Top 10 Best Rice Cookers 2020 Reviews & Buying Guide

The electronic rice cooker has come a long way from the traditional stove to the programmed modes that allow convenient rice cooking experience. In fact, electronic rice cookers are not meant for cooking rice alone. You can use it as a great steamer for cooking brown rice, and steaming vegetables, meat and many more. 

In the case of an electronic cooker, all you need to do is just pour the water over the rice and change the settings. Then, just sit back, relax and let the cooker notifies you once it has completed the cooking. As you might be running to grab special offers that are popping around the online shopping portals, it is not recommended to get the products in a hurry. So, we are here to guide you on which one suits your cooking needs better. In the next section, we will also look into the differences between a rice cooker and a pressure cooker.

Rice Cookers vs Pressure Cookers – The Major Difference

When you are planning to get either a pressure cooker, a rice cooker or even a slow cooker, it might be confusing for you. If you can’t spend money on both the cookers, then it is best to make the right decision by knowing the difference between these cookers.

In both cookers, you can cook food with the help of steam. This is the only similarity and the rest of the functioning in both the cookers is totally different. The rice cooker comes with an external case, lid, inner pot and a heating pad. You might get some other accessories like canning rack and steam basket. The rice with liquid gets heated up when the heating element in this cooker becomes hot. This makes the evaporation of liquid from the rice and then steam is turned on. Rice starts absorbing liquid and then start to become softer.

In the case of a pressure cooker, it has a lid that can be locked with a pressure sensor. The lid comes with a rubber lining and this prevents the steam to escape from the cooker. It helps the cooker to maintain the proper pressure in the pot. The food is cooked quickly in this pot as compared to the normal pots. So, you need to have an idea of timing while cooking food in the pressure cookers.

If you are looking for a cooker to only cook rice, then the rice cooker is a good option. However, it would not be the best to cook every kind of food recipe in it.  That’s why you should finalise your decision only after you have decided on the food you want to cook in the cooker.

Editor’s note: We are in the midst of updating our article as a new iteration of cookers have just arrived in our testing site.

Best Buy Rice Cooker Reviews 2020

1. Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer

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Key Features

• Dimension: 11.8” x 9.1” x 7.5”
• Weight: 7.05 pounds
• Features 3-cup capacity with 610-watt microprocessor
• Comes with cooking functions for white/mixed, sushi, porridge, brown, and quick cooking
• Comes with multiple settings and accessories

We start off with the best splurge-worthy rice cooker as we understand rice is an important part of a meal. The Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT 3-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker and Warmer is equipped with the Microcomputer Technology to allow you to cook various rice types, such as white, brown, sweet or porridge. By incorporating a sensor in the inner body of the cooker, this rice cooker can adjust the cooking times and temperatures according to the type of rice you are cooking automatically. So, you can prepare delicious brown rice, sushi rice, mixed rice and porridge for your meals.

The 3-cup capacity makes 6 cups of cooked rice and it is ideal for singles, couples, and small families. As the removable inner cooking pan is constructed from durable materials, it provides even heating for better cooking. The inner pan also features measuring lines for precise control of ingredients. The rice cooker also has an interchangeable melody and beep signal to indicate when the cooking is completed.

Other highlights include a detachable and washable inner lid, an easy-to-read LCD control panel, and automatic keep warm, extended keep warm and reheating cycle, delay timer with two settings and a built-in retractable power cord. The rice cooker also has an interchangeable melody and beep signal to indicate when the cooking cycle has ended. The rice cooker also comes with additional complimentary accessories includes measuring cup, serving spatula and many more.

As the program in this rice cooker can be customized, you can enjoy effortless cooking with the Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer.

2. Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Neuro Fuzzy Rice cooker

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Key Features:

• Dimension: 10.1’’ x 8.5’’ x 14’’
• Weight:9.43 pounds
• Capacity up to 5.5 cups
• Feature micro computerized fuzzy logic technology
• Comes with automatic keep warm, extended keep warm and reheating cycle
• Comes with 2 delay time settings and interchangeable melody and beep signal
• Comes with easy-to-read LCD display panel with clock and timer functions and built-in retractable power cord

Here’s another best reviewed rice cooker from Zojirushi – the Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer. Unlike the previous model, this cooker is able to serve large families with multiple menu settings such as white/sushi, mixed, porridge, sweet, brown, cake, steam and quick cooking.

This rice cooker is equipped with an interchangeable melody and beep signal to tell the rice is ready to be served along with its micro computerized Fuzzy logic technology. The great blends of digital controls and LCD displays make the fuzzy cooker works like a charm. On top of this, this cooker also comes with several wonderful keep warm settings. Featuring a removable inner lid and a non-stick coated inner pan, cleaning is a breeze after using it.

Featuring a built-in retractable power cord, you can carry and store the rice cooker easily. This cooker also comes with a steam basket to bring you the convenience of steaming food and cooking rice at the same time. The Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer is certainly a product with the combination of quality and durability.

3. NS-TSC10 Rice Cooker

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Key Features

• Dimension: 18’’ x 14’’ x 10.4’’ 
• Weight: 11.15 pounds
• Capacity: 5.5 cups
• Features quick cook, keep warm, reheat and 2 delay timer settings
• Comes with versatile designs and rice cooking options
• Comes with easy-to-read LCD control panel with clock and timer functions

We bet you like free gifts, as we too love to receive complimentary items along with the products we buy. Here comes the rice cooker with the best complimentary gifts – the Zojirushi 5.5-Cup Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer. You will receive not only a rice cooker, but you will also get an ultimate cookbook and a 15-inch bamboo stir fry spatula to scoop rice. Catering up to 5.5 cups, this cooker offers options such as white, brown, sushi, sweet, porridge or mixed rice. In addition, it also comes with features where you can bake cakes and steam veggies too.

With its Microcomputer technology, you can leave your rice once you have poured it in the cooker. This is because the cooker will automatically adjust the temperature and time settings for the best-tasting result. Listen to the interchangeable melody and beep signal to know that your rice is ready. You can also set the cooker for delayed-time, quick cook, keep warm or reheat options.

If you want to tackle some urgent and last minute cooking, the Zojirushi NS-TSC10 Rice Cooker will make you feel much more efficient and comfortable.

4. ARC-753SG Stainless Steel 6-Cup Rice Cooker

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Key features:

• Dimension: 8.2’’ x 8.1’’ x 10.3’’
• Weight: 4.1 pounds
• Features simple one-touch design
• Comes with stainless steel inner pot, tempered glass lid, measuring cups and spatula

If you are on a serious budget, here’s the best budget pick for small-capacity rice cooker – the ARC-753SG Stainless Steel 6-Cup Rice Cooker. Despite its affordable price range, this cooker comes with high-quality features. Constructed from surgical-grade 304 stainless steel, the inner pot is coated with non-stick properties and it also offers a more health-conscious approach to your favorite recipes.

With the flip of a switch, you can prepare hearty jambalaya, veggies and rice, or even a fluffy cake.  Once your rice is cooked, it will automatically switch to keep-warm. So, you will have more precious time for other tasks.  

This rice cooker gets you to cook rice in a short span of time. Despite the reliability and durability, it didn’t work well in cooking sushi, mixed rice and brown rice. If you purchase this product, you will get a stainless steel inner pot, rice measuring cup and bamboo serving spatula.

After using, you can take out the inner pot and other accessories for easy clean-up in the dishwasher. With the convenience provided, you can enjoy easy home cooking with the Aroma Simply Stainless Rice Cooker where you can prepare restaurant-quality rice and delicious one-pot dishes.  

5. Aroma ARC Rice Cooker

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Key Features:

• Dimension: 8.25 x 9 x 8.5
• Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Capacity: 2 to 8 cups of cooked rice
• Features multiple cooking options and built-in steamer function
• Comes with a convenient open/close handle and condensation collector
• Comes with a non-stick inner pot, steamer tray, rice measuring cup, and plastic rice spatula

While enjoying the low price offered, the Aroma ARC Rice Cooker is the certainly the best value multi-functional rice cooker you can find in the market. Whether you are cooking white and brown rice, jambalaya, steamed veggies, and even a fluffy cake, you will make every dish to perfection. Its flash rice function will amaze you as it will cut down the cooking time up to 50%.

With its built-on steamer function, you can bring in healthy steaming of meats and vegetables into your everyday meal. Not only it will do steaming, but this cooker also features slow cook and saute-then-simmer options to make your meals a guaranteed family favorite. Easy clean-up is always possible as the inner pot is non-stick and its inner lid is removable.

In terms of capacity, it accommodates 8 cups of cooked rice and it is ideal for feeding a large family of 5-6 members. Looking into some additional features, the rice cooker enables you to leave the rice in the cooker until the desired cooked time with its delayed timer. After the rice is cooked, the cooker will automatically switch to keep-warm for flexible meal planning. 

Getting a nonstick inner pot, rice measuring cup, rice paddle, and plastic steamer tray, you will find the Aroma ARC Rice Cooker providing comfortable and easy transport with its open/close handle and the spatula holder. Don’t be surprised if you spot a condensation collector as this is what Aroma aims to offer: high quality at affordable price.

6. Black & Decker 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer

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Key Features

• Dimension: 8.66” x 8.66” x 7.4”
• Weight: 3.25 pounds
• Features automatic keep-warm mode
• Comes with stay-cool lid handle and side handles, “cook” and “warm” indicator lights, tempered glass lid with steam vent
• Comes with a measuring cup, rice paddle, and plastic steamer basket

If you are thinking of a simple rice-cooker, you ought to get this best basic rice cooker- the Black & Decker 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer. Simply put 3 cups of dry rice and you will get a 6-cup capacity of cooked rice. This rice cooker works well with different types of rice too. Unlike the other models, this rice cooker only features a plastic steamer basket for steaming vegetables.

As you purchase this rice cooker, you will also get accessories such as rice scoop and measuring cup for your convenience. When the cooking is done, the rice cooker will automatically switch from cook to warm. In addition, it features a tempered glass lid to allow easy visibility and tracking of the cooking process. Featuring a non-stick pot and tempered glass lid, they are dishwasher safe for easy clean-up.

7. Tayama Rice Cooker

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Key Features

• Dimension: 13” x 14” x 1”
• Weight: 13.72 pounds
• Features 12 built-in cooking programs
• Features flavor infusion technology
• Comes with a removable lid, steam tray and trivet/canning rack

We guarantee your enhanced kitchen experience with the best multi-functional rice cooker- the Tayama Rice Cooker. This rice cooker does not only function as a rice cooker, it works well as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, canning, steamer, and warmer too. What amazes us more is that this cooker also comes with 12 built-in micro-processor controlled programs. You can cook soup, meat/stew, bean/chili, poultry, steam, rice, porridge, multigrain, slow cook, keep-warm, canning and even slow cook from 0.5 to 20 hours.

To lock in the flavor and nutrient of your rice and other ingredients, this cooker features the flavor infusion technology where the liquid and moisture is forced into your food with super-heated steam. Once your rice is cooked, the rice cooker will automatically switch to keep warm mode. Moreover, you will get a steaming tray to steam ingredients and a trivet rack to raise your food or baskets from the bottom of the inner cooking pot. On top of this, the cooker also comes with a digital display panel and safe lock lid for efficient cooking.

In short, the Tayama Rice Cooker is certainly a worthwhile investment for your enhanced kitchen experience.

8. Tiger JBV-A10U 5.5-Cup Rice Cooker

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Features

• Dimension: 13.9” x 10.6” x 8.4”
• Weight: 5.7 pounds
• Features one-push operation and 4 menu settings
• Comes with Tiger’s Automatic Cooking Logic system 
• Comes with non-stick inner pan and spatula, cooking plate, measuring cup and a cook book

Here’s the best synchronized cooking rice cooker – the Tiger JBV-A10U 5.5-Cup Rice Cooker. With its own synchronized cooking function, you can prepare two dishes simultaneously. Just a click on any button on the menu settings, you can deal with synchrony cooking, plain rice, brown rice, and slow cooking. You can walk away after putting the rice into the cooker with its Tiger’s Automatic Cooking Logic system. This is because it actively monitors cooking temperatures to create the perfect meal.

As its inner pan is equipped with non-stick coating, you can handle cleaning with minimal effort. Besides, this cooker comes with the attachment of a non-stick spatula, cooking plate, measuring cup, and a cookbook. Its reliability, sturdiness and multi-functionality make the Tiger JBV-A105.5-Cup Rice Cooker suits all your cooking needs. 

9. Breville The Risotto Plus Rice Cooker and Steamer

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Key Features

• Dimension: 12.63” x 11.5” x 10”
• Weight: 7.6 pounds
• Capacity: 10-cup (uncooked), 20-cup (cooked)
• Features an aluminium non-stick bowl and removable cord
• Comes with multiple cooking options

If you are a risotto fan, we believe the Breville Risotto Plus Rice Cooker and Steamer is your best rice cooker with risotto steamer. Ranging from tender slow-cooked meals, stir-free risotto, and fluffy rice, you can prepare these dishes with this advanced multi-cooker. With its risotto making function, you can create creamy and authentic risottos without 40 minutes of constant stirring.

What makes this rice cooker extraordinary is that it holds 10-cup capacity. It’s ideal for serving a large family. The rice cooker features a non-stick bowl for easy cleaning. It also comes with a removable cord for serving at the table and for convenient storage.

Whether it is steaming rice for daily needs or last-minute cooking, the Breville rice cooker gets your rice cooked on the go.

10. Cuisinart CRC 4 cup Rice Cooker

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Features

• Dimension: 114.17” x 9.37” x 8.62”
• Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Capacity: 7 cups of cooked rice
• Features an aluminum steaming pot and tempered glass lid with stainless steel rim and chrome-plated handle
• Comes in warm and cook indicator lights

Are you tired of using a heavyweight pressure cooker? If your answer is yes, you can now try the best time-efficient rice cooker – the Cuisinart CRC 4 Cup Rice Cooker. As a smaller rice cooker, you can get your rice cooked within a shorter time. It will automatically switch to “keep warm” setting after your rice is cooked. You will know it by looking at its warm and cook indicator lights.

This rice cooker comes with a glass lid to allow you to keep track of the cooking process without hassle. As the product is lightweight and easy to handle, the Cuisinart CRC 4 cup Rice Cooker makes it easy to operate, even for a novice user.

Here’s How to Clean and Care for Your Rice Cooker for A Lifetime Use

To clean a rice cooker, you should take out the inner pot, hand wash it and let it dry for at least an hour. No water droplets should be at the base of the bowl or else the coil or the heating pad will be damaged. Clean each time you use the rice cooker or a hard layer will be formed in the inner pot.

Moreover, you should always pour the water before you switch on the cooker. Do not use abrasive soap for the inner pot or else the lining will go bad. You can look for brands that provide dishwasher safe inner pot if you have a dishwasher at home. Usually, the inner pots can be put in the upper row of the dishwasher to avoid scaling of the coating.

As for care and maintenance, you should always follow the manual step to cook the rice if you are using it for the first time. Always keep the rice cooker away from conventional oven and other flammable substances.

Do not keep your rice warm overnight as it will dry out the rice and the rice will be hard to be eaten. Besides, you should avoid adding oil, salt and spices directly into the cooker as it will spoil the non-stick coating over a period of time.

The Ultimate Rice Cooker Buying Guide

The rice cooker is a great addition to your kitchen if you eat rice for regular meals. Besides, a rice cooker also frees up your stove top by giving you the extra space for cooking other dishes. Therefore, it is important for you to consider the following factors in purchasing the model that suits your needs.

The Size of the Rice Cooker – Rice cookers come in various sizes ranging from 2-cup quart to 8-cup quart to serve 2 people to 8 people. As there are many brands to choose from, you should choose the brand that matches your desired size and requirements. Make sure you buy the right size as the large cookers will cost you more electricity. Unless you have a family of four to five, you should never buy large cookers.

Equipment – Most rice cookers come with either non-stick coated bowl or aluminum bowl, steamer, spatula and measuring cup. Usually, the rice cooker runs on between 250 watts – 650 watts, along with 3D heating technology which keeps the rice warm for a couple of hours.

• The inner pot is usually made of ceramic, non-stick or aluminum. The non-stick coating prevents the rice from sticking on the pot.
• Some models are time-sensitive and flexible. These models allow you to preset your rice cooker to start early before the actual time of cooking.
• The reheat cycle is a feature where you can keep the rice fresh and warm.
• In most rice cookers, a measuring cup is provided to ensure that you are not using the cooker beyond its capacity.
• The rice cooker comes with an automatic thermostat to maintain any temperature fluctuations.

Price Range and Additional Features – The price of a rice cooker ranges from $50 to $100 depending on size and brand. Sometimes, it also depends on the additional features included in the rice cooker. For instance, some rice cookers come with computerized sensors to ensure the rice is not overdone or underdone. It has an automatic shut off sensor that will not require any monitoring. As this might cost you more, you need to consider whether you need these additional features or not.

Conclusion

As we have shortlisted the best rice cookers available in the market, we strongly encourage you to buy cookers that are backed with reliable reviews and durability. Choose one that is worth your long-term investment. You can certainly earn yourself a reliable rice cooker that would last longer if you follow our buying guide and also the cleaning and caring tips stated in this article.

Last update on 2024-12-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API