we buy this rice cooker from a store whose name rhyme with `` Halmart '' . think that we know how to cook rice , we load it up and fire away , only to get a tremendous mess of starchy goop that flood the top of the unit and flow down the side , collect underneath . -lrb- it stink and the stink get worse if you forget that it be there ... -rrb- after read review for other aroma rice cooker here on Amazon , I discover that soak the rice fix everything . and very fortunately , this unit come with a delay timer . just load the cooker with rice and water -lrb- measure , of course -rrb- , press `` Delay Timer '' for the number of hour you would like to delay -lrb- the number be the number hour when the rice will be finish -rrb- , and choose `` white rice '' or `` brown rice '' -lrb- brown rice be give we the most mess -rrb- . I have set the timer as little as 2 hour , and the mess be eliminate even then . I believe that more delay be better . I have set it as long as 12 hour . I do not know the maximum number of hour you can delay . con for this rice cooker : there be a plastic valve inside the lid that need to be clean often , and the underside of the lid need to be clean as well . it do not detach , so you 'll have to scrub with a wet paper towel . I have not try to steam anything yet -lrb- fish , veggy -rrb- . bottom line : I recommend this product .