For perfect rice every time with no mess or fuss, you need a good rice cooker. But with so many rice cookers on the market, it can be hard to find the right one. We have taken the guesswork out of buying by researching to bring you the best rice cookers on the market.
Do I need a rice cooker?
While their primary purpose is preparing incredibly delicious rice of all types, nowadays, many rice cooker models feature steamer baskets that allow making veggies, fish and other sides at the same time. Furthermore, there are models with specific programmes for brown rice, oatmeal, millet, quinoa and other fancy grains. In some multipurpose rice cookers, you can even prepare soups and stews. Selected according to your cooking preferences, a rice cooker can quickly become one of the most used and beloved appliances in a grain-loving kitchen.
How Does It Work?
Rice cooker prices vary a lot; however, not always the more expensive model yields the best rice. Let’s have a look at how these devices function since this can help to understand what components are crucial and what can be skipped.
Main Body
Since the outer container does not directly influence the cooking process, this might seem irrelevant. However, this is not true. First of all, the exterior of a rice cooker must be well insulated to prevent burns. Secondly, it should be compact and easy to fit on your counter. Thirdly, it should be easy to clean just by wiping with a moist cloth; and should not have any crooks or narrow spaces.
Some rice cookers have plastic exterior while others boast a metallic finish. If you plan to use your cooker regularly, it is worth investing in a more solid model with an appealing design. It will add a nice touch to your countertop. On the other hand, if you plan to store it in the cupboard, a lighter body with a removable cord works best.
Inner Cooking Pot
The inner rice cooker pot or bowl is removable; therefore, large and ergonomic handles matter. These will make it easier to lift the bowl, especially when it is full. Most often, the rice cooker inner pot is made of stainless steel and has a non-stick coating to save you from scraping stuck rice from its bottom. Nowadays, non-stick surfaces are perfectly safe and do not pose health risks when used according to specifications, while the thermal sensors eliminate the risk of overheating. To protect the coating, most models will come with a plastic paddle for scooping out the rice. Alternatively, you can also use a wooden spoon for this purpose.
If you do not want a device with a non-stick surface, other alternatives exist as well. Some rice cookers have a stainless-steel bowl without coating. Such inner pots are very durable and can be safely put in the dishwasher. However, the chances of rice sticking to the bottom considerably increase; thus, be ready for some scrubbing.
Ceramic pots are an ecological alternative to the non-stick surfaces. A good quality ceramic will perform as well as Teflon. However, cheap ceramic rice cooker pots may chip or break over time, so be prepared for a higher price if you prefer this material and want your pot to last. It is not recommended to put ceramic-coated vessels in the dishwasher.
Heating Element
Typically, the heating element is located at the bottom of the rice cooker. If not designed well, such placement results in inferior heat distribution that may yield unevenly cooked rice. However, this is not always the case. When the heating element is constructed well, some of the cheapest and simplest rice cookers perform nearly as well as more advanced models.
Some of the more expensive rice cookers use induction heating. In this case, the copper coil of the heating element reacts with the metal of the pot. As a result, a magnetic field is created that efficiently transmits heat within the entire cooking pot. Each grain absorbs the same amount of heat and water, resulting in exceptional, evenly cooked rice. The heating temperature can be adjusted instantly and precisely; therefore, induction rice cookers are often used by professionals.
Finally, some models combine induction with pressure cooking. This is the ultimate level of rice preparation since it takes less time, and the resulting rice has unsurpassed taste and texture. Still, such cookers are way too expensive for the majority of home users.
Sensors
Every rice cooker will have at least one temperature sensor. Once the pot is filled and turned on, the temperature will increase until the water starts boiling and evaporating. At this point, the temperature stays the same, and the cooking process begins. However, once all water is either absorbed or evaporated, the temperature will start to increase again. The sensor will notice this and either turn the cooker off or switch to the “keep warm” setting.
More exquisite rice cookers will have several sensors and chips that allow automatically adjust cooking parameters depending on conditions, for example, the grain amount and type or water absorption speed. This feature is called fuzzy logic, and it allows modifying cooking time, temperature, heating intensity and so on. Models with fuzzy logic will be able not only to prepare excellent rice but also handle other grains. The best ones will even try to compensate for user mistakes such as an imprecise ratio of rice and water.
Lid
Some rice cooker lids are lockable while others look like a standard saucepan cover. However, what matters more is whether the lid fits tightly. This means less steam to escape and less spatter on your counter.
You will also have to choose between removable and non-removable lids. Generally, we prefer the former because they are easier to clean. However, a non-removable cover can have a detachable inner part that alleviates the task. Steam vent is another component that requires thorough cleaning; in some models, this can be detached for cleaning as well.
Rice Cooker Essentials
Since we have covered the basic rice cooker components and their functions, let’s look at some more specific features. Understanding these will help you to pick a cooker that fully suits your cooking needs and preferences.
Power and Capacity
Preparing rice in a cooker always takes more time than the 18 minutes on the stovetop. Overall, around 30 to 40 minutes is a reasonable expectation, but there are quicker models as well. Those few extra minutes are well worth the wait to enjoy perfect, evenly cooked rice. On the other hand, anything that needs above one hour perhaps should be renamed slow- rather than a rice cooker.
As to the capacity, things can get tricky since some models also have space for placing steamer baskets above the rice. Overall, 0,5 to 1 l pot will be sufficient for one to two people, while 1-3 litres will be optimal for a family of 3-4 people. 3-5 litre pots can easily feed up to six people, and there are even larger capacity pots for households of more than six rice lovers.
Another and, probably, more convenient way to evaluate if a rice cooker is spacious enough for your needs is to check how many cups of rice it can hold. The amount indicated in specifications usually refers to uncooked rice (since some varieties can even double in volume when cooked). One cup roughly corresponds to 1 serving of rice; thus, the calculation of the amount needed is easy. However, a specific measurement called Japanese-rice-cooker cup is used in the rice cooker world. Luckily, most models will have this particular unit included, but, in case, it gets lost, it is useful to know that one rice cup equals approximately 160 ml or ¾ of the conventional US cup.
As to the minimum cooking amount, most cookers will be able to prepare just 2 cups of rice without issues. If you add only one cup, some rice cookers might not be able to handle it well resulting in burned rice. Always check the manual to know the limits of your cooker.
Keep-Warm Function
While the name is self-explanatory, this is one of the most appreciated features in rice cookers. It allows you to finish preparing other products or wait while everyone arrives and then serve perfect rice at the ideal temperature. However, the maximum duration your meal will remain warm will vary from model to model, for some, it is limited to one or two hours before the rice gets too cold or starts sticking to the bottom.
Additionally, some advanced models have a delayed-start function. This means that you will be able to schedule your rice to be done, for example, when you come back from work.
Cooking Indicators
Since the rice cooker will happily do all the work by itself, it is helpful to have indicator lights or a display that inform you whether it is still cooking or has switched to keep-warm mode. Audible sound alarm at the end of cooking is also useful, as you will be able to know once the rice is ready even from another room. Finally, multi-purpose models often have displays that help to program the device and show the cooking time left.
Quick Mode
The quick-cook setting is convenient when you are hungry and in a hurry, as it reduces the cooking duration. However, the prepared rice quality usually suffers a bit; thus, it is worth sticking to the standard mode most of the time.
Steamer Tray
Some rice cookers come with a steamer tray or basket that can be inserted at the top and used to cook vegetables or other dishes, often, simultaneously with the rice. This certainly extends the possible uses of your cooker, making it a more versatile device. If you want to put fish or meat in the steamer and prepare it simultaneously with grains, be ready that the juices can steep into the lower bowl and change the flavour. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it might not be optimal for some recipes.