We also spoke with James Beard Award-winning chef Ming Tsai and other professionals about the importance of rice cookers and how to shop for one. "I've always used rice cookers in all of my restaurants," said Tsai. "Why? Because you push a button and have quality rice in 30 to 40 minutes." Because different types of rice require different cooking styles, Tsai recommends evaluating your needs before purchasing a cooker. "The key is to choose based on what type of rice you are cooking, and always make sure it has a 'keep-warm' function," he said. No matter how large your household is or your comfort level with these appliances, you will find the right tool among the top-rated rice cookers we tested.
Click here to get more.
If you prefer cooking rice in a rice cooker instead of on a stovetop, you understand the importance of the machine. The best rice cookers will make fluffy rice, prevent scorching, retain moisture during the warm cycle, and be easy to clean. Most of all, they will save you time by allowing you to cook your rice ahead of time. While this may seem like a simple ask, you'd be surprised how many super fancy machines with all the latest technology struggle with these essential tasks &#; which is why we've tested the machines ourselves to find the best.
In testing, we noticed that rice can become crunchy when kept warm for too long, and this cooker is less effective on non-white rice varieties. However, in this instance, you get what you pay for; the accessible $20 price tag makes it a solid purchase for those who've never used a rice cooker. It also happens to be simple to operate and easy to clean. The pot, paddle, lid, and steam basket (for steaming fish and vegetables) are each dishwasher-safe, and the cooker and heating element are cleaned with a quick wipe down.
For kitchens low on storage or counter space or for individuals who only need to make a few cups of rice at a time, the Aroma 6-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer is the perfect appliance. It has a pot-style build with no pressurization or sealing involved, and testing showed it can still turn out a great batch of fluffy rice. The pot takes care of everything with the flick of one switch and a default warming setting at the end of the cooking cycle.
The only unpressurized model to make our list, this cooker is great for small kitchens and cooks fluffy rice in just 18 minutes.
Some people might find the capacity too much for average-sized households, but the brand also has a smaller model , which is less expensive and perfect for a family of four. However, this 10-cup version is still easy to use around the house thanks to its large carrying handle and retractable cord. No part of the cooker is dishwasher-safe, but the inner pot is genuinely nonstick and easy to wipe out.
The Zojirushi Micom 10-cup Rice Cooker is one of our favorite Zojirushi machines for any household. It is foolproof and creates excellent rice with distinct grains that are not mushy. Even the warm function is exceptional as the rice from jasmine to basmati was just as good as fresh in our tests. The manual also contains helpful diagrams and illustrations on everything from setup to how to use it, which we found useful during our tests.
This Cuckoo rice cooker can handle several types of rice, including sprouted grains, and it cooks them consistently and evenly.
Once we switched the default language from Korean to English, we were off to the races with this large-capacity rice cooker. It's easy to use and has several presets, including one for sprouted grains (gaba), which can be more complicated for most rice machines to cook correctly. All three styles of rice we tried were cooked thoroughly and consistently, and the warming function worked well with no scorching. The large volume on this model is excellent for households that go through a lot of rice every week.
Its size might make it inconvenient for some, and there are no smart capabilities.
The Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Rice and Grain Cooker has a large digital control panel and eight presets that make it simple to use and versatile.
You can delay the start time if you need it to begin cooking while you are out. Plus, the machine also has a "quick rice" function when time is limited, and it&#;s super easy to clean. The clear directions made it easy for us to learn how to cook quinoa in the machine. We also found that the results of the moisture content and texture were consistent across all grains, making it the most versatile and reliable tool we tried.
The Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Digital Cool-Touch Rice Cooker is a simple and affordable stainless steel cooker for any household. We love how the display panel is clearly labeled and has excellent features like telling you how much time remains in the cook cycle, allowing you to plan meals better. Its eight presets, such as slow cook, sauté, and steam, make this an affordable workhorse that goes beyond just making rice.
The instructions note the inner pot might show cosmetic changes if put into the dishwasher.
We liked how the display includes how much time is left in the cook cycle, and it yielded perfectly fluffy rice.
The Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker can make large quantities of rice, and we found that it cooks well and evenly during our tests.
Since this rice cooker makes large quantities of rice, it isn't the best choice for someone with limited countertop space or storage. We found that the rice texture kept consistent during the keep warm function, which lends further credence to the machine's temperature regulation thanks to induction heating .
The Zojirushi Induction Rice Cooker is the right model for someone who eats rice daily or for professional cooks looking for fancier features. This rice cooker has many presets on its clear display panel: white or sushi, quick, mixed porridge, sweet, Brown, cake, and steam. The display might be tricky for less savvy users, but the instructions make it easy to use.
Everything needs to be hand-washed, so if you want something dishwasher-safe, this is not for you.
Our Favorite Rice Cooker
We use our rice cookers numerous times a week because they are a time saver and allow you to make perfect rice, grains, and other dishes. We tested many machines, but our favorite is the Zojirushi 5.5-Cup Induction Rice Cooker and Warmer, which has the most reliable and precise rice cooking functionalities that kitchen professionals stand by. For a more affordable pick, we recommend the Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Rice Cooker.
How We Tested Rice Cookers
Over the course of three weeks, we incorporated these rice cookers into our regular cooking routines, noting our thoughts on a few aspects:
What We Learned About the Best Rice Cookers
Convenience is most important overall. Some rice cookers are more technologically advanced than others, and the more intelligent they are, the easier they are to use. The top-rated brands use "fuzzy logic" to determine when rice is cooked to perfection, adjusting automatically for environmental conditions like hot days or rice that is cooking faster, as well as custom settings for different types of rice like brown or sushi, and even preferences on levels of rice doneness. These features can shift the price of a cooker upwards exponentially, but they also make it a foolproof unit to use.
The best rice cooker doesn't need to be a multicooker. The best rice cookers are designed to cook rice and other grains, but not anything else. Some will tout other applications, though often at the cost of not being great at those or not being great at rice. If you need an appliance that cooks rice with other features like steaming, you may opt for a multi-cooker with a rice cooking feature instead of a rice cooker. The best features to look for are different settings for different kinds of rice and grains, a good "keep warm" feature, dishwasher-safe components for easy cleanup, and a clear and easy-to-use interface.
Knowing your ideal grain volume is key. Rice cookers for home use are available in sizes as small as three cups and as large as 12 cups or more. Determining the right size for your home is as easy as knowing the amount of rice you go through in one typical meal. The benefit of a rice cooker is fast, easy, foolproof rice anytime you want, so there is no need to make more at once than you need for that meal or that day. You can estimate the average person eating about a cup of rice as a side dish for one meal or two cups as the basis of an entrée. A three- or four-cup cooker is likely all you need if you are single or a couple. If you have a larger family or entertain a lot with rice, you will likely want something like a six- to eight-cup cooker.
How does a rice cooker work?
A rice cooker makes rice using steam technology to cook the rice to the right temperature. Then, it keeps it at the ideal temperature so you have perfectly cooked rice at the exact time you need it. Unlike a stovetop method, you are able to customize the cooking time to the type of rice you're making so it doesn't burn or get too mushy.
How long does it take to cook rice in a rice cooker?
"As short as 30 minutes. After you press a button, you don't have to do anything, and it's done," says chef Sawako Okochi of Shalom Japan in Williamsburg, New York, who finds a rice cooker indispensable for home cooks.
What do you look for in a rice cooker?
"I recommend a brand that's not hard to use," says Okochi. "It shouldn't be too complicated to cook rice in a machine. It should come with a rice measuring cup and an insert bowl with lines for water level after you put [in the] rice, so you can pour water to the line corresponding to the number of cups of rice you put."
Is a rice cooker worth it?
From the quality of the rice to the time it saves, a rice cooker is worth investing in. "In general, rice cookers can free up your burner and your hands so that you can concentrate on cooking other stuff to go with it," Okochi says.
How should you season rice in a rice cooker?
"Most of the time, I don't add any seasoning, but if you want to season your rice, sea salt is most simple, and you can elaborate with dashi instead of water, soy sauce, mirin, and cooking sake for Takikomi Gohan. I'd add some protein or seaweed and start cooking. If adding green vegetables, such as green peas or asparagus, I add them blanched after the rice is cooked and fluff them together," says Okochi.
What else can you cook in a rice cooker?
Rice cookers can be versatile, according to Okochi. "You can slow-cook meat, such as chicken or pork, or some beans. Some elaborate machines have a softer or harder texture setting, [which] can cook porridge, cook brown rice better with a pressure setting, and keep rice warm without drying it [out]. Some can even cook cakes," she says.
Do I need a rice cooker?
You may be wondering if you need a rice cooker. We say yes because it is such a convenience. You can set and forget a rice cooker, eliminating one more consideration for any meal or gathering. It is also a superior rice cooking method, which we prefer to most stovetop methods.
Other Rice Cookers We Tested
These rice cookers are still decent options if there's a good discount available or you feel strongly about these particular brands. However, we found these lacking in a few features, such as a very quiet done signal, more difficult-to-clean pieces, and some slightly dried-out rice after using the keep warm function (not ideal but not a dealbreaker, depending on how particular you are about your rice). The best small rice cooker we tested is no longer available at retailers.
Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker (NS-ZCC10) ($243 on Amazon)
This rice cooker is a good value for regular rice eaters and those who want a machine to do all the work. It cooks short-grain white rice well, but it can take over an hour to cook a batch of rice.
Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer (NS-TSC10) ($233 on Amazon)
This rice cooker is a good option for families who need a larger capacity rice cooker. It is also a good choice for those who want a rice cooker with various features, such as a timer setting and a warming function.
Hamilton Beach Digital Programmable Rice Cooker () ($40 on Amazon)
This is an excellent budget-friendly option, but it has few features for more advanced users. It is easy to use and cooks rice well, so it is a better choice for households that want to cook basic rice dishes.
Instant Pot Zest Rice Cooker ($50 on Amazon)
This rice cooker is a good option for those who only want to cook rice or quinoa regularly. It is also a good choice for those who wish to have a rice cooker that is easy to clean.
The Best Rice Paddles
Traditionally made of wood, the shamoji or rice paddle is designed to fluff rice without damaging the grains. After the rice is cooked, use a shamoji to gently mix and fluff the rice, releasing any trapped moisture. Many have rows of bumps on both sides, which enables you to gently scrape the rice layer by layer, which yields fluffier rice than a fork. This will prepare the rice for serving without smashing it together. Many modern rice paddles are made from plastic or wood since rice cooker bowls are often non-stick and can scratch. They're also just good to have on hand for prepping, as they are a dream for mixing up tuna salad or cole slaw.
Link to Foshan Osno
Crate & Barrel Acacia Rice Paddle ($13 at Crate & Barrel)
This rice paddle is made from sustainable acacia wood and has a wide, flat design with rounded edges, making it ideal for scooping, stirring, and serving rice. It's also heat-resistant to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and safe for use with non-stick cookware.
Williams Sonoma Prep Tools Rice Paddle ($15 at Williams Sonoma)
This rice paddle is made from embossed silicone, which prevents food from sticking. It's versatile and can scoop and serve grains, risotto, and hot cereal. The slip-resistant handle is ergonomically shaped for comfort and ease of use.
Inomata Rice Paddle ($4 at Amazon)
This set of two plastic rice paddles is dishwasher-safe and made in Japan. The surface makes it easy to serve rice, and they are easy to replace at the price. Having two means one is always available if the other is in the wash.
Our Expertise
For the full-size rice cookers, we looked to see how each cooker could handle different types of rice. We cooked two uncooked cups of Nishiki Japanese medium-grain white rice in each model; in those that performed well enough, we then cooked two cups of short-grain brown rice, followed by two cups of long-grain basmati rice. For the mini rice cookers, we cooked one cup of the medium-grain white rice in each model.
We also will include long-term testing notes&#;particularly on higher-end models&#;as we continue to update this review to provide more nuanced and thorough assessments on as many rice cookers as possible.
Zojirushi includes very specific instructions for both rinsing and fluffing the rice.
Emily Farris
Is the rice cooker easy to use?
The best rice cookers should make cooking rice nearly effortless and require very little human intervention. All the models we tested delivered on that intuitive simplicity with manuals that clearly outlined how to get started, including details on how to measure and wash rice, how much water to add to the cooking pot, which menu setting to use, and what buttons to push to start cooking. In machines that claim they can keep rice warm, we expected the Keep Warm setting to click on soon after the rice was done cooking.
How long does it take to cook rice?
Range in cooking times varied greatly among the machines. Though quick-cooking rice is always a temptation, we found that the best rice generally took the longest to make. The full-size Zojirushi models each took close to an hour for medium- and long-grain white rice and nearly an hour and a half for brown rice. By contrast, the Instant Pot, which performed so-so, took around 10 minutes.
What is the end result like?
We wanted to find a great rice cooker that excelled at all three types of rice we tested. We looked for evenly cooked, flavorful, fluffy rice. We also wanted flavorful grains that were cooked through without being gummy and retained bite without being too firm.
Is the rice cooker a good value?
The machine prices varied wildly, starting at $25 and up to $750. Ultimately, the best rice cooker won regardless of price, though models like the Cuckoo and Zojirushi 3-Cup got points for performing well beyond what their price point would indicate.
How easy is it to clean?
All of the rice cookers we tested, with the exception of the Instant Pot and the Greenpan models, have inner pots with a nonstick coating; this coating is essential for easy cleaning. You should be able to use your spatula or paddle to scoop out rice without leaving residue or stubborn rice bits stuck on the bottom. The lids of the Zojirushi and Instant Pot machines are also washable, an added bonus, especially for those who think simply wiping down the lid doesn&#;t cut it. Keep in mind that almost no rice cooker is dishwasher-safe.
Does the rice cooker have any useful additional features?
Every rice cooker comes with a couple of key accessories: a measuring cup (don&#;t get confused, &#;1 cup&#; in rice cooker parlance is actually a ¾-cup measure) and a rice paddle. All but the Cuckoos had a paddle holder on the rice cooker itself&#;a welcome feature. A few of the rice cookers that we tested included steamer baskets, which, in the case of the Hamilton Beach model, doubled as a sieve for cleaning rice. Technical features, such as the warmer or timer, make an already convenient machine even more user-friendly. For more advanced models, we considered the performance of their additional features in long-term testing that we will include in ongoing updates.
How much room does it take up?
Each machine&#;s countertop footprint varied&#;most of the models we tested measured in at under a foot in diameter, which meant they didn&#;t take up much more room than a food processor. Taking up less counter space is always better from a storage perspective, but the quality of the rice was more important to us in the long run.
None of the machines we tested were an all-out fail; with any of these, you will be able, at the very least, to cook some rice. That said, there were pros and cons with each machine that ultimately factored into our final rankings.
Zojirushi Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer NW-JEC10 (New Version)
This is from Zojirushi&#;s newer redesigned line of rice cookers, which have a sleek new look and improved artificial intelligence that learns your texture preferences through a setting called My Rice, where you rate the texture and quality of each batch after you make it. It is true that our testers technically rated this rice the best in terms of texture and quality on the standard white rice setting, however, the differences between each machine were incredibly minute (testers repeatedly said that they felt like they were splitting hairs). Certainly, the rice wasn&#;t so incredible that it would justify the $750 price tag. We will continue to test this model and the My Rice setting for more in-depth information down the line, but we don&#;t see a reason to give it a top ranking at this point.
Zojirushi NW-JEC10/18 Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer
Zojirushi Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer NP-NWC10
This model is very similar to the winner with one key difference: In addition to induction heating technology, this model uses pressure when cooking. According to Zojirushi, cooking rice under pressure makes the starches easier to digest and produces a more tender grain. While this model is $200 more expensive than the winner, all 10 of our testers preferred the rice from the winning induction model, the NP-HCC10, as they found this rice to be slightly too soft on the standard setting. It&#;s important to keep in mind that these differences are very small, and this rice cooker also comes with several settings to adjust texture and consistency, which we found quite effective useful for making firmer grains over the course of six more months of testing. However, due to the similarity in functionality, we saw no reason to endorse this one over the very similar model that is $200 cheaper.
Zojirushi NP-NWC10XB Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker
Zojirushi Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer NW-QAC10
This is one of Zojirushi&#;s newest rice cooker models, with the black cube shape similar to their top of the line AI. This model distinguishes itself with additional quinoa and oatmeal settings but offers a similar level of functionality to the NP-HCC10. When rice cooked by the two was compared side by side, testers preferred the rice from the NP-HCC10. The QAC fell short of the NP-HCC10 with the white rice test, producing far softer, less intact grains. However, slight variability is to be expected, you can take that with a grain of salt. For now, we are leaving the HCC10 as the winner while we take the opportunity to get to know the QAC10 a little better through long-term testing. It&#;s an excellent rice cooker, and if you want those oatmeal and quinoa settings, this one&#;s for you.
Zojirushi Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer NW-QAC10
Zojirushi 5.5 Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer NS-ZCC10
The Zojirushi 5.5-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer costs less than the induction Zojirushi models, yet features many of the qualities we loved in the winning Zojirushi. It comes with a similarly sturdy cooking pot and has an intuitive, easy-to-use digital interface with a Keep Warm function and preprogramming options. We also like its retractable cord and the handles on the pot that allow you to safely lift it from the rice cooker while still warm. But like the Cuckoo below, it only gives you the remaining cooking time when the rice is about 10 minutes from finishing&#;and, more importantly, it couldn&#;t match the texture of the rice made in the Zojirushi Induction Rice Cooker.
Zojirushi 3-Cup Rice Cooker
This is one we classify as a mini rice cooker&#;something that can handle four or fewer cups of uncooked rice. It is simple, straightforward, a breeze to clean, and doesn&#;t make a starchy mess out of the steam vent while it operates like some other models in the mini category (provided you use the proper measurements). Because there&#;s just the one button to press, it&#;s easy to use, but we also found it to be a little inconsistent. Sometimes rice would come out perfect, other times it would be too soft; brown rice was often undercooked.
GreenPan Bistro 8 Cup Traditional Rice Cooker
GreenPan&#;s Bistro rice cooker is notable because it&#;s one of the few options out there with a ceramic nonstick interior rather than a PTFE-based interior. Performance-wise, it pales in comparison to GreenPan&#;s Elite model. We found that this rice cooker runs far too hot, as it scorched the bottom of each batch of rice we cooked in it, and the keep warm setting caused the rice to yellow in a matter of minutes.
GreenPan Bistro Rice Cooker
Toshiba TRCS01 Rice Cooker
In our first initial blind rice cooker test, the Toshiba TRCS01 won us over with the quality of rice it produced in addition to its programmable features. However, we encountered an issue encountered in longterm testing. Like many higher-end rice cookers, the Toshiba utilizes fuzzy logic AI, which allows the rice cooker to make fine adjustments to temperature in order to optimize the quality of rice you get. The Toshiba gets major points for giving us a full countdown from the start rather than appearing 10 minutes before completion. It also includes a delay timer so you can presoak grains overnight and have them cook up automatically and produces an audible chime when it&#;s finished cooking
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Rice Cooker Production Line. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.