the zo ' be a competent rice cooker . it be easy to make good rice , just fill with water , drop in the rice , select the type of rice you be cooking and hit the ` cooker ' button . time cooking , the type we do most often , be just as easy and only require one more step . the bowl be cast aluminum with a thick coating of teflon , both inside and out , that will most likely last for year . the marking inside the bowl be easy to read in contrast white and they be raise which make they very easy to see and use . I think the retract cord and spoon holder be just gimmick but they be both handy addition to the cooker . it clean easily too . the top just pop out and the bowl be a cinch to wash , no different then any small pot and there be no need for a external steam cup to catch any overflow like on many other cooker . we buy grain in bulk and rice too . I like the organic short grain brown rice and it cook perfectly but I do have to play with the water to rice ratio just a bit which I think be normal . it only take about two or three try to get rice just the way we like it . I do not like the display , you have to stand back to see it clearly . they should have use one with a better field of view , you can buy a $ 5.00 clock that be easier to read . also the rice take a long time to cook , over a hour and a half for some type of rice . we do not eat white rice so you may find that you can use the quick cook set for a shorter cooking time . I do not have another cooker to compare the fuzzy logic to so I can not say how effective it be over a non fuzzy logic cooker but it do make very good rice consistently . the price be comparatively high but I think the quality be there . the cooker be make in China but I would say under strict supervision from Zojirushi as the fit and finish be excellent and the cooker have a quality look to it . UPDATE : I originally give the Zo 4 star . after own this for over a year and many rice cooking session the teflon on the top half of the bowl start to come of easily with slight rubbing . I have never use harsh chemical or abrasive on the bowl but I think the problem lie in the fact that I make mostly one cup at a time and the top half get hotter than the rest of the bowl where the coating be still well attach . I can not use this cooker anymore . I send a email to Zo ask if they make a stainless bowl , they do not . on the matter of my teflon flake off they have no answer nor do they off to examine or exchange it ... Caveta Emptor .