Well I thought it through logically, and even if they were on, there would not be anything they could catch onto; no towels or items near them. I would think if anything, the rice would stay lukewarm, sice I had left it for about half an hour at whatever it was set at (whether I had turned it off, or forgotten it...) It could not have been left on if there were 10 still water left in there when I got my second helping.. or 2) the second helping were warm, not hot.. as it was.