The Best Rice Cooker You’ll Ever Need (Reviews & Ranking)

Cooking rice isnt hard, but it can get a lot easier. That is, after you’ve mastered it. But, in the meanwhile, obtaining the finest rice cooker is the greatest option. preparing fluffy rice using one of these equipment is significantly simpler than preparing rice on the stove. After all, there’s a reason why this device is so popular in many Asian families.

Rice is one of the most versatile basic foods. It’s quite adaptable. You might, for example, offer it as a side dish to a rich entrée like honey-balsamic chicken. Make it the star of the show by making Chinese takeout-style egg fried rice. The options are limitless.

A rice cooker will come in helpful no matter what cuisine you’re cooking. It eliminates the effort of cooking rice and produces excellent rice every time. There’s no need to keep an eye on the pot or be concerned about the rice burning and sticking to the bottom. It’s one of those handy kitchen items that goes well with any smart house!

Today, we’ll look at the top eight rice cookers on the market. Believe us, there are a lot of them out there. We’ve also created a rice cooker shopping guide to assist you in selecting the finest appliance for your kitchen. With so many options, we’re certain you’ll discover one you adore.

 

1) Overall Top Pick: Zojirushi NS TSC10 Rice Cooker

We’re kicking things off with the greatest food steamer you’ll discover. Zojirushi is a Japanese behemoth and the most reputable company on the market. This elegant stainless steel device does not let you down.

This food steamer can cook up to five and a half cups of uncooked rice. That equates to about eleven bowls of cooked rice, enough to feed a battalion.

Even if you don’t consume all of the rice at once, you may keep it in the steamer for many days. The prolonged keep-warm function keeps your meal warm while also keeping it bacteria-free.

This machine is really dependable. Every time you use it, you will receive perfectly cooked rice every time. Furthermore, all rice grains will be cooked equally. There will be no burned-on-top, raw-under nonsense.

Cook white rice, brown rice, rice porridge, and quinoa using any of the six grain presets. You can also steam fish and vegetables with the supplied steamer basket and steamer preset. There’s even a cake-making preset!

Despite having so many features, you will not be overwhelmed by them. This food steamer is surprisingly simple to operate. It also features a timer and a whistle to alert you when your meal is done cooking.

Finally, we appreciate how simple it is to clean. Warm water and mild soap may be used to clean the removable lid. And, most crucially, the inside pot is nonstick. This eliminates the sticky coating at the bottom that is difficult to scrape.

Overall, this item is well worth the money. It may be more costly, but it does an outstanding job.

 

2) Runner-Up: Oster 6-Cup Cooker and Steamer

The Oster 6-Cup Steamer is another fantastic rice cooker. It’s a world apart from the Japanese model we just looked at. But it has that traditional old-fashioned aesthetic that we’re all familiar to, and it makes cooking rice the simplest operation in the kitchen.

The Oster epitomizes a no-frills attitude. It’s a really simple model to utilize. Measure the rice with the included plastic cup, add water, close the cover, and let it work its magic.

While there is no whistle to indicate when the rice is finished, you will hear the switch return to the off position. When that occurs, fluff up the rice with the paddle and set it aside for 10 minutes, turned off. You should expect to obtain up to six cups of nicely cooked grains.

Unless you unplug the machine, it will keep your rice warm until you are ready to eat. This will keep the rice fresh and tasty for the whole day.

Use this steamer to cook white and brown rice. The only thing you’ll need to do is adjust the water-to-rice ratio. Using the steamer basket, you can also steam vegetables while your rice cooks.

Fortunately, the cooking pot is detachable and has a nonstick covering. This greatly simplifies cleaning. The cover is also detachable, allowing for simple hand washing.

 

3) Best Affordable Rice Cooker: BLACK+DECKER 6-Cup Food Steamer

But what if you’re on a tight budget? Can’t you enjoy wonderful, perfectly cooked rice? You certainly can. This BLACK+DECKER equipment provides restaurant-quality rice at the lowest price available.

This rice cooker can cook up to three cups of uncooked rice. It makes around six cups of rice when it’s all fluffy and ready to eat.

But rice isn’t the only thing you can manufacture with this machine. Quinoa, for example, may be prepared in a variety of ways. For a more complete supper, steam veggies and seafood.

The keep-warm feature is also quite useful. It keeps the rice hot, fresh, and safe to eat for days on end. Or for a few hours if one serving isn’t enough.

This food steamer is absurdly simple to operate, as seen by its simplistic appearance. There are no complicated settings: simply a cook-warm switch. It’s also incredibly easy to clean. The inner pot is detachable and includes a nonstick coating to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. What’s more, the finest part? The pot, steamer basket, and lid may all be washed in the dishwasher.

 

4) Best Rice Cooker Money Can Buy: Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Logic

Another Zojirushi rice cooker is on our list. This time, it’s a higher-end model lauded as one of the greatest kitchen equipment available. The pricing will make sense after you see all of the things it offers.

You may create up to eleven cups of steamed rice all at once. Use the plastic measuring cup that came with your equipment at all times. Then, fill the inner cooking pot halfway with water. This technique makes it simple to get the ideal rice-to-water ratio every time.

There are eight settings from which to pick. The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Logic will compute all cooking times for you, whether you like soft and fluffy rice, harder brown rice, or creamy rice porridge. You may also use the rapid cooking option if you need your rice as soon as possible.

The smartness of this rice cooker sets it apart from the competitors. The Neuro Fuzzy Logic steamer can determine how long your rice should cook. The steamer frees up your time by making changes on its own. Furthermore, it dependably produces the most delectable rice.

The Fuzzy Logics triple heaters are another fantastic feature. This indicates that the rice is cooked from the steamer’s bottom, sides, and lid. As a result, all grains are cooked uniformly.

When your rice is finished cooking, the steamer will automatically switch to the keep rice warm mode. If you don’t finish it all in one sitting, you may leave it in the machine for up to twelve hours. It will be ready to eat at any time.

Finally, the device couldn’t be simpler to clean. The detachable frying pan includes stay-cool handles that keep your hands safe. Furthermore, its nonstick coating prevents rice from burning at the bottom.

 

5) Best for Small Kitchens: Dash Mini Rice Cooker

This Dash Mini device is the greatest grain steamer for one person. It’s small, simple to use, and easy to store, plus it helps you prevent waste. This one is ideal if you just produce little amounts of rice.

This adorable rice cooker can produce up to two cups of rice. This is just enough for two serves.

The Dash interface is simple to navigate. There is just one button to press: cook and stay warm. What could be easier and more simple than this?

When the rice is done cooking, this gadget takes over and switches to keep warm mode automatically. This not only keeps the rice from burning, but it also keeps your meal fresh until you’re ready to consume it.

This rice cooker also functions as a cereal maker. Cuscus and quinoa may be prepared in the same manner. The only change you’ll have to make is the water-to-grain ratio. The appropriate proportions may be found in the Dash cookbook that comes with your unit.

The detachable lid simplifies cleaning. While it is not dishwasher safe, it may be hand washed with mild soap and hot water. The detachable pot is the same. Furthermore, since it has a nonstick coating, it will be much simpler to clean.

 

6) Best for Families: Aroma Housewares Professional 20-Cup Digital Food Steamer

If you need to cook a lot of rice, we suggest the Aroma Housewares Professional steamer.

Up to ten cups of uncooked rice may be placed in the inner cooking pan. That’s around twenty cups of cooked rice, plenty for a week’s worth of meal prep! Goodbye, long days of making several batches of rice.

In addition, you may steam vegetables and seafood. Close the lid and place them in the steamer basket on top of the rice. It’s really that easy.

There are six grain cooking settings. This steamer can handle anything from white and brown rice to quinoa and oats. The Aroma Housewares device will set a timer for you and adjust while your meal cooks. The end result? Every time, perfect fluffy rice and grains.

On top of that, the steamer has two more settings to offer you more options in the kitchen: soup and saut-then-simmer. This one is ideal for making sumptuous risottos, stews, stir-fries, and pilafs! Utilize them to get the most out of your investment.

The nonstick coating on the frying pot is completely detachable. Furthermore, since it is dishwasher-safe, you will have no problem cleaning it quickly and effectively.

 

7) Best Microwave Rice Cooker: Red Sistema 2.6-Liter Food Steamer

A microwave rice cooker is an alternative to electric rice cookers. The Red Sistema is the greatest system available. It is simple to use, dependable, and reasonably priced.

This is arguably the simplest take on a food steamer we’ve seen so far. Simply use the measuring cup to add rice to the pot, then add water, close the cover, and microwave the steamer. One cup of rice will take around 15 minutes to cook in a standard microwave. Then it’s ready to eat.

You don’t have to limit yourself to white rice. This equipment can manufacture additional types of rice (such as wild or brown rice) as well as grains such as polenta, cuscus, quinoa, and barley!

This steamer is constructed of BPA-free plastic that is completely safe for your health. Yes, it can be microwaved without causing any damage. It may even be placed in the fridge and freezer without losing its form.

Red Sistema rice cookers are made in New Zealand. This means you can trust not just the plastic’s food-grade purity, but also that no dangerous chemicals were used in its manufacture.

It is simple to open the rice cooker. The lid’s cool-to-the-touch tabs protect your fingertips from burns.

Fortunately, all of the pieces are dishwashing safe. To make cleaning easier, disassemble your microwaveable rice cooker and place it on the top shelf. Isn’t that convenient?

 

8) Most Versatile Pick: Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Multi-Purpose Cooker

When you buy the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1, you get a lot more than just a rice cooker. It makes flawlessly fluffy rice and grains, but it also unlocks a world of delectable dishes to attempt at home.

Using this food steamer, you can make a huge amount of rice. It features a six-quart capacity, making it ideal for preparing family dinners.

There is just one rice preset, but it is excellent. All you have to do to cook various varieties of rice (for example, wild or brown rice) is change the water-to-rice ratio. There is no need for additional settings.

If you’re feeling daring, try one of the other nine settings. They may be used as a pressure cooker, to steam vegetables, to prepare chilis and stews, and even to produce homemade yogurt.

Having thus many features turns out to be a good thing. After all, with an Instant Pot, you don’t need any other bulky kitchen gadgets. It excels at multitasking. It may even be used in lieu of a pressure cooker! All while ensuring tasty and consistent rice every time.

The stainless steel pot is detachable, making it very simple to clean. If you want to save time, you can even put it in the dishwasher.

Finally, this thing is quite well-made. Because you will retain this device for years, the sturdy construction makes your investment worthwhile.

 

Different Types of Rice Cookers

After World War I, Japan created rice cookers. They’ve come a long way since then. There are now three varieties of rice cookers available. They’re all fantastic in their own right, so it’s entirely up to you to decide which one is ideal for you and your kitchen.

 

Electric Rice Cooker

There are various types of electric rice cookers. Some employ a basic heating method (known as standard rice cookers), while others are more modern (known as induction heat rice cookers).

In any case, they function similarly: you plug them in, place the rice and water in the cooking pot, cover the lid, and wait. The heating element immediately brings the water to a boil and steams the rice. It’s a simple and efficient method for producing a flawless batch of rice.

It’s also worth noting that some electric rice cookers are analog while others are digital. The former typically include merely an on/off switch and an indication light. The latter has a display screen and many more extra capabilities that you may experiment with.

Of course, this implies that analog rice cookers are far less expensive than digital ones, but they are also more limited.

 

Microwave Rice Cooker

The microwave rice cooker is a whole distinct gadget. It seems to be a regular pot, but it is constructed of food-grade plastic and does not need power. Instead, you combine the rice and water in a saucepan, cover it, and microwave it for a few minutes.

Despite being a less advanced model, it nonetheless produces nicely cooked grains. What’s more, the finest part? It is far less expensive than its electrical cousins. If you don’t require a lot of extra features, it’s a fantastic method to save money.

 

Multi-Function Cooker

Finally, there are multi-function cookers. You may be familiar with the terms crock-pot or slow cooker. Pressure cookers may also be used to steam rice. These appliances are somewhat pricey, but they are quite flexible. Rice cooking is only one of the things they do. You may also steam vegetables and make delectable stews. When you consider this, the price tag becomes readily justifiable.

Still wondering how rice cookers operate without burning the rice? We created an interesting tutorial on this subject!

 

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Rice Cooker?

Today, there are hundreds of rice cookers on the market. Choosing one may be difficult. That is, if you are unaware of the crucial traits to search for. The ones we’ve highlighted here are the most critical to remember. Most of these will be checked off by the best unit.

 

Capacity

First and foremost, consider how much rice you will need. Every rice cooker specifies how many cups of uncooked rice it can accommodate. We’ve observed the smallest model cook two cups of uncooked rice. The biggest can cook up to 10 cups of uncooked rice. Remember that one cup of uncooked rice equals two cups of cooked rice. That’s a lot of information!

If your family consumes a lot of rice, youll need to invest a little extra money to obtain a large-capacity model. It’s worth the extra money since you won’t have to prepare many batches. If you’re just cooking for one or two people, a smaller model will be less expensive and definitely the best solution.

 

Best Rice Cooker Size

Rice cookers come in a variety of sizes. Some units are small and simple to store in a small cabinet or pantry. Other units, on the other hand, are so enormous and bulky that they take up a lot of counter space and cupboard space.Work with your kitchen, not against it.

 

Handy Presets

Rice may be cooked in a variety of ways. From brown to white rice, sticky to loose rice, long grain to short grain, each requires a different cooking procedure. If you are unfamiliar with it, your batch might be terrible.

Presets remove the guesswork from cooking. Depending on what you’re cooking, they set a separate timing and temperature. As a result, you don’t have to depend on trial and error to achieve properly cooked grains every time.

You can see how useful having presets built in is. They are commonly found in the top steamers, but they are not cheap.

 

Versatility

It’s usually a good idea to be versatile in the kitchen. Most models can cook any variety of rice. However, only a few can make other items, such as steamed vegetables. A slow cooker, crockpot, or pressure cooker are excellent purchases since they allow you to accomplish more in the kitchen. For example, they let you to tenderize meat, swiftly boil beans, and produce delectable stews.

Having one device that can make a variety of items is also beneficial since it saves counter space. Instead of having one crockpot and one food steamer taking up room, you can have both!

 

Materials Used

Rice cooker inner pots are classified into three types: those made of plastic, those made of stainless steel, and those made of ceramic.

Microwaveable plastic pots are available. They tend to trigger red lights since so many of us were raised to believe that hot food + plastic = terrible combination. However, this is not always the case. The FDA has said several times that BPA-free microwave-safe plastic is not detrimental to your health in any manner. Furthermore, they are the most cheap. So, as long as the model you’re considering is microwave-safe, there’s no need to pass it up.

The most common material, on the other hand, is stainless steel. It is simple to clean and rapidly heats up, making it an apparent suitable option for rice cooker producers. They have no drawbacks since they are also reasonably priced.

Finally, ceramic pots are more difficult to locate since they are heavier, more expensive, and more delicate. But you’ll undoubtedly discover them! They are, one again, quite simple to clean and cook rice securely, so they are worth considering.

 

Sturdiness

Choose a sturdy model that will last you a long time. Check to determine whether the lid is weak, if the handles are readily broken, and if the pot will split with little usage. Reading user evaluations is the greatest approach to determine the durability of any certain product. They never tell lies.

 

Easy to Use

When you’re in a rush, the last thing you want to do is waste time figuring out how to use your rice cooker. Avoid annoyance by purchasing a no-frills approach appliance. The ones with merely an on/off switch are the most basic and simple to operate. Excellent for individuals who do not want fancy extra features.

If you don’t mind spending your time learning how to use your new appliance, opt for a more complicated model. You’ll be able to produce rice in a number of ways, making it ideal for a wide range of rice cuisines from across the globe. This is for you, tech-savvy cooks.

 

Easy to Clean

Of course, you must consider how you will clean your kitchen gadget after using it. Choosing a model with dishwasher-safe components and a detachable lid is a sure-fire method to cut cleaning time in half.

 

Frequently Asked Questions on Rice Cookers

 

Q: Can a rice cooker create different types of rice?

Rice of various varieties may be made, including wild rice, brown rice, black rice, red rice, and white rice. You can also cook grains ranging from long grain (such as Jasmine) to short grain (such as sushi rice). You may also produce both loose and sticky rice.

 

Q: Is a rice cooker worth the money?

If preparing rice consistently and easily is a priority for you, then it is certainly worthwhile! Even though it may cost you money in the beginning, you will have one less thing to worry about in the kitchen. While the rice is cooking, you may concentrate on anything else.