Sunbeam is quite a good one!

i have to agree with your suggestion for a beginnger or someone who don't cook great deal of rice. most rice cookers are designed to cook rice and steam other food as Asians eat lot of steamed food, ie. fish, eggs and etc. One thing for this type of rice cooker is that you have to remember to switch it off after a meal as it "can't keep the rice from drying out" overnight. try to wash all rice in a different container in case you "accidentally" scrach the inner pot. All the "inner pots" of any rice cookers, no matter what kind/brand, MUST NOT in contact with WATER before it is put in cooker. Therefore, it is a good habit to wipe the pot each time before you cook the rice/steam food.

hope this helps.