Best Rice Cooker 2024: Tested & Reviewed

Best Rice Cooker

Let’s be honest—most of us don’t think about a rice cooker as an essential kitchen appliance. But once you try one, especially the best rice cookers, you’ll see why they’re worth the space. Cooking rice on the stovetop can be tricky, with too many chances for overcooking or undercooking. However, with the simple push of a button, you will get delicious rice with a rice cooker. Additionally, it gives you more time to spend on the rest of the meal. Therefore, a fantastic rice cooker is definitely a kitchen appliance that deserves a place on your counter.

Zojirushi Rice Cooker

Best Rice Cooker

Model: Zojirushi 5.5-Cup Induction Rice Cooker

First up is the Zojirushi Rice Cooker, which is one of the best. With its 5.5-cup capacity, this model is perfect for feeding around six people. It is very easy to clean and very user-friendly. The strong, nonstick inner pot with visible water level indications for different types of rice, such as white, sushi, or jasmine, is one of its best features. However, its induction heating is the true magic. This rice cooker heats evenly throughout, delivering consistently fluffy and soft rice, compared to most that only heat from the bottom.

Another major plus is the automatic Keep Warm feature, which keeps your rice at the perfect serving temperature for hours. It’s a Micom rice cooker, which means it uses a microcomputer to adjust the cooking time and temperature if you happen to miscalculate the water-to-rice ratio. This feature is a lifesaver when human error happens! Although it's a bit pricey, around $444, you’re paying for flawless, effortless rice every time.

What’s Not Ideal? The cooking times can be long—up to an hour for white rice and two hours for brown rice. But once you get used to it, you’ll see the results are well worth the wait.

Zojirushi Rice Cooker Instructions

The Zojirushi Rice Cooker is very easy to use. Rinse your rice first, then use the internal markings to help you add it to the pot with water. After choosing your preferred setting (white, sushi, brown, etc.), press the start button. The machine will take care of the rest. The induction model automatically adjusts so you get perfect rice every time and you don't even have to worry about adding too much water.

Aroma Rice Cooker

Budget-Friendly and Reliable

Model: ARC-914SBD Digital Cool-Touch Rice Cooker

The Aroma Rice Cooker is one of the best option if you're on a tight budget. Delicious rice is available from Aroma Housewares without breaking the bank. It can cook up to eight cups of rice and is small and light. Additionally, it has a steamer basket, which makes it adaptable for cooking proteins or vegetables with rice.

It covers all the basics with settings for flash rice, steam, brown rice, and white rice. It makes always excellent rice, even though it might not have the advanced features of more expensive ones. The nonstick, nontoxic cooking pot is another plus, especially for easy cleanup.

Why Choose Aroma? It’s perfect for anyone on a budget or first-time rice cooker users. The rice is delicious, and for $30, it’s hard to beat.

Aroma Rice Cooker Instructions

The Aroma Rice Cooker is simple to use. After rinsing your rice, just add the correct water-to-rice ratio (there’s a guide in the manual), select the appropriate setting, and press start. The rice cooker will do the rest. Don’t forget to use the included measuring cup, as rice cookers typically measure “1 cup” as ¾ of a standard measuring cup.

Cuckoo Rice Cooker

Precision and Performance

Model: Cuckoo Rice Cooker CR-0655F

The Cuckoo Rice Cooker gives you complete control over your cooking experience, making it ideal for people who are serious about rice. Regular white rice and more complex grains like germinated brown rice (GABA) can both be cooked in this rice cooker. You can adjust how long your rice soaks, how long it heats, and at what temperature it cooks. While it might take some getting used to, once you learn the controls, you’ll get perfect results every time.

Tiger Rice Cooker

Simplicity at Its Best

Model: Tiger Micom Rice Cooker JBV-A10U

If you want a no-fuss, reliable rice cooker, the Tiger Micom Rice Cooker is a solid choice. For about $85, it offers four straightforward settings—white, brown, synchro (which steams food while cooking rice), and steam. It’s a great basic model for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles of high-end rice cookers.

What to Look for in a Rice Cooker

If you're in the market for a rice cooker, it's important to know what makes one better than the other. In order to help you choose the best rice cooker for your kitchen, let's discuss what I look for when testing them.

Is the Rice Cooker Easy to Use?

Simplicity is a must when selecting a rice cooker. With the best rice cookers, cooking rice is almost simple and all you have to do is push a button and let the machine take care of the rest. The rice cooker should be provided with detailed instructions which guide you through each step, including how to measure and wash your rice, add water, and press the buttons.

These days, the majority of rice cookers have a Keep Warm function, which is really useful. It ensures your rice stays warm after it’s done cooking, so you don’t have to rush to serve it immediately. The greatest rice cookers in my experience is automatically switch to the Keep Warm option when the rice is done. So, look for that feature when you're shopping around.

How Long Does It Take to Cook Rice?

Cooking times can vary a lot from one rice cooker to another. Some cookers promise quick rice, but here’s the thing: the best rice usually takes a bit longer to make. For example, the Zojirushi rice cookers take about an hour to cook white rice and about 90 minutes for brown rice. While that may sound long, the results are worth the wait—fluffy, perfectly cooked rice every time.

In comparison, some models like the Instant Pot are faster, cooking rice in about 10 minutes. However, I found that speed can sometimes compromise quality. Faster isn’t always better if you’re after delicious, evenly cooked rice.

What's the End Result Like?

The main thing we all want from a rice cooker is rice that tastes great. I look for rice that’s evenly cooked, fluffy, and full of flavor. Whether you're cooking white, brown, or jasmine rice, the texture should be spot-on—soft but not mushy, with each grain cooked just right. No one wants rice that’s gummy or too firm, so it’s crucial to pick a rice cooker that can handle different types of rice well.

Are There Any Useful Extra Features?

Many rice cookers come with a few handy extras that make them even more user-friendly. For starters, most rice cookers include a measuring cup (just a heads up, in the rice cooker world, "1 cup" is usually ¾ of a standard cup) and a rice paddle. These might seem like small details, but they’re essential for getting the perfect rice every time. Some models even have a paddle holder on the cooker itself, which is a nice touch.

Higher-end models often come with additional features like a steamer basket (great for cooking veggies or fish at the same time) or a timer that lets you set the machine to start cooking later. Features like these can add a lot of convenience, especially if you're a busy cook. If you’re looking for more advanced options, consider how well these features work when making your choice.

How Easy Is It to Clean?

No one enjoys scrubbing stuck-on rice, right? That’s why a nonstick inner pot is a must-have. Every rice cooker I tested, except for the Instant Pot and Greenpan, came with nonstick coatings, making cleanup a breeze. You should be able to scoop out rice easily without leaving any bits stuck to the bottom. Some rice cookers, like the Zojirushi and Instant Pot, even have washable lids, which is an added bonus when it comes to cleaning. Keep in mind, though, that most rice cookers are not dishwasher-safe, so you'll need to wash them by hand.

How Much Room Does It Take Up?

Counter space can be precious, so you’ll want to consider the size of the rice cooker. Most of the models I tested have a small footprint—under a foot in diameter—so they won’t take up much more room than a food processor. While having a compact machine is nice, it’s more important to focus on the quality of the rice it makes. So, if you have to choose between space-saving and rice quality, I’d recommend leaning toward the better cooking performance.

Is the Rice Cooker a Good Value?

Rice cookers come in all price ranges, from as low as $30 to as high as $750. But here's the truth price doesn’t always determine quality. I’ve tested expensive models that underperformed and more affordable ones that impressed me. Two standout models are the Cuckoo and the Zojirushi 3-Cup, both of which offer fantastic performance for their price. So, don’t be swayed by the cost alone; focus on how well the rice cooker works for your needs.