Rice Cookers

You’ve just arrived to the US from Singapore with your family on a work visa. Born and lived throughout your life the Asian way, eating cooked rice is your main staple diet. You definitely need to have a rice cooker in your rented apartment. Purchasing some of the best rice cookers not only lets you enjoy the pleasure of eating your favorite dishes with the irresistible taste from cooked rice that you cannot do without also makes it possible to steam vegetables, cook soups & stews etc for greater flexibility.

 

Rice Cooker Buying Guide

1) Basic Or Advanced?

Basic rice cookers do nothing else except to cook rice. Some of the better models have an on/off unit that automatically switches on to warming mode after cooking is done, thereby keeping rice warm for at least 12 hours. As such they are usually cheap.

Advanced rice cookers use fuzzy logic technology that offers specific settings for different rice varieties. Some better models do include different functions such as slow-cook cycle for soups or porridge, moisture control for precise rice cooking, timer to preset cooking times etc. They are slightly more expensive than the basic models but who’s complaining?

2) Capacity

Most rice cookers range in size between 3-10 cups (uncooked rice). For a small family of 4-5 people, 4-cups capacity model is sufficient with an extra cup per additional family members.

3) Important Features

a) Glass lid so that you can determined whether the rice is cooked without frequently opening the lid to check.

b) Non-stick bowl for easier cleaning since cooked rice is starchy and tends to stick to surface of bowl.

 

Rice Cooker Reviews & Ratings

Since Westerners hardly eat rice, there’s been limited choices from some of the best rice cooker makers such as Black & Decker, Cuisinart, Oster, Panasonic, Rival, Sanyo and Zojirushi. Since there’s not been any expert reviewers that reviews these products, we look at customers reviews and satisfaction to choose the best rice cookers in each class.

Best Rice Cooker (Small)

Rice Cooker Reviews #1: We found the best to be the Zojirushi NS-LAC05 Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer, Stainless Steel. Cook rice (brown or white), porridge and sushi with this smart 3-cup Zojirushi rice cooker. Features fuzzy logic technology that ensures optimal cooking temperature to give excellent output every time. Comes with automatic warmer to keep rice nice & warm just before serving. 

Rice Cooker Reviews #2: Another recommended model is Panasonic SR-G06FG 3.3-Cup Rice Cooker / Steamer. This intelligent, fully-automatic, fuzzy logic technology Panasonic rice cooker cooks up to 6.6 cups of rice in a flash. Shuts off when completed. Non-stick interior ensures easier clean up later on.

Best Rice Cooker (Large)

Rice Cooker Reviews #3: We would have to go with Panasonic SR-TMB10 5-1/2-Cup Rice Cooker / Warmer. Ideal for large families, this microcomputer controlled Panasonic rice cooker is a must. Features 6 menu settings for different variety of cooking options. Comes with advanced 13 hour preset timer and 12 hour warmer.

Resources: Rice Cooker (Wikipedia)