Pros: Why buy a rice cooker? Because the rice tastes so good and it is so convenient to use. (You could make coffee in a pan on the stove but you use a coffee maker, right? Same idea.) I have owned this jewel about a month. I have made brown rice, regular white, and quick rice. I have set the timer to have the brown rice ready when I get home from work. Everything works well. I have owned the top-rated brand before and this Panasonic cooker comes very close, for a lot less money. The inner lid pops out for easy cleaning - something I insist upon and not all cookers have. BTW I have seen this very machine for sale at a high end retailer at a price in line with other top of the line cookers. At newegg it is a BIG bargain.

Cons: Yes, it takes 2 hours to make brown rice. That's OK. The result is excellent - nothing like what you could get from a saucepan on a stove top in 45 minutes. Each individual grain is puffy and pearly and tastes delicious. I make enough to save and warm up the next day in a hurry. Also, in my research I read that this particular model does not have bullet-proof non-stick coating, so I am being cautious in handling. No big deal. Also, the clock which is used for the timer seems to run independently on a watch battery, which is great for those many hours when the cooker is not plugged in. When the battery finally needs to be changed you will have to have it serviced, or get out a screwdriver. Myself, I'm not afraid of the screwdriver.

Overall Review: Minus one star for the clock battery design. Don't let that put you off from buying it. I like this machine a lot.

Pros: Works as advertised. Nice surprise: it's pretty quiet while it boils the water. I leave mine set at 195 degrees F. I used a thermometer and checked - as soon as the 195 degree water fills a room-temperature ceramic mug, it drops to 180 degrees, perfect for my tea. I also like the magnetically attached power cord. The JSC30 doesn't have an separate On/Off switch. You just pop the plug off the back. Easy. And should some freak accident yank on the power cord, it just pops off the back of the dispenser, reducing the risk of a boiling water spill. The bottom has a neat hidden turntable so you can rotate the pot easily. Overall, a typically well-thought out Zojirushi design.

Cons: Manufacturer recommends taking off lid while draining pot. Lining the lid up to reattach is a bit awkward.

Overall Review: I paid full retail at a local Japanese goods store. I got the plain JSC30, not the flowers design. I tested the timer and set it to turn on 10 hours later, for hot water when I got home from work. That function works. I just have to acquire the habit of setting it!