace my aluminum rice cooker for all the reasons you just described. This would be amazing!
Katie
I subscribe to your RSS feed.
Susan R
Ooooh, I’ve read up on these and really, really wanted one. Great giveaway! I would use it for all the things you mentioned, plus more. π
Susan R
I subscribe by e-mail.
Dani
Woo hoo, THIS looks like fun! I love the idea of multi-tasking kitchen tools, and my current crockpot is on its last leg. Would LOVE to have one, and it will get LOTS of use, going into soup season!
Carin Polczynski
I have just been reading about these after learning about lead content via the Rival crockpots. Sigh. Hope I’m the random winner! Love your blog – I spend hours researching things springboarded from here.
Sarah Gollner
Oh, I would love to cook our brown rice and stews in this slow cooker! Looks wonderful!
Sarah Gollner
I signed up for your updates per email!
Jerian Pahs
I am in the market for a new rice cooker, I have had mine for about 10 yrs but it just has one setting and my rice always sticks to the bottom. I am also worried about the pot, I am so excited to look more at this brand and would love to win it for my family of 6!
Jerian Pahs
I also already subscribe and love your blog, thanks!
Vilma Makram
I would love this!
Vilma Makram
I receive your e-mail updates. Thank You.
Annette
Wow, this is awesome! I use my slow cooker all the time and do not have a good pan for cooking rice.
*hey random, pick me!!
Annette
Follow you via rss feed.
Jennifer Cooper
I would love a non-stick rice cooker
Jennifer Cooper
Follow you with e-mail update. Thanks.
Rebecca
I would love to have a rice cooker that doubles as a slow cooker! I subscribe to email updates π
Lady Dorothy
I would love to win this! Because 1) I’ve never heard of this one and it looks great, and 2) I’ve been searching for a new rice cooker as mine is also aluminum.
Lady Dorothy
I subscribe to you through Google Reader.
heather scholl
I have been wanting one of these to replace the aluminum one that we have. It would be AWESOME! I get your emails.
π
heather scholl
I just signed up for the RSS feed too.
My original note….I have been wanting one of these to replace the aluminum one that we have. It would be AWESOME!
π
Maria
This double-duty appliance sounds excellent – and I should definitely replace my inexpensive aluminum rice cooker and my Rival Crockpot!
Maria
I already subscribe to your emails and really appreciate your site and recipes.