Rice Cooker Reviews
Are you looking to buy a rice cooker? Finding the best rice cooker can be hard, because there are so many to choose from. That's why we have created this guide, where we have rated the top ranking rice cookers, complete with full reviews and actual user feedback.
Don’t know which kind of rice cooker you want?
Read our introduction to rice cookers first!
Looking for a specific brand?
We have reviews for rice cookers from all the top brands:
Aroma, Zojirushi, Panasonic and Sanyo.
Want to go straight to shopping?
Head over to Amazon.com – guaranteed to have the cheapest prices on rice cookers. Don’t be surprised if their prices are 40% lower than retail. They have free shipping too!
The Best Rice Cooker List
This is a list of the highest rated rice cookers in each category. You may click on any of them to read a more in-depth review, see user comments and find the cheapest price.
You’ll find both so called “fuzzy logic” rice cookers and regular ones in this list. The difference is that fuzzy logic cookers have a built-in computer that constantly adjusts the temperature for optimal results. Keep in mind though that rice cookers that lack this feature can still make great rice, so it’s mostly a matter of preference (and money, fuzzy logic cookers cost a fair bit more).
Rice cookers with fuzzy logic capability
| Best overall with Fuzzy Logic |
 |
Zojirushi NS-LAC05 3-cup Rice Cooker |
~$150 |
 Rated 4.8 by 230+ reviewers |
| Best under $50 with Fuzzy Logic |
 |
Aroma ARC-930SB 10-cup Rice Cooker |
~$50 |
 Rated 3.8 by 4+ reviewers |
| Best under $100 with Fuzzy Logic |
 |
Sanyo ECJ-M100S 10-cup Rice Cooker |
~$70 |
 Rated 4.5 by 30+ reviewers |
| Best 1-4 Cup with Fuzzy Logic |
|
Zojirushi NS-LAC05 3-cup Rice Cooker |
~$150 |
Rated 4.8 by 230+ reviewers |
| Best 5-8 Cup with Fuzzy Logic |
 |
Sanyo ECJ-HC55S 5½-cup Rice Cooker |
~$110 |
Rated 4.7 by 70+ reviewers |
| Best 9-12 Cup with Fuzzy Logic |
 |
Zojirushi NP-HBC18 10-cup Rice Cooker |
~$300 |
Rated 4.6 by 50+ reviewers |
Rice cookers without fuzzy logic capability
| Best overall Regular |
 |
Aroma ARC-838TC 8-cup Rice Cooker |
~$40 |
Rated 4.3 by 110+ reviewers |
| Best under $50 Regular |
|
Aroma ARC-838TC 8-cup Rice Cooker |
~$40 |
Rated 4.3 by 110+ reviewers |
| Best under $100 Regular |
 |
Zojirushi NHS-18 10-cup Rice Cooker |
~$70 |
Rated 4.3 by 50+ reviewers |
| Best 1-4 Cup Regular |
 |
Panasonic SRG06FG 3-cup Rice Cooker |
~$30 |
Rated 4.1 by 190+ reviewers |
| Best 5-8 Cup Regular |
|
Aroma ARC-838TC 8-cup Rice Cooker |
~$40 |
Rated 4.3 by 110+ reviewers |
| Best 9-12 Cup Regular |
|
Zojirushi NHS-18 10-cup Rice Cooker |
~$70 |
Rated 4.3 by 50+ reviewers |
Introduction To Rice Cookers
Rice cookers have been a must-have kitchen appliance in Asian countries for many years, but it wasn't until recently they started becoming popular in the Western world as well. We eat more rice now than we use too, and we really should: it's healthy, inexpensive and not harmful for the environment. Not to mention the delicious dishes you can make with rice.
If you've ever tried cooking rice on a stove, you know how difficult it can be. Rice made on a stove will never taste like the rice they serve in for example Chinese restaurants. A rice cooker makes the cooking process a lot easier - usually you just load it with rice and water, turn it on, and wait until it's done.
So what do you need to know if you've decided to get a rice cooker?
First of all, there are two general types of rice cookers: Regular, and fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic rice cookers use an on-board computer to constantly adjust the temperature and ensure perfect results every time. There's no question that fuzzy logic rice cookers make better rice, but the difference can be marginal if you're not a rice aficionado. The main drawback of fuzzy logic rice cookers is the price - most of them cost at least twice as much as their regular counterparts.
Another important factor is the size. Rice cookers come in a variety of sizes, spanning all the way from 3 up to 20 cups. Keep in mind that this is not standard American cups, but "rice industry" standard cups, meaning they're a bit smaller than usual (about 25% smaller than American cups). You should always get a slightly bigger rice cooker than you think you might need, simply because the price difference is usually negligible, and it may come in handy if you want to cook a big meal when you have guests. An individual should probably aim for a 3-5 cup rice cooker, while a family should go for a 5-10 cup model.
Aside from these two basic factors, there are also other points to consider. Many rice cookers come with extra features such as timers, ability to steam vegetables/meat/seafood, slow cooking ability and many more. Some even use an advanced technology called induction heating for even better results.
So which one should you get?
If you've never had a rice cooker before, you'll probably do best with a regular, basic model to start with. Once you've tried that you can then decide if you should take the step to a more advanced model. Basic models start at around $20, so it's certainly not a big investment. Advanced models, however, can cost as much as $300 (though usually between $100 and $200), so don't go spending that much until you're certain about it.
To find out which rice cooker you should get, take a look at our best rice cooker list where we review the top rated models from a variety of brands.
Good luck!
