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. It’s 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.
“This 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.”
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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I’ve cooked a “ton” of rice in my day (I’m 72) but have never used a rice cooker. I’d love to see how it works and if it comes out as well as my method.
I’ve been looking for a good rice cooker.
I have a rice cooker with a nonstick pot right now and would love to switch to something nontoxic.
I already subscribe to your RSS feed and love getting the updates on my google reader. Thanks!
I followed your blog posting re: clay-cookware-bakeware-pots and was tickled to find a contest offering for the rice cooker with a clay insert. I was looking at a fuzzy logic high end hubby would kill me when the credit card bill shows up kinda deal. How awesome Vitaclay offers a healthier alternative! Thank you for offering this contest.
I enjoy using my slow-cooker, so I would be thrilled to try cooking with clay containers!
I really like the idea of the non-toxic, non-stick inner pot.
I already subscribe to RSS feed.
This looks fantastic! I love the clay pot aspect!
ceevegnashville [at] gmail [dot] com
I’d love to try out this clay pot slow cooker. I use my current slow cooker all the time and would love to try one made with clay.
I’m already subscribed to your RSS feed.
Having been looking for nontoxic rice cooker for years, but always be disappointed. I even bought a very expensive Japanese brand rice cooker, but the nonstick coating in the pan still peeled off. I am hoping I can try this clay rice cooker.
I’m already subscribed to your email updates
Hi! I’m so glad to hear about a nontoxic rice/slow cooker like this and thank you for reviewing it so well! 🙂 I’d love the cooker because we’re constantly eating rice (my parents are from India and my English husband loves a good curry!). We’d certainly put it to good use! And I have already subscribed to your blog!
I’m already subscribed to your blog! 🙂 Thanks for a great blog!
I really need a new slow cooker and this one sounds great. Love the clay p
ot.
I already subscribe to email. (and enjoy it.)
Subscribed via email to bspears_82@yahoo.com.
Tried to post via that email and got message that it was a duplicate. I don’t think I had posted before, looked at comments and couldn’t find one.
I really need a new slow cooker and love the clay pot. This is the nicest one I’ve seen.
Signed up for the RSS feed.
I already get your emails and love owning a rice cooker, crock pot and a quite a few PC stoneware pieces, but think my daughter away in college could use this to help her eat a more healthy diet! Her room mates are Korean, Japanese and an American vegetarian so they have a good influence on her but she’s not a fan of cooking…and too poor to eat out!
Oh my! this sounds like a great rice cooker. I love cooking in clay and a slow cooker with a clay pot is a brilliant idea. I would love to get one of those for cooking broth and meat stews over night. It would be nice to leave some grain cooking as well for those days when we have been out and come home hungry ready to eat something warm. Thank you for a great give away!
This sounds WONDERFUL! We love rice cookers but hate the non-stick and aluminum. Would LOVE to get one of those!!
Also signed up for the RSS feed, thanks.
I forgot to let you know that I subscribe to your emails 🙂
I’d love a “non-toxic” slow cooker!
Signed up for email updates
So excited to see this new alternative….I hadn’t heard about clay cookware let alone a slow cooker. This product is my dream come true.
Subscribe to ur emails. 🙂
I would love to win so I can try a new way of cooking!
This is a timely post about clay options. Thank you very much for sharing your research and advice. I am hoping to switch over as the budget allows.
I do receive you RSS feeds already.
Thank you.
Sounds like a great product to me.
I have an old rice cooker now. I would really like to see what yours can do.
I would love to be able to cook good rice for my family!
Signed up for e-mail!
I love clay cooking pots. They make the flavor unique when you cook in the. Can’t really duplicate it any other way..
I would love to win this – I have been eyeing a Vitaclay rice cooker for quite some time. I got married in August and had it on our registry but, alas, no one bought it for us. I have wanted a rice cooker for several years, but am just not comfortable with any of the standard ones – with aluminum or nonstick coating, or both.
I just signed up for your email updates, too (I don’t know why I hadn’t already signed up for them, but I hadn’t)
My wife is from Peru. She says this is the modern version of what they use to cook rice back home. We already have a rice cooker but not with a non-toxic, non-aluminum surface.
my rice cooker quit working and i would love to try this one out!!!
my rice cooker quit working and i would love to try this one out!!!
I would love to have a rice cooker to make meal prep a lot easier for my family of five.
Just stumbled across your site and would LOVE to win this cooker! I was actually researching the Vitaclay earlier today as I’ve been really wanting a crockpot and recently learned there could be lead in the paint :/ and was looking for something safe for my family.
also I signed up for your email updates
… and I think I may love you 😉
Follow your blog through google reader
This sounds like a great tool to use in our traditional cooking household! Thank you for your website. I appreciate your thorough research and honesty as you review and present recipes, resources, methods, and kitchen tools. I visit regularly and refer other often. May God bless you as you bless others through this website!
I really enjoy your email. In fact I have your site on my google opening page. It’s wonderful! I open to your last 3 posts every day. :-). I love cooking and am learning so much from you. My husband and I finally own a home and next year I am going to be able to stay home and, if it is God’s will, we will have foster or adopted children. I would like to cook with clay. It sounds like this is another step to healthy meals. Thank you for your work on this valuable issue. Jeannie
What could be better for a New England winter than combining healthy, local ingredients and then slow cooking them in clay? I am a writer and the smell of this simmering food will nourish me long before I have eaten it.
I’ve been a long time fan of your recipes. Thank you!
Brenda
Yes! A rice cooker that is not non-stick or aluminum! And can be used as a slow cooker as well – what a deal!
The two functions in one appliance would be great!
Signed up for email updates.