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Panasonic launches 1st fully automated rice cooker

Courtesy of Panasonic Corp.
The fully automated rice cooker launched by Panasonic Corp.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:15 JST, November 17, 2022

Panasonic Corp. has developed the first rice cooker that can automatically measure the necessary amount of rice and water, the company has announced.

The rice cooker can be operated via a smartphone app, allowing users to start cooking their rice while they are away from home. They can also use the app to change when the rice will be cooked.

Panasonic on Tuesday began trial sales of 200 units on its official website, but the company has yet to decide when the product will be widely available.

The rice cooker can cook up to two cups, or about 300 grams, of rice at a time. It can also store up to two kilograms of wash-free rice and 600 milliliters of water.

Users can choose the amount of rice to be cooked from half a cup to two cups, increasing in quarter-cup increments. They can further select whether the finished rice should be soft or hard, and cancel a reservation on the machine.

The rice cooker is priced at ¥46,000, including shipping and tax.