The Aroma ARC-616SB egg-shaped rice cooker is similar to the expensive Japanese egg-shaped rice cookers with microcomputer technology, but it costs less money. This review of the Aroma ARC-616SB discusses its main features and answers a few questions about its various functions and settings.
Introduction
The build quality of this Aroma Sensor Logic rice cooker is not as high as a rice cooker that was made in Japan (such as the Tiger JAX-T). Nevertheless, the quality is comparable to other lower-priced rice cookers.
The Aroma ARC-616SB offers multiple menu functions (white, brown, saute-then-simmer, soup, oatmeal, cake) as well as buttons for slow cook and steam. It has a plastic steam tray and a nonstick inner cooking pot.
It can cook a maximum of 6 cups of uncooked rice to make roughly 12 cups of cooked rice. This is our review of its features, questions, advantages and disadvantages.
Aroma ARC-616SB: List Of Features
- It can prepare up to 12 rice measuring cups (3/4 US cup size!) of cooked rice.
- Plastic steamer tray for steaming vegetables or meat.
- The inner cooking pot has a nonstick coating.
- Sensor Logic: microcomputer automatically adjusts cooking temperatures.
- Saute-then-simmer (STS) provides heat for browning foods before simmering.
- Power/keep warm button: Press to turn it on, press again for keep warm.
- 15-hour delay timer for delaying the start of rice cooking.
- Steam button: steam vegetables and meat for between 5 and 30 minutes.
- Slow cook button: slow cook food for between 2 and 10 hours.
- Cooking functions: white, brown, saute-then-simmer, soup, oatmeal or cake.
- Start button for starting the selected cooking function.
- It automatically keeps the rice warm after the cooking is done.
- This rice cooker is made for North American electrical standards (120VAC).
- Product is made in China.
Does it keep cooked rice warm?
It goes to the keep warm function, therefore it does not turn off by itself after the cooking has been completed. The rice cooker will give an audible sound and then automatically switch to keeping the cooked rice warm. It is not recommended to keep rice or anything else in the keep warm cycle for longer than 12 hours.
To turn the rice cooker off, press the power/keep warm button once to change it to the power function. Then you may press and hold the power button for a short while until the rice cooker turns off.
Can the ARC-616SB cook less than 4 cups of rice?
The Aroma ARC-616SB rice cooker instruction manual has a rice/water measurement table that goes down to 2 cups of uncooked rice. However, it is possible to go down to one cup of uncooked rice and fill it with a little less water.
How long does it cook rice?
The rice/water measurement table in the Aroma ARC-616SB rice cooker instruction manual states that two rice cooker measuring cups of uncooked rice takes approximately 50 minutes to cook.
Two rice measuring cups of uncooked brown rice takes about 80 minutes to cook.
Six rice measuring cups of white rice takes about 60 minutes to cook, while six rice measuring cups of brown rice requires 100 minutes to cook.
Does the Aroma ARC-616SB have a nonstick pot?
The inner cooking pot of the Aroma ARC-616SB has a nonstick coating that makes it easier to clean, but also easier to scratch. The inner cooking pot is not made from stainless steel.
What material is used for the steaming tray?
The steaming tray is made from plastic. Whether it is BPA-free is uncertain. The steamer tray is plastic so that it does not damage the nonstick coating of the inner cooking pot.
Can the Aroma ARC-616SB cook oatmeal porridge?
You may use the oatmeal menu function to cook oatmeal porridge. The rice cooker switches to keep warm mode after the cooking is done. Do not leave the oatmeal porridge in the rice cooker at keep warm temperature for longer than 12 hours because it might get crusty or start to go bad.
Please note that the delay timer only works for white or brown rice, and thus cannot be used to make oatmeal porridge overnight for breakfast.
According to the manual, you may use the oatmeal menu function to cook other types of porridge as well.
Will it work with 220V 50Hz AC power?
No, this Aroma ARC-616SB rice cooker is made for use in the United States and Canada and works with a 120-volt, 60Hz, AC power supply.
Does it have a retractable power cord?
No, it does not have a retractable power cord. It has a detachable power-supply cord with a 3-prong grounding-type plug.
What is the warranty?
It has a 1-year limited warranty that warrants the product to be free from material or factory faults for a period of one year from the date of purchase. Aroma Housewares Company will replace or repair the rice cooker if you send it to them, so you pay for the shipping and handling. The warranty does not cover improper usage or unauthorized servicing of the rice cooker.
What is included with the Aroma ARC-616SB?
The rice cooker comes with its own plastic steam tray, rice cooker measuring cup (measuring cup is equal to a 3/4 US cup) and serving spatula.
Conclusion
We conclude our Aroma ARC-616SB review by listing the advantages and disadvantages of this Aroma Sensor Logic rice cooker:
Its advantages are:
- It cooks white, brown, basmati and jasmine rice very well.
- It has an oatmeal menu function for cooking oatmeal porridge.
- Prepare more than just rice or vegetables: make soup, stew, porridge and cake.
Here are its possible disadvantages:
- It cannot cook more than six 3/4 US cups of uncooked rice (twelve 3/4 US cups of cooked rice).
- The delay timer function only works for either white or brown rice, not for other menu options.
If you need a digital rice cooker that has multiple menu options to cook or steam food, but you do not have the money to buy an expensive Japanese rice cooker, then the Aroma ARC-616SB might be the appliance you seek (buy it on Amazon – paid link).
Thank you for reading our review of the Aroma ARC-616SB egg-shaped, 6-cup uncooked (12-cup cooked), Sensor Logic rice cooker and food steamer.