I would like to buy quality in a rice cooker and microwave and am willing to pay more for it. I live on Phuket, and have bought the cheapest products before---kettle, fridge, etc.---and been disappointed. It's only me, but want to eat more at home, so any advice would be appreciated! Kelly

Consumer products today are not built to last forever - although many do. Go with what you like - almost any will perform the function it is designed for. But for safety look for 3 pin plugs to help protect your life. The Japanese names are normally of a high build and technology standard.

Good advice!

We use a Philips rice cooker here. We are happy with it.

Our microwave is from Sharp. http://www.sharpthai.co.th/product_detail.aspx?l=en&p=56&c=2&sc=3

I've bought loads of rice cookers over the years. Cheap don't last and cooks crap in my opinion. Now I just buy Toshiba. Robinsons stock them. Not cheap though. Around 2,500฿. But they do last and cook a range of other things in them as well as straight rice.

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Dont buy the new sharp model not as straight forward as the previous model

Any electricians know whether induction plates and microwaves tend to get knackered in tropical countries because 1) the machine can't ditch the heat, and 2) the humidity wrecks the electronics?

That would be my suspicion. A lot of people assume that problems are caused by surges and spikes, but I think climate could be key. Do rice cookers last in air conditioned environments in the way they don't last on balcony kitchens?

The problem with rice cookers is that nearly all of them come with teflon-coated pots for the rice. The estimates of the temperature at which the teflon deteriorates releasing unhealthy compounds into the food keep going down. Since rice cookers are designed to reach only the boiling point of water it may be that the teflon does not contaminate the food, but why take a chance? Better to look for a cooker with an aluminum, ceramic or stainless steel pot.

The problem with rice cookers is that nearly all of them come with teflon-coated pots for the rice. The estimates of the temperature at which the teflon deteriorates releasing unhealthy compounds into the food keep going down. Since rice cookers are designed to reach only the boiling point of water it may be that the teflon does not contaminate the food, but why take a chance? Better to look for a cooker with an aluminum, ceramic or stainless steel pot.

Scaremongering simple as that.

Microwaves....... Left my perfectly good Panasonic Combi Microwave in the UK, was 13 years old... bought here another Panasonic Combi in 2003, early last year cleaned it and is now in a box in a spare bedroom as bought a new one Toshiba also a big one and a combi, so far so good..

Rice Cooker, bought a Brand never heard of, still works again in a box in a spare bedroom as bought a new Toshiba one, early last year..

Washing Machine, got fed up with constant repairs and new ones 4 different one in 10 years..... now have a far more expensive Toshiba 17 Kg one, so far perfect.

big Fridges.. The 21Q Panasonic the compressor packed up after 11 years so now have a 23Q Hitachi ....... as for the other one 19Q had both LG and a Samsung in the same amount of time + loads of repairs, now have had for 2 years a 19Q Hitachi

As with most thing replace old things when there is a big Promotion or 'Shock Sale' on

So far been unable to find a new body for this old one for myself

Some really good advice here. Thanks for all the replies! Especially the ceramic inside---I've seen ceramic inside microwaves, too. Wonder if that is a better, if not more expensive choice there as well.

Just bought a Samsung fridge on promotion at HP...was going to buy the Hitachi but they were out of stock on the island, and I'd have to wait 3 weeks for one to come from Bkk, but pay that day. I may have screwed up in the long run, based on your experience, Ignis!

I'm skeptical that there's a brand where every rice cooker they make is great. Better to read product reviews about individual SKUs.

The problem with rice cookers is that nearly all of them come with teflon-coated pots for the rice. The estimates of the temperature at which the teflon deteriorates releasing unhealthy compounds into the food keep going down. Since rice cookers are designed to reach only the boiling point of water it may be that the teflon does not contaminate the food, but why take a chance? Better to look for a cooker with an aluminum, ceramic or stainless steel pot.

Scaremongering simple as that.

However, given the evidence of adverse health effects in animals and the uncertain effects in humans, the EPA has asked companies that use PFOA to reduce and eventually eliminate PFOA from products and manufacturing plant emissions.

Per the Mayo Clinic. http://riversideonline.com/health_reference/Cancer/AN01293.cfm

So, the teflon rice pot may not give you cancer and may not contaminate your body with PTFE or PFOA, but why take the chance when there are clearly safe alternatives like stainless steel available? Is any health risk worth it just for easier cleanup? Not for me.

All I say is I bought a sharp rice cooker 9 years ago still works fine. Have Sharp refrigerator 7 years works fine,got free Samsung microwave when I bought fridge that still works fine.

I feel most brand name products are competitive and its hard to say which is best. My advice would be to simply buy brand name when on sale.

Ive found the " Wife's Sister" is the best brand rice cooker but doubt youll find one where you live

The problem with rice cookers is that nearly all of them come with teflon-coated pots for the rice. The estimates of the temperature at which the teflon deteriorates releasing unhealthy compounds into the food keep going down. Since rice cookers are designed to reach only the boiling point of water it may be that the teflon does not contaminate the food, but why take a chance? Better to look for a cooker with an aluminum, ceramic or stainless steel pot.

Scaremongering simple as that.

However, given the evidence of adverse health effects in animals and the uncertain effects in humans, the EPA has asked companies that use PFOA to reduce and eventually eliminate PFOA from products and manufacturing plant emissions.

Per the Mayo Clinic. http://riversideonline.com/health_reference/Cancer/AN01293.cfm

So, the teflon rice pot may not give you cancer and may not contaminate your body with PTFE or PFOA, but why take the chance when there are clearly safe alternatives like stainless steel available? Is any health risk worth it just for easier cleanup? Not for me.

People eating rice and worrying about the Teflon...

We have 2 rice cookers,wife hasn't used either in 2 years! 5 baht at the market.

Which one has instructions that will allow you to use the brown rice function without learning 56 consonants and 65 vowels

Being my first post on the Thaivisa forum, I thought I might get a couple of short, "get on with it" replies. Wow! You guys are great! Thanks for all the comments and they are all helpful. I love Craig Krup's comment about instructions in Thai! I just bought a 13.8Q Samsung fridge at HomePro, manual is in Thai, went to Samsung's website, it is in Thai, I guess because my IP address is here. Maybe I'll trying logging in after I load my VPN, and it will think I'm in the US....

As I learn to navigate the site and forums a little better, I'll do my best to be a productive member. Thanks again for all the input!

You don't know how to operate your refrigerator?

(Just kidding)

Being my first post on the Thaivisa forum, I thought I might get a couple of short, "get on with it" replies. Wow! You guys are great! Thanks for all the comments and they are all helpful. I love Craig Krup's comment about instructions in Thai! I just bought a 13.8Q Samsung fridge at HomePro, manual is in Thai, went to Samsung's website, it is in Thai, I guess because my IP address is here. Maybe I'll trying logging in after I load my VPN, and it will think I'm in the US....

As I learn to navigate the site and forums a little better, I'll do my best to be a productive member. Thanks again for all the input!

My pal had a cracker of a rice cooker with a glass lid - no floppy, smelly, flimsy plastic seal - that does really fluffy brown rice in next to no time. He also had a Thai maid who showed him to use it.

I bought a small LG microwave, my previous two were also LG and I was happy with them, about a year ago, I bought another LG, but more sophisticated

this time, with more features, but I have to use the same temperature all the time, as the instruction book is all in Thai and I even tried to google it.

I have tried everything but still cannot find how to turn the temperature up or down.

The wife can't either, which is a surprise seeing how well educated she is.

Edited January 24, 201610 yr by possum1931

I bought a small LG microwave, my previous two were also LG and I was happy with them, about a year ago, I bought another LG, but more sophisticated

this time, with more features, but I have to use the same temperature all the time, as the instruction book is all in Thai and I even tried to google it.

I have tried everything but still cannot find how to turn the temperature up or down.

The wife can't either, which is a surprise seeing how well educated she is.

I don't think a microwave has a temperature setting.

Actually they often have power settings so you can cook more slowly/evenly or defrost better.

I bought a small LG microwave, my previous two were also LG and I was happy with them, about a year ago, I bought another LG, but more sophisticated

this time, with more features, but I have to use the same temperature all the time, as the instruction book is all in Thai and I even tried to google it.

I have tried everything but still cannot find how to turn the temperature up or down.

The wife can't either, which is a surprise seeing how well educated she is.

I don't think a microwave has a temperature setting.

Maybe I'm saying it wrong, I mean how hot you want it to be for cooking, ie in the cheaper models, you can turn it up to 400, 500, 600,

or something like that.

Actually they often have power settings so you can cook more slowly/evenly or defrost better.

Power yes, temperature no.

Actually the combination type microwave ovens also have temperature control.

Such as this LG model

32 LITRE MICROWAVE WITH GRILL TEMP CONTROL FOR EVEN COOKING

MJ3281CAS

Actually the combination type microwave ovens also have temperature control.

Such as this LG model

32 LITRE MICROWAVE WITH GRILL TEMP CONTROL FOR EVEN COOKING

MJ3281CAS

Yes, and if it were a combination microwave & television it would have a channel selector.

Ive found the " Wife's Sister" is the best brand rice cooker but doubt youll find one where you live

TASTY EH,remember MANDY RICE OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH VERY TASTY WHEN DONE RIGHT.