Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer
Medium-high risk without transparency, choose if you trust Zojirushi's materials.
This Zojirushi rice cooker has a stainless steel pot with an unspecified nonstick surface coating. The brand doesn't publicly share PFAS details or coating information, and no independent testing exists.
The better-graded swap
Zojirushi
Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer
75/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Stainless steel inner pot, aluminum heating plate, non-stick inner surface (coating unspecified)
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer is made of, ingredients and materials
The Zojirushi Micom uses a stainless steel inner pot (chemically stable, no leaching risk) paired with an aluminum heating plate. The critical unknown is the non-stick inner surface coating, which Zojirushi does not publicly specify by chemistry (Teflon-type coating, ceramic, silicone, or proprietary blend unknown). This ambiguity matters because different coatings have different thermal stability, degradation patterns, and potential fume risks if overheated or scratched.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Stain-resistant finish
Stain-resistant finishes are a common PFAS use.
Teflon-type coating fume risk (thermal decomposition)
If the unspecified non-stick coating is Teflon-type coating-based and is exposed to sustained temperatures above 350-400°F (unlikely in normal rice cooking but possible if used for prolonged reheating or if a fault causes temperature spike), polymerized fumes could be released. No Zojirushi recall for this product exists, but risk is non-zero given coating identity is undisclosed.
Coating degradation and flaking
User reports on retail sites document inner-pot non-stick peeling after 2-5 years of regular use on various Zojirushi models. If coating flakes into food, ingestion risk is low for small particles (food-grade non-stick is inert once ingested) but repeated loss of non-stick function degrades product utility and may indicate breakdown of the coating matrix.
Unspecified non-stick chemistry identity
This is not a direct toxin but a transparency hazard, without knowing whether the coating is Teflon-type coating, ceramic, silicone, or proprietary, consumers cannot make informed decisions about heat limits, replacement, or compatibility with food types. This ambiguity is the product's largest safety documentation weakness.
What’s reassuring
Aluminum leaching (heating plate)
The aluminum heating plate is not in direct contact with food (it is separated by the stainless steel inner pot), so leaching into rice is not a direct pathway. However, if the inner pot develops cracks or the seal fails, contact between food and aluminum becomes possible; maintain the inner pot integrity to prevent this scenario.
Heavy metals
Zojirushi stainless steel pots are manufactured to food-contact standards and no heavy metal recalls (lead, cadmium, nickel migration) are documented for this product line. Stainless steel is inherently corrosion-resistant and does not leach iron or chromium under normal cooking pH.
Source, FDA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Zojirushi publishes materials lists but does not explicitly confirm or deny Teflon-type coating use or disclose the non-stick coating chemistry on this model. The brand has no widely documented recalls for non-stick degradation or coating hazards, and no third-party safety certifications for material composition are publicly listed. This silence on coating identity is the primary transparency gap; competitors like Tiger Corporation sometimes specify ceramic or Teflon-type coating alternatives upfront.
How it compares in its category
Rice cookers vary widely, budget models often use uncoated aluminum pots (leaching risk under acidic foods), mid-range models like this Zojirushi offer stainless steel plus proprietary non-stick (better corrosion resistance, but coating unknown). Premium alternatives from Cuckoo or high-end Zojirushi lines sometimes disclose ceramic or Teflon-type coating explicitly. This model sits in a middle zone where durability is likely solid but chemical transparency is weaker than some competitors.
If you buy it
Keep temperatures moderate, rice cookers typically max out at 212°F (100°C) in cooking mode, but if you use the reheat cycle repeatedly or leave the warmer on for extended periods above 160°F, non-stick coating stress increases. Never use metal utensils or abrasive scrubbers on the inner pot, as scratches to an unknown coating are a vector for flaking or fume release. If the coating develops visible wear (discoloration, peeling, or rough spots), stop using the pot. Inspect annually and replace the inner pot if damage appears.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 58% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Zojirushi has made a specific claim
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer?
- Stainless steel pot with no nonstick coating
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Stainless steel corrosion and metal leaching
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on Amazon
- Stainless steel inner pot and non-coated heating elements
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Mineral and microbial buildup in heating element
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on Amazon- Stainless steel inner pot, aluminum outer housing
- Stainless steel nickel content
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
More rice cookers grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.