Rice cookers can be really confusing. There are so many brands and models on the market, and sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart. Today we’ll be looking at two rice cookers, the Zojirushi and the Tiger. We’ll be examining these two models head to head, looking at their advantages and disadvantages. I hope this post will help you make a better decision when it’s time to purchase your rice cooker!
About Zojirushi
Zojirushi is a Japanese company that specializes in home appliances, especially rice cookers. They have been in business for over 90 years and are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of rice cookers. Their collection is vast, with models available in almost every price range.
Zojirushi NP-NVC10
This is the entry level model of Zojirushi’s “New Perspectives” line of rice cookers. It’s got some nice features that you won’t find on the most basic Tiger model, but also lacks some features found in Tiger models around this price point.
The NVC10 has one big advantage over the Tiger: it comes with a detachable inner lid .
This lid makes for easy cleanup. Just remove the lid, throw it in the dishwasher, and let it air dry. You can also use this lid to steam vegetables or poach eggs in the rice cooker!
As you can see, Zojirushi has included a handy measuring cup with this model. This is especially useful when making Japanese white rice (or sushi rice). The NVC10 also comes with a recipe booklet containing 26 different recipes , including risotto and brown rice! My only complaint about this model is that it’s only available at Target (in the US). That means you can’t do price comparisons online like you can with Tiger.
Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB
This is a great deal for a programmable rice cooker. The LGC05XBhas a ton of features, including a “fuzzy logic” microchip that automatically adjusts cooking times based on past experience. In addition to white rice, you can make sushi rice, brown rice, porridge, and more. There is also a “quick cook” setting for when you’re in a rush! The only major downside to this model is its size. It’s huge! There’s no way you’d be able to fit this in your kitchen cupboards!
This model is available at NewEgg , which means you can easily compare prices with other rice cookers.
Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy
This model is the highest end of Zojirushi’s “New Perspectives” line of rice cookers. It can do just about everything, but it’s twice as expensive as Tiger’s top model. However, it comes with a lot of extra features!
Like Zojirushi’s Neuro Fuzzy Micom , this one has a detachable inner lid for easy cleaning. The Fuzzy also comes with a measuring cup for making Japanese white rice (or sushi rice). And like the LGC05XB, there are 28 different preset cooking functions . Does all this sound too good to be true? There are some drawbacks to consider…
About Tiger
Tiger is a large manufacturing company based in Taiwan. They’re one of the most popular brands of home appliances in Taiwan and China, and have been around for over 50 years! Their products are sold all over Asia, but they haven’t been very successful in the US or Canada. Despite their immense popularity in Asia, I’ve heard little about Tiger rice cookers in North America.
Tiger JBV
This is Tiger’s entry level model. The model has only one preset cooking function, but it does have a lot of other features including a steamer, keep warm function, rice keep warm function, warming tray, automatic keep warm setting, and programmable delay timer. I think this is a great budget choice for people who want accessories that accessories that are not provided with other Tiger models! However, there are some drawbacks to consider…
The JBV only comes with a measuring cup. If you want a rice cooker that can make sushi rice, you’re out of luck! This model doesn’t have any special features for cooking sticky rice. Tiger also sells a Zojirushi-style fuzzy logic rice cooker called the JBV355 . It’s basically the same thing, except it comes with an extra steaming tray and a measuring cup.
Tiger JAX
This is Tiger’s middle of the line model , offering most of the same features as the smaller JBV, but in a bigger size! It does have a “rice keep warm” function, which is nice when you’re in a rush.
Unfortunately, the JAX is considerably more expensive than Tiger’s other models. It doesn’t have any special features for cooking sticky rice.
About The Zojirushi vs Tiger Differences
Both brands have rice cookers in a huge variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. However, there are some differences between these two brands that you should consider…
1. Zojirushi’s rice cookers are more expensive than Tiger’s
Generally speaking Zojirushi rice cookers are more expensive than Tiger models. This is true for both entry level models and high end models. This can be frustrating if you want to compare prices, since Zojirushi has so many different models made by various licensing partners (i.e., not made by Zojirushi directly ). Tiger JBV models come in different colors!
2. Tiger’s rice cookers are larger than Zojirushi’s
Tiger rice cookers are significantly larger than Zojirushi models. This is due to the fact that Tiger uses metal containers (rice cookers made of glass or plastic don’t have access to all the power that tin containers have). The JBV tin container is only 10.25×10.25×17 inches, while the Zojirushi NVC10 rice cooker is 12x12x20 inches.
3. Tiger’s rice cookers are made in Taiwan (Zojirushi is made in Japan)
Tiger rice cookers are made in Taiwan whereas Zojirushi products are made in Japan. This means that if you’re ordering online, you’ll need to be extra careful about checking the shipping information to make sure that the Zojirushi product isn’t coming from China instead of Japan.
4. Tiger has more models available than Zojirushi
Tiger has nearly double the number of models available than Zojirushi! There are 48 Tiger models versus 29 Zojirushi models.
5. Tiger rice cookers are easier to take apart for cleaning
You can take all of their rice cookers apart by removing the lid. Zojirushi rice cookers snap together, making them very difficult to disassemble! You can’t remove this lid like you can on the Tiger model!
6. Zojirushi rice cookers come with more accessories (and usually better quality)
Zojirushi provides a measuring cup with most of their models, but Tiger usually doesn’t include a measuring cup at all! This is a big deal for making Japanese white rice, since you won’t be able to measure out the water needed for white rice or sushi rice. Zojirushi also provides two or three steamer trays with their models, but Tiger doesn’t typically include any accessories at all!
7. Zojirushi has a better reputation for customer service…
Generally speaking, Zojirushi has a better reputation for customer service than Tiger. I don’t have any personal experience with Tiger’s customer service, but I have heard that it can be subpar. Zojirushi is another story. Zojirushi is known for their fantastic customer service! They’re very responsive on social media and are eager to help their customers resolve any problems. Zojirushi also offers a 10 year warranty on most of their products (five years on the US market).
Frequently asked Questions
Is Tiger and Zojirushi the same company?
No, Tiger and Zojirushi are two separate companies. The difference between the two brands is mainly in scale and sales model. Zojirushi is a global manufacturer with a very large sales operation in Japan and around the world. Tiger makes rice cookers in Taiwan and China. Individual models may be manufactured in either country by different partners, but we don’t know the full details of how this works.
Is Tiger a good brand of rice cooker?
That’s a tough question to answer! Tiger is definitely popular in Asia and can be found in most Asian countries. However, Tiger hasn’t really made a name for themselves in North America or Europe. It’s hard to say whether or not they would be of good quality since we’ve never tried them ourselves.
What we can say, however, is that Zojirushi has an excellent reputation for manufacturing high quality rice cookers and other kitchen appliances such as bread machines and slow cookers. Zojirushi also offers fantastic customer service and a 10 year warranty on most of their products (five years on the US market).
Is Zojirushi made in China?
Zojirushi products used to be made in Japan, but they recently moved their manufacturing operations to China. This is the main difference between Zojirushi and Tiger (Tiger rice cookers are also made in China).
Zojirushi products are well known for their high quality craftsmanship and long warranties. The company has a reputation for taking excellent care of their customers and providing excellent customer service. Their products may be slightly more expensive than Tiger models, but in my opinion it’s worth it!
Are Zojirushi rice cookers good?
In my opinion, Zojirushi rice cookers are the best choice for someone who wants to cook Japanese or Asian style rice at home. Zojirushi has been making rice cookers for over 70 years and has a very strong reputation for quality.
Currently, Zojirushi is my favorite brand of rice cooker because I like the steamer tray that came with my model (I really like using it to make fried rice). Some people prefer Tiger’s steamer trays. Other people prefer Zojirushi’s fuzzy logic technology, 25 year warranty or customer service.