The 9 Best Rice Cookers in 2022

15 Oct.,2022

 

Digital Rice Cooker

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Rice cookers allow you to make a pot of perfectly textured, fluffy rice without any guesswork or babysitting. Most models can also be used to cook other grains, such as oats, quinoa, or polenta, and you can even use a rice cooker to make a no-stir risotto . Before buying, you'll want to consider a rice cooker's capacity and cooking functions for how much rice you eat and which types of rice you eat most often.

Although the process of cooking rice on the stovetop is fairly easy—after all, it's just water and rice, usually in a 2-to-1 ratio—it's also easy to under or overcook your rice. If you've ever scorched a pan of rice or wondered why your rice is overly soft and mushy, you've realized cooking a pot of rice requires precise timing and supervision.

Rice is an affordable and versatile grain with many different varieties that can be enjoyed alone, as a side dish, or as the base for recipes like grain bowls, jambalayas, stir fries, and so much more.

The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer is our top pick because it offers thermal sensor technology that adjusts time and temperature for the type of rice being cooked, and it performed superbly in testing. For a budget-friendly option, the Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker is a good choice, with easy-to-use functionality and cleanup.

What to Look for

Best Overall: Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer

4.8

Courtesy of Amazon

What We Like

  • Automatic adjustments

  • Built-in retractable power cord

  • Cooks a variety of grains

  • Detachable inner lid

What We Don't Like

  • Not the fastest rice cooker

  • Timer doesn't display total time

  • Inner handles get hot

Who else recommends it? Wirecutter and CNET both picked the Zojirushi Rice Cooker.

What do buyers say? 89% of 8,400+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 5 stars.

Zojirushi makes some of the best-selling and most loved rice makers. This model takes our top pick because it's compact and has computer chip technology to turn out perfectly cooked pots of rice. The Neuro Fuzzy line has two different capacities available: the 5.5-cup and the 10-cup model which is ideal for frequent entertaining and big families. Our review focused on the 5.5-cup model.

This technology, called "fuzzy logic," assess the cooker's temperature via a thermal sensor built into the bottom of the unit. The machine then makes adjustments to the cooking time and temperature according to the cooking requirements for the type of rice you selected.

You can choose between regular white rice, sushi rice, mixed, porridge, sweet, semi-brown, and brown rice settings. There are also settings for cooking rice without pre-rinsing, quick cooking, and options for softer and harder grains of white rice. Our tester did note that "a little planning goes a long way with this rice cooker. It took a whopping hour and 30 minutes to cook 2 cups of brown rice with the brown rice setting." Even with the longer cook time, the perfect results made it worth the wait.

The nonstick cooking pot has measurement markings on the inside so you can quickly eyeball how much water to add for different types of rice. The pot also has stay-cool handles so you can transfer a hot batch of rice to the table. Other noteworthy features include a removable inner lid for easier deep cleaning, carrying handle, retractable cord, LCD timer, and the inclusion of two measuring cups, a rice scooper, and spoon holder.

This 5.5-cup cooker makes up to 10 cups of cooked rice.

Price at time of publish: $231

The Spruce Eats / Renu Dhar

Uncooked Capacity: 5.5 cups | Cooked Capacity: 10 cups | Dimensions: 10.13 x 13 x 8.13 inches | Weight: 6.4 pounds | Time to Cook White Rice: 48 to 55 minutes | Power Rating: 680 watts

What Our Testers Say

"From half a cup of medium-grain white rice to about 5.5 cups of long-grain white rice, the appliance produced perfectly cooked rice every time." — Renu Dhar, Product Tester

Best Splurge: Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker & Warmer

4.6

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

What We Like

  • Cooks rice perfectly

  • User-friendly

  • Can cook several types of rice

What We Don't Like

  • Large countertop footprint

  • Not dishwasher-safe

This rice cooker uses induction cooking that heats the bottom, sides, and lid of the pan and can make precise adjustments to the cooking temperature to make perfect rice, no matter what variety you're cooking, every time. It can make up to 5.5 cups of uncooked rice at a time and has settings for white rice (regular, softer, or harder), jasmine white rice, mixed rice, sushi rice, porridge, sweet rice, brown rice, GABA brown rice, and quick-cooking.

Chef Hiroyuki “Zama” Tanaka, owner of Philadelphia-based sushi restaurant Zama, recommends Zojirushi rice cookers, which he grew up with in Japan and still uses in both his restaurant and home today. He says, "The best thing about the Zojirushi induction cooker is the way it brings the boiling temperature up so quickly and evenly. It cooks the rice from both sides and top to bottom."

In our product testing, our reviewer was able to turn out an "absolutely perfect" 0.5-cup each of white and brown rice, with no gumminess or clumping, after following the manual instructions.

There are two keep-warm settings, one for holding rice for a short time when dinner might be delayed, and another for keeping the rice warm for longer than eight hours. The extended keep-warm uses a slightly lower temperature to keep the rice from drying out and can hold the rice for up to 24 hours.

The cooker lets you choose between a standard beep notification, melody, or silent mode to let you know the rice is ready. The cooking pot has a nonstick coating for easy cleaning, and the cooker includes a measuring cup and rice paddle.

Price at time of publish: $348

The Spruce Eats / Caroline Goldstein 

Uncooked Capacity: 5.5 cups | Cooked Capacity: 10 cups | Dimensions: 10 x 14 x 8 inches | Weight: 9 pounds | Time to Cook White Rice: 47 to 54 minutes | Power Rating: 1,230 watts

What Our Testers Say

"The Zojirushi is simple to get the hang of, despite its technologically advanced design. Its orange LCD control panel is easy to read, and choosing the appropriate cooking setting using the Menu button is intuitive—even if you’re typically tech-averse." — Caroline Goldstein, Product Tester

Best Budget: Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker & Food Steamer

4.4

Hamilton Beach

What We Like

  • Easy to use

  • Accessories are dishwasher-safe

  • Inexpensive

  • Additional settings for other grains

What We Don't Like

  • Cooks even small batches slowly

  • Warm setting can overcook rice

Our testers reviewed a previous model of this product and loved its value—this newer model has additional features at the same price point. Hamilton Beach's wallet-friendly rice cooker includes a basket for rinsing rice or for steaming foods in the cooker and has a removable nonstick cooking pot for easy cleaning. It holds up to 8 cups of cooked rice to feed a crowd. Users note that it cooks rice beautifully every time.

Operation is easy, just note that all batch sizes take 45 minutes to cook. When the rice is done, it automatically switches to a keep-warm setting—although some users reported that the warm setting overcooked the rice at the edge of the pot if left on for a while.

Besides making rice, you can cook whole grains or use the steamer basket for vegetables or fish. For easy cleaning, both the cooking bowl and steaming basket are dishwasher-safe, while the lid is removable for hand washing. A carrying handle makes it easy to move or store.

Price at time of publish: $47

The Spruce Eats / Caroline Goldstein

Uncooked Capacity: 4 cups | Cooked Capacity: 8 cups | Dimensions: 8.25 x 9.74 x 9.88 inches | Weight: 4 pounds | Time to Cook White Rice: 45 minutes | Power Rating: 250 watts

What Our Testers Say

"You’d be hard-pressed to find a rice cooker that’s easier to use." — Caroline Goldstein, Product Tester

Best Basic: Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Rice and Grain Cooker

Courtesy of Amazon

What We Like

  • Compact

  • Affordable

  • Keep warm function

What We Don't Like

  • Only has white and brown settings

This best-selling rice cooker get high marks for being affordable, easy to use, and the perfect size for most households. Measuring almost 10 inches tall by 8.9 inches wide, it's got a small footprint that won't take up too much counter or cabinet space.

It has settings for cooking white and brown rice and can cook up to 8 cups of cooked rice per batch. A warming mode switches on automatically when the rice is finished cooking so your rice stays at the perfect temperature for serving.

The newest version of this cooker has an upgraded pot made of bonded granite construction for added durability, nonstick cooking, and easy dishwasher cleanup. Previously, our tester noted some chemical smell during cooking, but that issue should be fixed with the new pot.

User-friendly features include a non-stick interior for easy cleaning, a condensation collector to capture cooking steam, and a slot built into the lid to stash a spatula for scooping. It comes with a measuring cup, plastic rice spatula, and a removable steamer tray. The steamer tray can be used to steam meat, fish, tofu, or vegetables while the rice cooks so you have a complete meal with minimal work or cleanup.

Price at time of publish: $40

Uncooked Capacity: 4 cups | Cooked Capacity: 8 cups | Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.5 x 9.3 inches | Weight: 4.9 pounds | Time to Cook White Rice: 36 to 41 minutes | Power Rating: 450 watts

Best Smart Cooker: Panasonic 5-Cup One-Touch Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

What We Like

  • Detachable power cord

  • Keep-warm and auto-shutoff functions

  • Nonstick interior

What We Don't Like

  • No bell when rice is done

  • No timer

This is another smart rice cooker with a micro-computer that adjusts its power depending on how much rice is being cooked. This means the rice is cooked perfectly every time, whether you’re cooking rice for one person or for your whole family.

While the cooker is a smart model, the controls are very simple to use, with icons on the buttons for selecting white rice, brown rice, porridge, or soup, or the quick-cooking or steaming modes. It has an auto-shutoff and can keep rice warm for up to 12 hours after it has been cooked.

The cooker comes with a steaming basket, rice paddle, and measuring cup. The power cord is detachable for safety and storage, and the interior bowl has a nonstick coating for easy cleaning.

If 10 cups of cooked rice isn’t enough, there is a larger model that can make up to 20 cups of cooked rice.

Price at time of publish: $94

Uncooked Capacity: 5 cups | Cooked Capacity: 10 cups | Dimensions: 10.2 x 13.9 x 7.8 inches | Weight: 6.6 pounds | Time to Cook White Rice: 38 minutes | Power Rating: 750 watts

Best Stovetop: Presto 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker

Courtesy of Walmart.

What We Like

  • Can be used on any stovetop

  • Easy to clean

  • Built-in helper handle

What We Don't Like

  • Requires assembly outside of the box

Sure, you can cook rice in a standard pot, but a pressure cooker does it easier and faster since pressure cookers work up to 10 times faster than normal cooking methods. Even better for your wallet and your storage space, a stovetop pressure cooker is a multi-use item that you can use every day. If you don’t pressurize the pot, you can use it just like a standard saucepan.

This has a 6-quart capacity and is made from stainless steel that’s rustproof, nonreactive, and stain-resistant. It can be used on any type of stove, including induction, and it has a helper handle to make it easy to move.

During pressure cooking, the pressure regulator maintains the proper cooking pressure automatically, and the cover locks securely while under pressure with a sealing ring that keeps the steam inside the cooker. For safety, an overpressure plug releases pressure if it builds up too high. The pot is dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.

Price at time of publish: $80

Uncooked Capacity: 10 cups | Cooked Capacity: 20 cups | Dimensions: 17.31 x 9.12 x 8.75 inches | Weight: 5.32 pounds | Time to Cook White Rice: 5 to 8 minutes

Best Large-Capacity: Aroma Housewares 20-Cup Digital Rice Cooker & Food Steamer

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

What We Like

  • Inside pot is nonstick and dishwasher-safe

  • Includes delay timer

What We Don't Like

  • Steam tray is made of plastic

If your goal is to cook a lot of rice without a lot of fuss, this 10-cup cooker can make up to 20 cups of cooked rice per batch.

There are presets for cooking white and brown rice and the cooker can also be used to slow cook or steam. A steaming tray is included and can be used at the same time rice is cooking. Place meat or veggies on the tray, and the steam from the cooking rice will cook the rest of your food for a one pot meal.

The 15-hour delay timer means you can prep your rice and cooking water in the morning and program the cooker to start cooking later in the day so that your rice is done and waiting for you when you get home.

This cooker also comes with a measuring cup and rice paddle. All removable parts, including the inner pot, can be washed in the dishwasher.

Price at time of publish: $40

Uncooked Capacity: 10 cups | Cooked Capacity: 20 cups | Dimensions: 11.3 x 11.3 x 11 inches | Weight: 8.7 pounds | Time to Cook White Rice: 40 to 45 minutes | Power Rating: 860 watts

Best Microwavable: Sistema 2.6L Microwave Rice Cooker

Amazon

What We Like

  • Easy to use and clean

  • Inexpensive

  • Can be used to steam vegetables

What We Don't Like

  • No sealing lid

  • No handles

For an easy way to cook rice that doesn’t involve yet another countertop appliance, this microwave cooker is ready to produce perfect rice in your microwave.

The cooker has an 11-cup capacity, so you can make rice for the whole family, and the steamer plus pressure chamber design produces fluffy rice every time. Locking clips hold the lid in place during cooking, while steam vents release steam without spatter. Side tabs stay cooler and make it easy to remove the cooker from the microwave when cooking is done. The cooker is made from BPA-free plastic.

Price at time of publish: $29

Uncooked Capacity: 5.5 cups | Cooked Capacity: 11 cups | Dimensions: 8.5 x 7.68 x 6.34 inches | Weight: 10.9 ounces | Time to Cook White Rice: 8-12 minutes

Best Multipurpose: Instant Brands Zest Plus 20-Cup Rice and Grain Cooker

Courtesy of Amazon

What We Like

  • Nonstick, easy to clean

  • Large capacity

  • 13 settings cook different grains perfectly

What We Don't Like

  • Doesn't pressure cook like Instant Pots

If you don’t make rice on a daily basis, it might make sense to get an appliance that can cook more than just rice. While this Instant Pot can cook rice for sure, you can also use it for slow cooking, sautéing, steaming, and warming. The Zest lacks the pressure cooking feature that other Instant Pot products offer, which may be ideal for cooks who don't want to pressure cook but want all the other features.

It's available in 8-cup, 20-cup, or 20-cup Plus models. The 20-cup Plus stands out because it has 13 preset cooking functions to perfectly cook every grain you can think of, from white and brown rice to couscous, oats, risotto, and more. It includes a steamer basket, rice measuring cup, and rice spoon.

Price at time of publish: $60

Uncooked Capacity: 10 cups | Cooked Capacity: 20 cups | Dimensions: 11.3 x 11.26 x 11.42 inches | Weight: 6.61 pounds | Time to Cook White Rice: 25 to 60 minutes | Power Rating: 860 watts