Aren’t you tired of waiting by the stove all time while cooking rice? Some may ask, why would you do that? You don’t want an over boiling pot or undercooked rice, do you?
The Asians spent half of their cooking time trying to cook the rice perfectly. But the way life is getting busier every day, can we still spend this much time on a single dish? Probably not.
Then what to do? We definitely can’t cut off rice from our meals. That’s the main dish we eat almost every day! Wouldn’t it be great if there was a cooking gadget that would make perfect rice for us?
Well, now you be worriless because we have found a great solution! We have handpicked some of the best Japanese rice cookers for you! Each of them has impressive performance and will surely make your job in the kitchen a lot easier.
Do you want to say goodbye to undercooked, overcooked, or burnt rice? If yes, dig right into the article!
Best Rated Japanese Rice Cooker: Quick Overview
A quick overview or comparison between products is always helpful. You can easily compare multiple products at once and select which one fits your criteria the best. It is also beneficial for the readers who don’t have time to go through the whole article.
However, if you intend to buy any product, it is best to know every detail. And for that, the detailed review helps the most. So, we always recommend going through the full article for better knowledge.
Best Japanese Rice Cooker Reviews- Choose The One Best For You
After reading the title of this article, you may wonder, why Japanese rice cookers? There are hundreds of brands and manufacturers worldwide who make ricer cookers. So, are we being biased?
Well, no. Before I answer your question, think for yourself, which people eat rice the most? The Asians, right? And if we narrow down to the one who does maximum experiment with rice and makes mouthwatering dishes, which country comes to your mind?
I bet you are thinking about Shushi or maybe rice balls. Whichever it is, both have originated from Japan. Japanese take rice as a symbol of creation and providence. To them, it is not only food but for something sacred.
So, undoubtedly, Japan makes the best cookware to cook rice. But even in Japan, hundreds of manufacturers produce rice cookers. Among them, which one is the best one? And when we say best Japanese rice cooker, we mean the best among the best.
In our today’s article, we have picked all the rice cookers after doing detailed research. So, every single of them is reliable, durable, and shows fantastic performance. With a little bit of change in features, they are ready to rock in your kitchen.
Zojirushi is probably one of the oldest brands that made it out successfully for more than 100 years. Undoubtedly, they produce the best products and so could cope with the competitive world. Now Zojirushi is like a go-to brand if you are looking for best rated Japanese rice cooker.
Having a spherical body with a non-stick inner pan, this Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker is one of the most popular Japanese rice cookers. Featured with advanced Neuro Fuzzy technology, it can measure the temperature of its surroundings and can adjust the cooking time according to it.
An in-built LCD panel and digital timer make it easier for users to operate. You can set the timer and do anything else. Pre-programmed beeping audio will notify you when the rice is ready. You can cook up to 5.5 cups of uncooked rice in this cooker, enough for a medium-sized family.
Multiple cooking options like white/brown rice, soft/regular rice, Shushi rice, porridge, etc., make the rice cooker versatile. And features like keep warm, extended keep warm, delay time makes it more likable to users.
What We Like:
- Non-stick Inner Pan: The inner pan is spherical and is non-stick. It assures evenly heating from all sides for perfectly cooked rice.
- Stay Cool Handle: Attached to both sides of the inner pan is a stay-cool handle making it easier to take out the pan from the cooker.
- Retractable Cord: Because of the in-built retractable power cord, it is easy to move the cooker, and it doesn’t mess with cables in your kitchen.
- Multiple Controls: Other than regular cooking, it also features ‘keep warm,’ ‘extended keep warm,’ ‘delay time,’ reheat cycle facilities. It switches to ‘keep warm’ automatically after cooking is done.
- Neuro-Fuzzy Technology: According to the room’s temperature, the cooker can adjust the cooking temperature and time and thus can cook perfect rice.
- Quick Cooking: If you don’t have much time, you can switch the cooler to ‘Quick cook’ mode and have your rice ready super fast.
- Versatility: Not only plain rice, but you can also cook brown rice, soft rice, Shushi rice, porridge, etc.
- LCD Screen And Timer: Extra-large LCD makes it easy for the users to select modes and control the system. You can also set the timer to the cooker, and it will notify you by making a beep sound when the rice is ready.
- Accessories: A non-stick rice spoon, a spoon holder, 2 measuring cups, and a recipe comes with the rice cooker!
Keep In Mind:
- Not Dishwasher Safe: The non-stick pan and retractable lid are easy to clean by hand. However, you can not put them in the dishwasher.
- Long Cooking Time: Despite having a ‘Quick Cook’ mode, in the normal mode, it takes a bit longer than other rice cookers to cook the rice.
Relevant Article :How Long Can You Keep Rice in A Rice Cooker?
Are you looking for a rice cooker that is small to fit on your kitchen counter correctly but at the same time has enough capacity to meet the requirements of your small family? If yes, we have got the best 3-cup Japanese rice cooker on our list.
Three cups of uncooked rice capacity are enough to feed a small family of 3 to 4 persons. With advanced intelligent fuzzy logic, you will get fluffy and freshly cooked rice whenever you want. This professional multi-cooker also lets you cook slow cook, steam, bake cakes, and different types of rice cooking.
The LED panel makes it easier for new users to understand the cooking functions. With one touch, they can set the cooking mode to quick, slow, switch to keep warm, delay the timer, etc. With the non-stick inner pot, it is effortless to clean.
What We Like:
- LED Panel: An intelligent LED panel makes it easier for the users to read and control the cooker.
- Multi-Cooker: 8 pre-programmed cooking function allows you to cook white rice, brown rice, sushi rice, porridge, soup, veggies, slow cook, bake in a single gadget.
- 3D Heating: Preheat, constant heating, absorb water, thoroughly boil, keep warm, and simmer; these 6 different cooking options with triple heating from all sides makes perfect rice and keep them warm.
- Slow Cook: Detachable steam vent allows you to slow cook at a high temperature for soup, stew, etc.
- Delay Timer: With 2 settings, the 24-hour delay timer lets you pre-set the cooking time, and you can get fluffy, white, freshly cooked rice anytime you want.
- Size And Capacity: Despite having a small capacity, it has a remarkable capacity of 3 cups of uncooked rice, which turns into 5/6 cups of cooked rice.
- Easy To Clean: As the lid is detachable and the pan is non-stick, it is easier to clean them.
- Store And Mobility: Being small in size helps them store in a small space. And the sleek handle gives it easy mobility.
- Accessories: You will get a rice ladle, rice spoon, measuring cup, and a recipe book with the rice cooker.
Keep In Mind:
- Not Dishwasher Safe: Due to the non-stick property of the inner pan, you can not put it in the dishwasher.
- No Retractable Cord: The cooker doesn’t come with a retractable power cord which can be a hassle.
- Difficult Manual: Some users have complained that the manual was a bit complicated to understand.
One of the best smart Japanese rice cookers we have on the list is this Toshiba rice cooker. It comes with all the latest technologies like LCD, smart fuzzy logic, quick-cook technology, etc. Pre-programmed with multiple cooking modes, it permits you to cook different types of rice, like brown rice, white rice, long-grain rice, Shushi rice, etc.
You can also cook porridges, curry, veggies, and bake cakes in this rice cooker. Isn’t that a great deal? Not only that, but you can also keep your dishes warm with the keep warm and reheat technology. If you are in a hurry someday, you can also set the cooker on ‘Quick cooking’ mode for fast cooking.
The cooker heats up evenly with a non-stick inner pan and thus cooks perfect rice. It is also easy to clean them as smart technologies don’t let the rice burn. 2 settings of delay timer allow you to set up the 24-hour timer to have your rice cooked at your required time.
Six cups of capacity make the rice cooker ideal for large families or small families with guests frequently coming over.
What We Like:
- Capacity: It can hold up to 6 cups of uncooked rice, enough for at least 10-12 servings.
- LCD Screen: The LCD panel and digital control buttons have made it easier for the users to operate and keep the cooker in check.
- Multiple Cooking: At least 7 pre-set cooking functions lets you cook white rice, brown rice, Shushi rice, porridge, steel-cut oatmeal, mixed rice, multi-grains, etc.
- Quick Cooking: You can set the cooker on quick Cooking mode to accelerate the cooking time to 30 minutes if you need a quick meal.
- Delay Timer: It is programmed with 2 settings of delay timer. You can pre-set the timer for 24 hours for freshly cooked rice anytime.
- Keep Warm: The rice cooker has a 24-hour keep warm feature. After cooking, you can keep the rice warm for hours.
- Removable Steam Vent: You can easily remove the large steam vent when cooking ng us high temperature to avoid messy outflows.
- Easy To Clean: Being non-stick and having a detachable Inner lid, the rice cooker is easy to clean with hands.
- Accessories: The manufacturer provides a soup and a rice spoon, a measuring cup, and a rice cooker.
Keep In Mind:
- Sturdy: 12 cups of cooked rice capacity made the cooker large and sturdy.
- Not Dishwasher Safe: Do not put the pan in the dishwasher if you want it to last for long.
- Time Consuming: It takes a bit longer to cook rice than other rice cookers.
Panasonic is a renowned brand for only their home appliances but also a wide range of electric gadgets. Their SR-DF101 5 cup rice cooker with fuzzy logic is another outstanding member added to the production line.
From small families of two to a feast for ten people, the 5 cups of uncooked rice capacity of this rice cooker will quickly amend the need successfully. The non-stick inner pan with a measuring line and a perfect cup with the cooker doesn’t let you mess with the measurements. You can cook perfect rice anytime you want.
The cooker shuts off automatically when the rice is cooked to prevent overcooking. Instead, it switches to the keep warm mode, which will keep the dish warm for 12 hours. It also features a 12-hour delay timer which is a great help when you have to wake up early in the morning to make breakfast. Just set the timer the previous night, and you will have steaming hot, fresh rice in the morning.
Featured with a triple heating system with 6 auto cooking modes, you can cook white rice, brown rice, soft or hard rice, Shushi, porridge, soup, steamed veggies, curry, etc. It is also easy to clean off without any trouble.
What We Like:
- Marked Pan: The non-stick inner pan has water level markings for different kinds of dishes. So, there’s less chance of messing up with water measurement.
- Fuzzy Logic Technology: Advanced microcomputer-controlled fuzzy logic technology delicately adjusts the temperature and cooking time for a perfectly cooked meal.
- One-Touch Cooking: With the ore programmed six auto cooking modes (white rice, brown rice, steam, quick cook, porridge, soup), you just need to select one and wait for the meal to cook.
- Heat Regulation: Triple heating technology combined with Micom controls spread heat evenly for fluffy, perfect rice.
- Domed Lid: Inner lid of the cooker is dome-shaped, which prevents the dripping of the water accumulated during cooking.
- Keep Warm Feature: When the rice is properly cooked, the cooking mode turns off, and then the keep warm mode activates automatically. It prevents overcooking and keeps the rice warm for 12 hours.
- Delay timer: 12-hour delay timer helps you to pre-set the cooker at night for freshly cooked rice early in the morning.
- Additional Items: Along with a measuring cup and rice and cereal spoon, it also provides a steaming basket for perfect steaming.
Keep In Mind:
- Not Dishwasher Safe: Refrain from putting the pan and lid into the dishwasher.
- Measure Properly: if you mess up with the measurements of rice and water, you will end up with poorly cooked rice.
- No Water Drainage: This rice cooker lacks proper water drainage for the accumulated water droplets on the lid.
Zojirushi has a wide range of production lines. If you are looking for a simple, easy-to-use, conventional rice cooker, this Zojirushi NHS-06 3 cup rice cooker can be ideal. It can contain 3 cups of uncooked rice, which is equal to at least 6 cups of cooked rice. If you have a small family of 2 or 3, this amount should be enough.
For those who find multiple switches and cooking functions difficult, it is perfect with a single easy-to-use control. The glass lid lets you see what is going on with your rice inside the cooker. A non-stick inner pan ensures the rice gets proper heat and cooks evenly.
After cooking the rice, the cooker switches to keep warm and keeps your rice steaming hot for hours. For perfect measurements, you will get a measuring cup, rice scooper, a steaming tray, and a cooker.
What We Like:
- Non-stick Inner Pan: Non-stick inner pan makes sure that the rice is heated quickly but evenly.
- Stay Cool Handle: Stay Cool outer handle, and lid prevents unwanted burns and makes it easier to move the cooker.
- Easy Operation: A single switch operation allows you to activate two functions with a single switch and makes the process and control easy.
- Keep Warm: Other than ordinary cooking, it can also keep the rice warm for a long time after cooking.
- Glass Lid: The cooker comes with a glass lid that lets you see through what is happening inside the cooker. You can easily take a peek at the rice.
- Steaming Tray: A stainless steaming tray comes with the rice cooker, which lets you steam eggs, veggies, etc.
- Easy To Clean: Both the non-stick pan and glass lid are easy to clean.
- Accessories: a plastic measuring cup, a rice spatula, and a steaming tray come as accessories with the cooker.
Keep In Mind:
- No LCD Display: Unfortunately, the rice cooker doesn’t have an LCD panel.
- No Multi-Function: It is a simple conventional rice cooker with only two modes, cooking and keeping warm.
- Burnt Rice: Some users have noticed that the keep warm mode somewhat burns the rice.
- Spit Water: Water is sometimes spat from the steam hole during cooking.
Zojirushi always has something for everyone. If you want one of the best Japanese rice cookers with advanced features and technologies, the Zojirushi NS-LGCO5XB Micom rice cooker is ideal. With 3 cups of uncooked rice capacity, it is perfect for a family of 2-4 persons.
Advanced micom fuzzy technology allows the rice cooker to detect room temperature and rice type and adjust the cooking temperature and time accordingly. Not only plain rice, its advanced program will enable you to have perfectly cooked brown rice, mixed rice, soft/hard rice, Shushi rice, long grain rice, and also oatmeal too!
Thanks to the delay timer, you can enjoy freshly cooked rice and oatmeal anytime you want. Just program it beforehand, set the time when you want to have your meal, and the Micom technology will decide when to start cooking. Isn’t that amazing?
What We Like:
- Micom Fuzzy Technology: The advanced fuzzy logic decides different temperatures and timers for different types of rice, oatmeal, etc.
- Triple Heater: 3 dimension heating from the bottom, side, and lid makes the triple Heater system and generates heat from all directions for evenly heating.
- LED Screen: Digital, giant LED screen lets you set time and temperature easily. You can also watch over the cooker better.
- Multi-Function: Micom technology already cooks perfect rice. But other than that, this rice cooker also has a keep warm, extended keep warm, and reheating cycle, which activates automatically to keep the rice warm after cooking.
- Delay Timer: 24 hours delay timer (2 settings) lets you set a timer up to 24 hours, thus providing freshly cooked rice at your desired time.
- Versatility: You can cook white rice, brown rice, long-grain rice, Shushi rice, porridge, oatmeal, and even do experiments with your rice.
- Removable Steam Vent Cap: The steam vent cup is removable and allows you to cook at high temperatures without making a messy kitchen with overflows.
- Size And Portability: As small in size, it can be stored anywhere in the kitchen. The folded handle makes it easier to carry the cooker and portable.
- Detachable Inner Lid: Inner lid of the cooker is removable and detachable. So it is easy to clean.
- Accessories: As additional items, you will get a rice measuring cup, a spatula, and a spatula holder.
Keep In Mind:
- No Proper Water Drainage: There’s no drainage system for the water stored on top of the plate.
- Require Cleaning: If you don’t want a messy kitchen and dirty cooker, you need to do some cleaning after every use.
- Overheats: Some consumers have reported their units overheating during cooking.
If you are in search of the best Japanese rice cooker that will adjust perfectly to your small kitchen, Yum Asia Panda Mini Rice Cooker can be an ideal choice for you. This kawaii rice cooker is small in size; however, it is full of modern technology and features. It is a complete bundle you can go for without any doubt.
It has 3.5 cups of capacity and is the perfect and best one-person Japanese rice cooker. With 7 phased innovative fuzzy technology, it aims to provide you with the best-conditioned rice you were looking for. And when the 3D heating feature combines with the fuzzy technology, it heats the rice from all directions for nicely cooked rice.
Twenty-four hours ‘keep warm’ keeps the rice warm when the cooker turns off after completing cooking. And the 24 delay timer assures that you will get your rice cooked in time if you pre-program it.
The 2mm thick inner ceramic bowl with 5 special layers composition makes it the best Japanese ceramic rice cooker on the market. It is also why the panda is so durable and lasts for years without any problem.
What We Like:
- Unique Design: With a cute, unique, and classy design, this mini rice cooker will surely steal your heart.
- Ninja Ceramic Bowl: The inner bowl is made of ninja Ceramic which is 2mm thick and has 5 special layers composition that makes it durable and long-lasting.
- LED Screen And Smart Button: Bright LED display and Korean style smart button control make the operation easier.
- Advanced Fuzzy Technology: For cooking different types of rice, the advanced computer-controlled system sets different times and temperatures.
- Multi Cooking Function: Featured with 7 pre-programmed cooking functions like Preheat, absorb water, steam, boiling, heating, keep warm with steam, and cool down.
- Quick Cook: In-built quick-cook setting allows you to accelerate the cooking process.
- Delay Timer: 24-hour delay timer lets you set the time previously when you want the rice to be cooked.
- Rice Function Countdown: 10-minute rice countdown timer notifies you when your rice will be ready to serve.
- Energy Saver: It is a huge energy saver that uses only 350 watts.
- Accessories: On your purchase of this rice cooker, you will also get a steaming basket, rice scooper, soup ladle, measuring cup, and an instruction manual.
Keep In Mind:
- Not For Feast: You can only cook up to 3.5 cups of uncooked rice, which should be enough for 1-3 persons.
- Faulty Keep Warm: Consumers have complained that rice becomes dry and crunchy when they leave the cooker on keeping warm mode.
- Small Steam Area: The steaming basket that comes with the cooker is relatively tiny, and you can not steam a decent quantity at once.
Aroma Housewares has a reputation for making great home appliances. They have it all in their production line, from simple rice cookers to advanced multi-purpose cookers. Today we have chosen this simple ARC-753SG Select Stainless Rice Cooker for those who want only a rice cooker, nothing more, nothing less.
A simple one-touch design has kept the control system very simple. Even those who don’t know how electric gadgets work; can efficiently operate this rice cooker. Despite being an analog cooker, it comes with an automatic cooking system that switches to a warm function when the rice is cooked.
Though we call it a simple rice cooker, you can still cook white rice, brown rice, soup, omelets, pasta, and oatmeal in it. As there’s no coating on the stainless steel inner pot, you can put it in the dishwasher without any worry.
What We Like:
- One-Touch Design: After pouring the right amount of rice and water, you just need to pull the lever to start cooking.
- Stainless Steel Pot: Instead of a non-stick coated inner pot, this rice cooker comes with a durable food-grade 304 stainless steel pot.
- Simple Operation: Aroma Housewares has kept the operation simple with only cook and warm mode.
- Automatic Cooking: You can forget about the rice after starting the cooker. When the rice is thoroughly cooked, it will automatically switch to warm mode.
- Versatility: As a traditional rice cooker, it can make brown rice and white rice. In addition, you can also make oatmeal, omelets, and pasta on it.
- Dishwasher Safe: As there’s no non-stick coating on the inner pot, you can throw it inside the dishwasher.
- Lightweight: It is a very lightweight model weighing only 4 pounds.
- Additional Items: A rice measuring cup and serving spatula is packed in the box with this rice cooker.
Keep In Mind:
- Spills The Contents: Be careful while using the cooker as it tends to spill water during cooking.
- Small Sized: Only 3 cup measurement is enough for 2-4 persons.
- No Advance Technology: You won’t get any modern technology like fuzzy logic or 3D heating in this product.
Just from the brand name, we can guess what’s their purpose for making home appliances. Yes, they aim to make your life comfy and easy. And trust me, with their all in one multi cooker/rice cooker, it is bound to happen!
Thanks to its six-step cooking process, you will get perfectly cooked rice every single time, which preserves the steam in the inner pot and steam valve for perfectly cooked, fluffy, and warm rice. Featuring 17 different cooking styles, it can make various types of rice, soup, stew, pasta, sauté, steamed foods, etc.
With a capacity to contain 10 cups of uncooked rice, it is ideal if you want to cook for a feast. Its humanized design, LED screen, and simple touch functions make controlling easier for you. Also, it pays extra attention to your safety than any standard pressure cooker.
This unit is made to last for a long time use. You can even throw it inside the dishwasher without worrying about damaging the inner pan. Also, you will get one year of complete warranty from the manufacturer for any kind of damage.
What We Like:
- 10 Cup Capacity: Having 10 cups of uncooked rice capacity can cook for at least 15-20 people comfortably.
- 6 Step Cooking: COMFEE’ has developed its intelligent six-step cooking function, which preserves steam and gives you perfectly cooked and fluffy rice every time.
- Versatility:
- Delay Timer: With a 24-hour delay timer, you can enjoy a good morning’s sleep by setting the timer to cook rice the previous night. When you wake up, steaming hot and, fresh rice will be ready for you.
- Keep Warm: After cooking is done, it automatically switches to keep warm mode, keeping the contents warm for 12 hours.
- LED Screen: For better use and easy read, it features a bright LED display. And the sensitive touch panels allow you to start cooking with a single touch.
- Dishwasher Safe: The non-stick inner pot with all the accessories with the rice cooker can be washed in the dishwasher.
- Accessories: As additional accessories, you will get a rice measuring cup, rice paddle, soup spoon, and steamer with the cooker.
Keep In Mind:
- Needs More Power: At least 890 watts of electricity is needed for this unit to operate.
- Lack Of Instructions: The manual with the cooker is confusing, and there’s so much information missing.
- Heavyweight: Around 9 pounds of weight makes it quite sturdy and difficult to move.
Who doesn’t love steaming hot, fluffy, white rice at every meal? However, cooking rice may seem easy, but it is the total opposite. Since 1923, TIGER is always trying to provide consumers with the best Japanese rice cooker for cook rice perfectly.
TIGER JBV-A10U is another one in the line aiming to fulfill your requirement. You need to pour rice and the right amount of water and then wait. Other than plain rice, you can make variable rice like brown rice, mixed rice, Shushi rice, etc., in one single push.
Along with rice, you can cook curry and veggies too at the same time. How? All thanks to the TIGER’S own ‘cook’ synchronized cooking function. Its automatic cooking logic technology will provide sufficient heat to cook both dishes. So, rest assured.
With 4 cooking settings, this rice cooker cooks rice, keeps them warm, reheats them if necessary, and lets you cook other dishes simultaneously with rice.
What We Like:
- 3 Layers Non-stick Coating: 3 layers of non-stick coating make the inner pan a great heat conductor and durable to last for years.
- Automatic Cooking Logic: As soon as you press the cook button, TIGER’S automated cooking logic starts to check on the temperature of the pan and rice. It adjusts the temperature as necessary with time and cooks rice perfectly.
- Multiple Operations: 4 cooking settings like synchrony cooking, slow cooking, keep warm, reheat, etc., surely make the cooker more likable.
- Synchronized Cooking: On this rice cooker, you can cook rice at the bottom while you can cook curry, veggies, or anything else on the cooking plate on top simultaneously because of the synchrony cooking function.
- Slow Cooking: For Stew, soup, and curry, which need more time to cook, you can turn on the ‘slow cooking’ mode and cook for a longer period.
- Special Cooking Plate: Specially designed cooking plate doesn’t let its flavor affect the texture or flavor of rice.
- Capacity: Being capable of holding 5.5 cups of uncooked rice, which enough to feed a family.
- Additional Items: Additionally, you will get a non-stick spatula, a measuring cup, and a cooking guide with the rice cooker.
Keep In Mind:
- Not Dishwasher Safe: You should never throw the inner pan into a dishwasher. It will harm the non-stick property.
- No LED Display: Though you are getting 4 cooking settings with single push buttons, there’s no LED/LCD panel.
- No Retractable Cord: Unfortunately, the power cords are not retractable.
How To Choose Best Rated Japanese Rice Cooker: The Ultimate Buying Guide
Hold on a moment before you buy any rice cooker. Have you thought about it thoroughly? What type of rice cooker do you need? How much capacity will be good enough for you? Do you want the best Japanese rice cooker only for cooking rice? Or do you plan to cook something else like steaming veggies or cakes?
If you still don’t have a proper answer to all the questions I have asked, sit tight and think for a moment. You need to be sure about your needs and budget and then decide which rice cooker model would be perfect. Will you go for the best 3-cup Japanese rice cooker for your small family or the best one-person Japanese rice cooker? Or are you looking for the best affordable Japanese rice cooker?
Whatever you are buying, thinking about its usage in your daily life is a must! After all, you wouldn’t want to waste your hard-earned money by choosing the wrong item that you probably don’t need.
For selecting a rice cooker, some things need your extra attention, for instance, the type of cooker, its material, capacity, etc. It’s okay to forget about anything particular because we will remind you in this buying guide.
Let’s begin then!
1. Cooker Type
Before anything else, you need to be sure about what type of rice cooker you want. Do you want a conventional rice cooker that you need to operate manually? Or do you want a cooker with advanced technology that can adjust the cooking temperature and time as needed?
There are rice cookers of multiple varieties. Some of them only cook rice when the others can cook a feast for you.
Firstly, decide which kind of rice cooker you are looking for, and then hunt for the best Japanese rice cooker.
2. Materials
Best Japanese rice cooker brands are found to use different materials for their production line. But in general, aluminum and stainless steel get more priority. After all, they are durable, long-lasting, and can tolerate rough usage.
You will see some of the best cheap Japanese rice cookers that use plastic for the body. However, they use non-stick coated aluminum for the inner pot, which is heated for cooking.
If you want a rice cooker lasting for a couple of years without any trouble, it is better to go for stainless steel or aluminum one. However, keep in mind that they are quite heavy and difficult to move.
3. Capacity
The rice cooker’s capacity is an important point that you can never miss. Generally, the capacity of the rice cooker is measured in cups. How many cups of rice can be cooked in that cooker is the basis of these measurements. Usually, it varies from 3 cups to 16 cups of uncooked rice.
If you live alone or have a small family of 2 or 3 persons, you should go for the best Japanese small rice cooker with maybe 3 cups capacity. In the same way, if you live in a big family, opt for a rice cooker that can contain at least 6-10 cups of uncooked rice instead of buying multiple units.
Here’s a reminder. The cup measurement should be done with the measuring cup that comes with the rice cooker for perfect estimation.
4. Cooking Functions
Even a typical conventional rice cooker now comes with at least two cooking functions, ‘cook’ and ‘keep warm. Additionally, you will find ‘extended keep warm,’ ‘delay timer,’ etc. with the high-end rice cookers.
Rice cookers use smart fuzzy logic, and Micom technology automatically switches to keep warm mode after the rice is cooked completely. The rice can be kept warm for 12 to 24 hours, depending on the model.
12 or 24 hours delay timer lets the user pre-program and set the timer when he wants his rice to be cooked. According to that program, a computer-controlled system decides when to start cooking. It is best for those who need to wake up early in the morning to make breakfast.
Other than these, there are other functions like quick cook or slow cook. You can accelerate the cooking time when you are in a hurry and can also slow it down when you are cooking stew, soup, etc.
5. Controls
There’s no point if buying a highly programmed rice cooker if you don’t feel comfortable with the control system. Most of the best-rated Japanese rice cooker comes with an LCD or LED panel, which shows you the cooking modes and timer properly and clearly. Thus, it becomes easier for users to control the whole system.
Those who are good with technology, don’t worry. A single button or knob rice cooker is available in the market that doesn’t feature complex operations. You can find one if you feel comfortable with that.
More advanced technology like WiFi or Bluetooth connection connects your rice cooker with your smartphone so that you can operate it remotely with ease. However, they surely come at a high price.
6. Versatility
Rice cookers are only for cooking rice; this concept of thinking is a century old. Nowadays, rice cookers have evolved for the better with multiple cooking modes and features. They allow you to cook different kinds of rice like white rice, brown rice, soft rice, hard or sticky rice, Shushi rice, porridges, soup, curry, etc.
You can even steam veggies, fish, meat, bake cakes, dessert items, and whatnot in a rice cooker! Isn’t this amazing? You don’t need to buy separate cookware but a versatile rice cooker to have all of them at once!
But yes, there are single-function rice cookers too, which only look out for cooking perfect rice. If you think you only need that, plenty of options are available.
7. Energy Saving
Many rice cookers now use electricity to function. If you are choosing one from that list, make sure to check up on the amount of electricity it uses. Some rice cookers even use as much as 900 watts of power. If you happen to buy one of them, be prepared to pay for a handsome electric pill at the end of the month.
Nowadays, manufacturers are trying to make more and more power-saving technologies and cut down on energy usage. We have put multiple rice cookers with energy-saving features on our list. Check then and grab one that suits you the best.
8. Easy To Clean
Asians eat rice in at least two of their meals of the day. So, a rice cooker is something that we use every day, sometimes multiple times a day. As a result, if they are not easy to clean, it is a great headache.
Generally, rice cookers have a non-stick inner pot, which doesn’t allow anything to stick to it. And so, cleaning it is pretty easy. However, you should not put them in the dishwasher unless it is described as ‘dishwasher safe’ in the instruction manual.
Some of the high-end rice cookers in the market come with self-cleaning and sterilizing options. It allows you to leave the cooker for a couple of days before washing it manually. If you think of cleaning as a hassle, you can choose one of these.
9. Lightweight
The weight of the rice cooker matters a lot for those who need to travel a lot. And being an Asian, you can barely think of packing your bag leaving your rice cooker. In these cases, mini rice cookers that don’t weigh much are the ideal choice.
If you don’t intend to move your cooker much and have a place in your kitchen, you can still go for something sturdy they are more durable and designed to last for years.
10. Accessories
Most of the best Japanese rice cooker comes with some additional items that make your cooking experience with the cooker a bit easier.
Generally, you will get an instruction manual, a rice and water measuring cup, and a rice paddle/scooper packed in the box with the cooker. You should use the measuring cups that come with the cooker for perfectly cooked rice. If you mess up the proportion by using other cups, you may not get the perfectly cooked rice you aimed for.
The rice paddle or scooper is generally made with such materials that won’t damage the non-stick surface of the inner pan. So try to use it or any other non-stick-safe spatula for serving rice.
11. Affordability
Last but not least, your affordability is what can change everything in a moment. Sometimes, we are not in a situation to spend money as we want. Even though you want, you can not go for a high ranged rice cooker with all the advanced technologies and features.
Maybe a conventional rice cooker with simple functions will be a smart choice. We have put a couple of the best Japanese rice cookers that will surely fit your budget. Are you in search of them? Go and check them out now!
FAQs:
1. What is the proper ratio of rice and water in a rice cooker?
Answer: For a cup of rice, you will have to put 2 cups of water in the rice cooker. Remember you should use the same cup for measuring both rice and water. The measuring cup with a rice cooker is the best to use.
2. How long does it take to cook rice in a rice cooker?
Answer: Depending on the brand and model, the cooking time does differ. A typical conventional rice cooker usually takes somewhat 40 minutes to completely cook the rice.
However, you will find many rice cooker in the market that comes with a ‘Quick Cook’ operation which can accelerate the cooking time to 20-25 minutes.
3. What is a Micom rice cooker?
Answer: Micom stands for micro computerized. It generally uses smart fuzzy logic technology to detect the room temperature and type of rice and then adjust the cooking time and temperature according to it.
4. Why my rice always comes out soggy?
If your rice is coming out soggy from the rice cooker, it typically means you are probably adding too much water. Try reducing the water to a 2:1 (water: rice) proportion, and hopefully, you won’t face the same problem again.
5. Can I cook vegetables in my rice cooker?
Some rice cooker comes with a steaming tray that allows you to steam veggies on it. Also, some cookers come with a ‘Slow Cook’ function, which allows you to cook veggies, soup, and stew on it. Read the instruction manual first to know whether your cooker supports that or not.
Final Words
How would you feel if someone served you half burnt or undercooked rice in your meal? Any normal person would get angry and may even feel humiliated. But that’s the scenario you will see a lot in Asian households. It’s not easy to cook rice perfectly every time. A moment of distraction is enough to destroy your meal.
But now, with the best Japanese rice cooker, we have described today. Hopefully, there won’t be any such incident in your house anymore. Life is easier when there’s a combination between humans and technology. Modern rice cookers are another example of that.
We hope that you will find the perfect rice cooker you need and have fluffy, steaming, hot, freshly cooked rice in every meal.
