How should rice-to-water ratio be evaluated when buying a rotating clay-pot cooker?

Rice-to-water ratio should be judged against the rice variety and recipe you actually use, not the maker's brochure figure. Absorption, heating curve and the desired crust thickness all shift the ideal ratio, so cook two or three ratios at real flame settings and note texture and crust. Testing only one ratio can hide a narrow heat-adjustment range, meaning stable single-unit output may still drift during peak service. At acceptance, cook your own rice on site and check consistency across flame levels, then keep that ratio and setting for future rice changes or fault-finding.