A rice cooker inspection checks whether finished products match the approved model and perform correctly before shipment. The main checks cover power input, heating, cooking results, the inner pot, temperature control, electrical construction, accessories, labels, and packaging.

A working indicator does not prove that the rice cooker works correctly. A unit may power on but heat too slowly, stop before cooking is complete, switch to keep-warm too early, cook unevenly, leak steam from the wrong area, or continue heating after the program should change.

We compare the selected products with the purchase order, approved sample, specification sheet, instruction manual, component information, packing list, packaging artwork, and buyer inspection requirements. Unless otherwise stated, test loads, tolerances, sample quantities, and acceptance criteria should follow these approved documents or the applicable test method.

This checklist mainly applies to standard household rice cookers. IEC 60335-2-15:2024 covers the safety of household and similar appliances used for heating liquids, including rice cookers.^[1] IEC 63399:2024 provides performance-measurement methods for household rice cookers but excludes pressure cookers, micro-pressure cookers, and rice cookers with a rated volume above 8 L. It also states that safety requirements are covered separately by IEC 60335-2-15.^[2]

Rice cooker type	Main inspection focus
Mechanical rice cooker	Cook lever, heating plate, mechanical thermostat, and cooking-to-keep-warm change
Electronic rice cooker	Programs, display, buttons, sensors, relay operation, error codes, and keep-warm control
Induction-heating rice cooker	Approved inner pot, pot detection, program control, and heating consistency
Pressure or micro-pressure cooker	A separate scope is needed for lid locking, pressure control, sealing, and pressure release

A Final Random Inspection is normally arranged when production is 100% completed and at least 80% packed. Buyers may add an Initial Production Inspection when about 5%–10% has been produced or a During Production Inspection when about 30%–50% has been produced. Earlier inspection can identify wrong components, incorrect voltage versions, coating problems, or assembly differences before the full order is completed.

Heating Function

Heating checks cover the complete operating sequence. Samples within the same model, capacity, voltage version, and test group should use the same approved rice type, rice quantity, water quantity, inner pot, starting condition, cooking program, and power supply.

For each functional test, our team records the sample number, model, voltage version, test load, selected program, start and finish time, approved requirement, actual result, and equipment used. Special readings such as input power or temperature are recorded separately.

Power Check

Before power is connected, we compare the product rating information with the approved order documents. A wrong electrical version can affect function and create a shipment risk even when the product looks correct.

Item	Inspection point	Common problem
Model number	Compare the product, rating label, manual, gift box, and carton	Mixed models or wrong packaging
Rated voltage	Confirm the ordered market version	Wrong voltage version packed for shipment
Frequency	Compare with the approved rating	Conflicting electrical information
Rated power	Compare the product label, specification, and packaging artwork	Incorrect or inconsistent power information
Plug	Check type, pins, condition, and destination-market requirement	Wrong plug, loose pins, or visible damage
Power cord	Check insulation, connector, cord entry, and printed information	Cut insulation, weak connection, or wrong cord
Warnings	Check presence, language, position, and readability	Missing, incomplete, or unreadable text

The cord should not have exposed conductors, crushed insulation, severe bending, split material, loose pins, or a weak connection at the cooker body. A detachable cord should fit fully and remain connected during normal movement. The plug should not sit loosely in the test socket.

Before heating begins, our team checks the product body for cracked plastic, a loose base, exposed wiring, a damaged control panel, a tilted heating plate, loose controls, or foreign material inside the heating area.

The inner pot should be placed correctly. Its outer bottom and the heating area should be clean and dry. Rice grains, paper, foam, loose plastic, metal fragments, or other material between the pot and heating system can affect the test result.

During startup, we check whether:

• The power indicator responds
• The display starts without missing or flickering segments
• Buttons and switches activate the correct functions
• The selected program appears correctly
• Heating begins
• An error code appears
• The product resets without reason
• An abnormal sound, spark, smoke, or persistent burning odor appears

A mechanical switch should move smoothly and stay in its intended position. A switch that sticks, releases immediately, or requires excessive force should be recorded. An electronic button should not activate the wrong program or require repeated pressing.

When input-power measurement is included, the reading should be taken during the approved operating stage. Electronic models may change power during different parts of the program, so a startup reading should not be compared with a stable heating-stage requirement without confirming the method.

The power record should include the rated input, measured input, supply voltage, operating mode, test load, instrument, and approved tolerance. Each sample result should be reported separately. An average should not be used to hide one abnormal unit.

Observed result	Possible investigation direction
Indicator is on, but the cooker does not heat	The heating element, relay, terminal, sensor, or control circuit may need review
Heating starts and stops outside the normal program sequence	The control board, sensor, electrical connection, or power supply may need review
One sample has a clearly different power reading	A wrong component, voltage version, connection, or assembly difference may be present
Plug or connector becomes unusually hot	The plug, terminal, connector, or cord construction may need review
An error appears immediately after startup	The sensor, inner-pot detection, wiring, or program control may need review

The report records the observed condition and possible investigation direction without presenting an unverified cause as fact.

When approved internal opening is included, selected samples may be checked against the component list, drawing, or approved sample. The review may cover:

• Heating-element identification and fixation
• Wire routing
• Terminal and connector security
• Temperature-sensor position
• Thermal-fuse marking, position, and fixation
• Heat-resistant sleeves and insulation barriers
• Protective-earth connection where applicable
• Control-board fixation
• Loose screws or metal parts
• Heat marks, oxidation, contamination, or poor soldering

A visual internal check can confirm whether a protective component appears to be present, correctly marked, positioned, and fixed. It cannot confirm the component’s operating temperature or prove that the protection function has passed.

Internal wiring deserves close attention. A U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall of rice and slow cookers linked improperly installed wiring to electrical shorting, fire, and electric-shock hazards.^[3]

Cooking Test

The cooking test checks whether the product completes its main function under controlled conditions. It should normally use the load and preparation method stated in the approved manual or buyer instruction.

The test setup records:

• Sample number and model
• Rice type and batch where required
• Rice quantity
• Water quantity
• Starting water condition where required
• Water-level mark used
• Inner-pot identification
• Selected program
• Lid, inner-lid, and steam-valve condition
• Supply voltage
• Start and completion time

Different capacities should not be tested with the same load unless the approved instructions require it. A 3 L model and a 5 L model may use different rice and water quantities. Results should be compared within the same model, capacity, voltage version, and test group.

During cooking, our team observes whether the unit remains in the selected program, continues heating, displays the correct operating status, and completes the cycle without unexpected shutdown, repeated resetting, error codes, severe vibration, smoke, or visible deformation.

For a mechanical rice cooker, the main sequence is:

1. The cook lever engages.
2. The lever stays engaged during cooking.
3. The heating system operates.
4. The cooker reaches the intended cooking stage.
5. The lever releases.
6. The cooker enters keep-warm mode.
7. The indicator changes to the correct mode.

For an electronic model, the inspection may also cover menu selection, program confirmation, countdown display, delay start, cancellation, sound indication, memory function, error codes, and keep-warm status.

Not every program can always be completed during one ordinary inspection. The main rice-cooking program should receive priority. Other programs should be selected according to the buyer’s requirements, the product’s main sales claims, previous quality risks, and the available inspection time.

A selectable button does not prove that the program works. When a special function is commercially important, the buyer should state whether our team must complete the full operating cycle.

The final cooking result should be assessed through visible findings instead of personal taste. We check:

• Whether the center contains clearly uncooked grains
• Whether the edge is cooked differently from the center
• Whether a large amount of water remains
• Whether the bottom has severe burning or black areas
• Whether one area is unusually dry
• Whether identical samples produce clearly different results
• Whether the cooker completes the intended program

Heating uniformity should be reviewed across the top, center, edge, and bottom of the cooked load. Checking one spoonful from the top is not enough to show the full result.

If uncooked rice, excess water, or burning appears mainly in one area, the follow-up review may include the pot bottom, heating surface, center sensor, pot position, and test load. The factory should confirm the root cause before corrective action is accepted.

Cooking time should be recorded separately for each sample. If one unit finishes much earlier or later than the other samples under the same conditions, the difference should be reported rather than hidden within an average.

Steam and condensation are also checked during the cooking cycle. Our team reviews whether:

• The steam valve is present and correctly retained
• The valve moves only as intended by the approved design
• The vent opening is clear
• The inner lid is installed in the correct direction
• Sealing parts are present and correctly positioned
• Steam leaves through the designed outlet
• Steam escapes from the control panel, power inlet, body joint, or base
• Condensation reaches the intended collection area
• Water enters the body when the lid is opened
• Hot water or steam sprays in an abnormal direction

A small amount of steam near the designed vent is not automatically a defect. Steam from the power connector, control panel, base, or another unintended area requires further review.

After the cycle, we recheck the housing, lid, handle, control panel, cord entry, plug, inner pot, heating area, and base. Smoke marks, melting, cracks, heavy discoloration, looseness, and deformation should be recorded.

One cooking cycle can identify immediate functional problems. It does not prove the product’s full service life or replace approved laboratory testing.

Heating Defects

Normal operating sounds can include boiling, steam release, relay movement, and thermostat switching. The concern is a sound, smell, movement, leakage point, or physical change that differs from normal operation or the approved sample.

Finding	Possible effect	Inspection follow-up
No heating	The product cannot cook	Record the control response, program, power supply, and input reading where available
Heating is much slower than comparable samples	Long cooking time or incomplete cooking	Compare the test load, power supply, measured input, pot fit, and heating contact
Cooking stops too early	Rice may remain uncooked	Record the switch point, pot position, cooking result, and control response
High heating continues after the expected mode change	Burning or overheating risk	Stop the test if damage, smoke, melting, or unsafe heating appears
Repeated rapid switching	Unstable cooking and temperature control	Record the timing, indicator, sound, and heating response
Steam exits through an unintended joint	Water may approach internal or electrical parts	Check the lid, inner lid, valve, sealing parts, and steam path
Plug or connector becomes unusually hot	Possible electrical connection problem	Stop the test and record the plug, cord, connector, load, and elapsed time
Persistent burning or electrical odor	Possible damage to wiring, plastic, or electrical components	Check for localized heat, discoloration, softening, smoke, or melting
Smoke, sparks, or melting	Possible serious safety risk	Disconnect power safely, isolate the sample, and document the condition

A brief first-use odor should be distinguished from a persistent burning, electrical, or hot-plastic odor. The finding becomes more serious when the smell increases during operation or appears together with smoke, discoloration, melting, or localized overheating.

The cooker should stand firmly on a level surface. It should not rock, slide, or move heavily during operation. Repeated rattling may indicate a loose internal part, but the report should describe the sound and location rather than claim a cause without confirmation.

When a serious condition appears, the test should be stopped safely. Our team records the sample number, operating mode, test load, elapsed time, visible condition, available readings, photographs, video where useful, and the proposed defect classification.

Inner Pot

The inner pot affects heating contact, cooking capacity, temperature sensing, cleaning, and normal product use. A pot may look correct from the top but still have a warped base, wrong depth, damaged coating, incorrect water marks, or poor contact with the heating system.

We compare the pot with the approved sample, specification, drawing, component information, and packing list. Visual inspection can find workmanship, fit, and cleanliness problems. It cannot confirm the exact metal grade, coating composition, chemical migration result, or food-contact compliance.

Surface Check

The inner and outer surfaces should be checked under clear lighting after protective bags, paper, and inserts have been removed. The full cooking surface, rim, sidewall, base, handles, markings, and bottom contact area should be visible.

Area	Inspection points
Inner coating	Scratches, bubbles, peeling, pinholes, exposed base material, embedded particles
Outer finish	Uneven finish, stains, oxidation, impact marks, poor printing
Rim	Burrs, sharp edges, dents, poor rolling, uneven shape
Sidewall	Creases, dents, deformation, waviness, inconsistent finish
Bottom	Warping, dents, residue, oxidation, and uneven contact surface
Water marks	Missing print, wrong sequence, wrong position, or blurred text
Handles	Cracks, loose fixation, poor alignment, or wrong parts
Cleanliness	Dust, oil, metal pieces, adhesive, insects, mold, or foreign material

A small surface mark, a deep scratch, and loose coating particles do not have the same effect.

Condition	Main review point
Small shade difference	Compare it with the approved sample and buyer appearance requirement
Light surface mark	Check whether it affects appearance or normal saleability
Deep scratch or exposed base material	Review its position, size, effect on use, and buyer defect criteria
Coating bubble, peeling, or loose particle	Record the affected area and check whether similar defects appear on other samples
Sharp rim or metal burr	Review the potential cut risk during handling and cleaning
Foreign material inside the pot	Record the material, location, quantity, and possible production source

The cooking surface should not contain loose coating particles, metal fragments, polishing residue, oil, adhesive, insects, mold, or other foreign material. Protective packaging should not transfer ink, glue, dust, or residue to the inner pot.

Coating color and finish should be compared with the approved sample under suitable lighting. A change caused only by viewing angle or lighting should not be confused with a clear production difference.

A coating adhesion or abrasion test should only be carried out when an approved method defines the tool, test position, force, cycle count, sample quantity, and acceptance condition. Scratching a coated pot with an uncontrolled sharp object can create new damage and does not provide a reliable result.

The exact material and food-contact status cannot be confirmed by appearance. In the United States, the FDA treats cookware and food-preparation surfaces as food-contact applications, and authorization depends on the substances, intended use, and applicable conditions.^[4] In the European Union, Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 establishes general requirements for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.^[5]

When food-contact documents are included in the inspection scope, our office team reviews whether the submitted information matches the inspected product. The review may cover:

• Product and model identification
• Inner-pot material description
• Coating or surface description
• Test-sample identification
• Component or material supplier
• Target market
• Test scope and intended use
• Document date and applicability

A report for a different model, coating, material supplier, or use condition should not automatically be treated as evidence for the inspected pot. Laboratory testing and production inspection answer different questions. Buyers that require material or migration testing can define the scope through food-contact testing. UTS does not issue food-contact certification.

Size and Fit

The pot should match the approved dimensions, weight, capacity definition, shape, and construction. Measurement points must be clearly defined because the rim, main body, and base may have different diameters.

Possible measurements include:

• Top diameter
• Body diameter
• Base diameter
• Pot height
• Rim width
• Wall thickness where included
• Base thickness where included
• Pot weight
• Approved capacity
• Handle position and spacing

Each result should identify the sample, instrument, unit, exact measurement point, approved value, tolerance, and actual reading.

The pot should enter and leave the cooker without excessive force. It should not jam, tilt, rock, scrape heavily, or interfere with lid closure.

On a common heating-plate model, the pot bottom should sit in the intended position against the heating plate and center sensor. We check whether:

1. The pot bottom is free from severe dents.
2. The base is not visibly warped.
3. The heating plate is level and secure.
4. The center sensor moves and returns where applicable.
5. The pot rests on the intended support points.
6. The lid closes without pushing the pot sideways.
7. The pot can be removed without heavy scraping.
8. No foreign material remains between the pot and heating area.

On models that use a spring-loaded center thermostat, the inner pot presses against the sensor. A warped pot, incorrect depth, wrong base shape, or poor contact may contribute to early switching, late switching, or uneven heating.

A pot can fit inside the housing but still make poor heating contact. Fit should therefore be reviewed together with cooking time, cooking uniformity, and temperature-control results.

Induction-heating models require the approved pot material, structure, dimensions, and identification. An unapproved pot may not be detected or may produce error messages, weak heating, uneven heating, or program interruption. Any abnormal operation outside the approved pot-and-cooker combination should be investigated.

Capacity claims should be mutually consistent with the approved specification, but the printed numbers do not always describe the same measurement.

Capacity information	What it may describe
Gift-box capacity	Total volume, rated volume, or commercial model description
Manual capacity	Maximum water volume, rice quantity, or recommended cooking load
Inner-pot marks	Water level for a specific rice type, cup count, or cooking program
Measuring cup	The approved rice-cup volume, which may differ from a standard household cup

The numbers should not be compared as if they were identical measurements. Instead, our team checks whether each claim uses the correct unit and capacity definition and whether the information matches the approved product documents.

Water-level marks should be clear, correctly ordered, and suitable for the approved pot. Lines should not overlap or appear at the same height without an intended reason. Numbers should not be missing, reversed, blurred, or placed on the wrong scale.

Parts and Packing

The supplied parts should match the approved packing list. A similar-looking accessory should not be accepted only because it fits inside the box. Its type, size, quantity, color, marking, and function should be checked.

Common parts include:

• Inner pot
• Inner lid
• Steam valve
• Condensation collector
• Measuring cup
• Rice paddle
• Steam tray
• Detachable or fixed power cord
• Instruction manual
• Recipe information

The inner lid should be correctly retained according to the approved design. If it is removable, it should be possible to remove and reinstall it without damage, jamming, or excessive force.

The steam valve should be present, correctly assembled, and able to move only as intended by the design. A removable valve should not fall out during normal handling, while a designed floating part should not be rejected simply because it has controlled movement.

The condensation collector should match the model, fit correctly, and receive water from the intended path. A loose collector that falls off during normal handling should be recorded.

The lid and hinge checks may include:

• Side-to-side movement
• Lid alignment
• Cracks or deformation
• Spring response
• Release-button operation
• Closing and locking response where applicable
• Open-position stability where required
• Interference with the inner pot

The measuring cup should match the approved capacity and marking. The steam tray should fit without preventing lid closure. A detachable cord should connect firmly and match the ordered plug version.

Packaging should prevent the product and accessories from damaging one another. Important rice-cooker risks include:

• Plug pins touching the coated surface
• A metal steam tray rubbing against the pot
• A loose cord moving inside the inner pot
• A rice paddle trapped between the pot and lid
• Hard accessories packed without protection
• The pot rim pressing against the gift box
• The pot moving inside the cooker during transport
• A missing protective bag, sheet, pad, or partition

The gift box should show the approved model, product image, voltage, plug version, capacity description, color, main functions, language, and barcode. The shipping carton should also be checked for damage, moisture exposure, weak sealing, incorrect quantity, and wrong carton marks.

When barcode or QR-code verification is included, readability should reach 100% for all checked samples. Each checked code must scan successfully. The printing should be clear, and the decoded information should match the approved product, SKU, label, and packaging information.

An unreadable code, unclear print, incorrect decoded value, or mismatch with the product label should be recorded, corrected, and rechecked according to the buyer’s requirements. Routine barcode checks do not require a barcode grade or score.

A carton drop test may be included when an approved method defines the package weight, drop height, sequence, surface, sample quantity, and acceptance conditions. After testing, our team opens the package and rechecks the carton, gift box, inner protection, pot coating, pot shape, lid, accessories, product body, and operating function.

An undamaged outer carton does not prove that the product inside is acceptable. A protected inner pot and a working rice cooker are part of the post-drop review.

Temperature Control

Temperature control determines when the cooker heats, reduces heat, enters keep-warm mode, or stops operation. The cooking test confirms whether the product completes its task. Temperature-control checks focus on whether the heating state changes at the correct stage and remains stable afterward.

Mode Switch

The main check is whether the cooker changes from cooking mode to keep-warm mode at the intended point. An indicator or display is not enough by itself. The actual heating condition should follow the displayed mode.

Before testing, our team confirms the product model, voltage version, approved inner pot, selected program, rice and water load, lid condition, starting condition, and approved method.

For a mechanical cooker, the cook lever should remain engaged during cooking and release when the intended condition is reached. It should not release immediately after activation or remain locked while the load continues to burn.

For an electronic model, the display, sound, relay response, and actual operating condition should follow the selected program. A keep-warm symbol does not prove that the heating output has changed.

Control check	Question
Heating	Did the cooker produce heat and continue through the cooking stage?
Switching	Did it change mode at the intended stage?
Holding	Did it remain stable after entering keep-warm mode?

A sample may pass the heating check but fail the switching check. Another sample may display keep-warm while continuing to heat at an abnormal level.

Typical control failures include:

• Switching to keep-warm before cooking is complete
• Remaining in cooking mode too long
• Failing to enter keep-warm mode
• Showing an indicator that does not match the actual state
• Continuing strong heating after the mode change
• Switching repeatedly between modes
• Resetting during cooking
• Showing a sensor-related error
• Producing clearly different results among comparable samples

After the mode change, our team reviews whether the operating state remains stable. Depending on the approved scope, we check for repeated restarting, unexpected return to strong heating, severe bottom burning, unusual drying, excessive condensation, unintended steam leakage, persistent odor, or housing changes.

The keep-warm test duration should come from the buyer requirement, manual, or agreed method. A single universal time should not be applied to all rice cookers.

When temperature measurement is required, the report identifies the instrument, probe type, measurement point, test load, operating mode, measurement time, approved value, tolerance, and actual result.

The temperature of the rice, water, pot wall, heating plate, steam outlet, lid, handle, and outer housing are different measurements. They should not be compared with one limit unless the approved method specifically requires it.

Water quantity, initial water condition, room conditions, voltage, pot fit, lid position, and probe location can change the result. These conditions should be controlled or recorded.

Comparable samples tested under the same conditions should follow a similar control sequence. If one sample changes mode much earlier or later than the others, the report should identify that sample and its final cooking result.

If several samples show the same early switch, unstable keep-warm cycle, or sensor error, the finding may indicate a wider component, software, assembly, pot, or sensor issue. The factory should confirm the actual cause.

Heat Protection

Rice cookers may use a mechanical thermostat, electronic sensor, relay, control board, thermal fuse, or several protective components together. On-site checks focus on visible construction and the approved safety tests included in the inspection scope.

Routine internal checks may cover:

• Thermal-fuse presence, marking, position, and fixation
• Temperature-sensor position
• Wire routing against the approved construction
• Heat-resistant sleeves
• Connector security
• Insulation condition
• Protective-earth connection where applicable
• Control-board mounting
• Loose metal parts
• Possible water or steam paths near electrical parts

Wiring should follow the approved routing and insulation design. Unexpected contact with sharp edges, moving parts, or hot surfaces should be recorded. A heat-resistant wire that is intentionally positioned near a hot component should not be rejected solely because of its location without comparing it with the approved design.

A protective component that is present but loose, incorrectly positioned, differently marked, or fitted with the wrong bracket should be reported. A visual check alone does not confirm its trigger point or protective performance.

Special on-site tests may be performed when the buyer includes them in the scope and provides an approved method.

Test	Main purpose	Required control
Protective-earth continuity	Check the continuity of the protective-earth path on applicable products	Approved current, resistance limit, test points, and duration
Polarity check	Check whether applicable conductors and connections are arranged correctly	Approved wiring requirement and product construction
Insulation resistance	Measure the resistance of the insulation under the approved setup	Approved test voltage, points, time, and minimum result
Dielectric-strength test	Check whether insulation withstands the specified test voltage without breakdown or flashover	Approved voltage, current limit, test points, and duration
Accessible surface temperature	Measure selected handles, lids, controls, or housing areas	Approved operating condition, measurement point, instrument, and limit
Cord anchorage	Check whether the cord remains secure under the specified force	Approved force, direction, duration, and allowed movement
Overfill test	Review whether spilled liquid reaches unsafe areas under the approved setup	Approved liquid quantity, product state, duration, and acceptance criteria

The values for these tests vary by product design, electrical class, destination market, and test method. They should not be copied from another appliance or invented during inspection.

Some tests can damage the sample or create heat, electrical, fire, or burn risks. Examples include dry-heating tests, thermal-fuse operation tests, abnormal-operation tests, normal thermostat failure simulation, and secondary protection tests.

These tests should only be performed when:

• The buyer includes the test in the scope
• The approved method is available
• The product design is known
• The acceptance criteria are available
• Suitable equipment and a controlled area are available
• The tested sample can be isolated and identified
• The buyer accepts any destructive result

Pressure and micro-pressure rice cookers require a separate inspection plan for pressure control, lid locking, sealing, pressure release, and protection against opening while pressure remains inside.

On-site inspection can identify visible construction differences, loose components, damaged insulation, incorrect parts, failed functions, and abnormal operating results. It does not replace formal laboratory testing or destination-market compliance work.

Report Findings

Each test result should be linked to a specific sample. The report should show whether a defect appeared once, repeated across several samples, or affected one voltage or model group.

The functional record may include:

• Sample number, model, and SKU
• Rated voltage and power
• Inner-pot identification
• Rice and water load
• Selected program
• Start and completion time
• Heating and cooking result
• Mode-switch and keep-warm result
• Temperature or power reading where required
• Steam or water leakage
• Noise, odor, or physical change
• Photographs and video where useful
• Defect classification

Report wording should describe what happened.

Weak wording:

Temperature control failed.

Clearer wording:

Sample 07 entered keep-warm mode earlier than the other samples tested with the same rice and water load. Rice in the center remained partly uncooked, and visible water remained in the pot.

Another example:

Sample 12 displayed the keep-warm indicator, but its measured input remained close to the cooking-stage reading. A persistent hot-plastic odor developed near the base, and the test was stopped.

Defects are normally grouped as critical, major, or minor. Final classification should follow the buyer’s approved defect list, intended use, severity, location, and effect.

Defect level	Possible rice cooker examples
Critical	Smoke, sparks, accessible live parts, severe melting, dangerous electrical leakage, or a failed protection function creating an immediate safety risk
Major	No heating, uncontrolled heating, failed cooking cycle, wrong voltage, failed thermostat, serious unintended steam leakage, severely deformed pot, or missing essential accessory
Minor	A limited cosmetic mark, small print shift, slight finish difference, or minor packaging problem that does not affect normal function or safety

Defect distribution helps the buyer judge the likely order risk.

Defect pattern	Review direction
One pot has an isolated light mark	Review it as a possible individual handling issue
Several pots have scratches in the same position	Review packaging, stacking, handling, or production contact points
Several samples enter keep-warm too early	Review the pot, sensor, thermostat, software, and assembly process
Different voltage labels appear within one SKU	Check for product, label, or packaging mixing
Steam exits through the same unintended joint on several samples	Review the lid, sealing parts, assembly, and product construction

AQL sampling is used to select a sample from the full production lot. ISO 2859-1:2026 defines acceptance-sampling plans for inspection by attributes.^[6] The lot size and inspection level determine the sample-size code and sample quantity. The selected AQL and defect category determine the acceptance and rejection numbers.

For example, the UTS AQL sampling reference shows that a lot of 4,000 units under General Inspection Level II gives code letter L and a general sample size of 200 units. At AQL 2.5 in this example, the acceptance number is 10 and the rejection number is 11.

This is an example of how the table works, not a fixed plan for every rice cooker order. AQL 2.5 also does not mean that exactly 2.5% defective products are automatically acceptable in the shipment. AQL supports a sampled lot decision; it does not prove that every unit is defect-free.

Different inspection activities may use different sample quantities:

• Appearance, workmanship, labels, and packing may use the general inspection sample.
• Complete cooking cycles may use a smaller functional sample approved by the buyer.
• Internal construction checks may use selected samples approved for opening.
• Special electrical tests may use a separate sample quantity.
• Destructive tests require specific approval and sample identification.

The report should state the quantity used for each test. It should not imply that every test was completed on the full general sample when this was not the case.

Before inspection, buyers should provide the product and SKU specifications, approved sample, voltage and plug versions, functional requirements, cooking-test method, packaging artwork, packing list, AQL plan, defect criteria, and authorization for any internal or destructive testing. Buyers may also arrange sample review or product testing before mass production when key materials, coatings, components, or safety functions need to be checked earlier.

Finding	Possible follow-up
Serious electrical or overheating risk	Hold shipment, investigate the affected range, complete correction, and arrange reinspection
Repeated cooking or temperature-control failure	Screen or repair the affected lot and recheck the complete function
Damaged inner pots	Replace affected pots, review packaging, and recheck corrected products
Wrong voltage or label version	Separate the affected SKU, correct the products or labels, and verify again
Missing accessories	Complete the packing and recheck sealed cartons
Minor appearance defects	Review the defect count against the approved AQL and buyer criteria

For repeated or widespread defects, buyers may arrange a 100% full inspection or define a focused recheck after correction. Our project service team coordinates the agreed inspection scope with the client. After the inspection, our team provides the defect counts, measurements, test results, photo evidence, and packaging findings for review.

Before shipment release, the buyer should confirm whether serious safety findings remain unresolved, whether major and minor defect counts meet the approved sampling plan, and whether failed functions or damaged parts have been corrected and rechecked. Rice cooker inspection reduces the risk of receiving units with heating failures, damaged inner pots, unstable temperature control, wrong ratings, missing accessories, unreadable barcodes, or weak packaging. It does not guarantee zero defects and does not replace factory quality control, required laboratory testing, or the buyer’s final shipment decision.