The Top 11 Best Rice Cookers for 2022

Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Rice Cookers

Looking to purchase a rice cooker for your kitchen but don’t know which one you should get? You’ve come to the right place! There are several rice cookers in the market, but not all of them will give you value for your money. 

In this rice cooker buying guide, we’ve listed the top 11 best rice cookers in 2022 to help you make sure you have an informed choice on your investment. 

In a Hurry? This is the Best Rice Cooker of 2022

Best Overall: Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18

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Our Overall Rating:

Japanese brand Zojirushi has exceeded our expectations to become the best overall rice cooker of 2022 by creating the NS-ZCC10 and NS-ZCC18 units. Definitely a rice cooker for the future and worthy to be named the best rice cooker in 2022, the NS-ZCC features high-tech and advanced Neuro-fuzzy logic technology, allowing the smart home device to “think for itself.”

It learns and masters the different temperatures, time, and heat requirements needed to cook quality rice every time. Rice cooked in this rice maker, regardless of its medium-grain white rice or sushi rice comes out perfect.

With a wide array of features and a fine selection of menu settings for all types of rice, including sushi rice, Jasmine rice, and Basmati rice, the NS-ZCC10 (5.5-cup capacity) and NS-ZCC18 (10-cup capacity) Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker models guarantee a seamless and stress-free process of preparing rice through the use of innovative and advanced technology. 

 

Is it Worth Getting a Rice Cooker for Cooking Rice?

For some, cooking quality rice may seem like a tedious activity, particularly if you’re cooking brown rice or sushi rice. Plenty don’t have the luxury of time or energy to make their own home-cooked meals, so they opt to eat out or order food from restaurants. But this isn’t always the best choice. Some also spend too much time and energy cooking rice on the stove the traditional way.

Luckily, the advent of rice cooking technologies has made preparing rice meals a lot easier (as long as you get the right one). Investing in a dedicated rice cooker may earn you a kitchen companion that will make the process simpler and significantly reduce cooking time, giving you the chance to prepare your food while still meeting the demands of your fast-paced lifestyle.

Types of Rice Cookers

Standard Rice Cooker

The most common and basic cookers in the market are standard rice cookers. These are the conventional electric kinds in which you put rice and water in the inner pot, flick the single switch, and the preparation process begins. The heat used to cook the rice usually comes from the bottom of the rice cooker and spreads to the other parts of the inner pot.

Built-in thermal sensors then signal the rice cooker that all the water has been absorbed and evaporated. This tells it that the rice is cooked and it automatically flicks the switch from “cook” to “heat.” These rice cookers are usually built for cooking long-grain white rice or medium-grain white rice.

Standard rice cookers are very simple to use and are ideal for those who want to simplify and add convenience to their kitchen experience without all the bells and whistles of innovative and advanced technology 2022 brings. They’re also a lot safer than some newer kinds, such as microwave rice cookers. While they’re mostly built to cook long-grain white rice such as Basmati rice, they’re able to cook other varieties as long as you’re familiar with how your cooker works. They may not be the best and smartest rice cookers, but they’re tremendously cheap and easy to use.

Digital Rice Cooker

A digital rice cooker, such as a Micom rice cooker, can be considered as new and improved versions of the standard, conventional ones. They have more functions and features that are navigable using simple buttons in a digital control panel. Usually, the added rice functions include an on/off setting, food warming, cooking timer, delay timer, and brown rice or white rice menu selections.

Digital rice cookers give more control to the users to select and choose whichever feature they want to activate through the LCD control panel. They have a slight improvement in terms of rice quality, basically because you can select the options and actions taken by the rice cooker as it cooks rice.

Multi-Functional Rice Cooker

With the advent of multi-functional appliances, this kitchen tool can now do more than just cook white or Jasmine rice. Multi-functional cookers are manufactured with the goal of being the one device you need to prepare a full meal. They are very versatile and can include a vast array of settings and features you can use at your leisure. 

Many multi-functional rice cookers make use of advanced technology and high-tech innovations to help you make rice perfectly every time. With their menu settings, you can get it to operate according to whatever type of rice you’re after — whether it’s plain rice, white rice, sushi rice, porridge, brown rice, risotto, GABA brown rice, sticky rice, etc. Not only that, but they can also double as steamers that allow you to cook other food like vegetables, meat, fish, etc. while your rice cooks.

Many rice cookers today have the function of slow cookers as well, simmering the food at a lower temperature than conventional cooking methods. Slow cookers make rice and other dishes more savory, as the flavors are distributed more evenly.

Induction Heating

IH rice cookers by far have the highest price range in the market, especially this year. That’s owing to their advanced features and several available cooking functions. The thing about an induction heating system rice cooker is that they don’t cook the same way conventional rice cookers do. Instead of making use of single heating elements below the cooking pot, IH cookers utilize the entire pot as a source of heat.

With an induction heating system rice cooker, rice cooks at a balanced and equal temperature throughout, which results in the best quality of rice every time.

There are also ceramic rice cookers that have durable, safe, and environmentally-friendly ceramic inner pots that can cook rice more optimally and yield perfectly-cooked and better-tasting rice.

Pressure Cookers

Pressure cookers, as their name implies, add pressure to the rice during the pressure cooking process. When the pressure cooking selection is turned on, the cooker traps steam in the pot, which causes the density of each grain to change. This makes fluffy rice that is softer and easier to digest. Pressure cookers can also retain the softness and quality of the food for a longer period of time. There are a lot of rice cookers that have pressure cooking functions as well.

What to Look for in a Rice Cooker?

Capacity

The first and foremost thing to consider when choosing cooker brands is capacity. This would depend on how much food you’re aiming to cook per cycle, and the capacity of your rice cooker should always prepare enough rice for the entire household. Of course, the bigger the serving sizes you want, the bigger your cooker should be. It would be counterintuitive, for example, to purchase a small rice cooker when you have 6 family members living in your home.

For single-family households, a 3-cup capacity rice cooker will be more than enough to cook rice for a day’s meal. On the other hand, bigger families are best to opt for a 5-cup to 10-cup rice cooker capacity. Take note that most rice cookers base their capacity on how many cups of uncooked rice can fit inside the stainless steel pot without the rice overflowing when it’s cooked.

Ultimately, it all depends on how much food you’re going to cook. Take into consideration how often you’re going to eat rice and how many servings you want to yield in one cycle.

Basic Kitchen Chef Features and Functions

The features and functions to look for in a rice cooker would depend on your needs and preferences. For instance, if you’re the type of person who loves to cook and consider yourself a home chef, using a multi-functional cooker with features like a Zojirushi induction heating system and multiple menu settings would be the best choice. But if you’re looking for a simple, fool-proof, and easy-to-navigate appliance to cook great rice, using a basic rice cooker with simple features would do the trick. 

This year has paved the way for new innovations and developments on what a rice cooker can do, making it much more convenient than cooking rice on the stove. But some general functions that would be ideal to have in a rice cooker are:

• ‘Keep warm’ setting – to allow you to reheat and keep your rice warm and at optimal serving temperature even after the cooking cycle. With this function, you don’t have to microwave rice when it gets cold. It’s ready to eat even hours after the preparation cycle has ended.
• Timer – to easily set the duration of the cooking time
• Induction system – to maintain rice consistency. Induction systems use the entire cooking pot as a source of heat through heat distribution instead of solely having the heating element at the bottom. With induction cooking, you can make perfectly cooked and great-tasting rice, regardless of whether it’s long or medium grain rice. You’ll also avoid burnt, inedible grains at the bottom of the pot.
• Menu settings – most rice cookers today have vast options in terms of rice variety. More than white rice, many models can also cook brown rice, GABA brown rice, sushi rice, porridge, and more. It’s important to check what settings your prospective unit will have, for example you’d obviously want brown rice settings if you’re planning on cooking brown rice and its varieties more often than white rice.

Easy-to-Clean and Cook Rice

A great rice cooker should not only help in making rice and cooking easier, but it should also be easy-to-clean, so as to avoid the hassle of washing and rinsing the rice cooker after use. 

Ideally, the cooker should have a removable inner lid and a nonstick cooking pot. You might also opt to use a stainless steel pot with a nonstick coating to avoid the difficulty of scrubbing food residue on the pan.

Accessories

Many rice cookers come with accessories like a rice measuring cup, spatula, rice scoop holder, etc, that help make cooking rice and serving it easier. Although accessories are not absolutely essential, investing in a unit that comes with these useful kitchen gadgets will save you the extra cost of purchasing them separately.

How Do I Choose a Rice Cooker?

Choosing which unit to invest in can be a surprisingly simple task. However, plenty of us don’t yet know what to look for, or how to assess our own needs and make an informed choice. As we previously mentioned, it’s helpful to have criteria for what to look for in a rice cooker. But first, you must start by assessing your needs. Some things to consider are:

Household Size

Are you a single dweller, or a homemaker in a large family of five? Choose an appliance with a cup capacity that’s suited for your household’s needs. A student living alone should look at a mini rice cooker, while large households will fare well with larger models.

Budget

With the popularity of these appliances, there’s no shortage of options that range from high-end, mid-range, or budget-friendly. Many of the pricier cookers tend to have smart technology, such as fuzzy logic or Micom. However, if you don’t need those and just want a foolproof appliance that can make rice, you don’t really need to spend too much. 

Functions and Features

Do you prefer cooking in one appliance or like to use different kitchenware for different dishes? Multi-cookers are a great option if you love to experiment with different dishes, but hate the hassle of cleaning up afterward. If you’re a busy individual, a rice cooker and warmer with a slow cooker feature will be ideal to have, since you’ll most likely need to keep your food and rice warm until dinner. 

Schedule

One way to determine what cooker to buy is to think of your own schedule: do you have time to spare in the kitchen, or are you more like someone who’s always in a hurry and wants a quick way to prepare food? Standard or conventional cookers will do great if you enjoy a longer kitchen routine. But if you want an appliance that quickly does its thing while you take care of some household chores, an Instant Pot or quick-cooking appliance should be your best match.

Top 11 Best Rice Cookers of 2022

Image	Product	Details	Check Price
	Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18	• 10 different menu settings • Microcomputer technology • Automatic Keep Warm and Extended Keep Warm Setting
	Aroma ARC-743-1NGR	• Doubles as a steamer • One-touch operation • Affordable
	Zojirushi NP-NVC10	• Zojirushi IH technology • Pressure cooker system • Keep Warm Setting
	Oster 6-Cup 4722	• Doubles as a steamer • One-touch menu function • Compact and lightweight
	Tiger JBV-A10U	• Equipped with Tiger’s unique “tacook” function • Non-stick inner pot • Slow cooking and synchro-cooking functions
	Instant Pot Lux	• 10 smart programs • 6 appliances built into 1 piece of equipment • 10 safety mechanisms
	Black + Decker RC3406	• Multi-functional rice cooker • One-touch operations • Doubles as a food steamer
	Cuckoo CRP-P0609S	• 3-Language Voice Navigation • Auto Clean Button • Water drainage system
	Tiger JKT-S10U	• Equipped with Tiger’s unique Tacook Cooking Plate • Induction heating technology • Slow cooking, synchro-cooking and bread baking functions
	Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity 37549	• Affordable • Can yield up to 14 cups of rice • 15-hour delay timer
	Dash Mini Rice Cooker	• Best suited for small spaces • Easy to use and maintain • Can be transported without fuss

Let’s Go Over Each Rice Cooker

Best Overall: Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18

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Our Overall Rating:

There’s no question why the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Logic Cooker is one of the products that has almost every reviewer raving.

It’s made with the innovative Neuro Fuzzy logic and Micom rice cooker technology that learns and masters the cooking cycle for any kind of rice (or other food!) you wish.

Whether it be brown rice, white rice, sushi, or porridge, the Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 (5.5 cup capacity) and NS-ZCC18 (10 cup capacity) can make it for you. By utilizing its temperature sensor and heat settings according to the selected rice menu option, it can yield tasty and fluffy rice every time.

While some may not be a fan of its price tag, we think each penny is worth all the functions and features that come with this appliance. There’s really no question as to why we have hailed it the best rice cooker for 2022. We’ve also featured this model in our Best Zojirushi Rice Cookers guide. 

Other features of the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Logic ZCC10/18 are: 

• 10 different menu settings – can cook different types of rice like white rice (softer or harder), sushi rice, mixed, porridge, sweet, semi-brown rice, brown rice, rinse-free, and quick cooking. 
• Microcomputer technology – this MICOM cooker adjusts settings like temperature and heat on its own, eliminating the need for you to monitor the cooking progress. It also has the Zojirushi induction heating technology that balances the heat inside the pot.
• Automatic Keep Warm and Extended Keep Warm Setting – this function lets you keep your rice warm at optimal serving temperature for long periods of time, so you don’t have to microwave rice when it gets cold.

Best for Small Households: Aroma Housewares ARC-743-1NGR

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Our 2nd best pick is another reviewer favorite. If you think the Aroma Housewares Digital Cooker ARC 743-1NGR can only make rice, you’re in for a treat. This unit can prepare an entire meal during a single cooking cycle. Equipped with an aluminum steaming basket/tray, you can steam veggies, meat, fish, and even dumplings with your rice underneath. You can even experiment with soups, chili, jambalaya, and more.

Are you the type to get confused with too many buttons and settings? Well, this Aroma Housewares rice cooker makes the process easier with its simple, one-touch operation.

All it takes is one press of a button, and your cooker can prepare tasty and fluffy rice in no time. This device is great for both the cooking pro/home chef and the ultimate beginner! In fact, we named this model our choice for the best overall Aroma rice cooker. 

Best High-End Rice Cooker: Zojirushi NP-NVC10

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Our Overall Rating:

The NP-NVC10 rice cooker and warmer is one of Zojirushi’s best top-of-the-line rice cookers. Similar to the previous NS-ZCC model, this unit makes use of advanced Neuro Fuzzy logic technology with artificial intelligence to aid the cooking cycle and yield high-quality and perfectly cooked rice, exactly how you like it.

This stainless steel rice cooker and warmer is also equipped with several rice menu settings you can choose from. It has the ability to cook any type of rice you want, including 2 healthy meal options. Whether you’re craving white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, sushi rice, sweet, GABA brown, or porridge, the NS-NVC10 has got you covered. This product is similar to previous models such as the NS-TSC10 but has more precise and improved technology than the NS-TSC10 owing to its more advanced features.

Is Zojirushi Rice Cooker Worth It?

Reviewer-loved Japanese rice cooker brand Zojirushi has been creating top-notch kitchen appliances for a long time. In fact, they have a long lineup of models that can suit anyone’s needs depending on one’s household size, budget, or preferred functions.

While their popular ones tend to be the IH or Micom type, they also have conventional models suited for anyone who prefers a straightforward device. One of our featured cookers, the Zojirushi NP-NVC10 is a great model for fans of high-end, intelligent technology.

Other features of the NP-NVC10 include: 

• Zojirushi IH technology – it uses the entire inner pot as a heat conductor, therefore balancing the temperature inside the unit and yielding perfect rice every time.
• Pressure cooker system –  pressure cooker function traps steam in the pot, which makes for softer and fluffier rice.
• Keep Warm Setting – can detect how many times the lid of the unit has been opened and for how long. This will help it determine the amount of rice left in the cooking bowl and adjust its temperature to heat the remaining quantities of rice optimally.

Best Conventional Rice Cooker: Oster 6-Cup 4722

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The Oster 6-Cup Rice Cooker looks small and compact in size, but don’t judge a book by its cover just yet. More than making rice, this cooker also doubles as a steamer.

It comes with a steaming basket or tray that can hold a good portion of meat, fish, and vegetables. That means that you can cook your side dish simultaneously with your rice in the cooking pan and prepare an entire meal in one cooking cycle.

To ramp up the rice cooking process, the Oster 6-cup rice cooker has removed all the complications and multiple buttons to navigate the menu settings. It makes operating the cooker so much simpler by using a one-touch menu function that allows you to start and end cooking at the touch of a button.

There’s no questioning why it’s a top pick among the best rice cookers and really generates hype in reviews.

Best for Beginners: Tiger JBV-A10U

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The Tiger JBV-A10U is a multifunctional electric rice cooker that’s perfect for beginners and those who easily get confused with buttons and digital controls. This cooker has a full range of functions and features that rewrite the cooking experience while being easy to use at the same time.

Equipped with Tiger’s unique “Tacook” function, you can steam your viand simultaneously with the rice in one cooking cycle without having the flavors and textures affect each other. The non-stick inner pot ensures an easy clean-up afterward.

The JBV-A10U gives you the freedom to choose between 4 different settings. If you like your rice brown or plain, you can have it with this cooker. It also has slow cooking and synchro-cooking functions. Upon choosing an option, the unit will adjust its heat, cooking time, and temperature settings to prepare your great-tasting rice.

Best for Home Cooks: Instant Pot Lux Mini

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The Instant Pot Lux Mini is rated among America’s best brands for cooking appliances and is one of our top picks for the best small rice cookers. Another one of the products beloved by almost every reviewer, there’s no mistaking the Lux Mini as an incredible device. It earned its title due to its multiple cooking functions and 10 smart programs that give you a vast range of cooking options.

What makes the Lux Mini a family favorite, though, is that it is 6 appliances built into 1 piece of equipment, thereby reducing clutter in the kitchen, creating more counter space, and making it easier to clean up after meals. The Instant Pot also comes equipped with a keep-warm function that keeps your food warm for long periods of time.

The ultimate selling point of the Lux Mini is that it comes with a promise of a safe user experience. With this device, you don’t have to worry about accidents and kitchen hazards.

It has 10 safety mechanisms in place, like steam release, anti-block shield, safety lid lock, lid position detection, automatic temperature control, overheat (burn) protection, automatic pressure cooking control, electrical fuse, thermal fuse, and leaky lid detection.

A bigger version of the pot Lux is the Instant Pot Duo. It has a 10 cups cooked rice capacity and is the new and improved version of all cookers belonging to the Instant Pot Duo series. It functions as 7 different appliances in one, making it a favorite among professional chefs and moms who spend a lot of time in the kitchen. If you like Lux models but want to go for something bigger, the Instant Pot Duo can be an alternative

Best for Busy Individuals: Black + Decker RC3406

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The Black + Decker RC3406 is one of the most reasonably-priced units in the market, making it a top choice for a multi-functional cooker in our Black & Decker Guide. It’s best for single-family households since it only has a small capacity of 3 cups (uncooked) and 6 cups of a cooked pot of rice.

The RC3406 can make preparing home-cooked meals an easy and seamless experience, especially for college students or those who have busy lifestyles yet still want to make their meals on their own.

Its 2 main functions (cook and keep warm) can be navigated through the flick of a switch and the selected function is shown through indicator lights.

Despite the simplicity of the RC3406, cooking white rice is not all that it can do. This cooker also doubles as a food steamer, equipped with a plastic steamer basket that can hold a small portion of meat, veggies, or fish, among others. With this inclusion, you can steam your main dish while cooking your rice.

After the quick and easy cooking cycle, your batch of rice is done and you have a complete and ready-to-eat meal on the table.

Best Multifunctional Rice Cooker: Cuckoo CRP-P0609S

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The battle between Cuckoo vs Zojirushi continues with this guide. While the latter is the most popular brand in the market, the Cuckoo CRP-P0609S is more than what you would expect. Reviews name it as one of the best rice cookers because it has multiple functions and can double as a pressure rice cooker and steamer. This Cuckoo rice cooker is also equipped with a heating plate that’s programmed to cook great rice (whether brown, white, or jasmine rice) porridge, and more.

This Cuckoo cooker comes with a multicooker function that allows you to cook other dishes like soup and even bread!

Other notable features of the Cuckoo CRP-P0609S include: 

• 3-Language Voice Navigation – you can turn on the audio instructions to help you make white rice, which can be delivered in the English, Chinese, and Korean languages. This is a staple in any Cuckoo model.
• Auto Clean Button – If you’re too busy or lazy to wash the cooker after your meals, you can always just press the Cuckoo Auto Clean button which will prompt the device to release strong steam which can clean and sanitize the entire unit. 
• Water drainage system – gets rid of excess liquids to prevent over-cooking. The result is perfectly cooked and flawless white rice after every cooking cycle, and not to mention the best part — a clean and sanitized cooker.

Best for Simultaneous Cooking: Tiger JKT-S10U

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Tiger rice cooker vs Zojirushi rice cooker is also another battle worth mentioning. But Tiger takes its game to the next level with the Tiger JKT-S10U, which holds the best innovations that Tiger has manufactured. This model is equipped with Tiger’s unique Tacook Cooking Plate and induction heating technology, both coming together to help you prepare two tasty dishes simultaneously.

But beyond that, the JKT-S10U also has slow cooking, synchro-cooking, and bread baking functions. Whether you like white rice, brown rice, plain, or mixed, the JKT-S10U can do the trick, thanks to its 11 computerized menu settings.

Best Value Rice Cooker: Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity 37549

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The Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker is highly raved, with everyone wanting to have it in their homes. And there’s no question as to why. One of the best cheap models in the market, this Hamilton Beach model can cook anything, from quinoa to oatmeal. It has a large capacity and can yield up to 14 cups of white rice, enough to serve the whole family plus several other dinner guests during dinner parties.

What users’ reviews would say is the best part is its delay timer, making it best for busy people who like preparing their meals in advance. With this feature, you make rice by simply popping the grains into this cooker and setting the cooking cycle to start for as late as 15 hours.

Best Portable Cooker: Dash Mini Rice Cooker

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While it doesn’t have the fancy settings most high-end rice cookers possess, the Dash Mini Rice Cooker‘s most shining feature is its small size. If you live alone and have limited space for appliances, then the compact size of this unit is the ideal fit for you. Like any rice cooker, you can cook almost anything using this unit, from soups, stews, rice bowls, and many more. It comes with an easy-to-clean inner pot for faster cleaning and handles for easy transport even when there’s warm rice inside.

It also has a simple lever button you can press to turn on the cook mode, and an automatic keep warm feature to keep your food at its optimal serving temperature unit you’re ready to eat.

Best Rice Cookers 2022 Comparison

Rank	Rice Cooker	Model	Price	Functionality	Quality	Total Rating	Check Prices
1		Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18	10	10	10	10
2		Aroma ARC-743-1NGR	10	9	10	9.7
3		Zojirushi NP-NVC10	8	10	10	9.3
4		Oster 6-Cup 4722	9	9	9	9.0
5		Tiger JBV-A10U	8	9	9	8.7
6		Instant Pot Lux	9	8	9	8.7
7		Black + Decker RC3406	10	8	8	8.7
8		Cuckoo CRP-P0609S	7	9	10	8.7
9		Tiger JKT-S10U	8	8	8	8.0
10		Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity 37549	8	8	8	8.0
11		Dash Mini Rice Cooker	8	8	8	8.0

Final Note

Buying a rice cooker, especially a good one, will give you a kitchen companion that can help you prepare delicious rice and tasty, home-cooked meals faster and easier. There are tons of available rice cooker units in the market, but they all differ based on capacity, functionality, features, technologies, etc. The key to finding the best cooker that’s perfect for you is to figure out your needs and preferences. Once you’ve got that lined up, then you’re bound to find the best unit that suits you and your household.

Thi review lists the best cookers in 2022 when it comes to the standards of cooking perfect rice, easy-to-use features, advanced technology, and performance quality. Take a look at our other rice cooker reviews to read and learn more about cookers that are worth your investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which brand of rice cooker is best?

Different brands of cookers all have different areas where their products shine most. If you prefer to cook your side dish and rice at the same time, for example, Tiger might be the best brand for you due to their cooker’s Tacook feature. If you prefer a more conventional cooker, an Oster might be your best bet, but if you’re looking for a more high-tech model, a Zojirushi induction rice cooker is worth a look.

An Aroma Housewares rice cooker can fit small households, though there are smaller models of Zojirushi. There are also Panasonic rice cookers that boast fuzzy logic technology if you’re after a smarter cooking experience. An induction rice cooker can make nicely cooked rice, but the price tag might not be in your budget. Therefore, it’s also important to note the price of each product to see if they’re right for you.

The best brand for you solely depends on what specifications you’ll be mostly using, that’s why it is important to know what your household really needs in terms of cooking before making a purchase.

Zojirushi vs Panasonic rice cooker

Although Zojirushi and Panasonic are both Japanese companies, their rice cookers have some significant differences. First of all, Zojirushi rice cookers generally use induction cooking, while Panasonic models typically use heating elements. This means that Zojirushi rice cookers can cook rice more evenly and quickly. Additionally, Zojirushi models usually have more cooking functions and settings than Panasonic ones. For example, some Zojirushi rice cookers can make sushi rice or porridge, while Panasonic models typically cannot. Finally, Zojirushi rice cookers often come with accessories like steam trays and measuring cups, while Panasonic models do not.

Are rice cookers portable?

A conventional rice cooker with a 3 cup capacity is considered to be a portable rice cooker, though a unit with up to 6 cup capacity can still be easily transported. If you’re looking for a high-end model, as a unit with a Zojirushi induction heating system, for example, you’re more likely to get stuck with a bulkier model. 

If you’re always on the go and would still like to eat perfectly fluffy rice, a mini rice cooker can be your best companion, though most will not have the same multifunctional features larger units will have. A small rice cooker is ideal if your goal is only cooking long grain rice or other grain varieties like sweet rice.