Rice can be one of the most difficult things to perfectly cook if you don’t have a lot of experience cooking it.
The best rice cooker can help you take the guesswork out of cooking rice that isn’t under or overcooked, and it can do so in a timelier manner.
Regardless of the type of rice you need to cook, the best rice cooker will cook them all to perfection with little effort from you.
Our best rice cooker reviews can help guide you to the perfect fit for your kitchen, budget, and cooking needs.
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The Zojirushi Rice Cooker and Warmer is our overall top pick for the best rice cooker. This unit leaves a small footprint in your kitchen, but cooks up to 10 cups of cooked rice, making it the perfect size for the average family for cooking multiple types of foods and meals.
With a variety of settings for steaming, cooking, and warming, this is the best rice cooker for brown rice, sushi rice, one-pot meals, and even baking cakes.
In addition to its small size, you can make this rice cooker and warmer even more convenient for your kitchen with the retractable power cord that tucks easily inside the cooker.
Another helpful feature is the detachable and washable inner lid for simple cleaning, plus a stainless-steel shell that makes the unit a breeze to wipe off.
This is also considered the best rice cooker for its versatile functions and cooking methods. The unit doubles as a steamer, so it’s perfect for steaming fresh vegetables, shellfish, eggs, and more for a healthy way to cook.
You can use the sushi, porridge, mixed rice, and other settings to create the perfect texture for a variety of foods.
Additionally, you can choose whether you want your rice to cook harder or softer than normal, and the cooker will do the rest for you.
One of the best things about this Zojirushi rice cooker is its fuzzy logic technology. What this technology does is automatically adjust the cooking technique for your rice or other foods, so you don’t have to worry about perfect measurements of water or foods.
As your food cooks, the innovative technology will sense its needs and adjust the cooking process, temperature, and more, as needed. Therefore, your rice will cook thoroughly and consistently at an even temperature throughout the cooking process.
The Zojirushi Rice Cooker and Warmer also has clock and timer functions so you can easily keep track of how long you need to cook your foods. You can even use the delay timer to start the cook cycle at a particular time.
The “keep warm” setting comes on automatically after your food has completed the cook cycle, and you can select the extended “keep warm” setting for a longer duration. This unit also has a reheating cycle to warm up your food without making it overcooked.
It’s no wonder that the Aroma Housewares 20 Cup Rice Cooker is a customer favorite and considered a best Aroma rice cooker from its extensive line of cookers and steamers.
This digital rice cooker is also a food steamer and slow cooker, making it one of the most versatile appliances you can have in your kitchen. Let’s look at some of the most important features of this unit in our Aroma rice cooker review.
This digital rice cooker is one of the largest units you’ll find for home use, holding up to 20 cups of cooked rice or 10 cups of uncooked rice. But, the unit is taller than it is wide, so it can still fit well on a countertop without taking up too much space.
You can also make as little as two cups of uncooked rice, so it can also be helpful when you want to cook smaller portions. In addition to cooking rice, this unit can function as a food steamer for vegetables, poultry, or other foods you want to steam on top of your rice with the steamer basket.
Since you can use the basket at the same time you cook rice, you can use the unit as a one-pot meal creator for ultimate convenience.
Similarly, the slow cooker ability of this digital rice cooker from Aroma will eliminate your need for a separate appliance. With the push of one button, you can trigger the slow cooker function to make soups, stews, and more.
The Aroma Housewares 20 Cup Rice Cooker comes packed with convenient digital controls to customize your cooking method, from the unique steam setting to a setting just for cooking brown rice. Your family may benefit from the delay timer that delays cooking for up to 15 hours.
Add your ingredients before you leave for work in the morning, set the timer for hours in advance, and come home to a meal that’s already prepared for the family.
If you’re not quite ready to eat, the automatic Keep Warm setting will maintain your food’s temperature without further cooking it.
The removable inner pot is a breeze to clean, thanks to a nonstick coating to prevent stuck-on foods. It’s also dishwasher-safe for a quick clean-up, but in most cases, you should be able to clean it after a quick soak and gentle cleaning with a cloth.
This Cuckoo rice cooker is favored for its versatility, durability, and easy cleaning process. The cooker holds up to 10 cups of cooked rice, which gives plenty of space to prepare meals for the average family.
Still, it’s lightweight and relatively small compared to others of its type, making it convenient to store on the countertop or tuck away in a cabinet.
This is the best rice cooker regarding safety, featuring 14 essential safety features that help it operate smoothly without causing harm to those who use it.
The Soft Steam Cap, for example, helps direct the steam in a steady direction for less chance of burns.
There is also a locking handle that ensures the unit can’t be opened until it’s safe to do so, like when the cooking process has completed, or the cooker is in warming mode.
A clamping lock further protects the user from accidental openings during operation.
If you’re looking for the best rice cooker for brown rice or other types of rice besides white, look no further than the Cuckoo Electric Heating Pressure Rice Cooker. The cooker has multiple cooking modes that can cook everything from chicken and vegetables to breakfast items, like oatmeal and eggs.
As for rice, the cooker will cook rich-grain rice, like brown and mixed varieties, in less time than traditional cookers and cooking methods. And, you won’t need as much water to cook, thanks to the steaming process.
The Cuckoo Electric Heating Pressure Rice Cooker uses an innovative 3D heating and warming system for cooking. The inner pot has a diamond coating to help conduct heat efficiently. Hot air and steam circulate outside the inner container, between it and the outer shell, for maximum air and steam movement.
The locking system on the machine not only provides added safety, but it also creates an air-tight seal to keep heat trapped for quick cooking and optimal warming after the cooking process finishes.
This best rice cooker is also one of the easiest to clean. The cooker features a detachable pull-out cover for easy cleaning inside the cooker.
You can also set the machine to auto-clean using the simple one-button setting. Add a bit of water to the cooker, press the button, and it will automatically steam clean itself to remove stuck food particles and unwanted odors.
Once the cooker completes its cleaning cycle, you should be able to remove residue with a clean towel.
Aroma is one of the best rice cooker brands in the industry, and we’ve previously reviewed two of the best rice cookers from the company.
The brand continues to be a leader in kitchen appliances, and its rice cooking units often stand out as customer-preferred models for convenience, versatility, and long-lasting use.
Aroma Housewares produces several kitchen products in addition to its best rice cookers, including electric kettles, indoor grills, blenders, and more.
But, its rice cookers tend to lead the pack, and its extensive line includes several types of units. From commercial rice cookers that hold up to 80 cups of cooked rice to small, 6 cup rice cooker models, Aroma likely has a model that will meet your needs for whatever type and amount of rice you want to cook.
In addition to our previous Aroma rice cooker review of its 20-cup rice cooker, we will also detail some of our favorite models from the brand that can meet a variety of cooking needs.
With so many Aroma cookers to choose from, we can help you narrow down your options with one of the following top-rated 6-cup, 8-cup, and 20-cup models.
Aroma Simply Stainless 3-Cup Rice Cooker
The aroma stainless steel rice cooker has its cooker pot made of surgical-grade stainless steel. The cooker has a capacity of three cups of uncooked white rice which gives six cups when cooked.
Similarly, it has a capacity of two cups of uncooked brown rice, giving you four cups of the same when cooked. The appliance also features one-touch operation and an automatic keep warm function.
Apart from being able to prepare any variety of cooked rice, the unit comes with a measuring cup and one serving spatula for your convenience.
What Do we like?
- No plastic in contact with the steam
- Stainless steel bowl is thick and sturdy
- Cooks rice perfectly
- Does not take much space
What Don't we like?
- Splatter around the lid
- Does not cook other grains well
- Rice sticks sometimes
- Cooker is not long-lasting
Aroma Housewares 6-Cup Pot Style Rice Cooker
If you need a smaller cooker for personal use, the Aroma Housewares 6-Cup Pot Style Rice Cooker may be the perfect choice for you.
According to rice cooker reviews by customers, this Aroma rice cooker and food steamer is not only an excellent option for small budgets, but it’s also convenient for beginners to use.
The one-touch design makes it simple to cook rice, steam meats and vegetables, or even slow cook a meal without worrying about various settings and buttons.
For a larger unit with a bit more control over settings, try the Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Digital Rice Cooker & Food Steamer.
Aroma Housewares 8-Cup (Cooked) DigitalCool-Touch Rice Cooker Review
With a stainless steel exterior, this cooker has a capacity of four cups of uncooked rice, yielding eight cups of cooked rice.
The rice cooker has some easy to use functions including a delay timer of up to fifteen hours, an automatic keep warm function and programmable digital controls with steam.
Also, the appliance has a removable nonstick inner cooking pot for easy cleaning of the unit. The manufacturer also made sure that the rice cooker is dishwasher safe.
Some of the accessories that accompany the cooker are a steam tray, a cup for measuring rice, one spatula, and some exclusive recipes.
What Do we like?
- Great accessories
- Easy to use
- Sturdy rice cooker
- Does both white and brown rice perfectly
What Don't we like?
- Easily breaks down
- Takes long to cook
- The bowl is a bit small
- Steam leaks
Zojirushi is another one of the best rice cooker brands for cooker and steamer units, although the company produces other helpful kitchen appliances, like bread makers, vacuum sealers, coffee makers, and more.
We previously reviewed a Zojirushi rice cooker 10 cup model, which is our overall top pick for rice makers. The Zojirushi Automatic Rice Cooker takes the guesswork out of cooking rice and other foods with its advanced fuzzy logic technology.
Zojirushi also has several other excellent models to meet various needs for chefs, like the Zojirushi 3 Cup Rice Cooker and Zojirushi NS ZCC10, which has a unique, stylish design that will hold up to 10 cups of rice.
Here, we’ll review our other top picks for the Zojirushi brand, with Zojirushi rice cooker 3 cup to 10 cup models to fit your budget and needs.
Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer
The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer is a programmable rice cooker that holds up to 10 cups of cooked rice and also uses fuzzy logic technology to cook food to your expectations.
Rather than being a stainless-steel rice cooker, this unit has an aluminum inner pot and white exterior, both of which are easy to clean and give the cooker a unique design.
The Quick Cooking setting can even help cook food faster when you’re in a time crunch, and the Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cooker and warmer will use its smart technology to cook and heat your food to perfection – no guesswork required. We love this Zojirushi 5.5 cup rice cooker for its various settings that make it both a functional and versatile kitchen appliance.
Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker
One of the best 3-cup rice cookers is the Zojirushi Cooker and Warmer. The overall appearance is very modern with the black and stainless steel that is so popular.
Along with the appearance, there are several other physical features that help to make this the best 3-cup rice cooker on the market.
There is a detachable inner lid, a very easy-to-read LCD control panel, an automatic and an extended keep-warm setting, a reheating cycle, a delay timer with two settings and a built-in retractable power cord.
All of these features help to make the best 3-cup rice cooker available on the market.
All of these features pay off as the rice that is produced is perfectly cooked every time. And beyond the traditional white rice, this 3-cup rice cooker can also prepare mixed rice, sushi, porridge and brown rice.
That makes this a very versatile tool for your kitchen and a tool that would be well worth your time. And to help you make this perfect rice, it comes equipped with a measuring cup, nonstick rice spatula and a spatula holder.
What Do we like?
- Makes very good rice
- Plays song when cooking starts and when it stops
- Does not leak when it cooks
- Easy to use
What Don't we like?
- Cooker is a bit slow
- Nonstick coating flakes off of bowl
- Does not keep rice heated
- Highly priced
Zojirushi NP-NVC10 Rice Cooker
This import sits at the top of the retail market in both quality performance as well as in pricing. An expensive choice by any measure or comparison, the Zojirushi NP model is a work of design art as well as professional level production.
Planned and built to handle any kind of rice and produce a perfectly cooked batch every time, this model claims the title of “king of the best small rice cookers” available.
A complete novice can work this unit without any issue and produce a gourmet dinner serving of rice every time for multiple guests.
Black and Decker is a household name, creating power tools, lawn and garden items, small appliances, and more since the company established itself in 1910.
The company has a variety of rice cookers, from small, single-serve units to large, 16-cup models to fit the needs of your family and kitchen.
Black and Decker rice cooker reviews by customers point toward the company’s cookers being perfect for general kitchen use.
Beginners, especially, will enjoy the simple settings paired with powerful cooking technology that leaves the guesswork to the machine to create the perfect rice, soups, and one-pot meals, without having an enormous mess to clean afterward.
BLACK+DECKER 3-Cup Single-Serve Rice Cooker Review
Black and Decker’s versatile line of rice cookers includes the Mini Single-Serve 3-Cup Rice Cooker.
This small unit cooks up to 1.5 cups of uncooked rice, so it’s perfect for single servings for one-person households, lunches, and other small meals.
The small frame is about half the size of larger models, so it won’t take up much space on your countertop or tucked away in a cabinet.
This unit features a nonstick cooking pot that you can easily remove for simple clean-up. With two settings – Cook and Warm – this model couldn’t be any simpler for the rice cooking beginner.
Black and Decker 6-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer
The Black and Decker 6-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer is the next size up, cooking up to 3 cups of dry rice at a time.
The streamlined design of this model also features Cook and Warm settings that you can change with the flip of a switch.
For ultimate safety, Black and Decker added Stay Cool side handles and a lid handle to prevent burns.
This unit also comes with a handy steamer basket that sits atop your rice so you can create a meal conveniently in one pot.
Black and Decker 16-Cup Rice Cooker Review
Cook up to 7 cups of uncooked rice in this model.
Once it’s finished, the cooker will set itself to automatic warming mode, so your food stays hot without overcooking until you’re ready to eat.
You can make soups, stews, steamed food, and more in this cooker.
The dishwasher-safe cooking bowl makes the unit a breeze to clean.
Tiger is another one of the best rice cooker brands in our book. Tiger Corporation is a U.S. division of the Japanese-based company that creates several types of personal and commercial kitchen products.
Its line of rice cookers includes models with unique designs that are sure to bring some aesthetic appeal to the kitchen, as well as high-tech units that use induction heat to cook rice to perfection.
Whether you’re a beginning user of these types of appliances or an experienced user looking for ultimate control of the cooking process, you’ll likely find a Tiger rice cooker that works for you.
Our Tiger rice cooker review will focus on detailing our favorite from the brand, the Tiger Rice Cooker with Food Steamer and Slow Cooker.
Tiger Rice Cooker with Food Steamer and Slow Cooker
The Tiger Rice Cooker with steamer is our pick for best Tiger rice cooker, cooking up to 5.5 cups of uncooked rice at a time with plenty of settings for the user to take control of the cooking process.
The unit itself is relatively small compared to others with a similar capacity so that it won’t take up excess space in the kitchen. Still, it has enough room to cook for up to six people.
This model comes with nine preset cooking methods, including a setting for brown rice, mixed rice, steaming, and slow cooking. So, there’s no need to have both a slow cooker and the Tiger cooker; this handy appliance does it all.
You can change the cooking settings quickly using the menu button, so there are no complex controls to mess with. For added safety and convenience, the retractable power cord fits snugly inside the unit when it’s not in use.
This cooker includes a steamer basket which you can use to steam veggies, fish, and other meats over your rice as it cooks.
The model uses Automatic Cooking Logic technology that helps find the perfect balance between steam, temperature, and other factors for an excellent cook.
Once your food has completed the cooking cycle, the unit automatically switches to the Keep Warm setting for convenience.
When you’re all done with the unit, you can remove the inner lid and steam cap for simple cleaning.
Tiger JNP-S55U-HU 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer
One of the best features of this rice cooker is its ability to keep food warm for up to 12 hours. That makes this ideal to use if you need to start cooking before you leave for work.
The non-stick inner pan also means that you will have an easy clean up process afterwards. And the removable and washable steam vent is another feature meant to make your clean up a breeze.
This is definitely one of the most user-friendly rice cookers on the market.
Tiger JAY-A55U-CU 3-Cup Rice Cooker Reviews
This lightweight 3-cup rice cooker is one of the best options available on the market.
Its stainless steel appearance is very attractive and it offers several features to help you make the absolute best rice.
It includes a cooking timer with two different memories and you can wash the rice while it is inside the inner pan.
These help to make cooking even easier than ever.
Hamilton Beach has long been an industry leader in creating and manufacturing helpful appliances, like bread makers, coffee makers, can openers, toaster ovens, and more.
The company also has an incredible line of rice cookers and steamers to fit a variety of cooking styles, budgets, and preferences.
From single-serve units to large, 20-cup capacity units, you can easily find the perfect model for your kitchen from Hamilton Beach.
Our Hamilton Beach rice cooker review will detail our favorite, and a customer favorite, model for versatility and convenience. The Hamilton Beach Rice and Cereal Cooker is a stainless-steel unit that turns up to 7 cups of uncooked rice into 14 cups of fluffy, tasty, cooked rice.
Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity
While the HB portfolio hasn’t really jumped up and won awards, it has produced some reliable products again and again, solidifying market share with reliability.
The Digital Simplicity is not going to lead the pack in the best small rice cookers, but it will rank in the group, especially with the ability to serve a large group up to 20 cups worth at a time.
The unit is also flexible enough to steam both rice and other vegetables versus just being a one-off cooker.
Oster is another excellent rice cooker brand that also specializes in creating other kitchen tools, appliances, and accessories.
The brand’s line of rice cookers ranges from 6-cup to 20-cup cooked rice capacities with unique designs, functional versatility, and simple controls.
For our Oster rice cooker review, we compared the features and reviews of several of the top models from the brand to find the best one for the average user.
We love the Oster 6-Cup Rice Cooker, a unit with a design that stands out from traditional rice cooker models, is small enough to fit seamlessly in most kitchens, and has simple functionality that’s perfect for beginning users.
Oster 6-Cup Rice Cooker with Steamer
The Oster 6-Cup Rice Cooker prepares up to 3 cups of uncooked rice, making it the perfect size for small families. This tiny, but powerful, unit includes a steaming tray that sits conveniently on top of your rice so that you can cook vegetables or meats at the same time.
This model is perfect for also creating soups, fondue, stews, oatmeal, and more. You’ll receive a measuring cup with your cooker to help you measure the perfect amount of water, rice, and other foods.
The Oster’s inner pot is removable and non-stick, so cleaning is as simple as it can get. You can even add the inner pot and steaming tray to your dishwasher for hassle-free clean-up.
The tempered glass lid is durable enough to withstand high heat and includes a steam vent to direct steam in one direction to prevent burns.
What we like most about this Oster appliance is its one-touch functionality that makes it simple to use, removing the guesswork and confusion involved with some more high-tech models with several cooking settings.
This unit has a switch that toggles the cook mode with the warming mode, so those are the only two settings with which you need to concern yourself.
But, the cooker even has an automatic warm mode that comes on once the cooking cycle completes so your food doesn’t overcook.
And, an auto shut-off feature for added safety turns the appliance off after a certain length of time, just in case you forget to do it yourself.
Panasonic is another one of our picks for best rice cooker brand. The leading technology company has been in existence since 1918 and continues to impact the world today with its innovative products, from camera and video technology to home appliance and office equipment.
Panasonic isn’t best known for its rice cookers, but it has quite a few models to meet various kitchen needs, from basic cookers to more advanced computer-controlled appliances.
For our Panasonic rice cooker reviews, we want to focus on a unit that gives top customer satisfaction for excellent cooking and simple use.
Our top pick from Panasonic is the Automatic 3.3 Cup Rice Cooker, a unit that can be a beneficial choice for people who want a hassle-free rice cooking experience without all the bells and whistles.
Panasonic Automatic 3.3 Cup Rice Cooker Review
The Panasonic Rice Cooker likely has one of the simplest designs you’ll see for a rice cooker, yet its simplicity is what sets it apart as one of the best. This model isn’t your typical programmable rice cooker.
Instead, it’s a one-button machine that automatically adjusts to your food’s cooking needs using its smart technology. All you need to do is set the button to “Cook,” and let the cooker take care of the rest.
This model isn’t recommended for brown rice, but it can cook white rice, sushi rice, stir-fries, and other foods to perfection.
The automatic cook cycle will adjust to the needs of the food by sensing whether it needs a lower or higher temperature or a change in steam.
Once the cooking cycle completes, the cooker will automatically switch to the Keep Warm mode. This setting keeps your food warm for up to four hours without overcooking it.
This model will make up to 6 cups of cooked rice. Unlike other similar units, it doesn’t include a steam setting or a steaming tray for vegetables, fish, or meats.
But, this appliance is a good choice for those who only want a rice cooker without the extras. You won’t pay for accessories and settings that you may never use.
Additionally, this cooker is small enough to fit in a small kitchen with tight counter-space or tucked away in a cabinet.
For another best rice cooker brand, check out Cuisinart. This brand is an industry leader in the cookware, appliances, cutlery, and overall kitchen space.
Cuisinart doesn’t have an extensive line of rice cookers, currently only carrying two models, but Cuisinart rice cooker reviews make it clear that these handy units do the job well.
In addition to cooking rice, the Cuisinart units steam your favorite foods at the same time your rice cooks for ultimate convenience.
Cuisinart makes its unique square design using brushed stainless steel for a classy look that’s easy to keep clean. Here, we’ll look at the Cuisinart 4-Cup Rice Cooker, a handy unit to have in the kitchen.
Cuisinart 4-Cup Rice Cooker
The Cuisinart 4-Cup Rice Cooker is the smaller of the two models Cuisinart offers but has enough space to make up to 7 cups of cooked rice, which can meet the needs of medium-sized families.
Plus, it functions as more than just a way to cook rice by perfectly cooking boiled eggs, soups, stews, oatmeal, grits, and more. You can easily replace other unnecessary appliances by using this one as a slow cooker or steamer.
You don’t need much experience with these types of cookers to make the most from the Cuisinart unit. The simple design includes a switch that controls the Cook and Warm settings.
A red LED light will show when your unit cooks, while a green LED light indicates that it is currently on warming mode.
Aside from that, you won’t need to mess with any controls, special settings, or temperatures.
The internal technology makes the adjustments you need for a thorough, even, and perfect result for rice and other foods. Once your food completes the cooking cycle, the unit will switch itself to warming mode.
For easy measuring, the inner pot includes measurements. You’ll also receive a measuring cup that’s meant for use with this model so you can always have the perfect ratio of rice to water.
You can remove the non-stick inner pot for easy cleaning, and it is dishwasher-safe.
Unlike many other similar types of cookers with a one-year warranty, Cuisinart provides a three-year warranty for this model.
If you have any issues with your product during that time through no fault of your own, Cuisinart will repair or replace it for you.
What Do we like?
- Inner nonstick pot is easy to clean
- Cooks rice fast
- Stainless steel finish blends well with other appliances
- Simple and easy to use
What Don't we like?
- Overcooks rice when filled
- Cannot do brown rice
- Too small for a family
- The unit frequently overflows
Rival RC61 3-Cup Rice Cooker Reviews
This rice cooker comes in a bright red color and has a nonstick inner pot and steaming basket. It also includes a domed glass lid which you are able to see through.
The options include a keep warm feature so that you can serve your food when you are completely ready for it. Each rice cooker also comes equipped with a measuring cup and a plastic rice paddle.
These additional tools help ensure that you end up with only the absolute best rice possible.
Instant Pot IP-DUO60
Some competition finally appears in third place with the Instant Pot DUO60 cooker. This unit is built to be both functional and durable, expecting a good number of years of use before replacement is necessary.
The cooker runs faster and uses less charge than a regular steamer, so over time it can conceivably pay for itself in savings as well.
Folks do need to work with the Instant Pot DUO60 a bit though. It’s a pressure cooker, which requires a different approach to cooking food than what a steamer requires.
So, Which one is the Best Rice Cooker
Of the several models of rice cookers we’ve looked at, the Zojirushi Rice Cooker & Warmer leads the pack in versatility and control.
Although this model does have a higher price point than some, it can replace your slow cooker to create the best soups, stews, porridge, and more, which can make it worth its price.
An excellent contender is the popular Aroma Housewares 20 Cup Rice Cooker, which is perfect for lower budgets but also includes slow cooking, steaming, and special rice settings for ultimate control over the cooking process.
The best rice cooker for you depends on the size and functionality you need. There are plenty of low-budget models with simple designs and minimal functions that can cook rice as well as more expensive models but without the bells and whistles.
However, if you’d like to replace your slow cooker and steamer pots potentially, you may want to consider a higher-end cooker that steams and slow cooks other foods in addition to different types of rice.
Versatility and functionality typically come at higher price points, as do large capacity units. Balance your needs and skills with your budget to find the best rice cooker in our guide that will work best for your kitchen.
