12 Cup Rice and Grain Cooker vs NHS-06 Rice Cooker/Steamer: which is safer?
Instant Pot 12 Cup Rice and Grain Cooker is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Instant Pot
12 Cup Rice and Grain Cooker
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleStainless steel corrosion and metal leaching
PossibleSilicone gasket degradation and off-gassing
PossibleBacterial growth in water reservoir or seal cavities
Zojirushi
NHS-06 Rice Cooker/Steamer
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleStainless steel corrosion and rust formation
ReportedRubber gasket and seal degradation
PossibleBacterial or mold growth in lid chamber
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Stainless steel corrosion and metal leaching, Silicone gasket degradation and off-gassing and Bacterial growth in water reservoir or seal cavities on the Instant Pot and not on the Zojirushi.
- We flag Stainless steel corrosion and rust formation, Rubber gasket and seal degradation, Bacterial or mold growth in lid chamber and Hexavalent chromium release from stainless steel under extreme conditions on the Zojirushi and not on the Instant Pot.
- The Instant Pot is Stainless steel pot with no nonstick coating where the Zojirushi is Stainless steel inner pot and exterior; no nonstick coating disclosed, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More rice cookers, see the full ranking