Do you desire a Tiger 3-cup microcomputer-controlled rice cooker with a cooking plate for steaming food? The Tiger JAJ-A55U micom rice cooker has a steamer plate and eight cooking options for making plain or brown rice plus other dishes such as cake, stew, soup and risotto.
Tiger JAJ-A55U: Best Features
- LCD screen, clock and timer function for delayed cooking.
- Plastic cooking plate is BPA-free.
- Use steamer plate and Synchro-Cooking function to prepare rice and dish together.
- The inner lid is detachable, so you can wash it thoroughly.
Menu Settings
- Quick: cooks long-grain rice types such as Basmati or Jasmine quickly.
- Synchro-Cooking: cook white rice in a bowl while steaming food in a cooking plate.
- Plain: use this setting for cooking short-grain white rice.
- Mixed/Sweet: longer preheating time to ensure better absorption of seasoning.
- Risotto: use this setting for cooking risotto.
- Brown: longer preheating time for a better bowl of brown rice.
- Stew/Soup: food is boiled, then temperature is reduced to a simmer.
- Cake: use the recipe in the included cookbook to bake a cake.
What accessories are included?
This Tiger 3-cup microcomputer rice cooker comes with a spatula, rice measuring cup and cookbook. It also has the 2.5-mm thick inner cooking pan with a nonstick coating.
The BPA-free plastic cooking plate for synchro-cooking both rice and food is a rare accessory. We cannot think of another 3-cup micom rice cooker which has a steamer tray.
The last item we want to mention is that the rice cooker has a small lithium battery which powers the clock and timer function.
Can it cook porridge?
No, the Tiger JAJ-A55U does not have a menu setting for cooking rice porridge. It also will not work for cooking oatmeal porridge.
How much can it synchro-cook?
The Tiger JAJ-A55U is a small rice cooker with only a 3-cup uncooked rice capacity. If you put the cooking plate on top, this further reduces its capacity. We suspect you might be able to cook enough rice and food for one or two people. Therefore, the cooking plate probably has a limit of two servings of meat or vegetables.
Where can I find a new cooking pot?
You might find a new inner pan for the JAJ-A55U micom rice cooker at the spare parts section of the Tiger Corporation website. The last time we visited the page, the JAJ-A55U PP/WS inner pan was being sold for $55.00. You might want to make the pan last as long as possible if it costs that much to replace.
Can it bake bread?
No, the Tiger JAJ-A55U is not a bread machine. It does not have kneading paddles, and it does not have microcomputer cycles for mixing, kneading and rising. Still, it does have a menu setting for baking a cake.
If you really want a Tiger rice cooker with a bread setting, then there is only one model to consider. It is the Tiger JKT-S series induction heating rice cooker. There are two sizes to consider: either 5.5-cup or 10-cup. Both models have a menu setting for baking bread. However, it is not an automatic bread machine. You have to mix and knead the dough by hand. The rice cooker can only bake the dough, it cannot make the whole bread loaf. You can read our full review of the JKT-S rice cookers right here.
Does it keep cooked rice warm?
The Tiger JAJ-A55U has an automatic keep warm mode. It keeps the cooked rice warm for up to 12 hours. Keeping the rice warm for longer than 12 hours is not recommended. It does not shut off automatically, so remember to press the Keep Warm/Cancel button to cancel the warmer function.
Does it have a delay timer?
The Tiger JAJ-A55U has a timer function with two presets.
Where is it made?
The Tiger JAJ-A55U micom rice cooker is probably manufactured in China. If it was made in Japan, then the words would have been printed on the control panel. The price tag would also have been almost twice as much.
How much power does it consume?
The Tiger JAJ-A55U uses about 450 watts. This model is made for the American market and requires a 120V, 60Hz, AC power outlet.
Tiger JAJ-A55U: Conclusion
The 3-cup uncooked rice capacity of the Tiger JAJ-A55U is the right size for a single person or a couple, but it is too small for a family of four individuals.
The Synchro-Cooking function is very welcome for singles who want to cook rice and meat/vegetables at the same time. This saves not only time, but also kitchen space.
There are some features that are missing, such as a porridge menu setting and a retractable power cord. The drop-down front panel seems like an unnecessary design feature. Nevertheless, it adds to the overall quirkiness of the Tiger JAJ-A55U micom rice cooker.
You should be aware of the long cooking times of microcomputer rice cookers. The Tiger JAJ-A55U requires almost an hour to cook white rice. It might need up to 90 minutes to cook brown rice. Nonetheless, the results are tasty with good flavor and texture.
The Tiger JAJ-A55U is a compact 3-cup rice cooker that has multiple cooking programs, a delay timer and a plastic cooking plate for steaming food. It also has a pretty design with two color choices: Simple White (WS) or Passion Pink (PP). We would probably buy the JAJ-A55U-WS which has the Simple White color because we are definitely not passionate about the pink color (buy on Amazon – paid link).