Russell Hobbs Large Rice Cooker Review: 3.5 Years of Weekly Use
I bought the Russell Hobbs Large Rice Cooker 27040-56 on April 5, 2023 for 299 DKK (about US$44 at the April 2023 exchange rate) with my own money, and I have used it roughly once a week ever since. That works out to around 180 cooking sessions by the time of this review.
I mostly use it for basmati rice, but I have also cooked brown rice, quinoa, lentils and other rice varieties. My overall experience is simple: it makes rice much easier and more consistent than using a normal pot, but the “Large” size is overkill for me and some rice sticks to the bottom every time.
Affiliate disclosure: This review contains a paid Amazon link. If you buy through it, Jon Tests may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I bought this Russell Hobbs rice cooker myself at full price and received no free product, discount or compensation. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. My tested unit is the European 27040-56 (220–240 V). The Amazon link is shown only as a similar/current Russell Hobbs option unless the exact model and voltage match. Full disclosure.
Russell Hobbs Large Rice Cooker 27040-56 — 4.3/5
Quick verdict: This has made rice almost effortless for me for about 3.5 years. It cooks fluffy rice consistently, switches itself to keep-warm and has never given me an undercooked batch when I use my normal water ratio. The main annoyance is that roughly 5–10% of the rice at the bottom sticks or browns every time.
Best for: families, larger households and people doing large meal-prep batches.
Skip if: you are a couple, student or normally cook only a few portions. I would personally buy a smaller model next time.
- Much easier than cooking rice in a normal pot
- No timer needed — it switches automatically
- Consistently fluffy rice once you learn the water ratio
- Keep-warm has worked well for 5–6 hours in my use
- Huge capacity for families or large meal prep
- Works with basmati, brown rice, quinoa, lentils and other grains
- Still working normally after around 180 cooking sessions
- Roughly 5–10% of the rice sticks/browns at the bottom every time for me
- The inner pot shows scratches, some coating wear and small areas of peeling after long-term use
- The Large size is unnecessarily big for my own two-day batches
- Cleaning is less pleasant because of the stuck bottom layer
- I never found the included steamer basket useful and discarded it
How I tested the Russell Hobbs Large Rice Cooker
- Purchased: April 5, 2023
- Price paid: 299 DKK (about US$44 at the April 2023 exchange rate), fully self-funded
- Ownership: about 3.5 years
- Typical use: around once per week
- Estimated cooking sessions: roughly 180
- Most common food: basmati rice
- Also cooked: brown rice, other rice varieties, quinoa and lentils
- Typical batch: enough for about two days
- Failures: none that stop it working
The ~180-batch figure is an estimate based on using it about once per week since April 2023. I have not logged every cook. The observations below are based on long-term household use rather than laboratory measurements.
The biggest benefit is how little attention it needs
This is why I still use a rice cooker instead of going back to a saucepan. With a normal pot I have to think about timing and heat. With this, I add rice and water, press the lever and wait for it to switch itself over.
My normal routine is simple: I put the rice in the removable bowl, rinse it under running water for around a minute, drain it, then add water by eye. For basmati I normally aim for roughly twice as much water as rice visually. Once you learn the amount that works for your rice and preferred texture, it becomes very repeatable.
A normal batch for me takes roughly 10–15 minutes. I do not need to set a separate timer, and I have not had a problem with rice being left genuinely undercooked when I use my usual method.
Rice quality is good — but some always sticks to the bottom
The finished rice is usually fluffy rather than wet or dry. The main variable is water: if I get the ratio right, the result is very consistent.
The one recurring problem is the bottom. In my experience, some rice sticks every single time. I would estimate around 5–10% of a normal batch gets stuck or slightly browned against the base. I would not describe the whole batch as burned — I have never had a proper burnt smell or smoke — but the stuck layer is annoying and makes cleanup worse than it should be.
The steam in my photo is normal — not smoke
One of my photos can look a little dramatic because a cloud is coming out around the cooker. That is normal steam during cooking, not smoke. I have never experienced actual smoke or a burnt electrical smell from the unit.
The official Russell Hobbs design includes a steam vent in the tempered-glass lid, so visible steam is expected during operation. Russell Hobbs’ official product page lists the steam vent among the model’s features.
Keep-warm is one of its best features
The automatic keep-warm function works very well for the way I use it. I have sometimes left cooked rice in the cooker for around 5–6 hours, and it has stayed warm without becoming obviously dry.
Russell Hobbs lists automatic keep-warm as a core feature of the 27040-56. My experience matches that description: once cooking is finished, I can largely stop thinking about timing dinner around the rice. Russell Hobbs’ official page confirms the automatic keep-warm function.
The Large model is genuinely huge
Russell Hobbs markets this model for up to 14 portions of cooked rice. I have never filled mine even halfway, so I cannot claim to have personally tested a maximum-capacity batch. But from living with the bowl size, the 14-portion positioning does not seem unrealistic to me.
For my household, the capacity is actually the wrong size. I usually make enough rice for about two days. If I wanted to, I could make a very large weekly meal-prep batch, but I rarely need that.
This is why I would choose a small or medium rice cooker next time. A large family, shared household or someone doing serious meal prep may see the capacity as one of the best features. For a couple or student, it is easy to buy more cooker than you need.
Russell Hobbs officially lists the 27040-56 at up to 14 servings and 500 W, with a removable non-stick bowl, glass lid and included steamer basket. Official specifications.
Cleaning is easy in theory, less perfect in practice
The removable bowl and glass lid are officially dishwasher-safe, and that is how I usually clean mine. That part is convenient. Russell Hobbs confirms the removable bowl and glass lid are dishwasher-safe.
What lowers the cleaning score is the bottom layer of rice that sticks after every batch. It means there is usually a bit more cleanup than I would like even though the bowl itself is removable.
After about 3.5 years, my inner pot also shows visible wear: there are scratches, areas where the surface looks worn and a small amount of coating deterioration/peeling. The cooker still works, but long-term non-stick durability is not one of its strongest points in my experience.
Durability after ~180 uses: mechanically good, cosmetically worn
The good news is that the actual cooker still works normally. The heating function, switch, indicator lights and lid all still do their job. I have not had a functional failure.
There is a small dent/mark near the side of the lid area and the inner pot shows the wear mentioned above, but nothing has stopped the cooker from functioning. That is a good result for an appliance I paid only 299 DKK (about US$44 at the April 2023 exchange rate) for and have used around once a week for several years.
I never used the steamer basket
The Large Rice Cooker comes with a steamer basket, measuring cup and spoon. I cannot review the steaming performance because I never found a use for the basket and discarded it early on.
That is worth separating from the product specification: Russell Hobbs includes the basket, but any claim about how well it steams vegetables, fish or other food would not be firsthand from me.
Important for U.S. buyers: this exact model is a 220–240 V cooker
The exact model I own is 27040-56. Russell Hobbs’ manual specifies it as 220–240 V, 50/60 Hz, 500 W. That means it is a European-voltage appliance rather than a normal 120 V U.S. countertop model. Official manual.
I did not find a clean Amazon.com listing for this exact 27040-56 model during my October 2026 check. For that reason, any Amazon link on this page is labeled as a similar/current Russell Hobbs option rather than the exact cooker I tested. If you are in the U.S., check the model number and voltage before buying.
Value: fair price, wrong size for me
I paid 299 DKK (about US$44 at the April 2023 exchange rate) in 2023. For a large rice cooker that is still working after about 180 uses, I think that was a fair price.
But value is not just about whether a product is cheap. I would not buy this exact size again because I simply do not need the capacity. I would rather spend less on a small or medium model that takes up less space and, ideally, has better non-stick performance at the bottom.
Why I rate the Russell Hobbs Large Rice Cooker 4.3/5
My overall rating is 4.3/5. I use the public Jon Tests rating method: each criterion is weighted, the weights total 100%, and the result is rounded to one decimal place.
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 20% | 4.8/5 | Add rice and water, press the switch and let it handle the timing automatically. |
| Cooking consistency & rice quality | 20% | 4.4/5 | Fluffy and reliably cooked once I use the right water ratio, but the bottom layer sticks. |
| Keep-warm | 15% | 4.8/5 | Has kept rice warm for 5–6 hours in my use without making it obviously dry. |
| Cleaning & non-stick performance | 15% | 3.2/5 | Dishwasher-safe bowl is convenient, but 5–10% of the rice sticks and the coating now shows wear. |
| Durability | 10% | 4.2/5 | No functional failure after roughly 180 uses, though the bowl and exterior show age. |
| Capacity & versatility | 10% | 4.6/5 | Huge capacity and useful for several grains, but much larger than I personally need. |
| Value for money | 10% | 4.2/5 | 299 DKK (about US$44 at the April 2023 exchange rate) was fair for the longevity and size, even though I would buy smaller next time. |
| Weighted rating | 4.3/5 | 4.34 before rounding. | |
Who should buy it?
- Good fit: families that cook large quantities of rice.
- Good fit: people doing several days of meal prep at once.
- Good fit: households that want a very simple cooker with automatic keep-warm.
- Probably too large: couples who normally cook only a few portions.
- Probably too large: students or people with limited counter/storage space.
- Look at alternatives: if rice sticking to the bottom is a deal-breaker for you.
Would I buy it again?
I would buy a Russell Hobbs-style rice cooker again, but not this Large version for myself. The basic concept has been extremely useful: easy cooking, reliable results and good keep-warm. The issue is sizing, not whether I want a rice cooker.
For my next one, I would choose something closer to a small or medium capacity and prioritize a bowl that releases the bottom layer more cleanly. If I had a larger family or needed big meal-prep batches, the 27040-56 would make much more sense.
See a similar/current Russell Hobbs rice cooker on Amazon (paid link) →
Frequently Asked Questions
Does rice stick to the bottom?
Yes in my experience. Roughly 5–10% of a normal batch tends to stick or brown slightly against the bottom every time. The rest of the rice normally comes out fluffy.
How long does a normal batch take?
My typical batch takes around 10–15 minutes. Exact time depends on the rice, amount and water ratio.
Does the keep-warm function work?
Yes. I have left rice on keep-warm for around 5–6 hours and found that it stayed warm without becoming obviously dry.
Is the bowl dishwasher-safe?
Russell Hobbs says the removable non-stick bowl and glass lid are dishwasher-safe, and I normally clean mine in the dishwasher.
Is the Large model too big for a couple?
For me, yes. I normally cook enough for two days and have never filled the bowl even halfway. I would personally choose a smaller model next time.
Can it cook more than white rice?
I have personally used it for basmati, brown rice, other rice varieties, quinoa and lentils. Water ratios and cook times vary, so I adjust by experience rather than using one ratio for everything.
Sources and review method
- My April 5, 2023 purchase, roughly weekly use, estimated ~180 cooking sessions and the original photos shown in this review.
- Russell Hobbs — Large Rice Cooker 27040-56 for capacity, automatic keep-warm, dishwasher-safe removable bowl/lid, steamer basket and 500 W specification.
- Russell Hobbs — 27040-56 manual for exact model voltage and power specification.
- Jon Tests — How I Test for the public rating methodology.
