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If you think white rice is a challenge, then you must not have tried brown rice yet. Cooking this healthy whole grain alternative is one challenge that many people have tried to conquer to varying degrees of success.
But like all good things, brown rice is definitely worth the challenge. When done right, it offers a unique flavor, unlike any other types. These rice cookers certainly have perfected the formula in their own right. If you want to start your journey to good brown rice, then this is the perfect place to start!
With the Aroma ARC-6106, making the perfect brown rice is as easy as pressing a button! Thanks to the display menu that is easily navigable, you’ll never have dry or starchy brown rice again. In fact, the rice cooker is so versatile that you can make not just brown rice, but white rice and quick rice, too. Each function is easily accessible, making home-cooked meals easier and more exciting.
We named this Aroma model our best rice cooker for brown rice, and there’s no question why. The unique technology allows users to make mistake-free rice of almost any variety…
When it comes to cooking rice, you’d be hard-pressed to find one as handy as a digital cooker. Rice cooking manually is hard enough. But the Aroma ARC-150SB leaves…
You’ve seen rice cookers with multiple cooking functions, but none have been as carefully crafted as the Tiger JBV-A10UW, and other reviews of the product would agree.
In the case of the NS-YAC18 rice cooker, you’re getting a fully automated device that makes precise adjustments…
There aren’t a lot of standard rice cookers that look like the Cuisinart Stainless Steel CRC-400. Its entire body is made of stainless steel, and it’s shaped like a square.
Yet another winner from this renowned Japanese brand is their NS-TSC10 model, a digital rice cooker with micro-computer fuzzy logic technology.
There are many rice cookers that claim to be time-efficient, but none are so successful as the Aroma ARC-914SBD. We named it one of the best rice cookers for brown rice…
Induction heating rice cookers are great for making brown rice. Often, uneven heat distribution results in a bad meal no matter what the rice…
Aroma knows what the average consumer wants, and it shows in the ARC-944SB. The 8-cup rice cooker is fit for families who desire the convenience of simple rice cookers…
If you’ve ever heard something going around along the lines of “brown rice doesn’t work in a rice cooker,” consider it a myth. Yes, you can use a cooker for brown rice. While some rice cookers are more equipped than others, you can actually make most varieties in a standard rice cooker unit, regardless of the presence of a brown rice setting. All it takes is knowing the correct ratio of water to grains.
The problem with brown rice is, most of the time, it’s cooked incorrectly. Even in restaurants, the end result is often too-mushy rice with an odd texture, proving all the more how cooking this variety can be tricky. So we don’t blame anyone who pushes away brown rice because of a bad bowl. But the secret to making good brown rice isn’t as difficult and elusive as it appears to be.
If you’re simply terrified to venture away from traditional white rice in the fear of messing it up, then worry not: most digital rice cookers nowadays have a built-in brown rice setting that’s guaranteed to make cooking the grain foolproof. Yes, sometimes all one needs is the perfect rice cooker for brown rice. That’s exactly what this guide is for, so stay tuned.
The tricky part about brown rice is the ratio of water to grains. In many cases, cooking with the standard 2:1 water to rice ratio results in undercooked, dry rice. But put too much, and you end up getting mushy grains that clump together, the flavor getting lost in the mix.
We’ll be the first to admit that there are plenty of controllable and uncontrollable factors that could cause bad brown rice. One of them is the brown rice to water ratio, and it’s possibly also the most important factor. So what exactly is the exact water to grains ratio for cooking brown rice? Is cooking brown rice really as hard as it seems?
One of the most successful methods is using the 2.5:1 ratio, adding 2.5 cups of water to each cup of brown rice using the standard measuring cup. Then, you’ll have to cook the rice for around 60 to 80 minutes, longer than your standard white rice. This results in a fluffy, moist texture that is rich in flavor. Try it out and see for yourself!
The second method is the “pasta method”. You can cook rice the same way you make pasta, in that you first bring 12 cups of water to a boil, then add the grains, then drain it. Once the rice is drained, you add it back into the pan removed from the heat and steam it for around 10 minutes. The resulting rice is a little different in texture, but delicious nonetheless. However, the biggest drawback of this method is how much time it takes, because you aren’t using a rice cooker. That’s why we recommend using a rice cooker for brown rice to make the process a lot easier.
If you’re going by the first method we mentioned above, then soaking the rice is a great way to yield a tastier output. It can remove all the starchiness in the grains so you can bring out the flavor in each one.
A rice cooker for brown rice truly enhances the experience: it takes out the guesswork and therefore the ensuing frustration. With a rice cooker, really, all one has to do is get the measurements right. If there’s a designated program to cook brown rice specifically, then you’re pretty much good to go. The waiting time is what varies a little. Some products can cook brown rice in as little as 30-45 minutes, while others take an hour.
We named this Aroma model our best rice cooker for brown rice, and there’s no question why. The unique technology allows users to make mistake-free rice of almost any variety, taking the guesswork out of your kitchen time. It has received wonderful customer reviews on Amazon, additionally.
This labor-saving ARC-6106 rice cooker allows you to cook brown rice with just the press of a button. Simply prepare your grains, add the needed amount of water, and you’re good to go. The straightforward nature makes the unit all the more attractive to beginners and busy home cooks alike. Plus, with 12 different cooking functions, you’ll never run out of food options to try.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Makes 12 cups of cooked rice ✔️ Multiple cooking options ✔️ Includes a 15-hour delay timer for meal prep ✔️ Includes a handle for better portability | ✖️ A little pricey ✖️ Can be difficult to clean |
When it comes to cooking rice, you’d be hard-pressed to find one as handy as a digital cooker. Rice cooking manually is hard enough. But the Aroma ARC-150SB leaves all the work to the device, so your brown rice comes out warm, fluffy, and moist — all with minimal effort from the cook.
This unit has an 8-cup cooked rice capacity, making it fit for a family of 5. If you’re always on-the-go and don’t exactly have time for kitchen duties, you can make use of the “flash rice” setting to cut your cooking time significantly. Beginner-friendly and straightforward, this cool-touch rice cooker also includes a keep warm function that turns on automatically once rice is cooking to keep your rice warm until it is ready to be served. Additionally, it comes with a measuring cup and rice spatula.
The best part is that this unit is very affordable. In fact, we even hailed it as our top 1 in our guide to the best cheap cookers in the market.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Large capacity ✔️ Functions as a slow cooker and food steamer ✔️ Simple operations ✔️ Keep warm and timer settings | ✖️ Can only cook white and brown rice ✖️ Not suitable for small households because of its size |
You’ve seen rice cookers with multiple cooking functions, but none have been as carefully crafted as the Tiger JBV-A10UW, and other reviews of the product would agree. In fact, we’ve named this as a top contender of best rice cooker in our best rice cooker guide. With its “tacook” synchronized cooking function, you’re able to make food on the cooking plate like vegetables, dumplings, fish and your brown rice below. Perfect for the time-saving yet healthy meal your family will enjoy!
But we’ve named it among the best rice cookers for brown rice for a reason: with the brown rice setting, you’ll be able to make one-touch brown rice. No fuss, no hassle. The non-stick inner pan is both easy to clean and removable, reducing labor in the kitchen. Easily make 10 cups of cooked rice in a single cycle.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Best for beginners ✔️ All accessories are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup ✔️ Easy to clean ✔️ Solid and reliable | ✖️ Short lifespan ✖️ The inner pot is prone to nicks and scratches |
If you’ve never heard of fuzzy logic technology, it’s a kind of programming that essentially uses a micro computer chip (hence “micom”) to perform certain tasks the way a human would. In the case of the NS-YAC18 rice cooker, you’re getting a fully automated device that makes precise adjustments the way we would when manually crafting a home-cooked meal. Just imagine how this would work with brown rice.
Thanks to its versatility, cooking brown rice, white rice, and more is possible with the touch of a button. In fact, the inner pot lets you create a wide array of food for your breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack time. The non stick inner pot can accommodate food of any kind from yogurt to eggs, and even a jambalaya for an alternative rice dish. Despite this, it’s still easy to use; no need to read a lengthy instruction manual just to make cooked brown or white rice.
But that’s not all the NS-YAC18 has to offer. Behold its Umami cooking setting which soaks and steams the grains longer to enhance the flavor, letting you create restaurant-quality rice. Apart from this, you’re getting an automatic keep warm, an extended keep warm feature, a delay timer, and a reheating cycle to make not-so-on-time meals better. The additional items included in the package (a measuring cup and a rice paddle) are super easy to clean, along with the non-stick inner pot.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Fuzzy logic technology ✔️ Includes specific programs for brown rice, white rice, etc. ✔️ Has an "umami" cooking setting ✔️ Fit for medium-sized households | ✖️ Expensive ✖️ Might not be beginner-friendly ✖️ Heavy |
While there are plenty of rice cookers way below the Panasonic SR-DF101’s price point, this offers the most value. Just imagine being able to cook anything from brown rice, white rice, glutinous rice, and even mixed rice with the single press of a button. The fuzzy logic technology aids in making each cooking cycle yield perfect rice every time. It makes 10 cups of cooked rice, perfect for medium-sized households.
But while all that is pretty much standard, what we love most about this unit is its compact design and easy to use controls. Each button includes a graphic label for white rice, quick cook/steam, brown rice, and porridge/soup. The brown rice option ensures each grain is neither undercooked nor overcooked, so you’re able to turn even skeptics into hardcore brown rice fans. Just check out its customer reviews on Amazon!
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Graphic labels for easy navigation ✔️ Multi-purpose rice cooker ✔️ Clean and compact design ✔️ Fit for medium-sized households | ✖️ Possibly too big for small households |
There aren’t a lot of standard rice cookers that look like the Cuisinart Stainless Steel CRC-400. Its entire body is made of stainless steel, and it’s shaped like a square. This steel coating guarantees that it cooks your rice, meat, soups and veggies without any exposure to harmful chemicals. If you prefer sleek, utilitarian-looking kitchen appliances, this one won’t let you down.
So why have we declared it a top-notch rice cooker for brown rice? While it does fall under the category of one-touch cookers, its quality material and steam vent ensure brown rice cooking is easy and convenient. It has an automatic keep-warm function alSo why have we declared it a top-notch rice cooker for brown rice? While it does fall under the category of one-touch cookers, its quality material and steam vent ensure brown rice cooking is easy and convenient. Once the rice with water is in the rice cooker, all you have to do now is close the glass lid and turn the switch on at the bottom. The indicator light will change from warm to cook.
It has an automatic keep-warm function along with a stainless steel food steamer basket, making it a time-saving appliance. You can also use the steam tray as a rinser or washer to clean your grains before popping them in the rice cooker’s inner pot. The best part is, it can make 4-7 cups of cooked rice at a price that is affordable.
Interestingly enough, it looks similar to the Breville Risotto Plus, another strong contender for a good cooker for brown rice.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Doubles as a steamer ✔️ Made with high-quality stainless steel ✔️ Automatic keep-warm function | ✖️ Lack of menu settings ✖️ Lack of innovative features ✖️ Not the best for professional use |
Yet another winner from this renowned Japanese brand is their NS-TSC10 model, a digital rice cooker with micro-computer fuzzy logic technology. Part of our top picks for best small cookers, this thing can easily accommodate 5.5 cups of uncooked rice, yielding 10 servings of cooked rice for the whole family to consume.
And it can cook almost any variety, too: white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, you name it. This cooker makes all that and more easier for the home chef with its programmed rice cooking functions. Additionally, it offers an auto-keep warm setting, a delay timer, and settings for non-rice food such as cake and porridge. Yum!
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Compact build ✔️ Advanced technology ✔️ Variety of menu settings ✔️ Delay timer ✔️ Automatic and Extended Keep Warm ✔️ Comes with a steam basket | ✖️ Pricey for its size ✖️ Complicated for beginners |
There are many rice cookers that claim to be time-efficient, but none are so successful as the Aroma ARC-914SBD. We named it one of the best rice cookers for brown rice for a few reasons, but mainly for its flash rice function that cuts cooking time in half. It doesn’t surprise us to find out that it garners rave reviews from customers on Amazon, too.
Alternatively, you can also use the lengthier brown rice setting, one of the many cooking options that allows the rice cooker to precisely adjust its settings depending on the dish to be made. As for the specs, it can accommodate 4 cups of uncooked rice, yielding 8 cups of cooked rice. It’s ideal for medium-sized households.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Flash rice function cuts cooking time in half ✔️ Yields 2 to 8 servings of rice ✔️ Portable and lightweight ✔️ Beginner-friendly | ✖️ Not suitable for larger households |
Induction heating rice cookers are great for making brown rice. Often, uneven heat distribution results in a bad meal no matter what the rice variety, but since it’s so much trickier with brown, the added help is welcome. The Tiger JKT’s induction heating system utilizes the entire inner pot to spread the heat thoroughly so no grain is undercooked or overcooked.
This unit comes in a cup capacity of 5.5 cups of uncooked rice and 10 cups cooked rice. Although a little on the heavy side, the handles make it easy to carry. Additionally, it has a multitude of cooking options: everything from white rice, brown rice, quick rice, ultra, mixed, jasmine, oatmeal, bread baking, and more is at the tip of one’s fingers.
Of course, no Tiger unit is complete without the “tacook” synchro-cooking feature that lets you cook food and rice in the same cycle. So for those who simply want to do away with cooking up a storm in the kitchen, you don’t need other reviews to tell you that this is the best rice cooker for you. Also included are a keep warm function, delay timer, and non-stick inner pot.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Stainless steel design ✔️ Detachable parts for easy cleaning | ✖️ Lack of accessories and items ✖️ Heavy weight |
Aroma knows what the average consumer wants when cooking, and it shows in the ARC-944SB. The 8-cup rice cooker is fit for families who desire the convenience of simple rice cookers with the advanced technology of more modern ones.
But despite being advanced, the ARC-994SB remains easily navigable. It contains a menu right on the front that has buttons for the various cooking functions the device offers. The brown rice setting is laid out in bold letters, making cooking more convenient than ever. Users particularly commend the unit’s impeccable brown rice function, and we agree! The grains come out perfectly, not too moist nor too dry. If you want to really appreciate brown rice, go with this unit.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ Yields 8 servings of cooked rice ✔️ Makes single-pot meals easier ✔️ Rice cooker stays cool even when cooking ✔️ Perfect for smaller households and single dwellers | ✖️ Water can boil over ✖️ Difficult to clean compared to a standard rice cooker |
The Oster 20-Cup Digital Rice Cooker makes it simple to prepare brown rice for your family. Aside from its ability to produce 20 cups of cooked rice without too much effort on your part, it also has four different cooking options in addition to brown rice. Using the 5 pre-programmed settings, you may steam meals, make soup, or make hot cereal.
The machine also has a timer that allows you to delay the cooking time for up to 9 hours and a keep-warm feature to keep your food at its most optimal serving temperature. As a result, the rice cooker is quite adaptable. The rice cooker also has a locking lid that traps moisture, allowing you to enjoy fluffy and perfectly cooked brown rice.
Pros | Cons |
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✔️ 5 cooking modes ✔️ Easy to clean ✔️ Locking lid | ✖️ Not ideal for small households ✖️ Cord is possibly too short |
White rice, brown rice, quinoa, or oats. At the end of the day, a good rice cooker should be able to cook good rice no matter what the variety, right? But not all products were made equal, and some machines are a more uncannily fit for making fluffy brown rice than others.
We hope this guide has been helpful! Want to look at other products? Read our reviews to learn more about all things rice cookers and rice.
The best-selling rice cookers include brands such as Aroma Housewares, Instant Pot, Dash, Black + Decker, Cuckoo, and more. These companies are known to manufacture high-quality yet affordable products, and each one has their own unique spin on what makes the perfect rice cooker.
If you’re looking for functions and features instead of a brand, here is a list of some things you should be keeping an eye on are:
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