In no order of preference: National, Panasonic, Hitachi I believe all 3 are made by the same manufacturer. I have been using a large National for over a year now with no problems. It came from Williams Sonoma and ran about $75.00 or so. (Before that I had a Hitachi which lasted 8 years ...$30.00) Rice is perfect every time. The non stick pan (I believe they all have this feature now) is a real plus. My only complaint with it is that it doesn't "Ding" when the rice is done. Cooks 2 cups of dry rice in about 30 min. Robert Lusk.... www.PepperFool.com Recipes, Hot Sauce, Restaurant Reviews, Photos and more.