Buying a rice cooker in Hong Kong

[steveadmin]

Being a fan of Asian food I am keen on getting myself a decent Japanese-made rice cooker (probably a Zojirushi). Since I'm probably swinging by Hong Kong early next year, it seems sensible to pick one up there, as not only do they have the same voltage/frequency standard as the UK but also they have the same unwieldy three-pin plugs.

Can anyone recommend any large emporiums/electrical goods malls where they sell a large selection of rice cookers? I'm after a place like the malls in Singapore where you get lots of selection and can compare and contrast different shops' prices to get the best deal.

I am a rubbish haggler, but just for the record, can you say whether haggling is accepted practice in any places you recommend?

Thanks in advance!
Steve

[Emdee]

Times Square in Causeway Bay, Steve, has everything including Rice Cookers by the 1000s. Across the road, the giant Sogo (Japanese) emporium has everything from the land of the Rising Sun. Both of these places have marked prices only.

If you don't like these huge shopping malls, try the small shops on Jardine's Crescent and Jardine's Bazaar. I'm sure you would find one there in the hundreds of little shops - and haggling is expected.

Start at 30% of the asking price, but don't pay more than 45% if you work upwards. And keep in mind the price of the Rice Cooker in the UK for comparative purposes.

[steveadmin]

Thanks for those great suggestions, Emdee. Times Square sounds like a good place to get ballpark figures, then I can hit the small shops and see what I can find...

[Dbryce]

Hi,

be careful because UK/EU importation charge is set at 17.7% because you have to also pay VAT on all items coming into the UK/EU. So thats 15% VAT and 2.7% import duty and 'yes' customs are seizing just about 'everything' coming through airports and ports at the moment. My friend recently brought back a £100 coffee maker from Singapore and was slammed with £74 charges and customs held it for weeks whilst they investigated the price. Customs get very suspicious when the baggage scanners detect large electrical appliances!

I asked someone in Singapore to look at the price of rice cookers there and the Zojirushi TGQ10 is around £120 (S$260). Add delivery charges and customs charges and you start to realise that its not actually as cheap and easy as you make out. I'd imagine that Hong Kong is a similar price to Singapore.

[steveadmin]

You can pick up a Zojirushi TGQ10 for under £100 in Singapore - comfortably. Add on 17.7% tax and that's £117.70... not bad at all. Certainly a lot cheaper than they can be had from import companies like the one you were advertising!

[mendozahoney]

I suggest you get the all power need from Hong Kong including your power chord, plug adapter or power adapter if you have to. I have a universal plug adapter that will help your plug your power chord from any other plug standard. get one too.

[MistaDirtybootz]

I'm a bit naive on this subject, so pardon my ignorance What's the benefit of a Japanese rice-cooker versus one made elsewhere?

[steveadmin]

Good question! The Japanese really know their rice, and zojirushi are perhaps the best rice cooker makers in the world. The Japanese-style cookers use "fuzzy logic" programming which results in perfectly cooked rice. I wouldn't feel comfortable buying a UK-based cooker as I doubt it would be suitable for cooking Japanese-style rice very well. It's very different stuff to long-grain American rice or basmati!

i bought a medium rice cooker paid equivalent of 18 pounds works fantastic on at least once a week for last 2 years. cooks wild rice perfectly.

[mikestravelst]

Zojirushi products such as rice cookers are really good for cooking in HK. I use one of them.