Japan’s one-person bento box-sized rice cooker gets double-decker version that cooks side dishes too

Because if you’ve got fresh-cooked rice right at your desk, you’re going to want something to go with it right?

Japanese company Thanko’s Super High-Speed One-Person Bento Box Rice Cooker is one of those cooking gadgets we never knew we desperately needed until after it was invented. A rice cooker so compact you can easily carry it with you to the office and cook rice at your desk, it’s allowed us to have freshly cooked grains on our workday lunch breaks.

But just like it’s been said that man does not live by bread alone, neither is a lunch of nothing but white rice a satisfying meal. So Thanko is back with an upgraded version that’s still portable-size, but now allows you to cook both rice and something else to eat with it simultaneously.

The Two-Level Super High-Speed One-Person Bento Box Rice Cooker is a double-decker design, with the bottom half being essentially the same as the rice-only model. The top section, though, is a separate compartment for cooking and heating side dishes and toppings, like the pouch of instant curry shown in this demonstration.

You’re not limited to sauces, either. Japanese convenience stores sell all sorts of side dishes, such as oden, kimpira gobo (sliced carrots and burdock root), and salmon slices, all of which taste better after being freshly heated.

And since the upper section can also be used like a steamer, you can even use it to cook dumplings or a healthy vegetable assortment.

Like it’s speedy predecessor, the Two-Level Super High-Speed One-Person Bento Box Rice Cooker is fast, cooking your rice in just 15 minutes. And while it’s grown a little compared to the one-level version, it’s still small enough (24 centimeters long by 10 wide and 11.3 high [9.4 x 3.9 x 4.4 inches]) that you can easily toss it in your bag when stepping out the door for the day.

Heck, even if you’re not going anywhere, the compact size makes it a great choice if you’re eating by yourself at home, since a smaller appliance means easier washing.

The Two-Level Super High-Speed One-Person Bento Box Rice Cooker is priced at 7,980 yen, and can be ordered through Thanko’s online store here.

Source: Thanko via IT Media
Images: Thanko
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