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The Best Microwave Rice Cooker for 2023

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Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Microwave Rice Cookers

Nowadays, it seems like everyone’s too busy. Even though we are all staying safely at home, not everyone has the time to perform household duties the way they used to. Work and school now all take up precious time at home, and with that, hours in the kitchen have been reduced.

Microwave rice cookers are the ideal mode of cooking for busy bees, be they students living in a dormitory with limited space or home chefs who have to take care of the kids. No matter your living situation, having a microwavable rice cooker ready comes with its own benefits — not to mention making life easier than stovetop rice cooking. Don’t have one yet, but thinking of making the purchase? Let’s take a look at the best microwave rice cookers to help you flawlessly and easily cook rice and more.


What is the Best Microwave Rice Cooker?

Editor's Choice

Prep Solutions by Progressive Microwaveable Rice and Pasta Cooker
Best Overall
Joseph Joseph 45002 M-Cuisine Microwave Rice Cooker
Best Durable
Progressive International Microwave Rice Cooker
Best Multifunctional
Prep Solutions by Progressive Microwaveable Rice and Pasta Cooker

This Prep Solutions is made of BPA-free plastic and is incredibly affordable. It can be used as a rice cooker, food and vegetable steamer, and pasta maker all in one.

Joseph Joseph 45002 M-Cuisine Microwave Rice Cooker

This product goes a little farther than others by including a sturdy 2-liter cooking pot and gives the grains to be cooked a bit extra attention.

Progressive International Microwave Rice Cooker

This gadget can cook rice, soup, or oatmeal, and it can do so fast, without creating a mess, and without taking up a lot of room in your kitchen countertop.

Functionality: Quality: Price:
Functionality: Quality: Price:
Functionality: Quality: Price:


Let’s Go Over Each Microwave Rice Cooker

Prep Solutions by Progressive Microwaveable Rice Cooker

Functionality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
Quality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
Price:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

We’ve named the Prep Solutions unit the best microwave rice cooker overall for its versatility, multifunctionality, and incredible affordability that does not in any way sacrifice quality. With the ability to cook more than just rice, this device also functions as a rice steamer and yes, it can cook pasta as well.

Let’s start with the body. Many microwave rice cookers aren’t built with lockable lids, making them prone to spillage. This one does. The flip-down lid locks to ensure that the water doesn’t boil over in the middle of the cooking process, whether you’re making a few servings of rice or cooking pasta. This system also ensures the cooked rice comes out perfectly every time.

This microwave cooker comes with a 3-cup capacity cooking bowl, a pasta draining insert, a vegetable steamer insert, and multiple measuring cups and spoons. All of these are made with BPA-free plastic and are dishwasher-safe — even if they’re high-power.

 

Pros and Cons of the Prep Solutions Microwave Rice Cooker

ProsCons
✔️ Simple use
✔️ Dishwasher-safe parts
✔️ Can be used as a pasta cooker and food steamer
✔️ Large-capacity cooker
✖️ Lack of advanced functions

Joseph Joseph 45002 M Microwave Rice Cooker

Functionality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
Quality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
Price:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

A favorite among newbie cooks for the perfect rice (or, let’s face it, lazy ones), the Joseph Joseph cuisine microwave rice cooker is our choice for the most durable rice cooker on this list. You’ll see that this product comes with a 2-liter pot for rice cooking, a colander, a measuring cup, and a multi-purpose rice paddle as well. Unlike others that only come with a cooking pot to be chucked in the microwave, this one adds a little extra care for the grains to be cooked. 

Despite its apparent simplicity, the Joseph Joseph 45002 M-Cuisine rice cooker still manages to incorporate thoughtfulness and minimalism in its nordic ware design and the way it cooks rice. Take a look at its rice paddle, for example, which doubles as the lock for the tight-fitting pot lid.

Apart from that, you get all the wonderful benefits of microwave rice cookers. This one can make perfectly cooked rice (both white rice and brown rice varieties) in as little as 15 minutes, and the measuring cup is there to let you control how much rice gets into the cooker.

Pros and Cons of the Joseph Joseph Microwave Rice Cooker

ProsCons
✔️ Cooks in 15 minutes
✔️ Microwaveable
✖️ No controllable functions and features
✖️ Lack of menu settings and cooking options

Progressive International Microwave Rice Cooker

Functionality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
Quality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
Price:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

Don’t feel like eating cooked rice today? Not to worry, the Progressive International rice cooker has your back! Pop in some quinoa or oatmeal into the cooking pot and toss it in the microwave for a quick, nourishing meal. It’s that easy, which is why this unit is our pick for the best multifunctional cooker.

Rest easy knowing that you’re getting 6 whole cups of cooked rice or 3 cups of uncooked rice (whether white rice or brown rice), soup, or oatmeal, perfectly steamed and perfectly cooked on each try. The best part is you never have to worry about steam or any other liquid overflowing, thanks to the shelf insert that prevents any spillage as these cookers boil rice. And after you cook, just toss it in the top-rack dishwasher and you’re done.

This 6-cup capacity rice cooking product comes with a lid, nesting shelf insert, measuring cup, and a rice spoon for accuracy.

Pros and Cons of the Progressive International Microwave 6-Cup Cooked Rice

ProsCons
✔️ Cooks rice quickly
✔️ Makes soup and oatmeal
✔️ Includes dishwasher-safe accessories
✔️ BPA-free plastic
✖️ Smaller cup capacity compared to other brands
✖️ Lack of advanced functions

Sistema Microwave Collection Rice Cooker

Functionality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
Quality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  
Price:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

At first glance, this rice cooker doesn’t look like a rice cooker at all. But its ingenious nordic ware design becomes apparent once you use it. The Sistema Microwave Collection rice cooker comes with an inner rice steamer basket that actually stays cool even as the food inside is heated so you can lift it out easily. The locks surrounding the lid stay cool, too, so you can easily open it up after you’re done cooking your white rice or brown rice, veggies, fish or meats. This is why it’s our choice for the best cool-touch device.

Much like an electronic rice cooker, there’s a steam vent in the middle of the lid that ensures splatter-free heating. No matter what you’re making, it’s going to stay secure in the container. Afterwards, cleaning the rice cooked off the pot is as easy as chucking this baby in the dishwasher and pressing a few buttons. Made with BPA-free and phthalate-free plastic, you can even use this rice cooker to store food when it’s not in use.

Pros and Cons of the Sistema Microwave Rice Cooker

ProsCons
✔️ Cool-touch plastic design
✔️ Can cook meat, soups, and vegetables
✔️ High-quality and BPA-free plastic material
✔️ Contains a steam vent
✖️ Size may be too large for smaller households

Pampered Chef Rice Cooker Plus

Functionality:  ⭐ ⭐  
Quality:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
Price:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

If you’re into sleek microwave cookers, this cooker makes for the best kitchen companion. Its modest 9-cup cooked rice (4.5 uncooked rice) capacity is perfect for a sizable household, so no family member is left wanting. While we gave it the title of best minimalist microwave rice steamer for its beautiful nordic ware design that passes as kitchen decor, perhaps its best feature is the quality of food it’s able to produce. The cooked rice comes out so fluffy and so well done each time, you’ll barely notice it was microwaved nor would you worry about having burned rice.

Plus, if you’re running out of cuisine microwave rice ideas, the instruction manual actually comes with a recipe booklet to help you whip up a new favorite meal to present on your dinner table.

Pros and Cons of the Pampered Chef Rice Cooker Plus

ProsCons
✔️ Cooks rice, vegetables, and meats
✔️ Sleek all-black color
✔️ Makes perfect rice each time
✖️ Design may not be for everyone

Is a Microwave Rice Cooker Good?

Microwave rice cookers have a host of benefits to their name that help you prepare rice in the microwave easily and without hassle, some of them not found in traditional rice cookers or electric rice cookers. To help you make the decision, here are a few advantages of having these types of kitchen tools at your disposal:

  1. CONVENIENCE. Rice cooking in a traditional rice cooker, no matter how advanced, will take a longer time than cooking in a microwave rice cooker. The simple nordic ware design of these appliances cuts your cooking time almost in half. For a budget-friendly and versatile device that’ll help you cook rice with convenience, that’s an incredible feat.
  2. EASY TO CLEAN. Most, if not all, microwave rice cookers are actually dishwasher safe. This makes cleaning up after you cook rice a lot easier. Some stainless steel models such as the CHEFS Basics select cooker make it easy to maintain the appliance with their high resistance build. 
  3. ENERGY EFFICIENT. Since a microwave pressure cooker takes less time to make rice in the microwave, chances are, you’ll be saving more energy by using them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the best microwave rice cooker?

The Prep Solutions Microwave Rice Cooker takes the top rank for the finest microwave cookers because of its 3-in-1 menu, BPA-free plastic structure, and 12-cup rice capacity which is more than other microwave cookers can manage, all in amazingly affordable pricing.

What is the best rice cooker on the market?

Rice cooker brands can differ in being the best in the market depending on the user’s lifestyle and needs. Yet, because of their state-of-the-art technology and rice cooking innovations, companies like Zojirushi, Aroma, Hamilton Beach, Cuckoo, and Cuchen are frequently hailed as the best.

What rice cooker do Asians use to cook rice?

Since plain rice is a mainstay in every meal in Asian households, they like to stick with simple appliances to cook their grains. A standard rice cooker works well for cooking a mixed variety of grains and comes with a steamer to prepare vegetables and meat while the rice cooks.


Conclusion

We hope this guide on the best microwave rice cooker has been informative in helping you make your choice. Microwavable cookers make a big difference in the kitchen, reducing the cooking period and making the cooking process less of a hassle. Some brands come complete with a pressure chamber plate or a pressure chamber tray and accessories such as a rice spatula, a serving spoon, and a pasta measurer. It’s high time for you to experience that cuisine microwave rice cooker convenience.


Best Microwave Rice Cookers - Prep Solutions by Progressive Microwaveable Rice Cooker

Editor’s Choice

Prep Solutions by Progressive Microwave Cooker

If you think a microwave rice cooker is limited to just cooking rice, think again. The Prep Solutions Microwave Rice Cooker is built to be a pasta maker as well as a food and vegetable steamer, all thanks to the pasta draining basket and detachable steam tray that comes with it. This ingenious nordic ware design — made with BPA-free plastic, of course — lets you have a 3-in-1 rice cooker at an incredibly budget-friendly price.

Also, if you’re familiar with other models of microwave rice cookers, you’ll notice that most of them are only able to cook 3-4 cups of fluffy rice in a single cycle — some even go as low as providing single servings. These units are geared for super-small households, individuals living alone, or live-in couples. But that’s not at all the case with this rice and pasta cooker, as it has the capacity to hold up to 12 cups of rice in a single cycle. Absolutely the best microwave rice cooker a home chef could have.

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Ji-hyun

Hailing from California, USA. Ji-hyun is a Korean American 🇰🇷🇺🇸 with two growing boys who eat their weight in rice each week. After graduating UCLA & becoming a mom she started We Know Rice as a guide for all the students and moms out there looking to cook healthy and filling meals.

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