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Fixing a Steamer/Rice Cooker

If you enjoy steamed vegetables or rice, you probably own a steamer/rice cooker. Here's how to keep it cooking.
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Spray contacts as needed with electrical contact cleaner.

A steamer is a small appliance designed to steam foods, primarily vegetables. A rice cooker is a steamer designed specifically for steaming rice, but many can be used to steam other foods as well. All steamers use enclosed heating elements. Some include a thermostat. Simple steamers have a rotary timer that turns off the elements after a set time. Other units have a sensor that knows when the water has boiled off in the pan and automatically switches to a lower heat setting.

Disassemble and test the appliance:
  1. Unplug the cooker from the electrical receptacle. If the appliance has a plug-in cord, remove it.
  2. Remove the cover and the pan.
  3. Turn the steamer over and remove the fasteners holding the base.
  4. As needed, test the heating element, resistor, and service switch contacts (see below).

Test the heating element:

  1. Disconnect the heating wire from one terminal.
  2. Set the multimeter at RX1 (resistance times 1) scale to measure resistance.
  3. Touch the tester probes to the two terminals. The heating element is okay if the meter reads near zero ohms.

Test the resistor:

  1. Remove the lead to the heating element.
  2. Set the multimeter at RX1 (resistance times 1) scale to measure resistance.
  3. Touch the tester probes to the two terminals. The heating element is okay if the meter reads approximately 20 ohms.

To service switch contacts: Press down on the lever arm to verify that the switch contacts make full contact. If not, use a small file to file the contacts. As needed, spray the contacts with electrical contact cleaner.


Text by Dan & Judy Ramsey - from "If It's Broke, Fix It!"
Artwork by Dan & Judy Ramsey
Copyright Fix-It Club® © 2004


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