Which Rice Cooker to Buy: Our Favorite Rice Cookers

For some, having a rice cooker in the kitchen has been a thing their entire life. For the rest of us, we have to venture out to do our own rice cooker shopping. Which rice cooker to buy? Team members found themselves asking the same question with similar outcomes. These are some of our favorite rice cookers and how we use them. This post contains affiliate links.

About Rice Nutrition

White rice is the most common, or popular, type of rice. Think Jasmine or basmati rice. White rice is mostly made of carbohydrates and contains protein, fiber, and some vitamins and minerals. It’s not nutrient dense, unlike brown rice which offers much more nutrition. Brown rice is a wide category with rice that comes in a variety of colors, reddish, purplish, and even black. Brown rice has less calories than white rice while delivering more protein and fiber. If you have the choice, go with brown rice over white when you can.

Benefits of a Rice Cooker

Outside of the West, rice cookers are extremely common in home kitchens. The consistency and ease make it a perfect way to cook rice in bulk and have it ready anytime.

1. Consistent Results – A rice cooker eliminates the guesswork, ensuring perfectly cooked rice every time. Once you’ve figured out the particular needs of your rice cooker, you can make perfectly cooked rice every day. 
2. It’s Easy – Simply add rice and water, press a button, and let the cooker do the work while you work on other parts of the meal. It’s so easy that a child can do it. Which makes it great for families. You can also much more easily avoid food waste by cooking too much or burning the rice.
3. Keep Warm Function – Most models keep rice warm for hours, ensuring it’s ready whenever you need it. This is a fantastic part about rice cookers. Having the rice constantly be available means every little snack can be accompanied by some rice with ease.
4. Energy Efficient – Compared to stovetop cooking, rice cookers use less energy. As long as you use your rice cooker consistently it’s a great compliment to your kitchen tools.
5. Easy to Clean – Non-stick inner pots make cleaning up a breeze. Skip out on washing a big pot or pan.

Best Rice Cookers on the Market

1. Zojirushi Micom 3-Cup Compact Size:

One of the best, if not the king of rice cookers. Zojirushi, well known for the little song it plays when your rice is ready and the cute elephant logo, is considered by many to be the cadillac of rice cookers. It’s pricey though and if you’re not sure how much rice you’ll be eating, you may want to wait to get this rice cooker. 

• Compact: With its compact size and ability to cook as little as 1/2 a cup of rice or oats, this rice cooker is ideal for small families or couples
• By activating brown rice, GABA, one of the nutrients contained in brown rice, increases its amount by 1.5 times as much as that contained in non-activated brown rice
• Long Grain White Menu Setting: The cooking flow is different than the White rice setting because long-grain white rice cooks differently than short or medium-grain white rice

2. Aroma Housewares 4-Cups:

This is a great starter rice cooker. It’s where some of our team members started. It’s super easy to use with fewer options but once you get the hang of it, it’s very consistent and produces delicious rice. It’s far more affordable than the competitors and perfect for dipping your toes into the daily rice cooking pool.

• Perfectly prepares 2 to 4 cups of any variety of cooked rice
• Simple, one-touch operation with automatic Warm mode
• Easy-to-clean, nonstick removable inner pot

3. CUCKOO Heating Pressure Cooker & Warmer:

The CUCKOO pressure cooker/rice cooker has some expensive models but justifies it with the versatility in what it can cook. Since it seals and can pressure cook, it’s closer to an instant pot than a typical rice cooker. This makes a great gift for fans of rice or cooking.

• 13 Versatile Modes: Choose from GABA/brown rice, glutinous/white rice, nu rung ji, multi-cook, and more
• Large Capacity: From large family gatherings to housewarming dinners, this rice cooker provides a generous serving amount with a 20-cup (cooked) capacity
• Easy-to-Use Functionality: Effortlessly cook with user-friendly digital controls, a modern LED display, and Fuzzy Logic Technology

4. Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker:

The Instant Pot is very well known for its versatility and comparably affordable price. If you’re not sure that you’ll want to eat rice everyday, this could be a good option for you since the instant pot has tons of settings allowing for a ton of uses.

• 13 customizable Smart Programs for pressure cooking ribs, soups, beans, rice, poultry, yogurt, desserts and more.
• Pressure cook delicious one-pot meals up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods or slow cook your favorite traditional recipes – just like grandma used to make.
• Finger-print resistant, stainless-steel sides and dishwasher-safe lid, inner pot, and accessories.

How to Use a Rice Cooker

1. Measure the Rice – Use the measuring cup that comes with your rice cooker to get the correct ratio. The water to rice ratio is important however once you get good at it, you can eyeball it and use less accurate measuring methods.
2. Rinse the Rice – Rinsing removes excess starch, preventing overly sticky or mushy rice. This actually makes a huge difference and even if you’ve never rinsed your rice before, try it out. Practice and try a few different methods to nail down the perfect rice for you.
3. Add Water – Follow the water-to-rice ratio recommended for your specific type of rice. 
4. Start the Cooker – Close the lid, select the appropriate setting, and press start.
5. Stir – You may need to stir your rice as it’s nearing being done. This is not an official step but we have found that with the more affordable rice cooker options, the bottom rice can burn if you don’t give it a stir as the water becomes no longer visible above the rice.
6. Let It Rest – Once cooking is complete, allow the rice to sit for a few minutes, up to ten minutes, to absorb remaining moisture. This resting phase is also very important. As excited as you’ll be to taste the rice right away, wait and it’ll be better.
7. Fluff and Serve – Use a rice paddle to fluff the rice before serving.

Expert Tips for a Rice Cooker

• Use the Right Rice-to-Water Ratio – White rice typically requires a 1:1 ratio, while brown rice needs more water. Many people use the one-digit measuring method, which is where the water level should be one finger digit above the top of the rice. This obviously is dependent on the shape of your container but in a lot of cases, works pretty well.
• Soak Brown Rice – Soaking for 30 minutes before cooking can improve texture.
• Clean Immediately After Use – Prevents dried-on residue and keeps the cooker in top shape. Wet rice can also grow mold very quickly so don’t leave it in the sink for very long.
• Use the ‘Keep Warm’ Feature Wisely – Prolonged warming can dry out the rice, so fluff it periodically.
• Experiment with Different Grains – Quinoa, barley, and even couscous cook well in a rice cooker.

How to Flavor Rice in a Rice Cooker

• Use Broth Instead of Water – Swap plain water with chicken, vegetable, or beef broth for enhanced taste. White rice with water will come out very bland which is fine if you plan on putting a sauce or veggies with the rice but even still you may find yourself wanting a bit more flavor. Especially if your meal is going to be majority rice (we get it, rice is cheap we’ve all made a few bucks stretch).
• Add Aromatics – Garlic, onion, bay leaves, or star anise infuse rice with delicious flavors. This can be a great way to add an additional layer to your dish.
• Include Spices and Herbs – Turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, or fresh herbs like cilantro can add depth. Get inspired by the pre-flavored rices at the store but make your own. You’ll be surprised how much better your rice is than the instant rices at the store.
• Mix in Coconut Milk – Great for making coconut rice with a creamy, slightly sweet taste.
• Stir in Butter or Olive Oil – A small amount of fat adds richness and prevents sticking.

Other Foods in a Rice Cooker

Rice cookers can be used to cook a lot of different foods. From boiling eggs, to cooking oatmeal, or even making small cakes. Some people even make soups and stews. Much like a slower cooker, or crock pot, rice cookers are versatile and just take a little practice. The instant pot is a good example of this flexibility and probably a good place to start if you plan on cooking foods besides rice.