My wife and I became Vegetarians recently and in the spirit of doing it correctly, I wanted to get a trouble free, reliable machine that would do all the grain cooking in our diet. I have always been the "chef" of the family and rice has never been a problem in the microwave. However, preparing Brown Basmati, Wild rice etc. I just didn't want to be hanging around the kitchen for an hour or two just to end up with over-done product. After much research I came across this unit on Amazon. Not cheap, but I thought if we are going to embrace the diet, lets do it properly. This machine has proven to be everything it says it is and more. Like any other piece of technology, "Read The Manual" and this puppy rises to the occasion. The cooker is a great size for my kitchen and quiet of course. The pull-out AC cord is a bonus and the whole thing cleans up so easily. Bottom line, this thing is a pleasure! Worth the money since I use it almost everyday. If you're serious about cooking rice and other grains to perfection, I recommend you invest in this flashy little import. You won't regret it.